Hosting & Don’t Blame the Crowd
Got a new video last night.
One thing I’d take back. “Sometimes Laughter Hurts” is a line Gabriel Rutledge uses all the time. As soon as I said it I made a face like “crap.” – I had thought of a new line the other day but I couldn’t think of it when I was on stage. “They say laughter heals, but I don’t feel any better about it.” – Anyway, it’s not a major thing that’s gonna stop me from using the video, but I’ve been doing that when I watch a headliner too much. I picked up a mike wally line while I was doing Tribble runs with him constantly. I picked up a Susan tendency when I was on the road with her. I’ve got to be more conscious of it.
Anyway, the amazing part was that I had this set as a host. I threw in two new jokes I wrote that day that worked. The balloon animals line came from Susan. The whole thing was about Susan’s interview on my dad’s show.
“Andrew is eating off the appetizer plate.” Thanks Susan. So I showed up and my mom bought me a bunch of Condoms. Great. “I heard the interview with Susan.”
Anyway. As a HOST it’s sometimes more difficult to get a good set. The crowd is cold. You’re the first guy they see like: “alright this is the first guy, he probably won’t be that funny.” I try to get a laugh or two in the announcements and even though as a person I would hate it, I make them clap a bunch and give a couple whoo hoos before I try to do some jokes. The first crowd was ready to go from the start and I got a great tape out of it. The second crowd took a few jokes before they started getting warmed up. Then every comic after me had a great set. So I did my job. It’s kinda selfish but sometimes I hate hosting. I want my good set. But then sometimes you get a host who doesn’t do a good job and now instead of starting at 0, you have to dig out of a hole as the special guest or the middle act. So sometimes you take the bullet for the good of the show. The headliner sometimes has the issue, but not as often. Usually middle acts are able to get the crowd back after 20-30 minutes. Some acts won’t. But regardless. I explained some of this in the blog post about hosting. It’s not as much about how your set goes, but more about how everyone else’s set goes.
The headliner was John Beuhler who was hilarious. Duane Goad was featuring who also did well and pulled out some jokes I haven’t heard in a long time. The dog shit on the shoe is probably one of my favorites that he does. Probably an under appreciated bit, you wouldn’t think a dogshit joke is always a solid idea but I like it.
Anyway, I just wanna state for the record, people always talk about blaming the crowd. Lets be real, its a great rule, and I do believe in it, but it’s also made so you don’t get off every time you suck and say “oh that crowd sucked.” Sometimes it is the crowd, but most of the time it’s just you.
Other life updates: I’ve got a new book i’m reading “I’m dying up here.” I’ve got about 50 pages in so far, only one day of reading. Very good. Highly recommend it. I’m always on the lookout for great comedy books. If you know anything, feel free to leave a comment. and if you’re wondering what the picture is, that would be my future wife, or as I call her my “future bitch.” – These are the type of things women send to me. I will elaborate in a future post about a new concept I’m working on. Yes, we’re starting to get personal and emotional. but first, I’m going to rub one out. [sorry for the graphic nes]
Tootles.
