Last week, I participated in the 2024 Clean Comedy Challenge. I didn’t win or even make it to the top five finalists, but I felt like a winner just participating. Thirty-four standup comics entered the contest, so the competition was very tough. I loved performing in this competition because the audience was there to enjoy the show. And when the comedians didn’t perform, they watched the rest of us comics.
What I loved most about this challenge was meeting other comics who love performing. Even though we all came from different walks of life, our common denominator was comedy. I felt extremely comfortable talking to everyone.
All the standup comics and judges
I love taking road trips, so traveling to Alabama for the first time was a new adventure that I really enjoyed. Last year, the Clean Comedy Challenge took place in Cranston, Rhode Island, and I also enjoyed that road trip because I had never been to Rhode Island. I plan to attend again next year, wherever it takes place. Hopefully, someplace I have never been.
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!
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!
Well, I’ve started going back to the comedy clubs after more than thirty-three years. Things have really changed since then. So many changes! I think the changes are for the better.
I was surprised by how many comedians go to the so many available open mics in Chicago and the surrounding suburbs. And the comedians are so supportive of each other. Of course, that’s not surprising because Chicago is one of the comedy breeding grounds for the U.S. If you are a new comedian, you may perform every night of the week, multiple times per day. And there are no hecklers. I was incredibly surprised by that. I remember always dreading my confrontations with hecklers. Some of my best shows, of course, were when I was able to handle the hecklers.
Gone are the smoke-filled comedy rooms since smoking was banned indoors, which is great for me since I have always been a non-smoker. But I miss the ambience. However, the audiences are nicer now that they don’t smoke.
Back in 1986, I occasionally earned money as a standup comedian. Now, many clubs have a two-drink minimum for comedians who want to participate for the open mic. Yes, I understand that this helps keep the clubs open, but I remember getting paid five dollars and getting two drinks for performing at the open mic at the Higgins Street Cafe.
Back in 1983, all the open mics started at 9:00 or 9:30. Now they start much earlier, often as early as 6:00 PM. This is much more convenient for aspiring comics who must get up early for work the next morning.
There are so many comics attending all these open mics. Yes, I’m one of them, too. Last night, I went to The Comedy Shrine and there were forty comedians signed up! And about half of them were very funny. Not only do I perform, but I also enjoy watching the other comedians perform.
When I started performing this go-round, I wrote all new jokes. I had my friend Vito look over my jokes and he contributed some very funny jokes, as he did for me back in 1983 and 1986. Most of the jokes went over very well. Afterwards, several comics would ask me, “How long have you been doing comedy?” I suppose you can take that both ways: 1. That I sound like I have some previous experience as a comedian, or, 2. You must be new to comedy!
Well, I am finally overcoming my stage fright and getting more comfortable on stage. My new jokes are getting laughs at all the right times. Plus, I have been inserting my old jokes in there from time to time. At first, I was afraid to tell the old jokes, but I told one or two from time to time. Some of my biggest laughs come from jokes that are more than thirty years old!
I’ll keep working at standup comedy for the near future. I enjoy hearing the laughter. Maybe I’m crazy, but I finally found my true calling.
Chicago USA 