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