Blogs

Above: The Founding Fathers Of Monkey Pants Comics

Joseph James – Writer & Stand Up Comedian

Scott Meaney – Writer, Artist & Musican

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Comedy Goals For 2010

This blog is inspired by Ben Rosenfeld, the nice young man who helped me bring this site back up after over a year hiatus. 

REFLECTION

   Before listing my goals for 2010, let’s reflect on what steps I made in 2007, 2008 & 2009.  2009 was the year I dropped performing on stage with a cheat sheet on my arm.  The cheat sheets had about 10-20 words or phrases which represented 30 seconds of material each.  While I was weaning off the cheat sheet in late 2008 and early 2009 I was able to drop it completely in about April ‘09.  This was just from practicing.  Another thing I improved was how many times a week I got on stage.  I got on stage as much as I mentally and physically could.  While I started out doing open mics every week in late 2007, it wasn’t until a year later  that I started performing 3-4 times a week on most weeks and not just on weeks leading up to a “gig”.  A gig to me is any stagetime that’s pre-booked and not an open mic.  In 2008 I only produced 2 shows.  In 2009 I produced 5.  With the help of Ben, I’ve gotten about 20 videos onto youtube and I like at least 5 of them!

THE FUTURE

Post something new on this website at least once a week whether it’s a photo, a video, a blog or a comic strip

 Continue performing without a cheat sheet

Add new jokes into my set as often as possible since I perform for a lot of the same friends,  family, bar patrons and comedians over and over

Stay a regular in the places I perform

Perform in at least 10 new places (I think I’ve done 2 already)

 Do more bar gigs or open mics for loud drunk people watching sports

 Do more gigs opening for bands

Record more sets

Release a cd or dvd even if it sucks and there are only a dozen or 2 dozen copies

Record some funny videos that are not stand up comedy

Do stand up someplace outside of NY and NJ

Produce @ least 10 shows

Perform in front of people on a microphone @ least 3-4 times a week

Stop saying “um” and “like” so much on stage

Look at the audience while I’m talking on stage

Have more energy on stage

Develop at least 10 minutes of clean material (I actually have about 6-8)

Print out my business cards

Print out my flyers

Make new t-shirts 

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    I’ll come back and add some to the list if I think of them.  I know that “my competition” is getting on stage 10-20 times a week.  That’s fantastic for them but I have a real job.  For me to get on stage more than 5 times in a week somebody has got to be paying me or at least giving me better stage opportunities to get on stage than 5 minute open mics that I have to travel to and pay for.  I certainly have more fun on stage if I’m in practice and not rusty but there’s only so many days I can sacrifce money, sleep and free time to do the same jokes in front of the same people.  I don’t want to quit and I don’t want comedy to be a chore and stop being fun .  If those people are enjoying getting up on stage 10-20 times a week and it’s working for them then I say God bless!  I feel I need to live life a little, go places, and socialize  a little  or else I won’t have any comedy inspiration.

So, You Want To Be A Comedian

  If you want to start out in NYC remember these 2 things:

1. It’s not how funny you are but how well you attract an audience.

2. It’s not who you know but what you will do for them.

80’s Party Chicken!