Our President is a Comedian

He's not just a comedian, he's actually a very funny one.  Seriously, how lucky are we?  I think we can finally travel abroad and claim our home country again, and not lie and say we're from Canada.  

The Viral Vault - Peer Pressure

The name of this particular group is Peer Pressure... interesting.

I don't know why they thought this would be a good idea to help them become "famous" or "get with girls." One can only imagine the thought process these young men had.

Loving the shot at the beginning with the littlest one in the red jacket, so cute and innocent. But then of course, the video starts.

I always wondered how funny it would've been for a parent to bust in the room. I also wonder why anyone under the age of 16 is even allowed to post on YouTube. This video will haunt them forever.

Chatting with Alycia Cooper

I had the opportunity to talk with the hilarious Alycia Cooper after she performed at the Baltimore Comedy Factory. Not only was she very nice, she also had a lot of great information

I loved your routine, you were great! Where are you from?

I’m from Temple Hills, Maryland.

When did you decide to get into comedy?

You know, it happened a few times actually throughout my life. The first time was in the mid-90s, right after Def Jam. They may it look so easy. So I tried it, didn’t have anything prepared, and bombed like I should have. Then I stopped doing it because I didn’t think I was funny. But it wasn’t that I wasn’t funny, it was that I didn’t prepare.

So when I did it again in like 2000, it was a challenge. A friend of mine had signed me up, it was like a talk show. I was booked on it to do stand-up. So I said, “OK, I’m going to do this show and be on TV. I’m going to have to learn how to write jokes.” I wrote an act, and had some moderate success. So, I decided to stick with it.

In 2002, I did Comic View, way to early, why before I should have. But the lesson was, if you can do a run in front of thousands of people, you can go back to the comedy club easily.

What are the challenges of being a female comic?

OOOOHHHHHH, LORD! The challenges are endless. You have a lot of male comics that say they can’t take you on the road with them because their wives won’t let them take a woman. Then you have a lot of women comics that tell you they want to be the only woman on the lineup. Then there’s the pervasive feeling that female comics aren’t funny. And that’s just some of the things that women have to go through that men will never experience.

What makes you continue on in spite of all these challenges?

You know, some people use crack, cocaine, meth, purple haze, alcohol. For me, comedy is my drug. Being on the road, and getting something back from the audience in return, getting a response from it, that’s almost like a drug. You just want to keep on coming back and doing it; it becomes in addiction.

Have you used the Internet or social media to help advance your career?

Oh yeah, I’m on sites like Myspace and Facebook and I have videos up. It has definitely helped me with my career. Even having an electronic press kit is great; all I need is an email address and I can send you everything about me. The Internet is a great way to promote yourself.

Chatting with Roy Wood Jr.

I got a chance to talk to Roy Wood Jr. when he came to the Baltimore Comedy Factory. Wood is known for his hilarious prank phone calls which circulate throughout the Internet.

What inspired you to get into comedy? How get started?

I was 19 when I started [comedy], I’m 30 now. I started my junior year in college. It was something that I always had an interest in, and whenever there was the right situation, I would try it.

What advice do you have for comics that bomb?

Sometimes, it’s not you. The audience changes every night, and you remain the same. You have to make the audience adjust to you. And sometimes, there are situations that are just not conducive to laughter. These include late shows, alcohol, clubs that usually don’t do comedy, but attempt a comedy night.

I think it’s amazing that comics have the courage to continue after bombing. What keeps you going?

I look at it this way, if it’s a city I’m not from, why do I care? I don’t live there. I’m leaving tomorrow. And when you come back a couple months from then, and succeed, if anything, that’s more rewarding.

The first time I ever heard of you, I received one of your prank calls through an email at work. How has the Internet helped with your career?

The Internet has been groundbreaking in comedy, it’s great for networking. It can basically prove whether you’re ready to move to the next level. Like, if you watch Cartoon Network, everything on Adult Swim basically started out as a viral video.

So, for me, the beauty of the web is that it’s voluntary. These people don’t have to watch your shit, they choose to. If you get a big enough audience that chooses to watch you, chooses to forward your emails, then that creates a good buzz, which eventually gets people to come see you in a comedy club. If you get a big enough buzz, you can get a big crowd. If you get a big enough crowd, you can get your own TV show.

What advice do you want to give to aspiring comedians?

My advice to anyone that wants to go into comedy is expect years of being unpaid; years of not getting what you’re worth, or feeling like what you’re worth. Just years of feeling like you should be doing something else. But, if it’s in your heart, stick with it.

Using social media - Part four: Digg

Digg makes the assertion that it is "committed to giving every piece of content on the web an equal shot at being the next big thing." There's definitely something to that idea. The content on Digg is being submitted by users so that it can be shared with the online community to gain exposure.

Like all of the other useful social media tools we've covered, Digg is a free service. The more an article, photo or video "gets digged" the more popular it will become, hopefully landing a spot on the homepage!

I think it is an interesting and democratic way to decide what content on the Internet is the "best." Comedians can use Digg to get more views on their media than YouTube alone. You know your doing something right if a lot of people Digg your material.

Dane Cook Show

So Dane Cook decided to grace Baltimore with his presence and perform some stand-up. Here's what fan Dominique Goldring had to say about the show:

1. What drew you to the show? Did you like him prior to the show, or did you take a chance?

I enjoy Dane Cook’s comedy and that’s what drew me to the show.

2. What was the ratio of new material compared to things already aired on TV?

All the material was material that wasn’t previously aired, which was awesome.

3. What was the overall response of the crowd?

The crowd was very pleased with the show. They loved him!

4. What was your favorite joke/part?

I really cannot pinpoint a certain part of the show. I thoroughly enjoyed all of it.

5. Would you like to see another Dane Cook show in the future?

Of course! It was great! He has amazing energy and a great comedic style.

Upcoming Comedy CD Releases

I love listening to a great comedy CD just as much as music. Whether I'm driving, workingor chilling at home after a long day, sometimes I actually perfer a laugh over music. Here's some upcoming comedy releases:

5/19/2009

Obama Mia by The Capitol Steps

Isolated Incident (plus DVD) by Dane Cook

6/16/09

Pimp Chronicles Part 1 by Katt Williams

American Hustle by Katt Williams

FiOS Comedy Channel

So, as of Saturday, we are officially rocking with Verizon's supposedly epic FiOS service in my household. I can't really tell the difference, but now Verizon controls the Internet, cable and phone. They basically own the communication in my house. Whatever.

One thing that I did notice was that the very last channel, 1951, was dedicated to 24-hour uncensored comedy radio. It's great, the station bills itself as "great comedy, without the two drink minimum." All the classics are on there (George Carlin, Richard Pryor, Bill Cosby) as well as plently of others. It'll be great to have on in the background while I'm cleaning up. Actually, I'm just kidding; I don't clean.

Bring Back Dave Chapelle

This is a plea to bring Dave Chapelle back to Comedy Central. I know what you're thinking... But didn't he leave on his own?

Yes, but now it's our responsiblitly to get him back. I really don't think he has a say in the matter at this point. You see, once he left, this is what Comedy Central attempted to fill the void with:

I won't dare post any of his video content on this site. It's just that bad. If you don't know what I'm talking about, seek it out at your own risk. If you do know... well, just rest assured that I've sat through entire episode of one of his shows, too. I empathize with you.

I started to lose just a little bit of faith in my beloved Comedy Central when they decided to give an untalented, joke stealer his very own show. However, they've since redeemed themselves with this:

I take this as a sign that he will never be given the opportunity to return again. *keeping fingers crossed*

But really, Dave needs to come back. I've been a fan since Half-Baked. I don't think any other weed movie had ever gotten it so perfect, so right.

Are memories of rushing home from late night college classes to unwind with a glass of wine and the lastest Chapelle Show episode all I have left? It's so bittersweet to watch the DVDs. Please, Dave, come back so that we never, ever have to endure a Mind of Mencia repeat again.

The Viral Vault - Baby Chicks

There is a ban on dyed poultry? What will happen next? Why are these chickens so cute? 

The Viral Vault - Rap Cat

Rap Cat local news expose


I wish all this outrage over this issue could be translated into something like, I don't know, perhaps adopting your very own cat from the SPCA or something like that? Although, I'm very against clothing on animals as well... unless it's this.

I Love Comediennes - Margaret Cho

I love Margaret Cho because she takes issues of race and sexuality and she's so real. I can't remember how many social situtiations I've been in where I've asked, "Am I going to be the only black person here? Really? Oh." You got to love diversity.

Check out it at 1:45 to see what I mean.

You always have to love someone who is so accepted by the gay community. As a "fag hag" myself, I can definitely identify with the club experience at 2:50.

Thank you, Margaret Cho, for confronting Asian stereotypes and representing the LGTB community always in hilarious fashion.

I Love Comediennes - Wanda Sykes

Are women just not funny? I certainly don't agree, but there seems to be this exact myth going around. Whatever, I know plenty of funny ladies that happen to be in my life. I have several female friends and family members that are pretty hilarious. To say that women are not as funny as men is a ridiculous generalization that I thought we'd moved beyond.

That's why I feel the need to shout out some of my favorite female comedians in this new segment "I Love Comedians." These are people that are ground breakers in the profession of comedy, and also happen to be chicks. Imagine that?

Wanda Sykes is an accomplished comedienne who has written for Chris Rock, had her own show called Wanda Does It and won an Emmy award.  Sykes actively fights for gay rights and has come out as a lesbian.  She was most recently asked to be the comedienne at the White House Correspondents Dinner.

Stoop Storytellers are Good Sports

The Stoop Storytellers are coming around to Centerstage again! The Storyteller shows consist of seven performers each get seven minutes to tell their individual story pertaining to the theme. The upcoming theme is "Good Sport: Stories about winning, losing, and everything in between."

I'm really looking forward to this event because these are true stories that the offical website describes as "no notes, no scripts, no actors--just true stories, artfully told."

My expectation is that these will be funny, heartfelt and warm, similar to a David Sedaris story. I think some of my classmates from literary journalism had some stories that might work in upcoming Stoop Storytelling events.

The website mentions that every show features a few audience members who can tell their own stories for three minutes. The group always welcomes new members and themes.

The "Good Sport" show will be at Centerstage on June 1 with a cocktail reception and live music before hand, if you're interested. Tickets go quick, so get them soon!

Kathy Griffin comes to Merriweather

Kathy Griffin is coming to Merriweather Post Pavillion in Columbia on June 25. This comedienne has made a name for herself by completely putting herself down and totally trashing celebrities.

Her reality show on Bravo, Kathy Griffin: My Life on the D-List, is an example of how she likes to portray herself as a celebrity outsider, even though she's had quite a successful career. She's appeared on hits like Suddenly Susan, Seinfeld and The View.

Griffin has infamously been banned from a plethora of talk shows and events because of jokes making fun of celebrities. The topics of these comments range from drug use to sexual orientation. One thing is for sure, her show won't be boring.

Women's Magazines SUCK

OK, I just want to vent for a blog post.

Sharing a bathroom with my boyfriend and his brother has been an interesting learning experience, to say the least. Most of the things I've learned, let's just say I won't post them on this blog for fear of turning your stomach. However, it has opened me up to the world of men's magazines. This just affirmed a belief that I've had for a long time now, that women's magazines suck.

The thing that made me most angry was not that women's magazines are waste of printed material spewing the same tired information on "losing 10 pounds" or "pleasing him in bed." I accepted those facts a long time ago, and moved on. No, it was the fact that men's magazines are actually funny.

Yes, ladies it's true. They're not "LOL" funny, but they're funny in a "having a chat with your friend about that crazy thing that happened the other day" kind of way. See, one of the fundamental differences is that men's magazines address their audience as peers or equals. They don't talk down to them like every single word is a guide to help you improve your life, which if you flip open

Cosmo or Redbook, you would think needs a lot of improving... every month.

The workout routines? Like one page, max. Diet tricks? HA, nonexistent. Funny anecdotes about hooking up with hot girls? Yep. Awesome confidence boasters and tips? Of course. Feature articles dedicating several pages on how to please her in bed? LOL, we wish.

Seriously ladies, we deserve funny, real content that will make us feel good about ourselves instead of like shit, as do yourself a favor, ignore the latest Vogue, and pick up your brother's Maxim. Yeah, women are objectified, but we're also treated like the lesser sex in our own magazines. Worst of all, it's not even funny.

Music in Stand-up

What's up with this trend of comedians also trying to showoff the fact that they're musicians as well? I'm not completely sold on the idea. That doesn't mean I'm 100 percent against it, I'm just not sure if it works for everyone.

Jon Lajoie, Demetri Martin and Stephen Lynch all like to incorporate song/instrumentation into their stand-up routines. What do you think? It is funny or annoying, or does it depend on the comic and why?

Demetri Martin



Stephen Lynch



I do love Mitch Hedberg background bass line though.

Magooby's Joke House

So you don't live in Downtown Baltimore, and you don't feel like driving down there just to catch a comedy show? No problem! Magooby's Joke House is located in Northeast Baltimore County, and offers the same experience, minus the hassle of finding a parking spot.

In addition to featuring ample free parking, Magooby's is reasonably priced at $12 plus the usually two item minimum. Looking at the lineup, they seem to feature the same acts as the Baltimore Comedy Factory, usually the week before or after. Be sure to keep Magooby's in mind for something new on the weekend!

Favorite Comedian?

I want to know, who is your favorite comedian and why? What makes that person stand out against the rest? What about their style is so unique? How do they appeal to your sense of humor? Do you identify with that person or their experiences?

Basically, what are you, my audience, into?

My four favorite comedians of all time are featured above: Richard Pryor, Mitch Hedberg, Dave Chapelle and Katt Williams. I love the fact that they can all make fun of themselves, yet they have a universal appeal to make you sit back and say, "Shit, that definitely happened to me too!"

I also respect these comedians because they have a talent that many of us are lacking. Yes, they are hilarious, but they have the ability to use humor to shift focus on actual social issues. Whether it's drug use and laws, race, or the dynamics in various relationships, they bring the laughs while still getting the point across.

So, who does it for you, and why?

The Capitol Steps at Ram's Head

The Capitol Steps are a set of former Senate employees who basically have created an act out of making fun of their old job. I work for the federal government at Social Security, and trust me, I'm sure they have plenty of material.

The troupe is coming to Annapolis to perform at Ram's Head Onstage. I mentioned that I was going to see a show there for the first time last month. The venue is amazing, and I highly recommend it to everyone. You have a perfect view no matter where you are seated, the acoustics are great and the staff is friendly. Be sure to grab a bite to eat at the Tavern next door, the food is delicious.

I really want to go see the Steps because the content hits so close to home. It will be a sweet graduation present to myself, considering that it's the same day!

Check out one of the two shows, May 22 at 6:30 p.m. and 9:30 p.m.

The Golden West Cafe

We all know how most comedy clubs or shows work. If your going to a club, more than likely, your paying a $17-20 admission fee, on top of a two drink minimum. This brings your total night to about $35, and that's the low end.

If the comedian your seeing is doing shows at venues like the Meyerhoff or the Lyric Opera House, for example, tickets are likely to run you about $35-50, no drink minimum of course.

That's why deals like the Golden West Cafe in Hampden are hard to pass up. The last Friday of every month, the Golden West features the Bar Bacon Fun Time Comedy Hour. At 11 p.m. the stand-up begins for $5, and as Metromix puts says "it's a pretty good way to avoid the assigned seating and drink minimums of local comedy clubs (though we know drink maximums are more your style)."

And yes, Golden West does have an impressive bar menu and well as an interesting and ecceltic dinner menu. You can't beat stand-up for $5, so go check it out.

The Viral Vault - Angry Optician

This is not the way you run a business... or your life. I hope Adam Plimmer has gotten the anger management help he so obviously needs, and I also hope that the victimized customers were eventually outfitted with the apporiate eyewear.

I really don't know what happened after this incident. I do know that this video has provided LOLs for me and my friends in the past, and I feel the need to share with you. Your welcome.

The Viral Vault - Popeye's

Hey good people, I've come up with a little added extra for the blog. It's going to feature my favorite viral videos, I hope you enjoy. As always, leave feedback.



Is this funny, racist or both? I say both; yes the reactions are hilarious, but come on, only black people came to not one, but two Popeyes? Shame on you news media, and shame on you angry customers for even feeling so passionate about a chicken deal!

This wasn't even free, so I wonder how KFC is going to deal?