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.
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