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psychoSage Comedy Journal

Documenting humiliating myself at open mic's from the very beginning..

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Open Mic Log #9 - Firehall Brewery (Oliver, BC)

Today was experimenting with a little bit more new material. Some of the material has been practiced in my zero-audience set previously, but I still consider it as 'new' since this is the first time there was an actual audience. It's fascinating to observe how a joke can fall short when I don't have the delivery dialed in. I truly think the "hair loose, glutes tight" joke will get much bigger laughs once I can figure out where I fucked up.

Open Mic Log #8 - Kelowna Downtown Library

Just practicing "old" material with a new bit at the end.

In Bo Burnham's Goodbye of his famous and poignant Inside film/album, he asks, "Does anyone want to joke when no one's laughing in the background?"

Today, I answer this important question with: yes. There is probably something wrong with me.

Open Mic Log #7 - Kelowna Comedy Club (again)

Had a good set that trailed off around the 4-minute mark. Which I very much did not realize. I had a fellow open-mic'er record on my phone for me and I can see Dave squirming as I continued to go over. I didn't know I went over until I got home and reviewed the video. I'm not sure why no one told me to, you know, not do that. But, at least I found the problem for myself and can strive to better self-moderate.

Open Mic Log #6 - Kettle River Brewing + Runaways

Today was a big shuffling of variables and I'm still trying to sort through all of them. The biggest was back-to-back open mic's starting at Kettle River Brewery and then scrambling myself over to Runaways to perform a second time there.

Open Mic Log #3 - Runaways Lounge

Performed a 12-minute set centered around Kelowna at Runaways, with a poem at the end. Nice critiques from fellow performers: No more phone unless bullet points, preferably no phone at all. Need to project more, don't be afraid of the mic. I was surprised to get more than 12 minutes and not get kicked off. It appears much less time is offered at official comedy venues.

Open Mic Log #4 - Kelowna Comedy Club @ Dakota's

~4-minute set at Dakotas Sports Bar in the Kelowna Comedy Club wing, a dedicated comedy open mic. Next time I'll be allowed 5min. Mostly a rapid-fire set about schizophrenia, my gal, cars, and taxes. No criticisms from fellow performers. Most 'bombed', even the pros (according to them). I had fun and felt like an alien for not feeling down like all the other comics were. They complained about the bad crowd, being nervous, and losing their place in their set. I had fun doing my jokes (even if I sucked at delivering them) and even more fun watching all the other comics, — they felt like they were bombing, but I enjoyed pretty much all of them.

Open Mic Log #2 - Workshop Cancelled

Showed up to Rotary Centre for Workshop hosted by Kate Belton. Class was cancelled due to insufficient registrations. Quite disappointed and had to choose whether or not I keep doing open mics.

Open Mic Log #1 - Unleashed Brewing

This is the first post of (who knows how) many that log each night that I do an open mic. I've always been enamoured by the idea of exploring something I learn from the start through keeping a regular and up-to-date log. Unfortunately, I never have the idea soon enough and having to back-date the journey would be far too laborious and would miss so many thoughts that happened more in the moment. Hopefully, it may give future comedians an idea of how (and how not) to approach stand up comedy and open mics in the future. Or not, I don't care. It's at least a keepsake for me.