It only took me being very sick for the first time in a few years to update this page, but here we are! Oh, the things taken for granted. Energy, being able to breathe, not having a body writhing in pain, you know, all the classics!
I have a local comedy show to prepare for soon. Comedy is a strange thing. So subjective and free. One of those things that has to be practiced in front of a live audience for growth. What other hobby is like that? I’m very glad I can practice poorly playing old Coheed and Cambia guitar riffs in the privacy of my own home and just pretend that the cat’s musical awareness is offline. I take Oscar for a smooth jazz fan regardless, so I’m sure some offense is taken.
Once a main driver and passion in my life, I would consider standup comedy a creative hobby at this point. I’m very thankful that in 2017, I took my still full head of hair to Chicago to finally dive into ‘real’ comedy scene. I learned a fair amount about myself, made some great friends, and witnessed the reality of those who treated comedy like a job. Quite the arduous and unrelenting path. Absolutely fun on paper but not something I really wanted to pursue turns out.
Since I was a child, my default mode of thinking was always “Where’s the joke here?” Not to say I was obnoxiously cracking wise all the time, though. Even then, I knew only to share a humorous thought if I really believed in it. Sure, my brain was always seeking punchlines in an uncontrolled reflex, but it was also editing and reading the room. I knew when to flip the switch.
I was aware of stand-up from a young age and struggled to see the appeal. At that point, I had only been exposed to mainstream titans such as Jeff Foxworth and his ilk. There’s a room full of people, and boy, are they having a good time. Is this just for adults? Why am I not laughing? Well, alright then. That’s stand-up comedy, and I suppose it’s not for me.
It wasn’t until I was around 14 that I stumbled on some stand-up comedy that really resonated with my budding brain. We rarely had cable consistently growing up, but it was during one of these glorious spells that I stumbled on Late Night with Conan O’Brien. What’s this? Talk shows can be funny? This is wild! I saw this towering crimson hair man perform his skillful hip-string dance amongst some off-kilter jokes that aligned perfectly with my sensibilities, and I was hooked.
My friends and I always had our sense of humor labeled "odd,” but here it was on a televised stage. People were laughing, and so was I. It was then that I became aware of the broad spectrum of what’s considered comedy. Just because it’s labeled as such doesn’t mean that it will be funny to every single person.
Much like the death metal I was tapping my young toes to (sorry mom, it wasn’t a phase) at the time didn’t quite connect with my Top 40 loving sister. There’s comedy out there for me, and I just have to start digging.
One night on Conan, the performance at the end of the show was a little known (at the time) alt comic Zach Galifianakis. With a name like that, I had to check him out! This stocky lumberjack looking man walked out, sat behind a large piano, and changed my life forever. This person I have never heard of can play the piano beautifully while telling short, witty jokes? What in all of creation is this? You’re allowed to do this? I was immediately hooked. Stand-up comedy can be good, and I have a lot to explore.
This journey is a long one, so I will expand in another post. But for now, some tea and BC powder are calling my name.