Over the last week, I did one full length show and two opening spots. I did a show at the Northern Lights College in Dawson Creek. It was for Louis Riel days. The lady that brought me in was very nice. She hugged me as soon as I got there. When I arrived at the college, it was just in time for dinner. We had salmon, deer meat (I think) and salads and stuff. It was good. I had time to freshen up and settle into my dorm room after dinner and before the show.
When I arrived at the venue, a lecture theatre, I was informed that they were running behind. In addition to me, there was going to be some drumming and some Metis jigging. A fellow comedian was going to be opening for me. I met him in Vancouver and we are both big Pittsburgh Penguins fans. He hadn't been onstage for about a year, but he did okay. We are going to work together sometime in the future. The lady that brought him in knew him as Doris' boy. That was kinda funny.
The show went great. My friend says I was onstage a little over half an hour. It was kinda strange, because the room was still lit and I could see the audience quite clearly. But at least they were laughing. And I kept it clean, for the most part. It was suggestive. By that I mean, I only hinted at dirty stuff. I wasn't blunt about it.
My comedian friend commented on how polished my act was. I have been doing full sets for awhile, so it was easy to rattle it off. The difficulty is when I have to go back to doing 5 minute sets when I open for other comics.
The following night, I was opening for Vancouver-based comic Charlie Demers. He's very funny, clever, and smart. He doesn't take cheap shots with his comedy. It was a pleasure to work with him again. He was happy to see me as well. He said it was good to see a familiar face.
Sometimes as a road comic, when you travel to a new town for a show, you don't know anyone there. And this was the case with Charlie. As was the case for me when I did my show in Dawson Creek.
But the comedy community is just that, a community. We can relate to each other. Comedy is our commonality. We may not know each other very well, but we sit down together after a show and it's like we've known each other forever.
But the opening spots back at Nancy O's went great. I did a couple of new jokes the first night. I might keep them in the act. The second night, there were fewer comics performing so I did a little more time. So I did a mix of older, tried, true material, and some more new jokes. One of the jokes is a definite keeper. I love it.
So it was a good week. Did a show, a couple of spots, worked out new material, and re-connected with old comic friends. Good week.
Tuesday 22 November 2011
Monday 14 November 2011
Thank You for Listening
I end every set with the words, "My name is Brian Majore. Thank you for listening." I'm not sure when I started doing this, but it's part of my routine now.
And that's all I ask from an audience. I want them to listen to what I have to say. I would like them to laugh, don't get me wrong, that's the objective. But if they're not going to laugh, they should at least listen. If the audience listens to what I have to say, they will learn something about me, they will learn what it is like for me as a Native person living in what is now Canada. And that's what I want them to take away from my show. I want them to walk away from my show with a better understanding of what it is like for us. Thomas King says he is holding up a mirror to White society and saying, "See, this is what it's like." I feel like I'm doing something similar.
Thank you for listening.
And that's all I ask from an audience. I want them to listen to what I have to say. I would like them to laugh, don't get me wrong, that's the objective. But if they're not going to laugh, they should at least listen. If the audience listens to what I have to say, they will learn something about me, they will learn what it is like for me as a Native person living in what is now Canada. And that's what I want them to take away from my show. I want them to walk away from my show with a better understanding of what it is like for us. Thomas King says he is holding up a mirror to White society and saying, "See, this is what it's like." I feel like I'm doing something similar.
Thank you for listening.
Wednesday 26 October 2011
The Great Canadian Laugh Off
A couple of years into my comedy career, I went to Toronto to compete in the Great Canadian Laugh Off. It was a comedy competition open to amateurs and professionals from all over Canada, with the winner getting $25, 000. I qualified via an online draw. Other qualifiers won their spot by performing at the various Yuk Yuk's comedy clubs across Canada.
I would be performing at the Toronto downtown Yuk Yuk's against 7 other comedians. This would only be the second time I would be performing in an actual comedy club. The first time was at another comedy competition in Prince George. The only stage time I had ever had at this point was in front of Native audiences at Native conferences and in front of mixed audiences at the university. University audiences were great. They were very open-minded, but a little too PC for me.
But a comedy club audience was going to be different. Usually when I performed, I was the only comedian on the show, or sometimes I was the only entertainment for the evening. And sometimes, the audience did not even know there was going to be a comedian that evening. But a comedy club audience is different. They are there for comedy, they expect to laugh. It makes your job easier.
Before I went to Toronto, I did an interview for a local newspaper and I told them I wouldn't go all the way to Toronto if I didn't expect to win. I said, "My best 8 minutes can hold up against anyone's best 8 minutes." This was before I ever saw Rob Pue (see my earlier blog).
Anyways, I did my set and felt like I had only did okay. I didn't even finish in the top three which was surprising. I didn't think the other comedians I competed against were that great.
But after my set, the owner and CEO of Yuk Yuk's, Mark Breslin, pulled me aside and said he wanted to talk to me. At the end of the night, we talked and he said he really liked my material but he warned me about the dangers of becoming 'ghetto-ized'. I raised my eyebrow when he used this term. He said he could use that word because he was Jewish. He explained to me that he had seen other Native comedians before that only appealed to Native audiences. This is what he meant by ghetto-ized. And I knew what he meant. There is a danger of writing material that only Native people will understand. I mean, I have a joke about Bingo that I have to explain to White people, but Native people get it. And there are some Native comedians that make a career out of catering to just Native audiences. That's not for me though. Because I had done shows in front of mixed audiences, my jokes had to be accessible to everyone. And I think they are. So I don't think I am in any danger of having my material, for the most part, becoming ghetto-ized.
After that one show in the Toronto Yuk Yuk's, I moved to Vancouver and began working out new material in front of mixed audiences, mostly White audiences, in comedy clubs and comedy rooms. I also got a chance to watch other comedians working, developing material. I got a chance to share ideas, and work out new jokes with other comedians.
It was during this time that I also got a chance to witness what Mark Breslin warned me about. A big name Native comedian stopped by one of the comedy rooms in Vancouver and did a set of Native humour. He did not get any laughs. It was not his usual audience. It was a real eye-opener. But at the same time, I had some White friends tell me that when they saw Native comedians on TV, and they didn't laugh once. But they thought I was funny. So I must be doing something right.
I would be performing at the Toronto downtown Yuk Yuk's against 7 other comedians. This would only be the second time I would be performing in an actual comedy club. The first time was at another comedy competition in Prince George. The only stage time I had ever had at this point was in front of Native audiences at Native conferences and in front of mixed audiences at the university. University audiences were great. They were very open-minded, but a little too PC for me.
But a comedy club audience was going to be different. Usually when I performed, I was the only comedian on the show, or sometimes I was the only entertainment for the evening. And sometimes, the audience did not even know there was going to be a comedian that evening. But a comedy club audience is different. They are there for comedy, they expect to laugh. It makes your job easier.
Before I went to Toronto, I did an interview for a local newspaper and I told them I wouldn't go all the way to Toronto if I didn't expect to win. I said, "My best 8 minutes can hold up against anyone's best 8 minutes." This was before I ever saw Rob Pue (see my earlier blog).
Anyways, I did my set and felt like I had only did okay. I didn't even finish in the top three which was surprising. I didn't think the other comedians I competed against were that great.
But after my set, the owner and CEO of Yuk Yuk's, Mark Breslin, pulled me aside and said he wanted to talk to me. At the end of the night, we talked and he said he really liked my material but he warned me about the dangers of becoming 'ghetto-ized'. I raised my eyebrow when he used this term. He said he could use that word because he was Jewish. He explained to me that he had seen other Native comedians before that only appealed to Native audiences. This is what he meant by ghetto-ized. And I knew what he meant. There is a danger of writing material that only Native people will understand. I mean, I have a joke about Bingo that I have to explain to White people, but Native people get it. And there are some Native comedians that make a career out of catering to just Native audiences. That's not for me though. Because I had done shows in front of mixed audiences, my jokes had to be accessible to everyone. And I think they are. So I don't think I am in any danger of having my material, for the most part, becoming ghetto-ized.
After that one show in the Toronto Yuk Yuk's, I moved to Vancouver and began working out new material in front of mixed audiences, mostly White audiences, in comedy clubs and comedy rooms. I also got a chance to watch other comedians working, developing material. I got a chance to share ideas, and work out new jokes with other comedians.
It was during this time that I also got a chance to witness what Mark Breslin warned me about. A big name Native comedian stopped by one of the comedy rooms in Vancouver and did a set of Native humour. He did not get any laughs. It was not his usual audience. It was a real eye-opener. But at the same time, I had some White friends tell me that when they saw Native comedians on TV, and they didn't laugh once. But they thought I was funny. So I must be doing something right.
Sunday 23 October 2011
Finding Inspiration
I watch stand-up comedy clips on youtube, stand-up comedy specials on TV, listen to podcasts by stand-up comedians, read books by and about stand-up comedians, listen to my old Richard Pryor records, and watch documentaries about stand-up comedy. All for inspiration.
Last night I watched 'American - The Bill Hicks Story'. First of all, it was visually spectacular. It won or was nominated for a few awards, including Most Entertaining Doc, and it is entertaining. But the subject is also entertaining. I was not a big fan of Bill Hicks, but I think I will be seeking out more of his stuff at a later date.
But the biggest thing I got out of the documentary was a quote by one of his friends. The quote went something like this, "Being a great comic has to do with your inner voice matching your outer voice."
After the movie, I wrote a new joke. I wrote it by talking out loud, speaking freely, speaking with my inner voice. What Joey Coco Diaz would call 'subtext'. "Don't ignore your subtext. Pay attention to it."
Lately, when I'm performing my jokes, I've been trying to deliver them in a more conversational style. It's a tough exercise. But by using my inner voice, I can write and perform jokes in a more conversational manner because it is more stream of consciousness. I am finding my voice.
When I wrote this new joke, I felt like I had reached a turning point that I had been reaching for for a long time. All of my new jokes are going to be written in this manner. You will hear a new Brian. Hopefully a funnier Brian.
Another source of inspiration came from the WTF podcast by Marc Maron. It was a special edition in that Marc, normally the interviewer, was the interviewee, being interviewed by comedian Mike Birbiglia. Birbigs asked Marc, "What is edgy today?" And Maron replied, "Being completely honest, about yourself."
Being honest about yourself is nothing new. Richard Pryor did it. He laid bare his soul onstage.
But to have the courage to do that is the heart of a real artist. That is what I aspire to be.
I took both these quotes to heart when I wrote the new joke last night. All my new material will be written taking these quotes into consideration. It's exciting.
Be honest. Find the funny in anything. In everything. In the truth.
It's like they say, "It's funny cuz it's true."
Last night I watched 'American - The Bill Hicks Story'. First of all, it was visually spectacular. It won or was nominated for a few awards, including Most Entertaining Doc, and it is entertaining. But the subject is also entertaining. I was not a big fan of Bill Hicks, but I think I will be seeking out more of his stuff at a later date.
But the biggest thing I got out of the documentary was a quote by one of his friends. The quote went something like this, "Being a great comic has to do with your inner voice matching your outer voice."
After the movie, I wrote a new joke. I wrote it by talking out loud, speaking freely, speaking with my inner voice. What Joey Coco Diaz would call 'subtext'. "Don't ignore your subtext. Pay attention to it."
Lately, when I'm performing my jokes, I've been trying to deliver them in a more conversational style. It's a tough exercise. But by using my inner voice, I can write and perform jokes in a more conversational manner because it is more stream of consciousness. I am finding my voice.
When I wrote this new joke, I felt like I had reached a turning point that I had been reaching for for a long time. All of my new jokes are going to be written in this manner. You will hear a new Brian. Hopefully a funnier Brian.
Another source of inspiration came from the WTF podcast by Marc Maron. It was a special edition in that Marc, normally the interviewer, was the interviewee, being interviewed by comedian Mike Birbiglia. Birbigs asked Marc, "What is edgy today?" And Maron replied, "Being completely honest, about yourself."
Being honest about yourself is nothing new. Richard Pryor did it. He laid bare his soul onstage.
But to have the courage to do that is the heart of a real artist. That is what I aspire to be.
I took both these quotes to heart when I wrote the new joke last night. All my new material will be written taking these quotes into consideration. It's exciting.
Be honest. Find the funny in anything. In everything. In the truth.
It's like they say, "It's funny cuz it's true."
Friday 21 October 2011
Trying Out New Material
I did a spot last night opening for pro headliner Carter Hortie at Nancy O's. I tried out some new material and it went over great. I did some tried and true material, but it was mostly for context. I'm building an act. And the new material has to fit in there somewhere.
A couple of the jokes I had in my notebook for awhile but never tried them onstage. Others were brand new. I'm getting better at performing jokes. I don't think the jokes I performed last night would have worked as well as they did a few years ago. My style was too laid back. Not that I'm manic now. But I just delivered them last night with a little bit of energy, just what they needed.
Plus, I'm enjoying myself onstage and it shows. And when the audience sees this, they enjoy themselves too.
When the new material works, it makes me want to write more. It makes me go through my notebook to see what jokes I've maybe overlooked in the past that might work now. My act just keeps on building.
I'm opening again tonight for Carter Hortie. I'm excited.
A couple of the jokes I had in my notebook for awhile but never tried them onstage. Others were brand new. I'm getting better at performing jokes. I don't think the jokes I performed last night would have worked as well as they did a few years ago. My style was too laid back. Not that I'm manic now. But I just delivered them last night with a little bit of energy, just what they needed.
Plus, I'm enjoying myself onstage and it shows. And when the audience sees this, they enjoy themselves too.
When the new material works, it makes me want to write more. It makes me go through my notebook to see what jokes I've maybe overlooked in the past that might work now. My act just keeps on building.
I'm opening again tonight for Carter Hortie. I'm excited.
Monday 17 October 2011
Taping My Shows
One piece of advice for any comic starting out is to tape your performances. That way, you can view them later and take notes on how you're doing, what you're doing right and more importantly, what you're doing wrong.
A lot of comics I've spoken to hate watching themselves on tape. But you have to do it. It is a tough exercise, but you will only get better by critiquing your performances. And yes, you will be your worst critic. At least I was, and still am. Because you know what you are capable of. You know how your show was supposed to go, or at least how you hoped it would go. So even if it looked like you had a good show, you might think it could have gone better. Only you know the little mistakes. But you're gonna make those mistakes. Let 'em go.
You should be able to learn from every show, even the good ones. Especially the good ones. Just keep on doing the right things.
I've been taping my last few shows with my voice recorder on my phone. Just to get an idea of how much time I am actually onstage, as well as what jokes work in front of what audiences. So far the shows have been going great. I listen to the audio of the shows and I realized the shows I've been doing have been a lot better than I originally thought. There are a few mistakes here and there, but at least I recognize them and can make adjustments.
I have a video clip on youtube and I asked a comic friend what she does to get past a writing block. She told me to view my video and remember that I am a quality comic and that I am more than capable of writing good jokes. So there's another reason to tape your shows. Positive reinforcement.
If I ever figure out how to post audio links, I'll post one of my recorded shows.
A lot of comics I've spoken to hate watching themselves on tape. But you have to do it. It is a tough exercise, but you will only get better by critiquing your performances. And yes, you will be your worst critic. At least I was, and still am. Because you know what you are capable of. You know how your show was supposed to go, or at least how you hoped it would go. So even if it looked like you had a good show, you might think it could have gone better. Only you know the little mistakes. But you're gonna make those mistakes. Let 'em go.
You should be able to learn from every show, even the good ones. Especially the good ones. Just keep on doing the right things.
I've been taping my last few shows with my voice recorder on my phone. Just to get an idea of how much time I am actually onstage, as well as what jokes work in front of what audiences. So far the shows have been going great. I listen to the audio of the shows and I realized the shows I've been doing have been a lot better than I originally thought. There are a few mistakes here and there, but at least I recognize them and can make adjustments.
I have a video clip on youtube and I asked a comic friend what she does to get past a writing block. She told me to view my video and remember that I am a quality comic and that I am more than capable of writing good jokes. So there's another reason to tape your shows. Positive reinforcement.
If I ever figure out how to post audio links, I'll post one of my recorded shows.
Friday 14 October 2011
Last Night at the Casino
I did an opening spot at the casino last night for Brett Martin, a good guy and great comedian. He is doing the casino run, which includes further shows in northern BC - Dawson Creek, Fort St. John. The night before he was in Quesnel.
He made a comment about how the crowd was a little bit older than usual crowds. I just saw a lot of White faces. I saw one Asian lady and one Native guy.
I got there early to see first of all if I was actually performing. Brett said it was fine if the casino allowed it, so I had to ask first. The lady I spoke to said it was okay, but then asked me, "Are you any good?" How do you answer that? So I told her how long I've been doing comedy, where I've been, what I've been doing the last three years, and even said that Brett could vouch for me if needed. I guess that convinced here and I was allowed on the show.
I went into the room to meet the sound guy. The room was set up strange. There were tables that had seats with their backs to the stage. One couple arrived early and sat up-front with their backs to the stage. I thought, "Who comes to a comedy show and sis with their backs to the stage?" I found out later that the seats were assigned by number. Plus it was a sell-out.
Anyways, my set just went OK. It wasn't great and it wasn't terrible. I've noticed with the kind of racial humour that I do, that sometimes I'm going to make people uncomfortable. That's always a bonus, but I would prefer it if they would laugh. And it's always a good sign if you get the guy that's sitting there with his arms crossed to laugh.
I did a short 7 minute set, got some laughs and got off. I hope I get invited back.
He made a comment about how the crowd was a little bit older than usual crowds. I just saw a lot of White faces. I saw one Asian lady and one Native guy.
I got there early to see first of all if I was actually performing. Brett said it was fine if the casino allowed it, so I had to ask first. The lady I spoke to said it was okay, but then asked me, "Are you any good?" How do you answer that? So I told her how long I've been doing comedy, where I've been, what I've been doing the last three years, and even said that Brett could vouch for me if needed. I guess that convinced here and I was allowed on the show.
I went into the room to meet the sound guy. The room was set up strange. There were tables that had seats with their backs to the stage. One couple arrived early and sat up-front with their backs to the stage. I thought, "Who comes to a comedy show and sis with their backs to the stage?" I found out later that the seats were assigned by number. Plus it was a sell-out.
Anyways, my set just went OK. It wasn't great and it wasn't terrible. I've noticed with the kind of racial humour that I do, that sometimes I'm going to make people uncomfortable. That's always a bonus, but I would prefer it if they would laugh. And it's always a good sign if you get the guy that's sitting there with his arms crossed to laugh.
I did a short 7 minute set, got some laughs and got off. I hope I get invited back.
Tuesday 11 October 2011
My First TV Appearance
I forget the actual date of my first TV taping, but it took place in Victoria for the A Channel on a program called the New Canoe. I just saw the episode on APTN not too long ago.
I had been doing comedy for about two years at this point, did maybe a dozen Native conferences, traveled a bit. I contacted a couple of Native TV shows to let them know who I was. Didn't hear back from some of them, but the New Canoe contacted me and told me they were doing a comedy night and filming it for one of their episodes and wanted me to be a part of it. Of course I said yes.
They flew me down to Vancouver, then I flew from Vancouver to Victoria on a 12 minute flight! Or something like that. It was very short. I was met at the airport and driven to my posh hotel. My suite was nice and big. Somehow I managed to flood the area outside the washroom when I showered.
I went downstairs and met the other comic, Dawn Dumont. We had already corresponded via email. She later blogged that we bonded over masturbation jokes. We were both looking forward to the taping, which was later that night in front of a paying audience. This afternoon's rehearsal was free and open to everyone.
Prior to the show, I was contacted by the Victoria Times-Colonist newspaper to do an interview. I was in Saskatchewan at the time and did the interview by phone. The interviewer kept asking about my stage name and where it came from. So I finally told him that The Bloody Savage was a joke that I don't perform anymore about a drink I invented when I used to drink called the Bloody Savage, which was Clamato juice and Lysol. Guess what made it into the paper after he promised not to use it?
Here is the link to the newspaper article.
http://www.canada.com/cityguides/victoria/story.html?id=43fe680d-52e8-4dd7-b078-eda2cb564f14
Anyways, the rehearsal went well. There was lots of sitting around and being nervous. I asked Dawn if she had ever been on TV before, she said no. I guess she doesn't count her acting stint on an American soap opera. After the rehearsal, we went back to our hotel. Dawn told me later that she draped her duvet around her neck and walked around her suite like royalty.
After a quick dinner, I was driven to CBC Radio to do a promo interview for the show, but the tickets were already sold out. It was gonna be a packed house and there was lots of buzz on the streets about this show.
Our MC for the night was Lorne Cardinal from Corner Gas. Art Napoleon did his My name is Joe and I am Canadian bit. An improv troupe did their thing. I did an 8-minute set, of which two minutes actually went to air. It was over before I knew it.
Overall it was a good experience. It gave me some credibility.
Plus, Dawn and I started working together as the Rez Jesters and booked a couple of shows, but that fizzled out. Hopefully we work together again soon.
Here's my first TV appearance.
I had been doing comedy for about two years at this point, did maybe a dozen Native conferences, traveled a bit. I contacted a couple of Native TV shows to let them know who I was. Didn't hear back from some of them, but the New Canoe contacted me and told me they were doing a comedy night and filming it for one of their episodes and wanted me to be a part of it. Of course I said yes.
They flew me down to Vancouver, then I flew from Vancouver to Victoria on a 12 minute flight! Or something like that. It was very short. I was met at the airport and driven to my posh hotel. My suite was nice and big. Somehow I managed to flood the area outside the washroom when I showered.
I went downstairs and met the other comic, Dawn Dumont. We had already corresponded via email. She later blogged that we bonded over masturbation jokes. We were both looking forward to the taping, which was later that night in front of a paying audience. This afternoon's rehearsal was free and open to everyone.
Prior to the show, I was contacted by the Victoria Times-Colonist newspaper to do an interview. I was in Saskatchewan at the time and did the interview by phone. The interviewer kept asking about my stage name and where it came from. So I finally told him that The Bloody Savage was a joke that I don't perform anymore about a drink I invented when I used to drink called the Bloody Savage, which was Clamato juice and Lysol. Guess what made it into the paper after he promised not to use it?
Here is the link to the newspaper article.
http://www.canada.com/cityguides/victoria/story.html?id=43fe680d-52e8-4dd7-b078-eda2cb564f14
Anyways, the rehearsal went well. There was lots of sitting around and being nervous. I asked Dawn if she had ever been on TV before, she said no. I guess she doesn't count her acting stint on an American soap opera. After the rehearsal, we went back to our hotel. Dawn told me later that she draped her duvet around her neck and walked around her suite like royalty.
After a quick dinner, I was driven to CBC Radio to do a promo interview for the show, but the tickets were already sold out. It was gonna be a packed house and there was lots of buzz on the streets about this show.
Our MC for the night was Lorne Cardinal from Corner Gas. Art Napoleon did his My name is Joe and I am Canadian bit. An improv troupe did their thing. I did an 8-minute set, of which two minutes actually went to air. It was over before I knew it.
Overall it was a good experience. It gave me some credibility.
Plus, Dawn and I started working together as the Rez Jesters and booked a couple of shows, but that fizzled out. Hopefully we work together again soon.
Here's my first TV appearance.
Thursday 6 October 2011
Last Night's Show
I felt really good after last night's show. I made everyone laugh and didn't offend anyone. I cut a bunch of material out, so I had a shorter set, but it made for an overall better show.
The show was for an Aboriginal health conference. We had a great dinner beforehand. The usual salads, rice, and fish, but they also had garlic prawns. I had to go back for seconds. They were so good. Plus, not all the delegates were there yet, so there was plenty.
After dinner shows are always tough, especially when your performance takes place in the same hall or room where the meetings are being held. The room is just not set up properly for comedy. Comedy is very intimate. It requires the audience to pay attention, to be facing the performer, preferably in a darkened room. Round tables are the worst.
Last night was good, despite the audience member's reluctance to move forward, even after we asked them twice. If we hadn't, they would've been so far from the stage, that my jokes would go out there and just fall flat.
The crowd was good. Or I'm getting better at holding their attention. You have to get them right away or you'll never get them. I have a few jokes right off the top that I am going to keep in my routine for a long time. They are very strong jokes, they introduce me to the audience, it gets their attention, makes them laugh and we both get settled in.
You do this long enough, you start to get a feel for the audiences. As well, I had a chance to sit with them for dinner and interact with them. So I knew what material was gonna go over with them and what wasn't.
The audience was mainly female, so I cut a good portion of my dirty material. Stuck mainly with the Native material.
But after the show, a lot of people went out of their way to come up to me and thank me for my performance. Not only that, a lot of people asked for my contact info. So hopefully I will be getting a few more gigs in the future. Christmas is coming up, don't forget. Book me now to avoid disappointment.
The show was for an Aboriginal health conference. We had a great dinner beforehand. The usual salads, rice, and fish, but they also had garlic prawns. I had to go back for seconds. They were so good. Plus, not all the delegates were there yet, so there was plenty.
After dinner shows are always tough, especially when your performance takes place in the same hall or room where the meetings are being held. The room is just not set up properly for comedy. Comedy is very intimate. It requires the audience to pay attention, to be facing the performer, preferably in a darkened room. Round tables are the worst.
Last night was good, despite the audience member's reluctance to move forward, even after we asked them twice. If we hadn't, they would've been so far from the stage, that my jokes would go out there and just fall flat.
The crowd was good. Or I'm getting better at holding their attention. You have to get them right away or you'll never get them. I have a few jokes right off the top that I am going to keep in my routine for a long time. They are very strong jokes, they introduce me to the audience, it gets their attention, makes them laugh and we both get settled in.
You do this long enough, you start to get a feel for the audiences. As well, I had a chance to sit with them for dinner and interact with them. So I knew what material was gonna go over with them and what wasn't.
The audience was mainly female, so I cut a good portion of my dirty material. Stuck mainly with the Native material.
But after the show, a lot of people went out of their way to come up to me and thank me for my performance. Not only that, a lot of people asked for my contact info. So hopefully I will be getting a few more gigs in the future. Christmas is coming up, don't forget. Book me now to avoid disappointment.
Sunday 2 October 2011
Small Town Gigs
I did two gigs over the weekend with a pro headliner, Patrick Maliha, and a few amateurs. The shows took place in Vanderhoof and Prince George. Surprisingly, the first show in Vanderhoof was the better one. I think it's because it's a small town and there's not a whole lot to do on a Friday night, and stand-up comedy is kind of a novelty. It's not like Vancouver where you can go out and watch live stand-up comedy every night of the week.
The show in Vanderhoof was put on by the Kinettes, the female version of the Kinsmen. The show was sold out. The audience was expecting to see the headliner, they did not know about us local comics. So I was a little bit apprehensive about the show. Not only that, but there were very few Native people in the audience.
But my little jokey-jokes went over okay, better than I ever expected. I didn't want to leave the stage. I did material that I normally reserve for just Native audiences, and they got it. They were right there. I was expecting to get heckled and it never came. In fact, one guy even yelled out a joke!
One of the Kinettes said they had been getting a lot of compliments about my performance. That felt good. A lot of people came up to me and thanked me for the show and said I was really funny.
I even got an offer to perform at a stagette! Hope it works out.
I was feeling really good about the next night in Prince George. But when I found out there was going to be more local comics performing, it meant we all had to do less time than the night before. That sucks.
So I tried to race through my material in Prince George. It still went over well, but I had to cut out a lot of material. They still laughed in all the right places, but not being able to do as much time meant the audience wasn't able to get to know me better. I was able to do one new joke about the offer to perform at the stagette party.
They say you learn more from bad gigs than good ones, but I learned a lot from these two gigs. I learned that my material is accessible to all people, not just Native people. I developed most of my material in front of mixed audiences, Native and non-Native. But when I do full shows of all my material, it is in front of a Native audience for the most part. It's good to know that my jokes can be enjoyed by everyone though. I'm looking forward to my next gigs.
The show in Vanderhoof was put on by the Kinettes, the female version of the Kinsmen. The show was sold out. The audience was expecting to see the headliner, they did not know about us local comics. So I was a little bit apprehensive about the show. Not only that, but there were very few Native people in the audience.
But my little jokey-jokes went over okay, better than I ever expected. I didn't want to leave the stage. I did material that I normally reserve for just Native audiences, and they got it. They were right there. I was expecting to get heckled and it never came. In fact, one guy even yelled out a joke!
One of the Kinettes said they had been getting a lot of compliments about my performance. That felt good. A lot of people came up to me and thanked me for the show and said I was really funny.
I even got an offer to perform at a stagette! Hope it works out.
I was feeling really good about the next night in Prince George. But when I found out there was going to be more local comics performing, it meant we all had to do less time than the night before. That sucks.
So I tried to race through my material in Prince George. It still went over well, but I had to cut out a lot of material. They still laughed in all the right places, but not being able to do as much time meant the audience wasn't able to get to know me better. I was able to do one new joke about the offer to perform at the stagette party.
They say you learn more from bad gigs than good ones, but I learned a lot from these two gigs. I learned that my material is accessible to all people, not just Native people. I developed most of my material in front of mixed audiences, Native and non-Native. But when I do full shows of all my material, it is in front of a Native audience for the most part. It's good to know that my jokes can be enjoyed by everyone though. I'm looking forward to my next gigs.
Tuesday 27 September 2011
My First Native Conference
Taking Don Burnstick's advice, I started working the Native conference circuit. It was a way for me to get more exposure and more stage time. As well as make a little bit of money and travel a bit.
I did a search on the internet for Native conferences and was surprised at how many there were. But then again, Native people will get together for any reason.
I contacted a few of them, introduced myself, told them what I could offer in terms of entertainment (which at the time was 15 minutes of comedy), asked for one night's accommodations and travel and a small performance fee. I got some responses that said they would keep my name on file, others said they don't have the budget for entertainment, and so on.
The first conference I got was in Vancouver. I think it was in November. I remember I was supposed to fly out first thing in the morning, but there was a snow storm and my flight was delayed about 6 hours or so. But I finally made it down there.
The conference was held at a resort hotel. It was super nice. Because most of the rooms were already sold out for the conference, I was put in a suite.
Before the conference, I connected with an old high school friend through Facebook. He had never seen me perform before, so I invited him along. The organizers said it was okay for him to join us for dinner. I was set to perform after dinner.
Now, before this show, I had only really performed for university audiences. University students are open-minded. I can say just about anything I want.
I promised the conference people I would do about 15 minutes of material, which is all I had at the time. These very same jokes, I had done them before in front of university crowds and got a good response, so I thought it would be the same for this crowd.
The show started off great. My opening jokes got big laughs.
Now because I had just started on my comedy journey, I was learning as much as I could about the craft of stand-up comedy any way I could. Because there were no other stand-up comics in Prince George to learn from and share ideas, I got my information from books and the internet. And I read somewhere that when you're putting together your shows, start off with strong material, and finish off with strong material. So your best jokes go at the start and the end.
My opening jokes were fine. My middle jokes were good too. I still have a lot of them in my current routine. But my closing joke contained the phrase 'anal probes'. This did not go over very well at all. I don't know if you've ever heard a room of 1,500 people go silent before, but all I could hear were the clinking of forks on plates because people were still eating dessert. And this came right after they were laughing pretty hard and loud. I thought my mic went dead. I thought they didn't hear the punchline. But they did. And they didn't like it.
And because this was my last joke, I had nothing else to say except good night. Then I slinked off the stage and sank into my seat. My friend just kinda rolled his eyes at me like he didn't know what to say. What could he say?
Then the MC got on the mic and said, "The ______ is not responsible for the content of the comedian," and got a bigger round of applause than I did. I felt even lower.
Then some lady came over and handed me my cheque and thanked me for my performance. I turned to my friend and said, "Do you wanna get out of here?" Luckily there was a door near our table and I didn't have to walk through the audience to get out of there.
But when I got into the hallway, some guy stopped me and asked me a few questions and said something like, "Yeah, you....were.....funny, until the end there." And I just stood there as he was saying this. I wanted to bolt.
My friend left. I went to my room. And I hid there until I had to leave the next day. I even got room service breakfast because I didn't want to run into anyone that may have seen me perform.
I've since dropped that joke from my act.
I did a search on the internet for Native conferences and was surprised at how many there were. But then again, Native people will get together for any reason.
I contacted a few of them, introduced myself, told them what I could offer in terms of entertainment (which at the time was 15 minutes of comedy), asked for one night's accommodations and travel and a small performance fee. I got some responses that said they would keep my name on file, others said they don't have the budget for entertainment, and so on.
The first conference I got was in Vancouver. I think it was in November. I remember I was supposed to fly out first thing in the morning, but there was a snow storm and my flight was delayed about 6 hours or so. But I finally made it down there.
The conference was held at a resort hotel. It was super nice. Because most of the rooms were already sold out for the conference, I was put in a suite.
Before the conference, I connected with an old high school friend through Facebook. He had never seen me perform before, so I invited him along. The organizers said it was okay for him to join us for dinner. I was set to perform after dinner.
Now, before this show, I had only really performed for university audiences. University students are open-minded. I can say just about anything I want.
I promised the conference people I would do about 15 minutes of material, which is all I had at the time. These very same jokes, I had done them before in front of university crowds and got a good response, so I thought it would be the same for this crowd.
The show started off great. My opening jokes got big laughs.
Now because I had just started on my comedy journey, I was learning as much as I could about the craft of stand-up comedy any way I could. Because there were no other stand-up comics in Prince George to learn from and share ideas, I got my information from books and the internet. And I read somewhere that when you're putting together your shows, start off with strong material, and finish off with strong material. So your best jokes go at the start and the end.
My opening jokes were fine. My middle jokes were good too. I still have a lot of them in my current routine. But my closing joke contained the phrase 'anal probes'. This did not go over very well at all. I don't know if you've ever heard a room of 1,500 people go silent before, but all I could hear were the clinking of forks on plates because people were still eating dessert. And this came right after they were laughing pretty hard and loud. I thought my mic went dead. I thought they didn't hear the punchline. But they did. And they didn't like it.
And because this was my last joke, I had nothing else to say except good night. Then I slinked off the stage and sank into my seat. My friend just kinda rolled his eyes at me like he didn't know what to say. What could he say?
Then the MC got on the mic and said, "The ______ is not responsible for the content of the comedian," and got a bigger round of applause than I did. I felt even lower.
Then some lady came over and handed me my cheque and thanked me for my performance. I turned to my friend and said, "Do you wanna get out of here?" Luckily there was a door near our table and I didn't have to walk through the audience to get out of there.
But when I got into the hallway, some guy stopped me and asked me a few questions and said something like, "Yeah, you....were.....funny, until the end there." And I just stood there as he was saying this. I wanted to bolt.
My friend left. I went to my room. And I hid there until I had to leave the next day. I even got room service breakfast because I didn't want to run into anyone that may have seen me perform.
I've since dropped that joke from my act.
Saturday 24 September 2011
Tomorrow Night's Show
I will be performing with Native American comic Jim Ruel tomorrow night in Prince George. He is in BC to perform at a celebration about an hour and a half outside of Prince George tonight with female comic Shishonia, also of Native American descent. Unfortunately, she is flying back to LA tomorrow so she will not be on the show.
So I thought I would take advantage of him being in the area and I threw together a last minute show. I just found out that we are competing against a country music concert. And for some reason, Indians love cowboy music?! I'm still optimistic we will get a good crowd.
Mike McGuire will be our MC. I've worked with him a few times now. Also on the bill is a couple of local comics that I have not seen perform before.
Jim is part of the Chiefs of Comedy with JR Redwater, as well as Another NDN Uprising with Shishonia and Gilbert Brown.
The comedy tours featuring all-Native comics is based on the Original Kings of Comedy (Cedric the Entertainer, DL Hughley, Steve Harvey, Bernie Mac), and the Blue Collar Comedy tour (Jeff Foxworthy, Ron White, Larry the Cable Guy). There's been a Latin Kings of Comedy, and a Queens of Comedy, it's about time for a Native version of it.
I'm looking forward to the show, as well as spending time with another Native comic and talking shop. I'd like to know what it's like working in the States and especially at Indian casinos.
But I will let you know how the show goes in a couple of days. I will be travelling home then.
So I thought I would take advantage of him being in the area and I threw together a last minute show. I just found out that we are competing against a country music concert. And for some reason, Indians love cowboy music?! I'm still optimistic we will get a good crowd.
Mike McGuire will be our MC. I've worked with him a few times now. Also on the bill is a couple of local comics that I have not seen perform before.
Jim is part of the Chiefs of Comedy with JR Redwater, as well as Another NDN Uprising with Shishonia and Gilbert Brown.
The comedy tours featuring all-Native comics is based on the Original Kings of Comedy (Cedric the Entertainer, DL Hughley, Steve Harvey, Bernie Mac), and the Blue Collar Comedy tour (Jeff Foxworthy, Ron White, Larry the Cable Guy). There's been a Latin Kings of Comedy, and a Queens of Comedy, it's about time for a Native version of it.
I'm looking forward to the show, as well as spending time with another Native comic and talking shop. I'd like to know what it's like working in the States and especially at Indian casinos.
But I will let you know how the show goes in a couple of days. I will be travelling home then.
Wednesday 21 September 2011
My First Time at Vancouver Yuk Yuk's
Yuk Yuk's is a national comedy room and the biggest and best stage in Vancouver. I had only performed in an actual comedy club twice before. Once for the Great Canadian Laugh-Off in Toronto at Yuk Yuk's where I met the founder/owner Mark Breslin, and once at a now-defunct comedy club in Prince George called the Shiznit, or something like that.
After performing in Toronto, Mark Breslin said if I am ever in Vancouver, or any city where there is a Yuk's, to give him a call and he'll get me onstage. Well, anyone can get onstage at Yuk's on their amateur night. But I called him, and he set up a date for me to get up there.
It was a Wednesday night, Yuk's Pro-Am Night. The week before, I went and checked out Yuk's to see what it was like. On a pro-am night, or an amateur night, there are between 6-8 people performing, an MC introducing the acts and telling some jokes as well as a headliner doing about 20-25 minutes to close up the night.
When I was sitting in the audience, I was really impressed with a few of the local comedians. A couple of them have since gone on to do Comedy Now specials. One girl did not get any laughs, and I saw her run out of the club with her hands over her face. It looked like she was crying.
But the one guy that made the biggest impression on me was Rob Pue. To say he killed is an understatement. He tore the roof off the place. When I left Yuk's, I seriously considered not performing there the following week. There was no way that I was gonna get those people to laugh at my little jokey-jokes. I wasn't funny; this guy was funny.
I had a week to prepare. And to doubt myself. Are these people gonna laugh at my little jokey-jokes? You should've seen the way they were laughing during Rob's set. And afterwards, you could feel a buzz in the audience and you know when you laugh so hard it takes you a moment to catch your breath? Well, we all took a collective breath after he left the stage. There was almost relief that he left because we couldn't laugh anymore without hurting ourselves.
Anyways, the following week I showed up at Yuk's to perform my first set on the big stage. I had prepared all week. But still I was unsure of how my stuff was gonna go over.
When I got there, they told me I was gonna go on third. Fine, cool.
Then Rob Pue shows up. And he asks for a spot. Because he's a pro, they give him a spot. He was now on third. I was fourth and had to follow him!
How the hell am I supposed to follow Rob Pue?!
I was nervous already, but that made it worse. I went for a walk in the hallway and pulled out my set list to look it over one more time.
Then Rob went up. And he killed. Again. Just like last week.
The MC went out there and then introduced me. I told my jokes. They laughed. They laughed in the right places.
I walked offstage and thought to myself, "What the hell was I so worried about?"
I held my own. It felt good. No worries.
The third time I did Yuk's, I was able to film it and it follows.
After performing in Toronto, Mark Breslin said if I am ever in Vancouver, or any city where there is a Yuk's, to give him a call and he'll get me onstage. Well, anyone can get onstage at Yuk's on their amateur night. But I called him, and he set up a date for me to get up there.
It was a Wednesday night, Yuk's Pro-Am Night. The week before, I went and checked out Yuk's to see what it was like. On a pro-am night, or an amateur night, there are between 6-8 people performing, an MC introducing the acts and telling some jokes as well as a headliner doing about 20-25 minutes to close up the night.
When I was sitting in the audience, I was really impressed with a few of the local comedians. A couple of them have since gone on to do Comedy Now specials. One girl did not get any laughs, and I saw her run out of the club with her hands over her face. It looked like she was crying.
But the one guy that made the biggest impression on me was Rob Pue. To say he killed is an understatement. He tore the roof off the place. When I left Yuk's, I seriously considered not performing there the following week. There was no way that I was gonna get those people to laugh at my little jokey-jokes. I wasn't funny; this guy was funny.
I had a week to prepare. And to doubt myself. Are these people gonna laugh at my little jokey-jokes? You should've seen the way they were laughing during Rob's set. And afterwards, you could feel a buzz in the audience and you know when you laugh so hard it takes you a moment to catch your breath? Well, we all took a collective breath after he left the stage. There was almost relief that he left because we couldn't laugh anymore without hurting ourselves.
Anyways, the following week I showed up at Yuk's to perform my first set on the big stage. I had prepared all week. But still I was unsure of how my stuff was gonna go over.
When I got there, they told me I was gonna go on third. Fine, cool.
Then Rob Pue shows up. And he asks for a spot. Because he's a pro, they give him a spot. He was now on third. I was fourth and had to follow him!
How the hell am I supposed to follow Rob Pue?!
I was nervous already, but that made it worse. I went for a walk in the hallway and pulled out my set list to look it over one more time.
Then Rob went up. And he killed. Again. Just like last week.
The MC went out there and then introduced me. I told my jokes. They laughed. They laughed in the right places.
I walked offstage and thought to myself, "What the hell was I so worried about?"
I held my own. It felt good. No worries.
The third time I did Yuk's, I was able to film it and it follows.
Tuesday 20 September 2011
Opening for Don Burnstick
About a year after I started performing stand-up comedy, I opened for Don Burnstick. A friend of mine told me he was performing in town and suggested I open for him. I sent a couple of emails to his people and the organization that was bringing him in. I got the OK and prepared my set.
I had seen him perform a couple of times before, once on my brother's birthday. So I knew this was gonna be a big deal. At the time, there were very few Native comedians around. He was definitely the biggest Native comedian in Canada.
The gig was at a roller rink, during the summer, before a dance. It was still light out, and some doors were open, so the room was still kinda bright. And the tables were quite aways from the stage to make room for a dance floor. So these were not the best conditions for a comedy show.
I met him briefly before the show. I had my daughter with me and I walked around with her as a way of pacing.
He introduced me. When I was onstage, that's when I really noticed how far away the audience was. The show went OK. I taped it. I have a copy of it somewhere. I remember he laughed really hard at one of my jokes. The one about the Metis taking half a day off for National Aboriginal Day.
I forget how long it was when I opened for him again. But this time it was at a hotel banquet room. Nice stage. Again, I didn't get a chance to really talk to him. But I think it was at this time I asked him for some advice. Or it might have been the first time I opened for him.
The advice he gave me was to work the Native conference circuit. Native people get together for any reason. There are Native conferences all over the country. Youth conferences, health conferences, employment conferences, industry, etc. And they always have banquets and they are always looking for entertainment after these banquets.
He suggested I send them my info, tell them what I can provide, ask them to fly me in, put me up for the night, feed me, and don't ask for any money. Tell them you will do it for free.
I did some research. There were plenty of conferences. I contacted a few, but I asked for a small fee for my performance.
It allowed me to travel a little bit, made a little bit of money, but more importantly, I got stage time, I got to perform in front of appreciative Native audiences. In Prince George, where I was going to university, there was no comedy club, there were no open mics.
I've opened for him a couple of more times since. I'm grateful for the advice. It allowed me to create my act and get my name out there.
I had seen him perform a couple of times before, once on my brother's birthday. So I knew this was gonna be a big deal. At the time, there were very few Native comedians around. He was definitely the biggest Native comedian in Canada.
The gig was at a roller rink, during the summer, before a dance. It was still light out, and some doors were open, so the room was still kinda bright. And the tables were quite aways from the stage to make room for a dance floor. So these were not the best conditions for a comedy show.
I met him briefly before the show. I had my daughter with me and I walked around with her as a way of pacing.
He introduced me. When I was onstage, that's when I really noticed how far away the audience was. The show went OK. I taped it. I have a copy of it somewhere. I remember he laughed really hard at one of my jokes. The one about the Metis taking half a day off for National Aboriginal Day.
I forget how long it was when I opened for him again. But this time it was at a hotel banquet room. Nice stage. Again, I didn't get a chance to really talk to him. But I think it was at this time I asked him for some advice. Or it might have been the first time I opened for him.
The advice he gave me was to work the Native conference circuit. Native people get together for any reason. There are Native conferences all over the country. Youth conferences, health conferences, employment conferences, industry, etc. And they always have banquets and they are always looking for entertainment after these banquets.
He suggested I send them my info, tell them what I can provide, ask them to fly me in, put me up for the night, feed me, and don't ask for any money. Tell them you will do it for free.
I did some research. There were plenty of conferences. I contacted a few, but I asked for a small fee for my performance.
It allowed me to travel a little bit, made a little bit of money, but more importantly, I got stage time, I got to perform in front of appreciative Native audiences. In Prince George, where I was going to university, there was no comedy club, there were no open mics.
I've opened for him a couple of more times since. I'm grateful for the advice. It allowed me to create my act and get my name out there.
Sunday 18 September 2011
This Past Weekend
I opened for Erica Sigurdson over the weekend at a place called Nancy O's in Prince George. I was pleasantly surprised to find out the shows were sold out. The first night I did my best material, which can be found on my youtube clip. This was the first time performing at this venue, so I pulled out my 'A' material. I did just over 5 minutes, which I haven't done in over a year. For the past year, I've been doing full shows, so going back to 5 minutes was an adjustment. But the shows went great. The second night, I did a new joke, something I wrote a couple of days ago. It went over well, a keeper for sure. I'm not good at judging numbers, but there must've been about 40 or 50 people there. If you've never been, I highly recommend it. I hope to be back there soon.
Erica held a workshop for the comedians that opened for her. We taped our sets and she critiqued them. Unfortunately, I was unable to attend. But I am working on a workshop myself. It is geared towards youth that are interested in trying stand-up comedy. I am hoping to debut it at home on Haida Gwaii. It would be a 3 session workshop spread out over three days to allow time for the youth to write and develop material. And at the end of the workshop, the youth would put on a show with me hosting and headlining. If it works out, I will be offering this workshop at high schools and friendship centres.
Erica held a workshop for the comedians that opened for her. We taped our sets and she critiqued them. Unfortunately, I was unable to attend. But I am working on a workshop myself. It is geared towards youth that are interested in trying stand-up comedy. I am hoping to debut it at home on Haida Gwaii. It would be a 3 session workshop spread out over three days to allow time for the youth to write and develop material. And at the end of the workshop, the youth would put on a show with me hosting and headlining. If it works out, I will be offering this workshop at high schools and friendship centres.
Thursday 15 September 2011
How I Got My Start in Comedy
Whenever I do interviews, the inevitable first question is always, "How did I get my start in comedy?" And I tell them, "I was forced into it." Which always takes people by surprise. And I was forced into it. It was either that or take an 'F'. I got my start in comedy at university. I took a class on Native humour. Now it wasn't a class on how to be funny. Remember, this was university. We studied it. . We studied Native humour in all its forms, including movies, short stories, novels, songs, etc. It was a discussion driven course. We also had to write a short paper on our favourite humorist. I chose Sherman Alexie. And instead of a final exam, we all had to do a performance. I told a couple of stories.
The first story was about how I wanted the job of the guy that played the suspect in the Crimestoppers commercials, because I always seemed to fit the description of the suspect. I remember watching a Crimestoppers commercial and it showed a re-enactment of the crime and the actor looked nothing like the suspect. I fit the description better than he did. I should be the actor that plays the suspect in these commercials!
The second story came about after I won a trip for 2 to Mexico. We ended up not taking the trip because we were pregnant at the time and she couldn't fly. So we took the money instead. $2000, I believe. The second story I told was about the hassle I had trying to cash the cheque. It wasn't really a hassle, it just took awhile. I forget why exactly, but while I was standing there waiting, I came up with the joke. Basically, I say it took so long because the bank didn't believe the cheque was real. They held it up to the light, they put it under one of those UV ray lights (right in front of me), and said they may have to send it to the lab to verify its authenticity.
I was able to bring both stories together when a friend told me that I didn't want to become the actor that played the suspect in the Crimestoppers commercials because apparently these guys get stopped by the cops all the time. What happens is, these old ladies see the commercials and when they see guy in real life, they think the actor is the ACTUAL suspect and they call the cops. It happens alot. It's gotten to the point now where they have to carry cards around that say they are actors in the Crimestoppers commercials. And my story went that even if I did get the job as the Crimestoppers re-enactment guy, and I did get stopped by the cops, and I had one of those cards, the cops still wouldn't believe me. They would treat me much like the bank teller did.
Anyways, I told those stories. I got a bunch of laughs. I got 20/20 for my final performance, and an A+ for my final grade. I think it was my only A+ ever in university.
I wrote an article for Spirit magazine about the first time I performed comedy. It follows:
SPIRIT magazine article - Winter 2005
This was from the "Are You Experienced" issue which looked at the Aboriginal experience in Canada. The articles were first person accounts on the Aboriginal experience. Adam Beach, Karla Robinson, and Waneek Horn-Miller also contributed.
Here is my story:
How It Feels...to be a Stand-Up Comedian
The first time I went out on stage to perform stand-up comedy is a blur. It all went by so quickly. I was enrolled in a class at the University of Northern British Columbia called Indigenous Humour. Instead of final exam, we were asked to do a performance. I chose to do stand-up comedy.
I was on stage for approximately 20 minutes, but it seemed like 2. I told two stories, the first about the hassle around trying to cash a cheque, and the second about wanting the job as the suspect in the Crimestoppers commercial because I always seem to fit the description of the suspect.
Before I went onstage, I was pacing and pacing, trying to rid myself of the nervous energy. A single drop of sweat ran down my side. I had not memorized my routine, so I had my sheet of paper with me and was worried people might see it shaking, because my hands were trembling so badly.
I remember people laughing and applauding, but I thought they were just being polite. When it was over, I just found the nearest seat and sank into it as far as I could. I was glad it was over. When the evening was over, people were congratulating me, but it all seemed quite surreal. I didn't know it at the time, but I had just stumbled across a new career path. Since that first time, I have continued with my stand-up comedy and have done approximately a dozen performances and I even opened up for Don Burnstick.
The first story was about how I wanted the job of the guy that played the suspect in the Crimestoppers commercials, because I always seemed to fit the description of the suspect. I remember watching a Crimestoppers commercial and it showed a re-enactment of the crime and the actor looked nothing like the suspect. I fit the description better than he did. I should be the actor that plays the suspect in these commercials!
The second story came about after I won a trip for 2 to Mexico. We ended up not taking the trip because we were pregnant at the time and she couldn't fly. So we took the money instead. $2000, I believe. The second story I told was about the hassle I had trying to cash the cheque. It wasn't really a hassle, it just took awhile. I forget why exactly, but while I was standing there waiting, I came up with the joke. Basically, I say it took so long because the bank didn't believe the cheque was real. They held it up to the light, they put it under one of those UV ray lights (right in front of me), and said they may have to send it to the lab to verify its authenticity.
I was able to bring both stories together when a friend told me that I didn't want to become the actor that played the suspect in the Crimestoppers commercials because apparently these guys get stopped by the cops all the time. What happens is, these old ladies see the commercials and when they see guy in real life, they think the actor is the ACTUAL suspect and they call the cops. It happens alot. It's gotten to the point now where they have to carry cards around that say they are actors in the Crimestoppers commercials. And my story went that even if I did get the job as the Crimestoppers re-enactment guy, and I did get stopped by the cops, and I had one of those cards, the cops still wouldn't believe me. They would treat me much like the bank teller did.
Anyways, I told those stories. I got a bunch of laughs. I got 20/20 for my final performance, and an A+ for my final grade. I think it was my only A+ ever in university.
I wrote an article for Spirit magazine about the first time I performed comedy. It follows:
SPIRIT magazine article - Winter 2005
This was from the "Are You Experienced" issue which looked at the Aboriginal experience in Canada. The articles were first person accounts on the Aboriginal experience. Adam Beach, Karla Robinson, and Waneek Horn-Miller also contributed.
Here is my story:
How It Feels...to be a Stand-Up Comedian
The first time I went out on stage to perform stand-up comedy is a blur. It all went by so quickly. I was enrolled in a class at the University of Northern British Columbia called Indigenous Humour. Instead of final exam, we were asked to do a performance. I chose to do stand-up comedy.
I was on stage for approximately 20 minutes, but it seemed like 2. I told two stories, the first about the hassle around trying to cash a cheque, and the second about wanting the job as the suspect in the Crimestoppers commercial because I always seem to fit the description of the suspect.
Before I went onstage, I was pacing and pacing, trying to rid myself of the nervous energy. A single drop of sweat ran down my side. I had not memorized my routine, so I had my sheet of paper with me and was worried people might see it shaking, because my hands were trembling so badly.
I remember people laughing and applauding, but I thought they were just being polite. When it was over, I just found the nearest seat and sank into it as far as I could. I was glad it was over. When the evening was over, people were congratulating me, but it all seemed quite surreal. I didn't know it at the time, but I had just stumbled across a new career path. Since that first time, I have continued with my stand-up comedy and have done approximately a dozen performances and I even opened up for Don Burnstick.
Wednesday 14 September 2011
Greetings & Salutations
Well, I guess I should introduce myself. My name is Brian Majore aka The Bloody Savage. That is my stage name. I am a stand-up comedian. I've been doing this for about 7 years, maybe 8. This blog is intended as an outlet for my random thoughts, a place to share my taste in music, comedy, whatever, and to let you know how my career is going. I will post dates/times/locations of my gigs and afterwards, report on how they went. I also have a few projects in mind and I will update you on how they are coming along. In the meantime, check out some of my youtube videos. Here's a link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GvSuAV7oX7Y
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