DenverComedy

Jim Jefferies...and a head full of thoughts.

2010-05-22T13:35:00.000-07:00

Because I'm what you would call a "professional", the only research that I had done on Jim Jefferies is through what you would call "hearsay" and what this "hearsay" entailed was that he was really hilarious, a favorite among Denver comedians who watch the traveling comics, and that I should probably get my ass in gear to catch him this wkend.

So I did. My pal(and local comic) Bill Blackburn and I hit the cold, hard streets of Larimer Square, dodging and avoiding the Affliction tees and mini dresses, finally making our way into the 8pm show at Comedy Works Downtown.

I really like the big shows that highlight big talent plus Denver talent, and this show was one to be added to that list. Opening and emceeing for the night was Denver comic Vic Alejandro, followed by Comedy Works' house comic Deacon Gray, and the up-and-coming Troy Walker, winner of the past two Comedy Works New Faces contests.

Alejandro opened the night with a blast of physical, smart comedy. I'm not sure how his body moves in the way that it does, between acting like a dog or a cat or showing off his stellar dance moves, I have to say, he's really fun to watch. He's one of the few comics I've seen in Denver who can actually put the mic down and be just as funny without the words.

Gray is a great contrast to Alejandro. He has a laid-back, intuitive style of comedy that picks up on the little things, takes them to stranger places, and challenges you to put the pieces together. After 20 some years of comedy, he has a comfort level on stage that puts everyone at ease. I've gotten something different each time I've seen Deacon perform, and I think that flexibility, as in yoga, is something that is earned through dedication and learned over time. It's something I would hope to move towards as I push forward in comedic endeavors.

Troy Walker. Timing? He has it. Intellect? Check that box, too. Charisma? Yep. If he were a multiple choice question, you'd choose all of the above because he's the whole package. I've seen him do dark comedy at local shows. I've seen him do club comedy at the clubs. And he kills at both. Last night was no exception, and I'll say it was the best set I've seen out of Troy. For as young as he is (24, methinks), he displays a professionalism and an ownership that is beyond his years. Probably why he won the New Faces contest two years in a row. Just guessing...

After a great taste of Denver comedic offerings, it was time for the night's headliner: Jim Jefferies. Or Jeffries. Apparently, we spell his name different in the states, which leads me to wonder how my name would be spelled elsewhere. So since I'm an American who cares about fairness and quality, I'm going to use both last names interchangeably throughout, to pay homage to the fact that Jefferies is not of American descent, he is an Aussie (Yeah, ladies...) and he has pretty much dominated the world of comedy before being introduced to the American crowd through his HBO special "I Swear to God". But being a patriot, I'll also spell it the "wrong" way. Whichever one that really is.

Now that we've cleared that up, on to the show.

The "hearsay" that I'd heard was very much so correct. Jefferies' style of comedy was dark, morbid at times, and, ummmm, a little fucked up. In an awesome way. I was pre-warned of this when I saw the signs posted around Comedy Works that said something along the lines of "WARNING: THIS SHOW IS REALLY DIRTY. LIKE REALLY REALLY DIRTY. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED." Dont quote me on exactness, but awesome nonetheless.

The show was dirty. But not in a way though that I would have walked away thinking "Gross". His look fit the mold. Dark, a little greasy, a little hairy, black shirt, black jeans, brown Converse sneaks. As a woman of American descent, the accent is always hot, and I imagine this guy pulls more tang than a lot of comics that I've seen. Which is an interesting thought with the way he talked about women. Perhaps its the "break 'em down to build 'em back up" approach which could be more construed as "break 'em down then bone 'em" or something of the sort.

He really did touch on the hot spots. Religion. Sex. Homosexuality. Misogyny. Actually, the first part of his set was geared mainly towards women like I was saying. And the verbal destruction of us. It's okay, I can take it. Mainly because it's easy to say "That doesn't apply to me" while still there's that deep-down voice that says "Uhh, maybe it does sometimes." I'm not going to look too deeply into that. However, I was glad when he moved on to subjects like religion because its easy to be on the high road of superiority when you agree with what the comic has to say. I like being in that place much better. It's an easier kind of laughter.

He talked alot about Christianity and Atheism, always going back to the point of logic and the absolute denial of common sense. He talked about pedophilia and how many celebs have been open pedophiliacs and he begged the question how talented must one be in order for pedophilia to be ok? And was he talented enough for it to be ok? Which still makes me laugh. I also had no idea the Elvis had adopted Priscilla Presley when she was 14 yrs old as her legal guardian, and then married her at 16 yrs old. Which makes me think Justin Bieber is fair game.

And moving on...

There was a great part in the show where an audience member told Jeffries that the 8pm was the late show, which was a blatant falsity. But with that in mind, he began to ramble in only the way that someone of his talent can, with a bumbling hilarity and effectiveness that seems like it shouldn't work but does anyway. He asked the audience for questions, which I hadn't seen any comic do yet. And as I expected, the audience let me down with their inane babbling questions and it seemed they let him down to. He finally told this one woman to "Shut up" and I thanked him internally for that one.

The show was fun. Reading over this I feel like it's a show that was not so much about laughter but about stimulation. Take that as you may, I walked away with a head full of Jefferies' insights.

And as dark as the show may have been, Bill and I got a chance to catch up with him afterward, and he was beyond nice, really chatty and spouted off some stories about his family and how certain family members still don't think he's funny and will tell him that to this day. He told me how he didn't care much for reviewers, and my response was that I'm overwhelmingly positive so what I say probably doesn't matter anyways. But through the process of conversation, I found that I was really endeared toward Jim Jeffries. Through his insights and through his easy-going and friendly way.

Good shit, people. As per the usual. If you haven't gotten the opp to check out Jefferies yet this wkend, he is here both tonight and Sunday night, and you can score tickets through the Comedy Works website. Oh! And fan DenverComedy via our facebook page if you haven't done so already!

Tom Green in Denver: My bum was real impressed

2010-05-19T20:09:00.000-07:00

A fan's foreword to the night:

It was January of 1999. 'Twas the days before I had stumbled across my better half (booze) and for cheap entertainment, I often turned to Music Television. This is where I met Tom Green via The Tom Green Show for the first time. And, much to my parents' dismay, I fell fast and hard for his Canadian quirk.

Observational humor? Yes, please. The Slutmobile? I'd drive it. Swimming across Lake Washington? My fave episode. Drinking milk straight from the cow's udder? Ok, I couldn't get behind everything the guy did. But it was unique. It was different. And from there I followed it all.

Road Trip. Freddy Got Fingered. Bob the Butler. Drew Barrymore. Surviving cancer. The Bum Bum song. The loony loon loon. You get it, I know. I'm a hopeless fan. And throughout my college years, I stumbled upon his webshow, Tom Green's House Tonight. It was fitting then, that when I started twittering I found Tom Green and discovered that he would be touring as a stand-up comic internationally. When realizing that Denver was not on the list, I said something along the lines of "A piece of my soul died today when I saw you weren't coming to Denver." Within a few days, Denver was added to the tour. Was it a product of my twitter post? I'll never know. But I was able to attend his last show this past Saturday night, and walking in, I really didn't know what to expect, as it has typically gone with the Tom Green of the television world. Here's what I got.

The Review of the Show:

Flipping through Facebook, I was excited to see that Andrew Orvedahl would be opening for Tom Green at Comedy Works South. He was awesome enough to hook me and three of my girlfriends up with comps for the show, and his opening was hilarious, as per the usual. The audience was definitely there for Tom Green, an audience of fans if you will, and Orvedahl warmed up to them quickly, identifying with common Denver themes, and building over the course of his set to really big laughs. I heard a lot of positivity from surrounding audience members, and the girls agreed. It was a great fit for the night, and the only one, as Tom Green's act entailed an hour and some change of comedy.

As Orvedahl left the stage, some classic beats hit the air. Journey's "Dont Stop Believin" pumped through the room like a shot of adrenalin, and Tom came through the back of the club, high-fiving and shaking hands and saying hello to the audience on his way up to the stage.

There was something for everyone over the course of the show, and there was a comfortable familiarity in the audience's perception of Tom. We already knew him, we expected things from him, and he delivered in so many ways.

In the beginning of the show, my good friend side-whispered to me "I hope he's not really sexual. I dont know if I could deal with a really sexual Tom Green." And I thought it was an interesting point. In all of his epic weirdness, Tom Green has not been a sexual or verbally vulgar comic, and there was a great part of the show where he talked about his frustration with people asking him about getting it on with Drew Barrymore. Maybe there was a reason I fell for Green's humor as a freshman in high school. It might have been really, really weird, but by God it was safe. I find it interesting where people allow their vulnerabilities to be. Tom's openness about his cancer, about some of the pains of his divorce, about his family and the trials that he has faced throughout the night were obvious points of endearment with the audience. And it gave good cause to the idea that comedy can leave sex out of the equation and still be very, very funny.

He touched on a lot of social observations that followed along the belief that comedy is spreading your ideas, rather than trying to make people laugh. The laughter came out of the bizarreness of his delivery, the strangeness of his thought process, and in identifying with Green's odd realities that often held a lot of truth and, dare I say, wisdom that has obviously come with his 38 years on the planet.

Obviously, I hold a great deal of bias in going to this show. But I was initially nervous going into it. I've seen a few comics that I've really admired in the past, and I've walked away a bit wide-eyed and dismayed at the state of their lives and their bitter, jaded view of life and the world. I know, I know. It's comedy. There's not much room for optimism. And a friend of mine that I confided in passed on the point that you should never meet your heroes.

This was different. Multiple times throughout the show, Tom Green displayed a genuine and heartfelt gratitude, even towards those he may have fallen out of favor with. His view was generally upbeat and optimistic, and when it wasn't it was simply honest.

Afterward, he made the effort to take pictures with fans and thank people and say hello. In all my dorkiness, I partook with my best friend and fellow Tom Green lover, Liv Stringer, and we managed to get this blurry shot on her Blackberry:

Thanks, Tom Green. For the many years of laughter. For performing with a local Denver comic. For the amazing Saturday night with good friends. And for revitalizing the faith that optimism and gratitude is still alive in comedy.

Come back to Denver anytime you'd like! I'll be there, drinking mojitos and laughing too loud.

Me encanta Los Comicos Super Hilariosos...

2010-05-01T12:44:00.000-07:00

Is that even right?? I definitely don't know.

This Los Comicos was my third. And they always bring something to the table that makes me incredibly happy to be in Denver, Colorado. Pre-show, there were Facebook stirrings of a mysterious surprise that was in the works. I love me some suspense, so I followed that carrot all the way to the Orange Cat Studio doors. Where I paid the nominal $5 fee for entry and walked into a world of comedy deliciousness.

After three times at the Orange Cat, I've come to really appreciate the space. It's intimate without being too small. It's packed without being overwhelmingly crowded. The acoustics aren't blowing out my ear drums, and the audience is typically respectful and appreciative of the performers. Occasionally, someone heckles but not in a way that completely depreciates what is happening on-stage. Read my piece on Dave Attell for more on that subject, because my friends, it can get ugly.

Greg Baumhauer was our lovely emcee for the evening, and in his own Baumhauer-way he linked together the performances, lifted the elephants from the room, and brought his own brand of uncivilized humor that makes you feel like you're on the inside of the joke. The thing that I like most about Greg is that, whether the on-stage comic kills or bombs, he's got something to say either way. He's an equal-opportunity kind of asshole, and I can appreciate that in an emcee. In fact, I think it makes for the best kind.

Our first comedian of the eve was Denver's own Erik Anker. The kid is smart. Like the kind of smart that you and I might wonder what his brain looks like on the inside. Anker runs off the beaten path with a comedic gait that is both dry and cerebral. Rarely does he break into a smile but last night, I caught it a few times and so did the audience. His acknowledgment of himself was charming rather than ostentatious and that tiny bit of a break from the dry was actually highly effective. He was a great kick-off to the fun.

Our next comic of the night was Seattle's Lizzy Pilcher. Pilcher's comedy was a little more self-focused than observational, and she told stories that were self-deprecating and revealing to her own experiences. Her set felt a little bit unstructured and free-wheeling which I think took a bit away from the comedic dynamo, but she ended with a memorable story that slammed her biggest laugh of the night.

And then came the surprise. And 'twas a very jewy surprise. Visiting national headliner Moshe Kasher stopped in to deliver his style of indie comedy greatness to the Los Comicos stage, and greatness would be an apt word to describe the laughable goods. Kasher is on point. For every second of his set, his complete ownership of the stage married flawlessly with an unrelenting energy and quick-fire delivery. He played with the audience for the first few minutes in a way that only a true professional can, poking fun at the space, pointing out the obvious in a way that makes you understand why he's the comic and you're the audience. He then moved into a structured set that brought me a new type of appreciation for how much preparation it takes to be that good. Because he is that good. No bullshit. I'm gonna catch this guy along with some of our beloved Denver comics on Sunday night, so more to come on Kasher. I wont spoil it all here, but if you want to go and catch a great show, see Moshe and Denver pals on Sunday at 7pm. Comedy Works Downtown. 45 minutes of Moshe Kasher? Uhh yes please.

Next up, the soon-to-be-leaving-Denver Rob Gleeson. Rob has reached a few awesome milestones as of late. He will be graduating from the University of Denver and completing his college degree, and he was recently signed by New Wave Entertainment after winning the New Faces contest at the 2010 Laughing Skull Comedy Festival in Atlanta, GA. The fresh-faced kid is a fireball of comedy, and he definitely was just that last night. Gleeson's funny work is created from a potent mixture of space utility, body language, and disciplined writing, and it comes across every time. Congrats on everything, Rob. Big things ahead indeed.

Jim Hickox was next in hitting the stage. In a way that was determinedly his own. Through the use of a laptop, a projector, and a large wrinkled sheet, he brought his Los Comicos set to the stage in a way that markedly unique from the typical stand-up scenario. He did stand-up via on-stage web-cam and intermingled it with funny bits that only the technology could have allowed him to get across. He caught some shit for using "crutches" but we all know Hickox can handle a mic on his own. This was a fresh and hilarious break from tradition. Plain and simple: it worked.

Headlining for the evening was Adam Cayton-Holland, a significant part of the backbone that makes up Wrist Deep Productions. There is something about the way that Cayton-Holland does comedy that doesn't pander to the audience. Instead, the audience panders to him. For some reason probably relating back to a feeling of subtle inferiority, you want to be Cayton-Holland's friend. The play within his comedy is that sometimes it feels very much within reach and other times, it doesn't. It's a fine line, and he manages it with the expertise of a professional tight-rope walker. As many times as I've seen him perform, there is constant flow and creativity within his sets. The same jokes work over and over again, the new jokes work too, and you can tell he believes in the art of his words. It's a dynamic experience, and one that rarely disappoints.

And that can be said about Los Comicos itself as well. The comedy comes across artfully, the venue is perfection for the moment, and the experience is one that is well worth the minimal entry fee for what you're getting.

Here's to the last Friday of every month. And the guys behind the show. Another Los Comicos well done.

The Threople Humor Event

2010-04-11T14:55:00.000-07:00

Threople. Three people. Andrew Orvedahl. Ravi Zupa. Mathew Reichhardt.

The team of three put on an inaugural show that, with the combination of videography and comedy, has immediately set itself apart from anything currently happening on the Denver scene. The execution was flawless, the artistry evident, and the comedy...well, it was hilarious, to say the least.

Held in S. Broadway's Illiterate Gallery, the trio drew tons of people. Some were standing, a great deal of people criss-cross applesauced in the very front of the room, and the rest of us packed in shoulder-to-shoulder in the rows of folding chairs, sharing body heat and apologizing for constant touching. The guy behind me had an affinity for breathing into my hair. I cant say I didn't like it. There was an air of serious intimacy in the room. Had it not been so hot, I would have been all for it.

But remember, this was a first show. And this first show packed the room so heavily that oxygen nearly became an issue. Um, can we say awesome?

To the comedy. Brilliance would be a word of choosing. The three gentlemen of the night creatively packed each minute with energy and intellect. And the birth of that pairing ended up being a solid two hours of creative humor.

Digital shorts were woven into the fabric of the show in a manner that was fitting and fun. The breaking down of their feature short "Economic Collapse" held a small piece of genius in creating curiosity within the audience as the show progressed. The shorter shorts in between were perhaps my favorite parts of the show.

Orvedahl's short film featuring his wife, infant daughter, and dog was not only adorable and heartwarming, but incredibly well-put together and fun. I love getting insight on a comic through their work, and this piece did just that. Plus, his baby girl is undeniably adorable. Watching her bubble up with laughter was pretty much the cutest thing I could ever want to see.

The short put together by Reichardt and Zupa with Reichardt attempting to woo his girlfriend through Shakespearean jibberish was...well, it was...it was so great. Zupa cleared up the confusion with his own superb take on Romeo and Juliet. And, as I said, these two pieces were my personal favorites within the show.

Each of the threople did their own brand of stand up. Ravi Zupa did a great sketch in which he did the same set of jokes with three different comedy flavors, the first being a first-time comic, the second being the comedy bad boy, and the third being the guy who does stand-up at his local church's easter egg hunt. The clever mix of comedic irony and characters was something I hadn't seen before. While most comics struggle to find one voice, Zupa can pretty much do any one he wants.

Orvedahl brought his stand-up to the table in a way that he described as "the normal kind, not this other experimental shit that everyone else was doing". Or something like that. As a regular on the Denver stand-up scene, he once again brought it to the table in a manner that is very much his own.

And Reichardt went the route of experimentation. He stood to the side of the video screen as a film of himself came on and acted as the voice within his head throughout the whole set. Does that make sense? I hope so. His plays on nervousness and stage fright really worked well with the second voice behind him, and I would assume that getting the timing on that is not the easiest thing in the world. It worked. It worked really well.

To close down the night, the guys invited the national up-and-coming fun-ness that is TJ Miller to the stage for some classic, un-experimental stand-up. I've seen Miller a few times in Denver and his act is always a lot of fun. His crowd interaction, quick wit, and character work combine for a type of comedy that is all his own.

Among the crowd, there were a few familiar faces and I got a chance to catch up with Adam Cayton-Holland as he was within my breathosphere of seat space. He commented that these guys were definitely going to outgrow this space quickly, if not immediately. And I'm pretty sure he might be right. Definitely a cool space, but I've got a feeling bigger audiences are in the mix for this trio of humor.

Definitely a great show. Denver has a ton to look forward to with Threople in the mix, and these guys have definitely set a new standard for creativity in the scene. Well done, gentlemen.

Making Plans

2010-04-09T17:37:00.000-07:00

A blog is a blog is a blog. But a website can be much more than that.

For me, that was pretty much the idea when I started this blog/facebook page. To have a website that could include the blog, a calendar of Denver comedy, and hopefully some interactive spots where comics could create profiles or there could be a feed or something weird and possibly unique.

I started looking for domain names last night. Unfortunately, a ton of obvious ones are taken. Including DenverComedy.com. So that leaves me a little between a rock and a hard place. New name perhaps? Additionally, I've checked out the abandoned MileHiComedy page and they definitely had some good stuff going. If anyone has any thoughts or experiences with that, feel free to shoot me an email at Nicole.Qualtieri@hotmail.com

Another thing that I've been wanting to do is to start a Denver comedian of the week. Basically, I'm going to put together ten questions, email or facebook message them off to a comic about town, hope they answer it, and then post it on the blog. I'll get that going for next wk and hopefully get rolling on that pretty quickly. I like that already. Fun for all.

I've made this plea before. And I shall again. By all means, I would love to have more people doing reviews, interviews, humor pieces, whatever strikes your fancy. You don't have to be the greatest writer. I'm definitely not, but I do like to edit so really, it's not a problem. I'm open to anything as long as it somehow relates back to comedy. Photography is welcome. As is anything else that anyone could cook up.

And I've got some other things cooking in my brain. But I want to run them by some of the comedians and get a firsthand account on those ideas. So if you catch me at a show and are curious, ask away.

In the meantime, if you think of a name that might be a little more awesome than the one that has no domain, let me know.

Vag night at the Lair

2010-04-07T19:21:00.000-07:00

No, it's not a weird 70's porno flick.

It's pretty much what happened this past Monday night at the weekly open mic at the always classy Lion's Lair off Colfax.

It was an experience I'd never had, something that I had never seen. As it grew closer and closer to what could be called show-time, the room slowly filled with comics not bearing things of phallic measure, but vagii. Which I've decided is the plural for...I think you can figure it out.

The surprise echoed throughout the room. Where did all of these female comics come from? Why were they here? What was it about the Lair that could have possibly pulled in more vag than that place has seen in a lifetime?

I dont really know for sure. But what I do know for sure is that it was almost overwhelming.

Timmi Ann Lasley. Heather Snow. Eliz Fenstermacher. Melanie Karnopp. Jill Tasei. Myself. And the illustrious Cougar Carol.

Alright, there were dudes there too. Sam Tallent and Roger Norquist assumed the helm of the lady-laden comedic buffet in the style that is markedly and awesomely their own. Multiple common faces graced both the crowd and the stage. Erik Anker. Elliot Woolsey. Alex Ash. Bobby Crane. Basically, it was a smorgasbord of unintentional gender equality, new jokes from good comics, and weirdness from the rest of 'em. Fortunately for some of us and unfortunately for others, Cougar Carol did not flash her tits this time.

Serious props to the Lair. Like seeing a child grow, I've watched the double L slowly build week by week, drawing a bigger audience, and an eclectic group of comics. It's not an easy room in the way of pulling laughter, but it is an honest one, and I like that vibe. Laughter is earned here.

In a piece of thought that may reek of the Indigo Girls and Ani DiFranco, it was exciting to see so many ladies grace the stage and take some chances. Sans nudity. Plus comedy.

I dont know if I wrote this at any point, but after attending New Talent night at Comedy Works a while back, I made the observation that there were actually more minorities than females in the show. Which a) isn't bad--but also b) is not exactly reflective of the demographics of Denver, Colorado. Let's be honest with this one.

And it made me wonder what it is that keeps many intelligent and funny women away from comedy. I've asked a few of my typically outspoken, confident, and very funny girlfriends if they would consider and their response is verbatim "Oh, I could never do that." And no matter what my persuasion may be for the craft, their belief sticks hard.

It's upsetting to me. I think stand-up is missing out. And I refuse to wax and wane on the whys, but if there are any women who are tempted to stand-up, do it. In my experience, I've found that every Denver open mic I've attended has been incredibly welcoming to me, if not overly so. And a lot of the guys I've talked to have quipped that more women are needed in comedy. The support system is there, I think. Perhaps it needs to be more obvious.

And to me, nothing was more obvious of the supports for lady comics than a night filled with them at the Lair.

Happy hump day to all. And to all a good hump.

I think some of us need to hug and make up.

2010-04-05T10:28:00.000-07:00

As I've been getting my feet deeper and deeper into the quicksand of the Denver comedy scene, I've been to a bunch of shows and started picking my way through the general vibe. I've talked with a bunch of the local comics and learned about their personal experiences, and I'm overwhelmed by the general positivity throughout.

We have a ton of driven people, a lot of people in the "just for fun" category, a bunch that are learning and testing the waters, and then the few that linger in their own pretensions. Which is normal, I think. Not bad in a big sense, but I think it can be mildly harmful in others. Not only to the people on the opposite side of the pretensions, but for the ones harboring that themselves.

I guess it's like anything else. But lately when I've thought of anything else, it leads back to child's play.

I was bullied as a kid, not into oblivion, but most of us at some point have been the butt of the joke in a way that wasn't funny. Perhaps it's the old scars that lead us to make others the butt of the joke. Comedy def has an excellent pull for that, but there is an obvious difference in being a dick and poking harmful fun.

I've been to the 404, the Squire, Lion's Lair, and now Kingas. I've hung out at the New Talent deals and gotten the experience of the Future Legends show at the Improv firsthand. And what I've noticed across the board is that every single one of these places has a group of people dedicated to the success of their space and fiercely committed to their own brand of comedy.

Each has something to bring the table and offers a unique experience to learn and practice the craft. The Squire by far pulls the biggest crowd and has a stage that forces you to be at the top of your game with the help of the crass genius of Greg Baumhauer and the Wrist Deep guys. The Lair is coming into its own under Sam Tallent and Roger Norquist. The 404 with Dick Black has been a long-standing stalwart of Friday nights in the comedy community, offering many comics their start in the game. And now Kingas is moving to the forefront of another different and unique thing to bring to the community with Jordan Doll and the guys behind I Stole Your Baby. I'm probably leaving out some other rooms but as for now, that's where I'm leaving it.

I recently had a few back-and-forths with a well-received comic about town, and I was questioning his thoughts on the matter, and he put it way more eloquently than I ever could, so I'd like to leave you all with this to chew on and hope that it at least offers up a thought that will breed more good-will between stages:

Denver has a great little comedy scene but the town is too small to be talking shit about other comics. You see everyone all the time. It's just as easy to not say anything rather than dump on someone because you don't like their comedy or they way they run their room.

This is our studio and stand up is our canvas. We need all of the open mics.

Thanks to this man. You're a stand-up guy. In all senses of the saying.

Support your fellow comics, Denver. We'll all be better for it.

Kingas on Colfax...it's pretty neat

2010-04-05T10:19:00.000-07:00

Kinga's on Colfax.

It classes things up a bit. With its old-mansiony looks, the adorable bartenders, and the general ambiance of homey warmth, it's a little impossible to not love this bar. In fact, I favorited it on Friday when I drank way too much Luksasowa vodka with a bunch of work pals and mentally committed myself to coming to the show last night to check out what the place would be like with a bunch of comics lounging around.

Surprise, surprise: loved it.

Alright, fine. By this point, we all know that I pretty much love everything, but I think out of all the open mics that I've been to, this one has something to offer in a way that is unique and different and I can really behind that.

You know, I appreciate the fact that I don't get the general paranoia that I have felt at some other bars of "Hmm, I probably shouldn't come here alone." As a female, its something to take into consideration. I generally am lackluster in the field of caring about my own self-preservation, so it's not a huge thing but I think it goes back to the thought that, as an audience member and a new comic, this show lacks the intimidation factor.

It doesn't just lack the intimidation factor, it completely shuns it altogether.

Emcee Jordan Doll is the quintessential nice guy. Also, ragingly hilarious. But his general humility and demeanor set the tone for a stage that, for a newbie or a long-time comic, is all-encompassing and not terrifying in the least. I had initially gone to observe and drink a bit in celebration of my three-day birthday wkend. (26 is the pits, man.) I turned Doll down initially when he asked if I wanted a spot, but after watching the first few comics, I jumped ship and decided to go up without a plan.

And it was really fun. In the past, my nerves have taken me to a point where it isn't, and I'm sure alot of people have felt that before. Not so much a new deal. But I'd been in a room that was mostly comics before (as was this) and it felt a little menacing. The whole "prove youself" thing is a little difficult when you're just trying to make it through a few minutes, let alone attempting to get a smidge of the laugh factor. That wasn't the case in this room.

You could feel that in the comics. The lack of nerves. The general laid-back tone set by Jordan Doll. The willingness of the crowd to laugh without judgment or silly competitiveness.

Simply put, it set up the stage to give everyone the opportunity to step outside of the typical bullshit and be themselves. It was natural. Which led to it being very funny and also obviously productive. Which should be the point of an open mic anyway.

Some comics I'd seen a bunch took the opportunity to try out some new stuff. Prakash Hosalli was wildly hilarious as usual and broke from his typical set in a way that proved his obvious genius. Rob Gleeson worked some new stuff in, as did Elliot Woolsey. I'd never seen Kyle Bufkin really in his element, but last night, he definitely hit his stride and was a stand-out in the group. An audience member mentioned him as a personal favorite, which I think is worth qualifying to the rest of you. Nice job, Bufkin.

My favorite part of the night happened at the closing when, instead of the typical headliner, Doll called all the comedians back to the stage for multiple rounds of "half-assed jokes". Between the ten or so comics still hanging around, a half-circle was formed, the mic was passed from comic to comic, and short jokes were told on the fly. It was a great opp to be able to play off other people, to say things that really were half-assed and have that premise make the situation funny. It closed down the night in a way that I haven't seen yet, and the crowd responded.

The crowd was def not a huge one. But more people had come in throughout the night, saw what was going on, and stayed for the fun. Afterwards, I heard many people approaching comics and saying that they had a great time and that they were excited to come back and watch again. For some of them, it was their first taste of Denver comedy. And it was a good one, at that.

Kingas, thanks for the great kick off to my 26th year. I'll be back.

So what's in it for you?

2010-03-30T18:34:00.000-07:00

Denver comedy. I've seen so much of it in the past week that I really don't even know where to begin. So I'll list the shows to try and revive some memories.

The Places I've been
Sunday 3-21 Bobby Crane's Hot Hot Stand-Up
Monday 3-22 The Lion's Lair open mic
Friday 3-26 Los Comicos Super Hilariosos
Saturday 3-27 Sam and Roger's Night of Hilarious Fun
Sunday 3-28 Deacon Gray's Writing Workshop and Future Legends of Comedy show at the Denver Improv

I feel like I'm missing something in there. If you saw me somewhere that I didn't include, my bad...this was a lot for me mashed into my wild ride of a work yesterweek.

Let's talk highlights of the week:

It was exciting to get back to Los Comicos Super Hilariosos for the second time. Scheduling conflicts arose in the months of January and February, but March brought the winds of opportunity once more. No let-downs here. TJ Miller was back, Mo Welch was in town, the winds also brought Ben Kronbreg, and Sam Tallent had a guest spot. The usual suspects of Adam Cayton-Holland, Ben Roy, and Greg Baumhauer graced the stage. Andrew Orvedahl headlined. Eight comedians. Eight quality and deep in the realm of "very funny" sets.

I'd never been to Leela's for Sam and Roger's Night of Hilarious Fun before, and I have to admit I was a little mentally burnt this night for personal reasons so I dont have the typical notes I tend to carry. But I remember Jim Hickox having a weird deal going on, with a computer and a web-cam and I think I'll leave it there. Mo Welch was up again and I can identify far too closely with her line "You know what they say about a woman with big hands? Gross." so I pretty much adore her self-deprecating and very funny ways. There were maybe a hundred other comics -some great, some ehhh- but the in-between interactions between Sam and Roger are an epic favorite which is prob why I make it to the Lion's Lair almost every Monday for their open mic. They just might be the friendliest and most humble guys around.

The Future Legends show really caught me by surprise. Everyone came to play and for a great majority of the comedians, their energy was on fire that night. Chris Charpentier, Elliot Woolsey, Rob Gleeson, Jill Tasei, Melanie Karnopp, Pam VanNostern, Jen Scully, Jordan Zuckerman, they all seriously brought it. Charp and Woolsey very clearly dominated their sets, and it was fun to watch. There were a few in the mix that were not so on top of whatever game they might possess, but that'll happen at any newbie night.

In other news:

One of the things that has really stood out lately is the amount of time and dedication that many Denver comics put into their craft. I try to go to events as often as I can, but there are more than a lot of you that I see multiple times per week, working at your set, changing things, constantly pushing for personal evolution on-stage. And when I see you guys at multiple shows--and I'm not really even knee-deep in this stuff-- I wonder how many shows you guys are really doing. Passion is evident in this town. This is a personal investment, not paid overtime. I'm sure there are other gains and losses associated with this passion. For someone like me--I guess I consider myself to have a bit of an outsider perspective--it definitely raises some questions.

In pursuing stand-up comedy, what is the over-arching goal? I assume for many of our comedians there is money fixated somewhere within that goal. Being able to call oneself a professional comedian and, like I've heard Jordan Zuckerman say-to do what you love- has to be intertwined into the dream.

It may be a dream of Dane Cook proportions, with a huge following of the masses and comedy that pertains to the same masses, the invites to do movies and to act. Or the SNL-improv-ish route. Some of you may dream of writing, others of a more business-oriented path within entertainment.

And then there is the side of Denver comics that seems to grasp onto the artistic aspect of their craft. The ones who would rather identify themselves as independent from the mainstream route and relish in the creative side of the comedic endeavor and the ability to constantly morph and create laughter from places that to the rest of us had never previously existed. Is that too much? I dont know.

I'm interested to hear the goals of Denver comedy. Passion entails intense desire...for what in the realm of comedy? Is it so much the crowd or is the promise of what the crowd may bring? Is it bringing a piece to life or is it writing with an agenda of appeal to a certain niche, whether that niche is other artists or the dumb-it-down comedy for the masses?

Something to think about, I think. Someone once told me that a goal doesn't become a reality until it's written down. Sometimes I think it's more frightening to take that step than simply not to take it and to sit on your potential. Maybe that's just me, but I'd be interested to know how many local comedians might have done just that. And if those are the same comedians that show up night-after-night, from the open mics to the comedy clubs.

With that, I'm out.

DAVE ATTELL...and friends. Literally. My friends. His friends. Denver Comedy friends. Everyone.

2010-03-23T21:26:00.000-07:00

There is a tangible aspect to stand-up comedy that doesn't really exist in the other realms of celebrity. I don't expect that Natalie Portman or Jude Law are going to be at the same grocery store I shop at, or that I'm going to encounter Brangelina on the Colfax sidewalk. But I can pull up the Comedy Works calendar at any point and see that some of my personal comedy deities are in store for the year, and that if I get to the show, I'm probably going to get a chance to at least say "Hey, thanks for making me laugh all these years" to a comedian I've idolized for a very long time.

This wkend, Dave Attell rolled around, and a friend and myself snagged tickets to the late night show on Saturday. I was introduced to Dave's work with the arrival of Insomniac which allowed me to create a solid framework of what I wanted my college experience to entail. Being up all night in the name of drinking was paramount, and Attell was leading the dream life of any boozed-up hooligan with a pension for encountering all types of weirdness. As soon as Insomniac sucked me in, I found myself even more in love with his stand-up. He demanded attention, offended with charisma, and took me places I didn't know I was going.

I'd never seen Dave live before this wkend. Suffice it to say, I was excited. Then, I got a call from another college friend wanting to join. No prob, I said. Come along.

We met up at CW before the show, and our friend was reasonably buzzed, and a sentence she said that briefly slipped through my consciousness that later would prove to be a fatal error on my part. The sentence was "Oh yeah, I didn't really eat. I drank my dinner tonight." Twas the premature ejaculation of more word vomit to come....

We got there early. Early enough to get seated in the second row. I'm usually not a close sitter. I like to find a corner where I can write and feel a bit creepy and outsiderish, but hey, this was Dave. Why the fuck not get in on the action?

Chuck Roy emceed that mother like it was his job. Probably because it is, but he was all A-game on Saturday night. He really killed it, prob the best show I've seen him do. Attell brought along Amy Schumer as his opener, and she was fucking phenomenal. She was the kind of female comedian where the female part doesn't take anything away from the equation. Not annoying. Not typical. She carried her own style and owned the stage. Instant favorite.

And then it was all about Attell. And unfortunately, it was all booze-ridden word-slurrage from my buddy who shall remain nameless. Being that we were three chicks sitting amongst the date night couples in the front row, Dave inevitably picked on us. "Where the men at?" "What are you out celebrating?" Typical crowd interaction and we were ripe for the picking. My friend starting saying some weird things pretty loudly and I cautioned that she should probably shut the fuck up...about a million times throughout the course of the show, but in the initial "Shut the fuck up", I looked into her eyes and saw the cold, dead look of black-out and I knew it was going to be a long show.

Her heckling got all three of us cut off within the first ten minutes of Dave's set. Which was the epitome of sad for me because another margarita and I think I would have not been so horrified and more able to actually enjoy the awesomeness of the show. It was awesome. Between all three sets, I laughed harder at this show than I've laughed in a long time. Dave was actually recording the first two nights in Denver, which I had also known prior, which additionally made the heckling situation ten times worse for me. And you could tell that it was a little beyond what was acceptable for a late show and a drunk crowd on a Saturday night.

The situation did not get better, as a black-out is typically a black-out until sleep finds the perpetrator, and sleep was nowhere in sight for my drunk buddy, who was by now twenty knots deep into a solid shitface. It led to an eventual really awkward picture with her and Dave who was obviously hating, me trying to profusely apologize, and feeling like a complete moron for sitting up close. Who learned her lesson? I did.

And the saddest part of me about the whole deal was that I felt like I missed alot as I tried to bottle the action sitting next to me. In a stroke of luck, I found out that Chuck Roy is as equally nice as he is funny, and he hooked me up with two tix for me and my orig. friend to come see the show the next night. How do you turn down that offer? In short, ya dont.

The next night turned out to be a hell of a show. The line-up was stocked with Denver Talent. Chuck Roy emceeing. Hippieman. Andrew Orvedahl. Troy Baxley. And Ben Roy. All leading up to Dave Attell once more.

Out of all the openers, Andrew Orvedahl and Ben Roy really came to play. Holy shit. I hadn't seen Ben Roy except in a news bit he did back in the December Los Comicos deal which was a little weird...but his stand-up blew me away. It's easy to see why this kid is tops in Denver, he was brilliantly funny with a serious edge and a sharply-tuned set. The crowd absorbed the height of his energy and gave it right back to him. It was awesome to watch, I really cant wait to see him again.

And Attell's performance this night was more laid-back, more comfortable. He was obviously out of recording mode and able to feed off the crowd and do what he wanted. He was really in his element in this show. I'm glad I got to catch it.

I also got the chance to catch up with Dave for a minute after the show. He was incredibly gracious, looked really tired, and made the effort to connect with his fans.

It was an interesting understanding, meeting Dave after the show. Dave had talked about his issues with his kidneys for a hot second in the show, he definitely didn't look like he was at full-speed, and he had mentioned that his drinking had come to a halt. After years of being the king of the party, up till dawn, and being some strange nearly-fictional character of all that was hilarious in my mind, I was brought back to a very human reality. The tangibility of comedy. I'll leave that thought there.

Who wants to meet Jude Law anyway?

I need to stop procrastinating.

2010-03-19T19:24:00.000-07:00

But I'll probably just put that off, too.

Sorry Denver, I wont disown you for that long again. The winter funk is clearing and I'm once again on the train of productivity. I know, I've said it before. But this time I really mean it. I was told the egos of Denver comedy rely on this. If this is what you're relying on for your ego random Denver comedian, well, uhh, good luck to you friend.

I've actually seen a shitload of shows since the last time I wrote. Let's go through the quick and fading memories of the past two wks:

Chris Charpentier's Funny Final Four

Charp's team was clearly on their game this night. They scored a solid 82 points, which I've heard is the highest score of any team that's ever stepped foot on the Funny Final Four stage. And they earned it.

Andrew Smyczek's set held a unique weirdness that fit him, and Matt Thornton was an obvious crowd fave. They both had really memorable, stand-out sets. And Prakash Hosalli MVP'd for the night. Deservedly so. He hits you with things that you dont see coming. And it's pretty awesome. Mark Lee and Troy Baxley co-headlined to wrap up the fun, and they did it in style. Charp did a fabulous job as the emcee and pulled together his night in a way that only a true Daddy could. Well done, Daddy's kids. Awesome show.

Comedy Works...Ryan Lowery, Deacon Gray, and headliner Sugar Sammy

Thanks to Deacon, I got to check out this show last Saturday night. I'd never heard of Sugar Sammy, as I'm generally clueless about most things in life. But I just checked out his wikipedia, and the dude has really done alot of cool stuff. Check it out so I dont have to list it.

Anywho. I got there just in time to Ryan Lowery's set. The guy is a Colorado Springs dweller, so all of us Denver snobs can initially look down our noses at him, but he definitely brought the funny and had some bits that I really liked. Also, he calls Colorado Springs the conservative deep South. So he knows. Fave line: "Watching the whole birthing experience reminded me of a turtleneck I had growing up." Indeed.

Deacon hit the stage pre-Sugar Sammy and slammed the rambunctious crowd with a hilarious set. I think within Denver Deacon is one of the masters of taking you somewhere you had no idea you were going with a joke. Pretty sure he turned a joke about girl scout cookies into a joke about a crackwhore. Ok, maybe we saw that coming a little bit, but it was awesome. And after catching up with Deacon, I found out that this crowd was the better one of the night so far. They were St Patty's Day drunk, and you could tell. Especially when Sugar Sammy stepped into the spotlight.

The dude had charm. A lot of it. And he laid it on real thick-like. I didnt really know what to expect from him, but I think one person compared him to a lesser version of Russell Peters, and as I watched, I was like "No way" but the whole time I was thinking of Russell Brand so basically he wasn't like a lesser version of Russell Brand. So I guess that's good for him. I dont know where I'm going with this.

His act was interesting...his main focus ended up being the crowd, and in the same way a magician shouldn't show you all of his tricks in one night, I felt like the crowd focus was a little over-done; however, it was well done. He made the choice to befriend his hecklers rather than shame them into silence, which definitely took a step outside the norm. And to the heckler's credit, they were really drunk, so I guess they made easy friends if not good ones. He asked one man what his job was and the guy replied that he was a "craps dealer up the hill" and it took more than a little while for most to realize that he wasn't stealing people's shit, but that came up a few times that really fit in well into the set. A gay man named Christian found his place in the sun multiple times and I think we would have all been embarrassed for him if double S hadn't so affably welcomed his loud and very drunk opinions. It went a little too far, but the graciousness didn't go unnoticed. Sugar Sammy, what a nice guy.

But I was a little disappointed that his whole deal wasn't more meaty. It felt very improvy which isn't bad, and also probably isn't a word, but you guys get what I mean. His game plan was sitting in the crowd for that particular show, and I wanted more of what was in his head.

But you cant always get what you want. All in all, a decent show. And I was walking behind two dudes post-show that very loudly said "Man, I thought the guy before Sugar Sammy was the funniest of the night." So there you go, Deacon. Denver wins again.

Random Open Mics

I went to a couple random open mics in the past few wks. Lion's Lair. Benders. BB Talent Showcase isn't really an open mic but it kind of is so I'll lump it in with the bunch. Sorry to those of you who have invited me to some late night shows, my professional responsibilities are blowing me out of the water right now so when I start to slow down again, you'll see my face out there more.

About these open mics, I actually had some of you talk to me about putting together new stuff and really delving into the creative side of performance and I think that is really cool. And I've seen it from some people who I hadn't really seen it from before.

Just a good word about these particular nights. Sam Tallent and Roger Norquist took over the Lion's Lair for the time being while Andy Kaufman is writing dissertations and being smarter than the rest of us, and the first night was really a lot of fun. There was a marked difference from the previous wk I had attended and it didnt go unnoticed. I think these guys are going to run a really fun and productive night and I'm looking forward to actually being able to attend, since it's not after my bedtime. I know. So sad.

Benders not only had comedy but fodder for comedy in some of the other performers. I am not really a live music person (read: not a hipster to those of you who might think that I am) but there were some talented musicians in the bunch as well. I had to cut out early (that bedtime thing) and I actually only went because Lion's Lair had a plumbing accident (Who is surprised?) so we'll see how long I can hold a steady job and maybe I'll be able to hit up more of these late-nighters whenever that dies a hard death.

BB Talent had kind of a weird night this past Wednesday. There was a bigger crowd than the last time I went but it was a noticeably tough one. I dont know if tough is the right word. As it was St Patty's Day, I'm going to go with "too drunk to know what was going on" and "prob not smart enough to get it anyway" but that's just my opinion.

In other news...

I'm on my way to go to Casselmans to catch Gary's show with Jordan Zuckerman tonight and as the roads are complete shit I'm gonna get out of here. More to come this wkend. I mean it this time.

And the weekend begins!

Recap o' last wk: Funny Final 4, Casselmans, Lion's Lair, Beef

2010-03-03T23:10:00.000-08:00

Hey Denver...sorry about the slack the past wk but let's just say Seasonal Affective is kicking my ass and my motivation to do anything but go to work and go to sleep is pretty minimal right now. TMI? Probably.

Over the past wkish, I've checked out a few shows. Here's the bite-size breakdown:

Elliot Woolsey's Funny Final Four Wednesday 2/24

It was a pretty good show, brought a few friendos along and they really liked it. Def a good crowd. If I had to pick a favorite for the night, I'd say hands down Talon Saucermen. Between the killer outfit and the great set, the guy pretty much killed. I hadn't seen Kelly McLean perform, and that girl is good. Jodee Champion kicked ass as usual, and it was fun watching Elliot emcee. Overall, a fun night for sure.

The Huuuuge Comedy Show at Casselmans Friday 2/26

Gary Burden put on his very first big ol' comedy event at Casselmans. This was also the same night as Los Comicos. I talked to Gary at the initial part of the evening and he seemed to be a little worried about the lack o' crowd, but by the time the show started, every table had occupants and there were people standing around, and I'd say "Gary, for your first big show AND going up against the movement of innovative funny that is Los Comicos?? Well, I think you did pretty darn good."

I'd seen all the comics previously, except for Matt Need. Who I guess has something to do with heavy metal radio...KBPI or something?? I'm more of a Delilah listener, so I think I'm out of the loop on that one.

I found it pretty interesting that as much I love Sam Tallent and Erik Anker, their energy didnt seem to translate like it usually does in the settings I've seen them work. Andrew Orvedahl def pulled off a great set. Matt Need brought a shitload of people. Holy crap. But I kind of felt like I was more watching VH1 storytellers than stand-up during his time. Come on, man. I'm glad you love your fantastic girlfriend but dude. Something funny, por favor. I wasn't into it.

And then Chuck Roy.

The man makes anger lovable. I dont know how. The first 45 minutes of his set was great. He high fived nearly the entire audience and forced them to wake the fuck up. His creative energy and demand for attention brought the room out of its awkward indifference and back to laughter. But as the show got longer, the night got later, and the beers got emptier, uhhhh I'd say that the show went to a dark place that felt maybe too honest and by the end, I was kind of like "Holy fuck. What happened? God, I'm tired and too sober for this."

Gary, congratulations. For a first time big show, I'd say well done. There's room to improve, but isnt there always? Excited for the next show March 19th with Greg Baumhauer headlining. I'm sure it will be an entirely different crowd with all the weird indie comedy hipster kids in tow.

Lion's Lair Open Mic Monday 3/1

I think anyone that went would tell you that it was an abnormally weird scene. There were the comics. Me. My sister. The girl with a hat on and a drawn on mustache sittin at the bar. And the bartender. Also, the baby doll hanging from the ceiling and the other random baby doll head sticking out of the wall. I am forever scarred by the Lion's Lair, from an aesthetic perspective, but that's kind of besides the point.

And the comics that came were lucky. Because if me, the sis, and Jill Tasei hadn't showed up, no one would have laughed at them. And I determined that both Jill and I had an even tougher time on-stage, because when we went up, we lost a third of the laugh squad. Andy Kaufman is also surprisingly athletic. And he really does look like the "Are you READY FOR SOME FOOTBALL??" guy (Aka Hank Williams Jr, but I wouldnt expect you Coloradoans to know that).

As weird as it was, I'll probably go again. It cant be like that every time. I refuse to believe it.

In other news...THE BEEF

I think now that I've seen a shitload of you guys perform more than once, I'm starting to see alot of the same stuff over and over. Now, I know this is a part of the trade and all, but it seems like the people that really stand out are the ones who are constantly innovating and pushing themselves to write new shit. I guess I would encourage some people to step up the game, get out of the comfort zone, and look beyond what you know people are going to laugh at. Have some faith in the unknown. Be willing to have a few bad sets. And maybe do five minutes without talking about your dick, pot, or why women suck.

Thanks. I'm going to try to get some sun this wkend so I'm not such a piece of shit all wk. And good night, D-town.

PS I still would LOVE it if other people wrote some stuff. Whether you're performing, watching, wanting to write a creative piece, whatever, CONTRIBUTE. I'm going to get boring soon if I havent already. Email me at Nicole.Qualtieri@hotmail.com.

Take ten steps, turn, shoot.

2010-02-24T12:25:00.000-08:00

Friday Night Comedy Feud...starring....

Los Comicos Super Hilariosos vs. The Huge Comedy Show @ Casselmans

It's a comedy show-down, ladies and gents. The illustrious Wrist Deep Productions and their monthly show goes head to head this wk with Onus Spears Comedy Events as they both vie to be the top Denver dog of February 26th.

This week, Los Comicos will be putting the following comics on-stage: Ben Roy, Adam Cayton-Holland, Andrew Orvedahl, Greg Baumhauer, Chris Charpentier, and the fucking unbelievable JOSIAH.

And on the self-loathing whim of "Oh, I really fucked that one up", I managed to somehow not mention Josiah's spot last wk at The Squire.Who is this man? Did he fly down from performance heaven to bring an unfettered perfection of on-stage presence coupled with the ability to intrigue and inspire? Is he human? Or is he deity?

I dont know. But the man performs. And it's a must-see for anyone and everyone that breathes the air. The guy is genius. The pure kind.

And on the other side of this glorious evening, Onus Spears line-up includes emcee Gary Burden, Matt Need, Erik Anker, Sam "Danger" Tallent, Headliner Chuck Roy, and did I previously mention Andrew Orvedahl because this guy is seriously on both tickets?? We have multiple deities in our midst people. These guys are fucking GOOD, Denver. Andrew, you surreptitious mad man! Teach me your ways, because I want to go to both shows, but--alas--my humanity dictates I am bound to one or the other. Fuck.

So what's the strategy guys? Any word from anyone on your Friday night moves?? Seger it up, people. Work on it.

BOBBY CRANE

2010-02-22T17:58:00.000-08:00

Bobby Crane. Who is he? Well, he's this guy:

Most importantly, he's a local sweet-ass comedian. And less importantly, he's also my former classmate from Wheat Ridge High School. Yeah. We participated in Wheat Ridge Senate, our school's student government, where we all basically fucked around, skipped class, and tortured the DECA kids much to the dismay of our Senate overseer, Mr. Dowling. I have pictures of this shit. Believe me, they'll be posted.

Bobby has got an interesting way about him. He can be dry as a motha, silly as a kid, as rambling as an Alzheimers patient, and as high-larious as a been-doing-this-shit-forever comedy pro. In my recent interactions with Bobby, I've learned that he's been doing comedy for two years. That he's always within spitting distance of the 'Fax (I saw him in the middle of Colfax last wk and waved awkwardly. He didn't see me.) And that he still has the piece of paper he took on stage for the first time. "Me too!" I said. "Nicole, you've been doing this for like three wks." You win, Bobby.

Last night, Bobby Crane hit a new height in his Denver Comedy career and hosted the inaugural Hot Stand Up with Bobby Crane at the Vine St Pub. How hot was it? Well, you should probably ask Bobby that question. He's got plenty of answers.

The steamy awesomeness brought a crapload of people. I scrounged around for a seat, and ended up unknowingly picking a seat next to Bobby's girlfriend, Kirsten. After the cat got out of the bag, I asked what it was like living with Bobby. She said "That Bobby is NOT my boyfriend." And then I laughed. And then she said, "He's drunk." And I laughed again. She's funny too. And hot. Way to go, Bobbert.

And as Bobby was the man of the hour, le emcee, his giddy silliness carried the night with a flavor that was all his own. And as much as he packed the Vine with a shitload of hipsters, he packed the line-up with a shitload of killer comics. Troy Walker. Chris Charpentier. Jodee Champion. Headliner Adam Cayton-Holland. Elliot Woolsey. Sam "Danger" Tallent. And Nathan Lund. I've seen all of these guys at one point or another, and they were all on A-game status.

Chris "Charpie" Charpentier gets funnier every time I see him. You know, most comics repeat jokes, and I have to say I just dont get sick of his. The MLK "Smell it" joke might be one of my faves I've heard. Like ever. If you havent seen it, then you need to track down his next show because I cant do it justice.

Adam Cayton-Holland. Dare I say any more? He's the man of the hour, every hour.

Sam "Danger" Tallent. He's a ridic fave of mine. I bask in his ability to be original, to play off the crowd, and to be so awkwardly lovable. He's just a nice fuckin' guy with an impeccable sense of humor. And I finally got a chance to say hi. Sam, you're awesome. I cant wait to see what else you've got up those plaid sleeves.

And Nathan Lund...Bund? Lund. As a former pastors' kid (Yeah. Two of them.), I think Nathan should seriously capitalize off his idea to make the Bible a Choose Your Own Adventure saga. It would have made the first 14 years of my life so much easier. And I can fully relate to being scared of the reality of debt. College. Cars. Credit cards. Ahh to be so financially fucked in our twenties. It's tragically hilarious. Or hilariously tragic. Who knows? Anyway, Lund closed the show in phenomenal fashion. He's got a style to rival.

And my three fave quotes of the night:

"What can Brown do for you? Sue the Board of Education."-Adam Cayton-Holland, and nerdily one of my fave jokes of his

"I got back at gravity. I fucked his girlfriend Inertia. She couldn't stop."-Sammy D Tallent

"I keep my motto like my blood type: B Positive."-Nathan Lund

Bobby Crane, Bobby Crane. This was a scorcher of an evening. Well done, old pal. And I'm looking forward to the fact that this same deal is going to happen the third Sunday of every month at the Vine. Hot hot Stand Up with Bobby Crane.

And for those of you who were in the audience last night, I have some advice for you: Take a fucking shower and buy some deodorant, you smelly assholes.

Smell ya later.

A Week in Review...New Talent, Squire, Aziz f-in' Ansari.

2010-02-21T15:44:00.000-08:00

I started writing as the Denver Comedy Examiner in December, meaning that my time in the Denver comedy scene and the comedy scene in general is more than extremely short-lived, but as one can only base their judgements upon personal experience, well, it's safe to say that I've learned a ton in this short span of time and I'm looking forward to delving deeper into the experience of the Denver comedian. And with that, here we go.

This past week, I was privileged to catch alot of great comedy. After weeks of putting off the pocket-scorching two-item minimum, I finally sucked it up and went to Comedy Works' New Talent night. The first thing that impressed itself upon me was the number of people that were in attendance on a Tuesday night, not for any outrageously big names, but for a mixed group of local comedians from the first-timer to the seasoned pros. With my rampant ADD, I love going to shows where its one comic after another, each feeding the crowd a different energy and style, some great and some not-so-great, but there is a cosmic balance in the in-between, the awkward silences, the jokes that blatantly fail, and how the comics react in times of tribulation. Some of the best moments come out of that, and of course, the opportunity for growth and understanding. The failures seem to be even more important than the victories in this world. It's a type of honesty that doesn't exist in the day-to-day bullshit.

Alright, I'm splitting this shit up, because I wouldnt normally put this all in one entry. Read as you will, fuckers.

COMEDY WORKS DOWNTOWN NEW TALENT NIGHT

And on the talent side of this story, let's get down to some names. And quotable quotes. Staunch performances by Jim Hickox (high-five?), Deacon Gray, Erik Anker, Troy Walker, Chris Charpentier, the lone lady o' the night Roberta Jean Williams, and headliner Brian Hawker. And may I add serious shout out to Erik Anker, because I dont think I could breathe during your entire set. Which was pretty awkward, as I was there by myself. So thanks for that. Additional shout-out to the first timers that went up. Only two of you got sad-faces in my notes...so better luck next time!

Le quotes:

"White people voted for Barack Obama like they were payin' off a credit card. They're like 'We're even, right?"-Brian Hocker..he can say it guys. He's black.

"What do you do if you're an animal rights activist and you get crabs?"-Mike Long with a daunting question

"I bought it at Ross, and then I got on a bus."-Deacon Gray...loved this one making fun of the Ross slogan

"I'm allergic to alcohol. I break out in handcuffs."-Bob Gaudette...so do most of my friends...

And as one of the more interesting aspects of the scene is the general lack of women, I made an observation that they were more minorities in this show than women. According to the demographics of Denver, I think my gender has some catching up to do. Like seriously. What the fuck, ladies.

THE SQUIRE LOUNGE OPEN MIC

Post-Comedy Works, I headed over to The Squire Lounge for their open mic. This would be my fourth time in attendance at the Squire, and it holds a special place in my heart. For the general atmosphere. The dingy whimsy. And the comedians who come to play. On this particular night, the patrons were definitely in a universe that wasn't even borderline aware of the fact that comedy was occurring, and the overall volume of the joint sent my brain into a frenzy of exhaustion. I had to cut out early. And then I almost died the next day at work. But I did stay long enough to catch Jodee Champion's set, which was a level of fucked-up that was beyond awesome, and I of course adore Greg Baumhauer and his ability to remain consistent, innovative, and on-top-of-his-game at all times. And may I add that Gary aka Onus Spears' set had me laughed the fuck out. He killed it.

AZIZ ANSARI, MIDNIGHT SHOW, COMEDY WORKS DOWNTOWN

From Aziz Ansari's Myspace Page

Friday night. At the last possible minute about a wk and a half ago, I managed to score a ticket to the midnight Aziz Ansari show at Comedy Works.......and it was fucking awesome. Fucking. Awesome. I know I'm kind of a douche, and I'm over-positive about everything. But between Aziz, Dan Levy, and local fave Adam Cayton-Holland, the money spent was grrrravy. So worth it.

I have to get in a short bitch session about waiting in the tit-freezing cold for about an hour and twenty. My feet were numb. The people were annoying. Some bitch wouldn't keep the doors open when we were standing right there because she claimed to be pregnant. Yeah, bitch. I'm pregnant too...we finally made it in. But I'm pretty sure my feet are still half-frozen. Ok. Thanks.

Cayton-Holland's bit was good. Real good. He's smarter than all of us, and it borderlines on the unfair. I love how he calls Grand Junction "The Junk" and it will forever be a part of my slang vocab. And I loved his idea for a porno movie "Turn Black the Cock". You're too good for us, Adam.

Dan Levy was an import from LA, assumingly on the same bandwagon as Ansari. And he was, in one word, adorable. I like the fact that he calls himself an "aggressive rollerblader" and that he is taking karate lessons to learn how to defend himself and that he's engaged and loves it. I'm sure every girl across America would want to put this kid in her pocket and make him their bitch. His story of being confused as the Canadian Dan Levy who called Twilight's Kristen Stewart a bitch was awesome. And I think that the fact that he asked Denzel Washington if he "wanted to get wet" is one of my favorite things I've ever heard. Yay for Dan. Smiley face. He is fucking cute.

And then Aziz Ansari. Holy shit, you guys.

When Aziz talks, you listen. And I think its because when he is performing, it doesn't feel like he's doing a comedy show. It feels like he's your funnier-than-you friend and you're just shooting the shit over a few beers. One really important thing that I think is necessary to add is that although Aziz very recently did his first huge Comedy Works special, nearly all the jokes in his set were new material. As I'd caught his special, I thought that his move to be innovative and step up his game on that level was great. As was the comedy.

My favorite bit of the night was based on one of his favorite subjects...R Kelly. On a personal level, I too have a deep and dark obsession with the cocoa-buttah smooth R&B singer, known for his best role in pissing on that 14-year-old girl. I poured one out when he was found innocent, and I've maintained a more-than-awkward assortment of his songs on my iPod. So of course I was stoked when he brought up the main man. And created a bit around the idea that R Kelly would make videos of himself defining every word in the Merriam-Webster dictionary. It was sheer genius. And to top of the awesomeness, Ansari busted out an improv move and had the crowd shout out words for him to define as R Kelly. He nailed paperclip and ATM machine and if this were a real thing, I'd never get anything done. Well played, Aziz.

And, to the delight of everyone in-the-know, he busted out a good segment of Raaaaaaaandy with another layer of improv that killed it. Naturally.

All this considering that it was his third and last show of the evening. We wrapped up circa 2am, a long night of performing for all three gentlemen on-stage. Super kudos to all of them, the show was a frickin' blast.

And ya know, after the combo of all of that shit in one entry, I gotta go. But but BUT I am catching Hot Stand Up with Bobby Crane tonight, and looking forward to seeing Cayton-Holland and alot of other fantastic comics hit the stage. Check it out. Vine Pub. 10 o'clocker.

See you there, kids.

Hello readers.

2010-02-21T10:37:00.000-08:00

My name is Nicole Qualtieri, and I'm the former Denver Comedy Examiner.

For ethical reasons that I wont be going into, I've decided to relinquish my spot as the Denver Comedy Examiner and move my writing here, to the DenverComedy blogspot.

I will admit that its a bit nervewracking to lose the backing of examiner.com in their ability to promote and rank and even pay (although it is incredibly minimal), but I have a strong belief that this blog can create a more honest forum, a place where comedians can share their art, where the passion for all that is Denver comedy can blossom in a way thats not bogged down in corporate bullshit, in the promotion of disaster for site hits, and the lack of consideration for the human experience.

Ok, so I went into the reasons a bit. You wanna know more? You can find me out and about on the scene, and we'll chat over booze.

So the basic gist of this intro is that I'm embarking on a more personal journey down a road that may or may not have value for the community. But I'm gonna try my damndest. And hopefully, have a blast in the process.

Alright, Denver. Let's get it started.

Nicole Qualtieri
DenverComedy