Rubber Dick Jokes Ok @ Native

To my one follower, thanks I had to bust my editing department for sitting on this for a few days. This post is dedicated to youJ

Every other Wednesday Night, Mellow B Entertainment brings a unique open mic concept to Mesa-- ten minute sets.   Native Grill and Wings hosts the mic in their bar; a raised stage makes it easy for the crowd to see you working, all 20 tv’s are turned down, and a MBE banner hangs in the background.  Despite the raised stage, about half the mic-ers stay on the ground; once, I even tripped going up and wiped out the mic and mic stand. 

Native is located at 1559 S. Gilbert Road, the northwest corner Gilbert Road and the 60. Nativegrillandwings.com  will get you a good look at their menu and specials.  Native makes a great pizza; twice I’ve had the 10” sausage, and it’s the real deal.  Crunchy yet soft inner thin crust, fresh sausage, good cheese, perfectly greasy!  It’s just a good pizza.  Pizza is my go to item if a place offers one.  I’ll try the wings next visit, they look great.

The crowd at the three mics I’ve been a part of these past two months at the Native are well attended.  Mellow B Entertainment’s Bobby Johnson is the driving force behind these crowds.  He watches the Dallas Cowboys games here with a large group on game day, and a lot of those fans have made it out for comedy.  They are a pretty well spirted group that takes a pounding from the comedians. They come ready to laugh; they weren’t even scared off by Tamponman or some scary eyed screamer with a dildo on November 19, 2014.  So that’s a good sign. I’m thinking dick jokes are okay with this crowd—well, at least rubber dick jokes. 

Actually there were quite a few mic-ers that I haven’t seen before, which is always fun.  You pay attention to their stuff, I don’t usually catch their name the first time.  They are “the guy in the yellow shirt that said the thing about….” Next time, I’ll pay better attention to catch a name when I see them edging their  way up to the side stage.  In addition to the no-names, it was nice to see Doc from Gilbert, a rare mic sighting from a guy who has made a living from telling jokes on the road.  Mic-ers we’ll miss Lawyer Johnson, he is going to the next level soon. My set went fine, 5 minutes, all new set stuff. I have to start recording at least voiceagain, but I think all concepts got a laugh.

I met Doc when were each taping promotional videos at Stand Up Scottsdale in the spring.  He was a real comedian, and I was just getting mine done as a stocking stuffer that I haven’t shared with anyone; stay tuned for the big unveil at Christmas 2014 at the Zuiker house!   #worstgiftever.  Everyone else getting their tapes done were trying to put together a good promotional gig video, and Alex “Doenut” Bleecker did a fantastic job with all the taping and editing.  That night at SUS, I did a real nice 10 minute set at the 4 month mark, scripted.  I think it was a fair representation of where I was at the time, the tape don’t lie. Though that show went well, the same week I taped that, I also had my worst set of the year at the famous Tempe Improv.   Unfortunately, the Improv show is on YouTube, and it’s my only video posted to date. :/  That night, the mic host told the crowd I was hilarious which was nice hearing since we’ve never meet and he just showed up in town from Memphis, TN. last week.   He’s my new best friend. 

Really A Year

Phoenix Mic-Life

 

This week a year ago, I walked into an open mic at a coffee shop in Mesa, following my second week at Comedy Schools.com.  I was preparing for an open mic in Houston, TX over the Christmas holidays with my family in attendance.  In addition I’d been wanting to scratch “To Do Comedy” off my Bucket List.  What I found in that six week preparation period was the opportunity to hear people laugh at my stuff, and then chasing that moment of laughter began driving me.   Having fun was my top priority, because even if you’re funny and you work very hard it doesn’t mean you’ll ever make more than sense out of this.

Experiencing the subculture that is the Phoenix Mic-Life has been fascinating to me.  After spending the previous 16 years living in rural Northern Michigan, it was great to get out and experience something new with such a diverse crowd.  I re-located from Kalkaska, MI. a town so lacking diversion it has 3 K’s in its spelling. I’ve seen crowds as large as 20+ for a mic and as few as just the bartender, not counting my fellow “mic-ers.”  I prefer the term “mic-ers” to “comedians” on nights when nobody is getting paid.   No disrespect intended, actually just the opposite.  I see a mic-er, as one who is willing to work late, grinding it out, trying to get better at their craft when no one else in the room is paying attention or gives a shit. It takes a special kind, and I’m glad to be one of them.

I have been fortunate to be able to enjoy performing, and I’ve done so at over 200 shows of varying degrees through the year: beginning with mostly mics, to eventually opening showcase shows with national headliners by the end of the first year.  Receiving a slice of pizza, a few wings and a cold beer as compensation a time or two has set the standard. 

This isn’t going to be a “How to” feature.  Instead, I look forward to reviewing venues, menus, shows and maybe throwing gasoline onto smoldering fires when I see an opportunity. 

The Mission @ Minder Binder located 715 S. McClintock Dr. northeast corner of McClintock and University, near downtown Tempe.  Is now the venue for the newest addition to the open mic scene in the East Valley.  The Mission reopened in 2013, walking into the building it suggests Mexican food, with a name that suggests of trips from my youth.  The menu offers classic salads, burgers and pizza,  I enjoyed a thin crust two item 12” pizza for $17 prior to the show.

John Higbee and Ali Musa, run a nice show, they have been hosting a similar show at Boulders on Broadway,   these past few months.  The Upstairs Comedy Show, is a show up go up open mic.  Signup starting at 8:30 and show time beginning at 9:00, Musa was coming off a successful 5 show weekend opening at the House of Comedy.  He still had enough in him to close the show a little after 11:30.  At one point this summer he performed near 60 nights in a row, now that’s a mic-er.   I was the last of 26 to perform, doing a new joke that I backed away from Saturday night.  Most of those who performed were given five minute sets, later in the evening, the sets went to 3 minutes to accommodate the restaurant staff.  We have to be good guests, especially on opening night.  My favorite observation of the night is when late night mic-ers who are buzzed just want to rif.  Then they leave the stage upset, when nobody wants to play along with them.