A weekend in Arizona & New Mexico + Some Deep Thoughts

Back to this style post. A couple fun thoughts and facebook status you missed. Too lazy / busy to write a real blog. Things are going well. That’s all.

This week I was in New Mexico and Arizona. Arizona was for my friends wedding. New Mexico was just adding on to the trip.

I did a show at a casino near Roswell, I learned Aliens and I have a lot in common. We both go to shitty small towns, we both like butt stuff, and my parents don’t believe in them.

Then I did another show near Albuquerque, which was exciting. I got to visit all the Breaking Bad stuff. I showed up to the house, worried nobody would be there to take a picture. Luckily only 30 other people had similar ideas. The occupants peaked through the window while we were there. I was wondering if other “Famous” houses have to deal with the same kind of stuff.  Do the people who own the house from The Brady Bunch get jealous nobody visits their house 20 times a day.

I got to Arizona and interestingly enough, I learned Arizona does not participate in Daylight savings time. They just don’t trust anything dark.

The wedding was fun, met some cool people. Although one of the wedding photographers found out I was a comedian and kept telling me about his screenplay. I was like um… I’m not in showbiz, I’m in Tucson. He probably makes more money than me.

I did get about 25 people out to a show I did that included family of my friend who hadn’t seen me in years and some friends who have seen me a few times and follow the material regularly. The show went great, which felt great to do a great show. New jokes. New stories. The club also told me they’d probably bump me up to Co Headliner in a year or two. It’s nice to feel that response from a club directly. Because I start to feel a little less crazy.

I’ve been getting great feedback lately. Sometimes the club, sometimes the headliner. One guy even said “Nice job. It’s great to work with someone fucking funny for once.”-  Which is always great, but like I do, I try to find a way to continue doubting myself to push harder. I mean, I’m past thinking I’m not doing well. I’m doing great. but right now I’m still feeling like I’m not separating myself enough.

My initial reaction when I feel like a club is surprised at how well I do is “Wow. All these other comics must be terrible.” – And I’ve seen a few middles where I didn’t know why they were middling. I’ve also seen some comics who were decent but shouldn’t be middling yet, but then again, so was I at some point.

I put a lot of thought into it, and I realized I know so many GREAT non headliners. They can’t get on tv, so they can’t headline. But they’re doing colleges, corporates, behind the scenes tv writing, acting / auditions. No. Of course I’m not the best comic out there, I’m just the best comic willing to drive to the middle of nowhere for no money.

Even a little bit of extra money from the club doesn’t make the wage liveable, so it’s better spent on the headliner because a small difference can make a big difference in the level of headlining comedian. So paying each comic a liveable wage and a hotel and raising the talent level, doesn’t make your club any money. Not a lot of clubs are in it for the love more than the money (some are actually) – Therefore it’s $300, no hotel.