Author: David Diego Rodríguez, Ph.D.

I teach Spanish and I am a standup comedian.

Still Not Friday


December 15, 2022

I was asked to do standup comedy at the Two Brothers Roundhouse. This is quite an accomplishment for me. After three years of my comedy comeback, I am improving. I don’t feel as nervous as when I first started, even though people tell me I look very nervous.

I enjoy performing and hearing laughter. Sometimes, people approach me after a show and tell me that they really like my act. I always say, “Thank you!” because I really love the recognition. I hope to keep improving.

When I started back up, I told myself that I would that I would keep going to open mics even if I never progressed beyond the open mic level. I am now one notch above the open mic level. And I’m starting to feel more comfortable on stage.

The first few times I tried to make a comeback, I was so nervous that I chickened out. Then, I told myself, “Just go see an open mic.” Even just watching the show I felt the looming stagefright knowing that I would soon perform. One open mic I went to observe, they offered to waive my cover charge if I would perform. I was to scared to accept. Once the show began and saw some of the first-timers, I knew I had made the right decision.

The next week, I go to the same comedy club with the firm belief that I will go on stage for the open mic. I tell them at the ticket office that I will perform, and they let me in without paying the cover charge. Well, just my luck, now that I’m ready to perform, the emcee announces that the open mic is cancelled because that weekend’s headliner showed up early and wants to try out some new material. In a way, I was disappointed. But on the other hand, I was relieved and no longer nervous as I watched the headliner.

That was too bad because it took me another ten years to attempt another open mic!

DDR

Halloween


Photo by Yaroslav Shuraev on Pexels.com

I’m glad Halloween is over. My wife went to work and said I was in charge of the trick-or-treaters. She left me a box of granola bars for the trick or treaters. I was supposed to hand out granola bars. So the children would have a healthy diet and good teeth. When the first few kids come ring the doorbell, I give them each a granola bar. Oh! The look of disappointment on their faces! They told the other kids, “Don’t go to that house! They’re giving out granola bars!” So, I didn’t get any more trick or treaters. And just to make sure no one else rang my doorbell, I put the box of granola bars on the porch with a sign that said, “Take One!” The doorbell didn’t ring again. In fact, the first kids came back and returned the granola bars!

DDR

Byer’s Brewery


I performed on Saturday, November 5th, 2022, at Byer’s Brewery in DeKalb, Illinois. The stage was in the storefront of the brewery and you could see cars on the street behind the performer. The traffic was very distracting. The audience consisted of college students from Northern Illinois University. They did not laugh that much and any of the comedians. The most important thing was that we all got that much needed stage time.

DDR

Stage fright


Photo by Tima Miroshnichenko on Pexels.com

I have always been afraid of speaking in public. I avoid speaking whenever possible. However, I ended up becoming a teacher. And now I am a Spanish teacher and a standup comedian.

I was always afraid to speak as a young boy because my first language was Spanish, and I didn’t speak English until I started school. I struggled with both languages through my entire grade school years.

There’s an old joke that goes like this: “What were the worst two years of your life?” “The fourth grade.”

Now, I am still struggling to overcome my stage fright. But now, I am a standup comedian. Each time I perform, I feel a little more comfortable, and a little less nervous. The more I perform, the more confident I feel in myself. All performers admit that they suffer from stage fright, but they have controlled it so well, that is hardly noticeable. I hope to reach that level someday!

DDR