Comedy Advice From A *%#king Idiot (Under 10 Years)

I love giving advice. I’m only 6 years in, but I think I know everything. Until the next bomb. Then I think back to the time I gave unsolicited advice to a fellow comic and she’s been on television since then. She was fine, she didn’t need my input.

The harsh reality of me giving comedy advice is that I can get up on stage later and bomb in front of everyone that read this. It makes you think, Jesus, why would anyone take advice from that asshole?

From just a few months in to 10 years or more- you’re gonna hear all kinds of shit from people you probably shouldn’t listen to. So jump ship now or keep reading!

A handful of comics asked me about getting booked. How does one go about that? Why am I not getting booked?

I’m probably not the guy to ask. I get booked 3 to 4 times a month, and even that is pretty generous when I’m still learning so much. You’ve seen comic’s memes with full schedules. Clearly I’m not working hard enough. They have the hustle. I hustle in different directions. I feel uncomfortable asking too much. Even when I’m at my best, something inside tells me I don’t deserve to ask for more. I have to get over that.

Some nights I exude so much confidence, and then another night I feel like a beginner all over again, struggling through a longer set, forgetting my set-list, or closing with a joke that never works. What the hell was I thinking??!! Why did I have a beer? I’m losing focus, too relaxed.

I was in denial about a lot of jokes. I let them stay mediocre for years. Even my friends were probably wondering, why the fuck is he still doing that joke? It’s so easy to get set in my ways. I guess for a while there’s just not enough material, so I circle to older bits over and over again. Making mental notes after my set (oh, that line tanked again, I should change that) then blip! Forgotten until the next time it bombs again. It’s an unproductive cycle.

There’s real homework to be done. It’s not supposed to be all fun. We can’t just keep winging it on stage. We’re not all great like our heroes. If the line sucks take it out. Maybe the joke still works, but now it’s better because it’s shorter. I waste so much breath setting things up and it kills the actual funny part. I get this attitude like, I can’t think of anything else, that’ll do for now. I just admitted to myself that I don’t even like it.

Rewrites. Coming up with a better line, or a better set-up. So many of my jokes eat shit because the set-up doesn’t make sense, and no specific point of view is coming across. Sometimes I’ll ask an honest friend for an opinion. I’m sensitive about my jokes, so the response can be hard to take, but if something is not working, I’m not gonna be defensive about it. Riffing on the idea with a funny friend can put me back on the right track.

I have an app called The Comedy Companion. It lists all my jokes. It breaks them down into two categories: In Development or just Jokes. I rehearse individual jokes at home and list the time it takes to perform them. Then I give them my most honest grade. I love performing my Metallica bit, but it’s a C- at best. The first couple minutes get laughs, but then it eats a dick before I get to the huge act-out. It’s either too much of a niche audience thing or it’s just not funny enough. Maybe the storytelling is too sloppy. It’s a problem. I can’t keep doing it at shows until I do some rewrites. I can’t just blame the audience for not caring about Metallica. They still laugh at the set-up, so it’s not just the reference.

I like any book that goes into the mechanics of joke-writing with quotes from respectable comics. This is a good one.

There are jokes that I’m not crazy about performing like My Last Name is Wurst, but it usually does great, so it gets an A rating. It says something about me. It’s personal and there are a few good lines that always hit. A good opener for sure. People hear my last name is Wurst when the host brings me up, so naturally I should open with that joke, right? (Yeah, but I die inside every time.)

So eventually, I can whittle down a set-list and they should all be A’s and B’s. Close on a A-rated banger if I can. Do I have any other foolproof jokes? Anyway, this is just how I do it…or forget to do it, but mean to do it. Just gotta work on those C’s, D’s, and F’s.

Any comic who complains about not getting booked is not doing the homework. They’re still doing the same shit and saying it the same way. Or maybe they’re so cocky and new that nobody wants to book them. Maybe they’re making people uncomfortable on Facebook with negative rants (I know I can only take so much). Maybe they’re getting laughs consistently at the same open mic, which is not a good judge. Go to a place where nobody knows you with actual audience members. Get out of your comfort zone. I love my Orange County friends, but they know me too well. Getting laughs at mics where nobody knows me feels like something. It’s fun walking in at some place where there’s a clique, too. I feel like the underdog. If I bomb, I can stay away for a long time or come back with a vengeance.

But the drive, blah blah blah- nobody gives a shit. We all drive our asses off. I took public transportation for 15 years! Shut-up-a-yo-face! Speaking of which, I’m tired of headliners complaining on stage about driving 2 hours to a paid gig at a nice club, you fucking wankers.

You gotta be honest with how you’re doing! So many people get into the “I crushed!” “I killed!”mindsets. You post that all the time and it makes me question your credibility. Ah whatever, I can’t even talk to those people. They’re trying to get ahead by overhyping themselves. They don’t want to work on getting funnier.

(Ten years later, Marty comes to the realization he’s jealous of everyone.)

Did Gary Gulman mention listening to your sets over and over? That’s how I come up with new tags. It’s hard to listen to awful sets (I delete them pretty quick), but a good set is fun to listen to. For me it’s a drug. I keep rewinding to some lady’s cackle. After hearing bits over and over I start to think of alternate lines and directions. Or remind me of the fucking tag I dropped! A mediocre set will at least keep my interest, but it’s still a lot of cringing.

Nearly all of my bookings are a result of doing well at an open mic. Rarely from a Youtube clip. I just got my first Brea Improv spot because I made someone laugh at Father’s Pub, a fun and extremely divey bar mic in Santa Ana. You never know who’s watching, and because of that set I got to perform to a crowd of 250. That’s a big deal for me, to earn a club spot by just doing well at an open mic. The same thing happened at the Hollywood Improv. The booker was watching, and I did well when it mattered. A huge victory for me. I’m 6 years in and I almost stayed home that day. I never would have known, this is the day I get pulled. Kick ass in a room full of competitive comics, that’ll make an impression. Don’t go to a lottery mic just assuming you’re not gonna get pulled. Get amped up and review your set and be ready. Then light a fire in the room when your name gets called. It’s a test every time. We all blow it when it matters. I think we’re just unaware of it most of the time.

I booked Harvey Snowman at The Virgil based on this set. See, you never know who’s watching at an open mic. The other snow comics bailed after their sets. Way to support the room, shitheads.

Jeremiah Watkins said to treat every mic like a showcase. Seems like a little much, but he’s fucking right. Don’t waste it because the crowd looks like shit. Be your best at every open mic. You get a reputation, oh, here’s somebody to watch. Say somebody complains about the audience and shits on the gig during their set. That’s an opportunity to turn the room around when you go up. Make those people your friends so that last comic looks like an asshole! Oh, you think this is a bad situation? Well, I just made it great, so fuck you, ya negative hack!

I watch people deliberately blow it and it drives me nuts because I’ve done it too. Bailing out on bits, slurring jokes, watching somebody too high to form a thought—in front of the people that matter. There’s a dude that works at an amazing comedy club and gets spots. Then he gets on stage high as fuck, doesn’t remember his jokes, and leaves prematurely after bitterly complaining in front of the booker. Fucking dude doesn’t know what he has and he’s pissing it away.

If there’s just one takeaway from this entry, remember this. Most Los Angeles and Orange County open mics have one or two comics in the audience who book their own shows. Sometimes more. They’re just there to do sets too, but if they like you you’ll probably hear from them at some point. Sometimes advanced comics are waiting to go up, too. Maybe you do good and they’ll take note of that. So work on your set. Don’t be a dick. Be friendly. Awkward is fine, just be yourself and genuine.

Blah blah, blah, I’m so good at giving advice!!!!

I was delusional starting out. With no point of reference and doing things for the first time, my perception of a good set was much different from someone who’s been doing this for 5 to 10 years. I was eager to post those early Flappers clips, but I’m telling you, take those fucking things down now before you shoot yourself in the foot! If you think you’re serious about comedy, you’re gonna be better in 5 years anyway, might as well wait a bit before posting anything. Don’t embarrass yourself by sending those mediocre sets to bookers. Even my current clip is far from a home run…I should probably take it down. It’s a C+…maybe a B-. I’m embarrassed that some of my most successful jokes are dick jokes. There are enough of those already. I know I’m better than that. Clever over easy, Marty. Be clever first.

So what I’m saying is if you have jokes about cocks, I’ll tag them. Let’s do this.

One of several Flappers clips I prematurely posted on YouTube. Nice wig, Dipshit! Doing some bully character in my first year of standup. I don’t do stuff like this anymore, so it doesn’t even accurately represent what I do and then to top it off it has some embarrassing dead spots- don’t make the same mistake! Keep your clips unlisted until you feel Tony the Tiger (Grrrr-eat!) about it.

Big thanks to the comics who shot me a nice message about openmicreviews, the blog, or just had something nice to say to me about my set. The kind words in person at the bleakest open mics mean the world to me. I’m sorry if I didn’t remember your face from Instagram. There are people who occasionally donate, too- fucking unbelievable, thank you so much.

If you find a great mic that more comics should know about, hit me up! I also post a lot of ridiculous stand-up shenanigans on my personal account. If you’re ever in Orange County, make sure to follow Orange County Standup on Instagram. Dude posts everything going on daily, it’s great. Hit me up online if you need to bitch or ask about anything. If I don’t have the answer, I know a lot of people who might!

Man, I’m all tuckered out from giving out all this A+ advice, I’m plum worn out! I’m turning into a regular Greg Dean here. If you’d like to hear more, check out my past entries, learn from my mistakes and I’ll keep writing about it. I hope it wasn’t too obnoxious. Sometimes, I just need to remind myself of my own advice. Don’t end on a stinker Marty.

Good luck out there.

(fizzles out)

…(blows out candle)

Links to past entries:

Best Open Mics of 2018

Douchebags Helping Douchebags

The Resentful Open Micer

My First and Worst Year: Open Mic Hell

My First and Worst Year: Bringer Shows

My First and Worst Year: Westwood Brewco and Onward (the beginning)

My First and Worst Year: Producing a Show

Year 2: The Worst Comedian

Year 2: The Worst Comedian (Part 2)

Best Open Mics of 2018

It’s that time again. To champion the open mics that were leaps and bounds over the usual “meh” and bottom of the barrel dogshit mics. Mics that leave you with that rare feeling of Wow, I think I actually did something productive there. An open mic that leaves you with a sense of well being…imagine that.

I reviewed 75 open mics this year. Isn’t that crazy? 7 of those were in Colorado, but come on!

I took a year off from doing the awards because the first one made me wonder if it was worth it. If you’re curious you can click here for the Best Open Mics of 2016.

There are no physical rewards by the way, just positive word of mouth about your open mic. Wait, where you going? DON’T GO!!!!! I’LL MAKE BUTTONS (echo) buttons…

I entertained the idea, but I think I came up with a good compromise…I’ll have my shit together next year. We can shoot ideas about prizes, we’ll talk.

NOW BACK TO THE SCHEDULED PROGRAM.

So many mics popped up this year and almost just as quick, they disappeared without a trace or explanation. The owner may have cancelled it due to their business not turning an instant profit. Or a host realized that doing a weekly mic might take actual skill or commitment. Maybe a horrified customer wrote a bad Yelp review like this one.

They still managed to squeeze in a review of the pizza!

Most likely there were just not enough comics that cared enough to buy anything, so the owner pulled the plug. 3 to 4 weeks and then gone! Maybe it’s for the best. Some of the worst open mics have an incredible lifespan. We need those mics too. When I’m desperate enough I’ll hit just about any mic, except the Arsenal. A different host can turn a room around, though. Hell, even a nice bartender can make it worthwhile.

I want to thank all the comedians and non-comics that have taken on the task of hosting an open mic. Big applause to all the substitute hosts that keep a mic from cancelling. The majority of my reviews catch the guest host, because yeah, we all need fucking breaks, I get it! Running a mic is a bitch, so THANK YOU! We’re pretty spoiled out here with 20+ mics on any given night, and it’s cool that I can waste time writing a blog about it!

So just to clarify, there are the “Comedian’s Choice” winners- the direct results of your votes. There were bout 200 votes this year, not bad, not great- hopefully reach more people next year, I tried!

Then there’s the “Open Mic Reviews,” which are my personal picks.

There are a lot of good mics, but very few stick out from the pack.

I’m sorry if I didn’t recognize your mic this year, I didn’t hit all of them. Remember, this is all in good fun (I’m just winging this) and I just want other comedians to know that there are great mics out there that are worth checking out. I received a lot of invites… some dickneck tagged me weekly for an entire year, for his New Jersey mic, Scotty’s Pub and Comedy Cove. I don’t live in Jersey, bro!

There were a lot of donations last year for my past Patreon whirl, and I can’t thank those people enough. It gave me the extra nudge to get back out there and drive another couple hundred miles. It also made it possible for me to put some money into this project, so thank you. I’m glad somebody’s enjoying this! I also get emails about incorrect listings on the site. I’m so glad people are paying attention and helping me keep things up to date. It’s really hard to keep track of which mics fold or change days. Anyway, you can always message me with suggestions, corrections, or recommendations on Instagram, always cool to hear from you.

QUICK NOTE- Please don’t spoil the winners online. I’d love for the participants to discover it themselves, it’s part of the fun. Feel free to share away or tag the hosts of your favorite mics. If you guys enjoy this, I’ll do it again next year. Thanks for all your help!

NOW ON TO THE WINNERS!

BEST MIC THAT FOLDED THIS YEAR (R.I.P.)

Comedian’s Choice Marty’s

Open Mic Reviews Shanghai’d

Honorable Mentions MOD Pizza Open Mic, Max Bloom’s and Meltdown Comics.

Martys mic won the honors over MOD’s free pizza? I think I have a pretty good idea why.

Someone brought up a good point about Marty’s. A lot of the comics would hang out and talk about your sets. Punch up your jokes while you were on stage. It really was one of the best feedback mics, even though it wasn’t listed as one. Many comics taped their sets here. Serious comics were treating it like a gym, improvising through potential bits. There was the hang too of course, parties, and Marty’s was a great pop-in place if you desperately needed to charge your phone for a couple hours. Its left a mark on many comics and they are bonded forever. Plus you got a shitty photo on the wall! I wasn’t a part of all this. I went less than a dozen times in 5 years, but I understand the love and I can’t shit on it anymore. Sure there were depressing nights, but it was never pretentious in there. Everyone was struggling to find the funny. For $5 you got some shitty coffee and a heck of a lot of stage time, sometimes up to an hour! Plus the best pizza was just ten paces away. You were my first open mic, thanks for listening, Marty!

Since we’re on the topic of dead mics, I made a video montage of some of the mics that passed away much too soon. Enjoy!

R.I.P. MICS! I forgot Hooters, that was a fun one too. Some mics died out and then came back from the dead recently, like the great LA School of Comedy.


The next category is Best FEEDBACK mic. I’m not surprised that many comics haven’t done one of these. They’re not very common and sometimes it’s just thrown out casually by the host, “If you want feedback about your set, we can talk about it for a couple minutes, it’s optional.”

I always have a resistance to these because I usually don’t trust anyone else with joke-writing. I get extremely defensive about my jokes (not healthy) and opinionated, but believe it or not, it helps to hear outside ideas. Even if you reject everything, your brain is working and its forcing you to be analytical about your bit, so I recommend it…if you dare. Some comics will just run their mouth, vomiting their own version of your bit, so there’s that too. But you can just smile and nod as if to say, “Oh that’s cute, you think that’s comedy!” Or if you’re like me you’ll argue with the host until he backs off.

BEST FEEDBACK MIC

Comedian's Choice    “Challenge Mic” at The Copper Still Bar

Open Mic Reviews     Melody Bar and Grill

Honorable Mentions Fanatic Salon

Maggie Mayfield at “The Challenge Mic” This mic will really stretch your abilities and force you to explore what’s interesting in your daily life. Just grab a topic from the bucket and let ‘er rip! You might walk away with some great premises. The more open you are, the better it’ll go. Maggie is there to guide you if you get stuck. I also like how she posts pictures of comics and include a choice quote from their set.

The next category is Lottery mic. Have you mastered the art of paper folding yet? Did you drop your name in the bucket way too early? (a hearty chuckle) Oh you. You’ll learn. Those hosts never mix up the names enough. They still grab from the top, you silly person!

I think we all secretly have our own method, it’s ridiculous.

BEST LOTTERY MIC

Comedian's Choice     The Other Door

Open Mic Reviews       Genghis Cohen

Honorable Mentions     Cabo Wabo Comedy Show, Lyric Hyperion Theater

Vanessa Gritton at The Other Door.

The Other Door is a big favorite. Kevin Anderson and Vanessa Gritton are class acts. There’s a pre-signup and plenty of bucket spots throughout the night. The bar is always lively and the hosts make you feel like you’re part of a family. 4 mics up.

The next category is the Best $5 Mic, and that sparked a comment on the survey:

No pay to play.

I have a response to this. And this goes to all of you No-Pay-To-Play fucking morons. I’m willing to spend $5 and just work on my comedy in spaces where there are no distractions. Where other like-minded serious comics are there to work. Where hosts are paying attention and give a shit, unlike you, who will spend 20 to 50 dollars in one night getting shit-faced and preaching your sanctimonious bullshit without ever improving or becoming even vaguely interesting to listen to. Have another beer, asshole. Oh, ten years went by and nobody’s joining in on your grumbling anymore? Have another drink, get high with your friends, but don’t pay to fucking play with people that only want to spend their money on COMEDY. We know what your passion is so GET FUCKED.

I won’t go to a 1-drink minimum open mic either. I only support the venues that can afford to have a bunch of free-loading comics, THEN I’LL SPEND! (Pee-Wee-Herman fart noises, dances around the room)

Go to whatever mics you want. If you get anything out of it, it’s a win. You’ll know when you’re getting ripped off. You can mute the douchebags online, and they don’t have to know.

BEST $5 MIC (or best Pay-To-Play)

Comedian's Choice     The Fourth Wall

Open Mic Reviews       Bert’s Backroom

Honorable Mentions Marty’s, Tao Comedy Studio

Rishi is probably talking about A Serbian Film at The Fourth Wall.

I am always hearing a lot of positive feedback about The Fourth Wall. I’ve been there a couple times and I dug it. I really enjoyed the Fourth Wall’s Hollywood Mobile Mic as well. Joe Manente is a great guy, and he’s got a good thing going here. Joey Diaz dropped in and he sung his praises of The Fourth Wall on Joe Rogan. You can watch the clip here.

Alright, this is a stupid category. It’s the only negative one, but you deserve to know what open mic has toppled Big Wangs from the coveted LOUDEST MIC position.

LOUDEST MIC

Comedian's Choice Flappers Bar    

Open Mic Reviews       The Surly Goat

Honorable Mentions VFW

Lot of comics pile in and crane their necks to watch the Flappers Bar open mic.

The people have spoken! There is a lot of activity going on with the showroom next door, a busy bartender, and a ton of disrespectful open mic’ers. I actually dig this mic. The large amount of people makes it exciting and it’s not impossible to win over the crowd.



NEXT UP, DIY MIC!

What a DIY mic means to me is someone who put in a tremendous effort to make their own open mic space. Or maybe it was someone else’s space, but they dragged in their shoddy gear and made it into something special. Some lights, an amp, throw pillows, a beanbag chair and a poster of Gallagher.

BEST DIY MIC

Comedian's Choice Garage Behind Food 4 Less  

Open Mic Reviews       Bert’s Backroom

Honorable Mentions VFW in Burbank, Hollywood Mobile Mic

Kyle giving it his all for 7 minutes. Victor will play you up to music, people bring snacks, there’s even a little wood platform of a stage! Located in an alley that is Howie Mandel’s worst nightmare.

Victor’s Garage Behind Food 4 Less beat out Bert’s Backroom by one vote. That’s pretty fucking cool. It truly is the punk rock space of the open mic scene, and it’s great to know it’s still going. It’s gritty and grimy and comics will piss in the alley. DIY, bitches! If this mic ever closes permanently, maybe we can get the city to declare it a comedy landmark- leave all the decorations up, garage is always open for tours!




Outdoor mics can be weird, especially in the middle of the day. Comedy was meant for a dark room, and it never feels appropriate to tell dick jokes when you can hear birds outside chirping.

BEST OUTDOOR MIC

Comedian's Choice    Simply Coffee

Open Mic Reviews       Holy Grounds Coffee and Tea

Honorable Mentions Meea’s Hot Dogs

Adam White gives out prizes at the Simply Coffee mic in Burbank. He’s extremely laid back and the mic is almost too casual, but it’s a super friendly option and not a bad way to start the day!

The next category “Best Safe Space Mic” sparked more outrage.

“Comedy dies in a safe space. Fuck this category.”

Pretty dramatic. I’m not gonna rant this time. Yeah, a safe space sounds precious and ridiculous, but after listening to dozens of comics scream the word “Faggot” on stage, I’m glad these safe spaces exist, knowing it’ll discourage the angriest/laziest comics from showing up. Yay, more fun for us!

Even the hamster is protected!

BEST SAFE SPACE MIC

Comedian's Choice     Tao Comedy Studio

Open Mic Reviews       Tao Comedy Studio

Honorable Mentions “Challenge Mic” at The Cooper Still Bar, Canters “Kibitz” Room

Bobbie Oliver (not pictured above) doesn’t tolerate any hate speech at the Tao Comedy Studio. She’s really funny and I love the space. Some of the best comedians on the scene will work out stuff here.

Most open mics in Los Angeles are well attended and pretty cheap with stage time. So we get 3 minutes to shine and that’s actually plenty if you’re just starting out. But after a couple years, 3 minutes feels like nothing. You barely have time to get acquainted before launching into your 3 to 4 minute bit, so now you’re cutting corners and it better be a mic that’s worth it!

BEST 3 MINUTE MIC

Comedian's Choice     Comedy Store Potluck

Open Mic Reviews       Comedy Store Potluck

Honorable Mentions The Anchor Bar

Nothing can compete with The World Famous Comedy Store. More on that later.

MIXED MICS.

Oh boy, looks like there’s a bunch of musicians and poets in the audience. It can be a deadly combination, and the comics are usually to blame. They love to shit on mixed mics, and I do too, from time to time. I’ve been to mixed mics that are harmonious too, where the variety of acts keeps the night exciting and fresh. Funny that most of these mixed mics are in coffee shops, which can also be some of the deadliest mics of all.

BEST MIXED MIC

Comedian's Choice Library Coffeehouse    

Open Mic Reviews       Daily Brew Coffee Bar

Honorable Mentions The Cork Lounge

Robert Zoref trying to get people to look up from their laptops at The Library Coffeehouse.

This place is brutal, but a Long Beach favorite. There’s never a shortage of college students trying to study, ready to ignore with headphones and icy stares. Every 100 sets you might stumble onto something magical. Every once in awhile, they listen. Break through to this crowd and you’ll feel like a champion. You rock this room once and you’ll keep coming back to see if it’s possible again.

“Hey guys, in 5 minutes we’re gonna have an open mic!” The angry side look is captured perfectly.

BEST COFFEE SHOP MIC

Comedian's Choice     Toasted and Roasted

Open Mic Reviews       Daily Brew Coffee Bar

Honorable Mentions Royal Cup Cafe, The Library Coffeehouse

Daily Brew Coffee Bar in Montebello is a hidden gem.

I just want to wish a quick CONGRATULATIONS to Toasted and Roasted. I haven’t been back since Jonathan and Mark took over, but I’m glad it’s getting the majority vote.

I picked Daily Brew Coffee bar because it’s a terrific mixed mic. There’s always a supportive crowd that is really hyped for every act- it’s a great time.

Speaking of crowds…

BEST AUDIENCE

Comedian's Choice     Comedy Store Potluck TIED with Westside Comedy Theater

Open Mic Reviews       Cabo Wabo Cantina

Honorable Mentions Lab at The Hollywood Improv

Michael hosting a late night Cabo Wabo Cantina mic. You’ll find plenty of people here. There are barkers on Hollywood Blvd to get customers in and it pays off. The open mic itself is the usual late night insanity, but if you can get up it’s a great audience!

Moving along….

BEST BAR MIC

Comedian's Choice The Anchor Bar   

Open Mic Reviews        The Offbeat Bar

Honorable Mentions Chatterbox, Bruddah’s Bar

The Anchor Bar is one of the best. It’s a tight space full of customers that are ready to watch comedy and drink. It’s also a great hang outside, many friendships begin out there.

If you haven’t tried The Anchor Bar yet, you ought to. Yeah, it’s a drive and there’s a wait, but you’ll love that crowd.

BEST THEATER MIC

Comedian's Choice     Westside Comedy Theater

Open Mic Reviews       Westside Comedy Theater

Honorable Mentions The Pack

Westside Comedy Theater has the best layout. Always excited to be here.

The Westside Comedy Theater is always packed with locals and comics, the room is fantastic and it’s probably the most fun I’ve had on any stage. It hurts not to get up, this place is my drug of choice.

BEST ALL-COMIC MIC

Comedian's Choice     Fourth Wall

Open Mic Reviews       Genghis Cohen

Honorable Mentions Royal Cup Cafe, Bert’s Backroom

Genghis Cohen is my favorite lottery/all-comic open mic in Los Angeles. It’s always full and surprisingly supportive. It can go long, sure, but it’s a good space and there are very few distractions. They usually draw 3 to 4 names at a time, so you at least have a heads-up on the potential wait ahead of you. I think multiple hosts are a wise choice for this one too- good to break things up a bit.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

I know what you’re saying.

I have a diarrhea fart joke that’s 8 minutes long, but all these LA mics only offer THREE.

I CAN’T TRIM DIARRHEA FARTS!


Well, fart no further!

BEST MIC FOR A LONGER SET

Comedian's Choice     Bruddah’s Bar (8-10 minutes)

Open Mic Reviews    The Cork Lounge (8 minutes)  

Honorable Mentions Liquid Zoo (10 minutes), The Lost Bean (10 minutes)

This Hawaiian bar in Gardena is a lot of fun, and Erik Escobar is one of the nicest guys on the scene. Cheap beers, yummy food, a good-sized audience and a lengthy set.

BEST COMEDY CLUB MIC

Comedian's Choice Hollywood Improv “Lab Work”   

Open Mic Reviews       The Comedy Store “Potluck”

Honorable Mentions The Rec Room in Huntington Beach

Ken Garr hosting at The Lab, probably plugging his Vegas dates to a bunch of frustrated open mic’ers. The Hollywood Improv is pretty awesome, it’s always packed, it’s nice and dark and busting up this many comics will make you feel like a comedy God. Or Ken Garr!

I procrastinate a lot, to the point where I don’t have enough time to make it to 5:30 sign-ups. It’s nice to have late-night options and a last stop for the night.

BEST LATE NIGHT OPTION

Comedian's Choice     Fourth Wall TIED with Next Stage

Open Mic Reviews       The Cinema Bar

Honorable Mentions Liquid Zoo

The Cinema Bar! Every time I time I think I’m going to arrive late, its just starting. John Davenport and Serafina Costanza are mighty good hosts. Going after hecklers and butting heads with schmucky comedians. It’s intimate and unpredictable.

BEST DAYLIGHT OPTION

Comedian's Choice     The Fourth Wall

Open Mic Reviews    Lyric Hyperion Theater   

Honorable Mentions Open Space

Lyric Hyperion Theater/Hipster Central.

I like the Lyric because it’s well run and supportive. It’s a quiet room too, so the attention on the performer is really focused. It can be tough bombing in here, or even tougher listening to the excessive amount of snark, but it’s the best mic in Silverlake.

BEST OC MIC

Comedian's Choice     The Anchor Bar

Open Mic Reviews        The Rec Room

Honorable Mentions The Harp Inn

Beau performs his first set ever at The Rec Room.

I AM biased because I work and perform at The Rec Room quite a bit. That said, everybody WILL get up. Jason is a fantastic host, he keeps it moving, and the space is great. I especially like the end of the mic where he encourages the remaining 10 people in the room to move up a row or two, so the comics that have been waiting 2+ hours can get a fair shake. It can be cliquey and in-jokey at times with friends yelling out, but it’s really supportive.

Now on to the bad behavior mics!

My original pitch for this drawing was “A half-naked comedian using a microphone stand as an extension of his penis, while making a battle cry into the microphone.” I just want to say that the artist misinterpreted my pitch for this drawing in the BEST WAY POSSIBLE. One of those happy accidents that made it completely insane. God I love that comedian.

BEST MIC FOR DEPLORABLE BEHAVIOR

Comedian's Choice     Marty’s

Open Mic Reviews       The Next Stage in Los Angeles

Honorable Mentions The Harp Inn, Garage Behind Food 4 Less

Next Stage is a temple of depravity in Hollywood. It’s a great place to get fucked up and rant to a bunch of comics who are nodding off in their park bench seats.

Ugggh.

BEST LA MIC

Comedian's Choice     Comedy Store Potluck

Open Mic Reviews       Comedy Store Potluck

Honorable Mentions Hollywood Improv Lab

There is nothing like performing in the Original Room at The Comedy Store. It’s electric. Even bombing is exhilarating. If you go up late enough, there can be a really great audience. Getting the comics in the back to crack up can feel like a triumph. So much history and when that neon star lights up my heart starts pumping. A truly intense 3 minutes.

BEST STAGE

Comedian's Choice     Original Room at The Comedy Store

Open Mic Reviews       Westside Comedy Theater

Honorable Mentions Ice House In Pasadena

Sorry if this is getting redundant. Let’s take a break and focus on some out-of-town mics!

BEST MIC THAT’S WORTH THE 2+ HOUR DRIVE

Comedian's Choice     Madhouse Comedy Club in San Diego

Open Mic Reviews       Mel’s Lounge in Santa Barbara

Honorable Mentions La Jolla Comedy Store, Ventura Harbor Comedy Club

Madhouse Comedy Club in San Diego recently relocated, but this was a really cool spot. A lot of audience members would hang out after the show to watch the mic.

Naysayers, “No mic is worth a 2 Hour Drive-” SHADDUP! In some states, you have to drive two hours to get to ANY open mic.

Mel’s Cocktail Lounge in Santa Barbara is another winner. Totally unexpected gem. Packed with locals and they’re all into the mic. Out-of-towners get priority 10 minute spots- a generous touch.

BEST MIC FOR A NEWBIE

Comedian’s Choice The Fourth Wall

Open Mic Reviews The Fourth Wall

Honorable Mentions Royal Cup Cafe

So much love for The Fourth Wall. It makes sense, Joe Manente is extremely welcoming and has a boisterous laugh if he thinks you’re funny. He keeps it upbeat and fun.

Speaking of redundant, I had a big old brain fart while putting these categories together.. you voted on it, so here we go again…

BEST MIC TO DO YOUR FIRST SET

Comedian’s Choice Tao Comedy Studio

Open Mic Reviews Royal Cup Cafe

Honorable Mentions Marty’s TIED with Fourth Wall

Ryan Schooley hosting at Royal Cup. One of the friendliest mics in Long Beach.

The Royal Cup Cafe in Long Beach has a strange room in the back filled with weird art and junk. Ryan Schooley and Patrick Bucher have turned it into a really welcoming workshop mic. One of my favorite places to try out new jokes.

And now, the moment you’ve been waiting for. The BEST HOSTS category! To hear the winners, click on this audio file! OR you can scroll down if you want to spoil it for yourself.

THE CHOICE…IS UP TO YOU…...

BEST HOST/HOSTS

Comedian's Choice- Joe Manente for The Fourth Wall

OPEN MIC REVIEWS- Rachel Cuthbert for Bert's Backroom

HONORABLE MENTION- Evan Cassidy (The Cass Man) for The Anchor Bar

A quick word on Joe Manente…he is the man. God I loved that Hollywood Mobile mic, what a great idea. He’s already expanded The Fourth Wall to a second location, he live streams some of the mics, and he’s currently working on membership options- this guy has ideas and he’s making a lot of comics happy.

Rachel Cuthbert put together Bert’s Back Room with very little and she has found an innovative way to keep comics engaged for a short period of time. Her honesty on stage and contagious laugh just make it a delight. The convenient online sign up and Instagram posts have made it sort of a networking thing for comics too. I can glance at a sign up sheet and say, “Hey, I’d like to drop in and see these comics!” Pretty cool. Then her constant posting of Instagram clips has helped me remember new names. You can pay for several slots a day and always have a new audience of comics.

Evan Cassidy has built up one of the best spaces imaginable. He knows how to deal with hecklers and some how juggles hundreds of comics, every Monday, week after week for 6 hours at a time. The guy is a fucking animal! He’s been at this since 2011, so mad respect for The Cass Man.

Scroll down for a “group picture” of the winners!

SPECIAL AWARD

BEST FLYER

We’ve all done shitty cut-and-paste photoshop jobs. Let’s give it up to the real artists that actually make art! You’ve seen this guy’s work all over Facebook. He has a great sense of humor to go with his colorful style. A friend of mine was describing the Garage mic poster with the snails and cracking up. I started seeing his work everywhere, and it’s great stuff- no contest.

Comedian’s Choice- Josh Sude for various open mic flyers.

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Open Mic Reviews- Bernice Ashikian for various open mic flyers

Berenice really nailed this Royal Cup Cafe flyer- that looks exactly like the room!

I picked Berenice because I dig her psychedelic rock style and some of the imagery reminds me of Crumb comics or Daniel Johnston’s art. Pretty fucking cool. She’s also made some kickass logos for a few comedy related projects.

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And a quick shout-out to my wonderful cartoonist for brightening up this blog. I still don’t know his name and he hasn’t give me any of his info, but you can find him on the awesome fiverr app/site that allows you to hire talent for $5 and up. His username is adnielk.

LET THE WINNERS KNOW YOU APPRECIATE THEM! A HEARTY HANDSHAKE AND A THUMBS UP!

Before I close this blog out, I want to share some open mic recommendations from a few top-notch comedians. They’re everywhere on the scene, so you can trust them!

Andrea Gazzetta- Chatterbox in Covina, The Ice House in Pasadena, and The Witchy Mic at The Offbeat Bar in Los Angeles (started in October every other Monday)

Kelly Ryan- Oak’s Tavern in Sherman Oaks, Ice House in Pasadena, Genghis Cohen in Los Angeles.

Chris Chaisson- Maui Sugar Mill Saloon is a good one. Mixed mic in Tarzana, 5 to 7 minutes (usually more), host does a feature spot every week that's 25 minutes. There's also Mel's Lounge in Santa Barbara where you can do 10 to 12 minutes. It's a long drive but they give priority spots. There are a lot of non-comics at both mics and they're into the comedy.

Heather Marulli- Set List On Thursdays at The Pack in Los Angeles (improvise off topic, great for writing on stage), The Shit Show on Fridays at The Fanatic Salon (that one often has some real audience in it so it's good for working stuff out)

Zac Elk- - Worthington’s in Riverside, The Joke Gym (Wherever it goes) - Clown House in DTLA. R.I.P. to Flappers (Claremont)

Daniel Zambrano runs Orange County Stand-Up on Instagram. He weighs in with some of his favorites:

1. Royal Cup Cafe in Long Beach: Whether you're a regular at the mic or a newcomer, the supportive atmosphere this room has built sets it a part from the others. Having a room seperate from the rest of the establishment, and it being an intimate, close space at that, makes it a perfect place to build confidence in new bits.

2. Fathers Pub in Santa Ana. A place that’s often a "Hit & Miss" or a "Miss &, I'm scared now, & never going to come back". Its unapologetically raw but simple, either adapt to how the room will accept you and work with how much attention they are willing to give you, or sink and try again later. It deters a lot of comedians away because it isn’t inviting, the regulars there aren’t there for comedy, but its a great breeding ground to grow that muscle that commands the audience’s attention by sheer willpower. The extra time that’s given really helps that. Having a host like Ramon Hernandez who helps tame the beast as much as he can with energy has really helped this mic turn around in 2018.

3. Vee Bentleys post show open mics. Although they aren’t yet weekly, and it might be a tad too early to really say they were super solid, they've probably had the best turnout of actual folk at the mics out of every OC mic barring Anchor Bar. Her eye for a room has been spot on thus far and it’s really helped both the booked shows and open mic after as the comics leave with a sense of satisfaction and excitement for the next one. She still needs to work her chops up as a host, but they are events that can only get better with the right TLC & venue cooperation. With that, all the shows have been no item minimum and have gone on as long as the lists have been, so the future is bright.

RANDOM Shout-Outs

San Francisco

There was a ton of praise for TK Moyer and his open mic. I’ve never been to a Bay Area mic, but his non-comedian fans wouldn’t stop bugging me about it, so he’s either fantastic at running a mic or an outstanding cult leader.

Bee Henry- Edinburgh Castle Pub is beyond my favorite open mic in the Bay Area. It doesn’t even feel like an open mic at this point, it feels like a crazy energetic showcase. TK Moyer does a truly fantastic job producing and hosting. As a female comedian making the rounds of open mics, I not only feel comfortable and safe there, but genuinely respected and supported, and that’s hard to come by. It’s a real treasure.”

TK Moyer wins everything, now leave me alone.

Santa Cruz

Rosie McCann’s Open Mic run by DNA (great dude)

Minneapolis, Minnesota

Sisyphus Brewing

A SPECIAL thanks to our guest announcer Jeremiah Watkins!

If you’d like to hear more about open mics from Jeremiah, here’s a quick interview we did awhile back. I found it very inspirational.

THAT’S IT! SEE YOU ON THE BATTLEFIELD, EVERYBODY!

Oh, and sorry Jason. :(

Always Bombing

I can’t believe it. The pain finally subsided. That was rough man. I have to get a tooth extracted after the holidays and that’s not even the one that just tortured me for the last hour. Turning screws into my gums, I just wanted to enjoy a slider from work! Who eats while they’re in pain, that’s no fun.

It made me wish I was bombing on stage. That kind of pain is ok. I can deal with an audience staring at me during one of my confusing act-outs with maximum levels of flailing. But I can’t block out the pain of tooth #3.

A picture of my jacked up tooth.

I can fix the teeth. I can fix my reputation. I can’t fix that joke. Time to extract it.

Bombing in the moment, it feels like it’s all over and I let everybody down. My friends on the show. The booker, well, that’s a one and fuck you, you’re done. That one comic that I’ve been wanting to meet and now this is their first impression of me. The couple that I met before the show, they were so excited for me. They didn’t say goodbye on the way out. Even the servers were disappointed, they could feel the awkwardness in the club while dropping off cocktails.

There are many comics that I look up to that have ONLY seen me bomb. People I really like, but I only run into them every 6 months. I want them to know that I’m a pretty funny guy, but yes, I also bomb huge when it goes wrong. Spin the wheel on any given week and there’s gonna be a bomb. Those people always see me bomb. Then I have a good set, but they left early- shit! If you pay attention to shit like this then you’re crazy like me. I have a handful of names that I want to impress because I love funny people. I want to be funny with them.

Posting about bombing on Facebook sounds like a cry for help, but I just think it’s interesting. I know I’m fine, I bomb all the time, it’s part of the work. Maybe non-comics and family members think, “Oh, standup is just not for you Marty.” It’s hard to explain that I have to be terrible to get anywhere. That’s what we forget, we all fucking bomb, but mentioning it is like admitting you’re a shitty comedian or something. It shouldn’t matter online anyway, when you do good at mics, people notice, that’s that. Wait, this guy just admitted he bombed, forget it. I didn’t realize he dabbled in failure, I’ll book Neel Nanda instead. I like to reference Neel Nanda, I haven’t seen him in years. I’m pretty sure Neel Nanda has only seen me bomb.

I’m having the sudden realization here that everyone hates my guts. I’m usually making this face when it happens, I swear!

I’m not gonna post how I kill. I don’t kill, I don’t destroy, I have good sets. I don’t know how to destroy yet. Seems like a lot of comedians do, but I don’t do that, believe me. I’ve seen professionals wait a minute on stage to start their next joke because the room was too busy howling. That seems like a bonafide murder. That’s a killer.

Sometimes the room isn’t with me, but then I’ll see a random couple laughing their asses off through an entire bit. They liked my Metallica routine or they like the horror movie stuff. I just caught a sneak preview of my future fans. They’re out there, just gotta trust myself. Keep writing the stupid stuff that makes me laugh. Do the comedy I want to do. Eat plenty of shit on stage to get there.

I bombed in San Diego harder than I’ve ever bombed in my life. It’s worse when you feel it happening and it’s so strong it interrupts your joke. I actually stopped because it was overwhelming. I started talking about how it wasn’t going well. I insisted a woman in the front row hated me. I dug myself deeper. I sounded insincere when talking about a charity. My jokes floundered. I fucked up other comic’s intros. I got the light 10 minutes early. I bought an audience member a beer and even that gesture looked back-handed. I guess I killed after all, but not in a good way.

The other comics avoided eye contact while it was happening, just listening to me drown. Nobody liked me. Then I did it a SECOND TIME in the same night. It really shook me to the core. Thank Christ I didn’t record it, one of the few fucks ups that paid off, I don’t have to quote my bombing to you verbatim. Believe me it…was…the…WURST. (seven assholes have a heart-attack from laughing so hard)

Every week is different. My ego inflates after a string of minor victories. Then the inevitable bombing sideswipes me a day later, hurling me backwards into the shit. There’s that feeling of, well now my friends don’t think I’m capable of being funny. They’ll forget I was ever good! I did everything we usually mock at open mics. I didn’t trust myself. I got caught up in the words. I never looked at the audience. Fuck, I thought I had it all figured out! Guess I’m starting over again.

Here’s a short documentary I shot about a group of comics dealing with a tougher than usual gig. Bombing seemed like the only option, even though our booker insisted that “If people don’t laugh, you are not bombing.”

We all enjoy watching our friends bomb right? Come on! Yeah you do. I love seeing my talented friends fall from grace every once in awhile, it makes us equals. Or puts me slightly on top, haha! (high-fives nobody)

Understanding the pain, that’s what brings us together.

Just remember, you’re not alone. I saw you bomb. Maybe you saw me bomb. It know it’s awful. I’m sure you’re very good, just not that time. Huh. Next time was actually a little worse. Well, it happens. Three times is definitely not a charm. ….uh-oh.

On second thought, I’ll never bomb as hard as you- YEEEEEEEESH! (pulls collar, makes farting noises)

Here’s a clip of me bombing through a half-idea that I can’t seem to articulate or say in an interesting manner!

And here’s a video of me bombing more. Happy Thanksgiving!