Unspecific Seattle Comedy Scene Commentary

[CaptainBreakfast]

It's true! Her hair is much less obvious since the chemical fire.

If I might weigh in.. Yes, the Portland scene is growing thanks to a bunch of ambitious do-gooder comics, improvisers, and promoters who weren't happy with the amount of happy going on. Folks that wanted to share the comedy with their friends and strangers desiring entertainment. It's making a strong turn around from the weirdly shaped comedy clump that it was only two years prior. I'm contemplating my moving away from here, since bigger opportunities will start becoming readily available here within the next couple of years. Helium Comedy Club is opening a branch here (to hopefully make Harvey's change their ways or get under new management), and global warming made it 60 and sunny last week!

Also, the second guy (the hippie) was a weed dealer who did comedy a few times before never returning again. Hopes -> Dashed

[Goodspaceguy]

I take back everything negative I said about the Seattle scene; it's super fun now. I blame Barbara Holm for being positively delightful.

[pg13]

I'm looking forward to the Barbara Holm experience.

pg--She just became my Facebook Friend today, but I've yet to see her perform live.--seattle

[Goodspaceguy]

She's fun to watch and just about the nicest person in the world.

This is going to now double as an interest check for "The Seattle Comedy Scene is a Tedious Wasteland Comedy Show". I have yet to work out the details beyond the name and the fact that it will attempt to be something more than just a bar showcase (skits, a theme, something laff-hole-esque, etc...).

pg, what do you think such a show should have? I'm genuinely interested in making this happen.

[pg13]

pg, what do you think such a show should have?

A different name.

Again--the ironic component in the name you've chosen is based on a worldview of a comic...not anything that would appeal to the general public.

The irony of the SubPop "LOSER" t-shirts was that there were already lots of people coming to see these bands... (See also "Lamefest".)

But, if you have a scene where nobody is going to see bands, calling a show "All the Bands in Town Suck and Nobody Comes To Our Shows"...it doesn't make people want to go. It's merely accurately defining the situation.

It's like the fine line a comic walks between self-deprecation and self-flagellation. One lets the audience chuckle a little with the performer at his self-admitted foibles...the other one makes the audience feel sorry (or, worse, not particularly sorry) for someone who has mistakenly thought that hating one's self is automatically entertaining to others.

pg--And, I'm working very hard on a couple of different projects that will incorporate what I think a successful comedy show will entail. We'll see if I'm right.--c.at.L

[Goodspaceguy]

What do you think of Chucklehose?

(not a real suggestion)

[pg13]

What do you think of Chucklehose?

--Too often they're in danger of getting slapped by their Chucklepimps?
--They're good for anyone suffering from varicose veins in their funny bones?
--It's the best thing to use when dealing with a hot comedy crowd?


pg--(Those aren't real jokes)--bridgetownbound

[Cerak]

Hi guys, I'm coming up to Seattle next week for Sasquatch and I'm sure you're town in going to be overrun but I really love an opportunity to get on stage and try stuff out in a different city.

Which open mic would you suggest? Also, what can I do to better my chances of getting stage time at an open mic?

[pg13]

Seattle comedy open mics: http://www.seattlecomedyblog.com/?page_id=75

The Comedy Underground Monday Madness is your best bet of getting on--just get there more than half hour before the show starts to sign up and let Carl know that you're in from out of town.

Giggles has new management, not sure how differently they run things now...

pg

[Cerak]

Thank you!
The only monday I'll be there is Memorial Day, will Comedy Underground still be open-mic-in?

[pg13]

As far as I know, the Underground will be open and doing its thing.

www.comedyunderground.com has a calendar that doesn't show anything being different on that day.

pg

[st.raw]

The People's Republic of Koffee has a fun open mic friday nights on Capitol Hill. Sign up is 7:30.

[Cerak]

not-to-be-creepy-but-possibly-read-as-such-though-i-hope-you-take-it-to-be-more-fangirlish-than-anything, are either of you guys gonna be there*?

I'm always up for meeting other comedians, and especially since my time in Seattle is so short, it would be great to meet and talk and learn from y'all (in real-life).

Also, st. raw, how much time do you get at PRoK? I know, from the website, Comedy Underground has a pretty strict 3 min rule.

*by "there" I mean either the People's Republic of Koffee or The Comedy Underground.

[pg13]

I'm always up for meeting anyone who wants to meet up.

If I'm around and available, I'd be up for it.

pg--Haven't been to the new Koffee shop, now's as good a time as any.--seattle

[Monty]

The People's Republic of Koffee has a fun open mic friday nights on Capitol Hill. Sign up is 7:30.

That's the one I keep intending to go to. So every week I'm not there, you know I've failed again!

...except this Friday, when I will be out of town. I'm off the hook for that one.

[Cerak]

I had a fantastic time in your fine city!

I ended up at the Wed open mic at Pegasus and the Mon Comedy Underground open mic, both were fantastic and attended by funny, funny people.

Thanks you guys!

[pg13]

Good job, Seattle...

This comedy scene was once seen as deserving of its own subforum here on AST...now, it has to share it with the rest of the Pacific Northwest. (Probably, because there are more active participants on AST based out of Portland than the Emerald City...)

And I can't even be mad about it...because it probably means that there'll be more active discussions about great comedy things happening in Vancouver, BC...or Bend, OR...or Selah, WA...

Just don't complain, fellow Jet Citizens, about opportunities lost or potential wasted.

pg--Oh, wait...what did I just do?--pacific northwest

[Embiggen]

Another upside of the new pac northwest label: Tribble Run stories on AST. Could it happen? I smell a new thread...

[pg13]

OK, I'm going to say it...

This has been bugging me for awhile. There IS an active comedy scene here in Seattle...one that I'm probably no longer the best source of information for...as it is getting younger and more active than my fat old self has decided to be.

...but you wouldn't know much about it here on AST.

What you WILL find, however, are a bunch of people who have signed up to be AST members JUST to post content-free announcements about their shows or their podcasts.

Yes, that's nice...but what's more important (and, frankly, more effective) is to actually participate on this board...and for heaven's sake, please talk about those shows and those podcasts...about why you're excited that they're coming up, about how awesome they were once they're done.

Right now, there are too many people merely wheatpasting their content-free ads on AST...as if AST was an unoccupied business and they're using the papered up windows as their own billboard.

That's such a short-sighted and imagination-free way to interact with such an active and knowledgeable comedy community.

So, to the PRoK kids who have only posted three times...each time to put up a generic press release for the latest Laff*Hole show...or even to my good friends who run the Delicious Mediocrity podcast and are looking for a few more hits...don't tag our wall and run away! Get in here for real...jump in the pool and swim!

ESPECIALLY, talk about what you liked about the shows you saw. Be an advocate and a fan, not just an advertiser.

pg--Not saying this to be a dick...saying this to try to make things better.--PRoKtown and CotAville

[Jimes]

The Ashley Judd guys are doing great things. 3 shows so far and they are 3 for 3.

Kevin and Travis are ridiculous/hilarious, as usual. The final episode of Adventure Buddies is Feb. 23.

Ana Whim and Weird and Awesome with Emmett Montgomery are interesting/unique. Dartanian London had a great set at the most recent Ana Whim, for example.

The Humor Program looks like it could be consistently fun. Sounds like they will return in March.

LaffHole is bringing in some great comedians. Some announced, some in the pipeline...

DelMed delivers week after week.

And of course there's a ton more happening.

- Brandon Ivey