I am currently sitting in the library researching news and writing jokes for our upcoming LaughDraft Newscast.

Thought I’d take a little break and talk about what my first classes have been like so far.  Yesterday, we had our first Comedy Script Writing class, which seems like it will be a really interesting one.  Strictly writing assignments.  It’ll be a great challenge.  We had to come up with what they call a 6-word memoir, so 6 words that sortof sum up your life to this point.  Mine was:

“Thankfully, Dad still helps with rent.”

We also had our first Physical Comedy class, which looks as though it will take after what we did last year in terms of clowning and other interesting projects.  I find that course particularly difficult because I don’t feel all that aggressive in it, and I feel I’m surrounded by people who want to be louder and more outgoing.  (Right?) Anyway, I don’t know, I guess I just have to let go.  My foot hurts though, from working all summer in Converse sneakers which, though fashionable, provided little support to my arches/ankles.  Also, I closed a door on my ankle this summer and dropped a poster box on my foot.  All of these factors might affect the current state of my achy tootsies.

Today, we had our first Stand-Up class of the year, and it’s great to be with Larry again.  I’m looking forward to doing a bit of voice work in his class this year.  Hopefully we’ll see what kindof stupid voices I can pull off and make funny.  That being said, I’m booked for a set at Yuk Yuk’s this coming Tuesday.  Show starts at 7:30.

Speaking of shows, LaughDraft has settled on a date for our next performance.  We’ll be holding in on Thursday, September 22nd back in Kensington at the Kapisanan Centre.  I’ll begin bombarding you with invitations and posters soon enough, but in the meantime, you’ve got the heads up.

 

 

…what Adam Sandler said…

Yes, well, welcome to Year 2 of my Clown College Confessions.  Thanks for those of you who’ve stuck with me this far.

Today was my first day of classes and I only had one class to attending: Acting & Voice.  We have a new teacher, which is exciting because it means we will get to see this subject matter instructed in a different method than that of the very unique view and perspective of one, Mr. Lewis Baumander.   The big project in Acting class this year seems like it will be the performance of 10-minute plays, which we will both write and perform.   Those are happening in February, so fans… keep your calendars free.  They told us they would be switching the groups around so we would be working with students other than those with which we had class last year, but a significant chunk of the people in my class this year were also in my class last year, which is good.  It will allow for a more comfortable experience, I think, based on the fact that we all already know each other and we can pretty much be at ease with each other (for the most part.)

I also had a first “new season” meeting with some members of LaughDraft.  It looks like we’re hopeful to put on another sketch show later on in September.  More details to come on that front, but things are looking positive.  We’re also starting to talk about getting more content up on our website, so you should all have lots of giggles to look forward to in the not-so-distant future.

I met up with the program coordinator today briefly to discuss an idea I’ve had for a performance/fundraiser.  The idea is very much still in its developing stages, so nothing more on that topic until I meet with him again.

The Humber Comedy Alumni show took place tonight at Yuk Yuk’s.  This is a performance in which some of the funniest stand-ups/past Humber students performed a show, mainly for the first years as a welcome, but also for returning students and other alumni.  The show was… great.  Surprisingly great.  I didn’t attend last year, and I don’t quite remember why, but for some reason I think it might have had to do with my roommate’s lack of desire to attend, and I was easily influenced back then.  Anyway, I’m glad I attended this year because the show was really great, really tight and very funny.  I hope to one day perform in this show.

Finally, on a more personal note, I’m trying to work on fear and personal anxiety.  Putting those things aside to get where I want to be in this program among my peers and with the teachers.  Even just shooting the shit with the program coordinator & his assistant this morning is like, a huge accomplishment for me, as tiny as it may sound.

A very positive start to the year.

I hope you’ll keep reading about my adventures in Year Two!

So, I quit my job on Monday, leaving my schedule free to perform a bit more before school starts up again next week.  Tuesday and Wednesday I performed sets in Toronto & St. Catharines, respectively.  Both nights, though one went very well and the other, rather poorly, have lead to the realization I must find a way to thicken my skin.  I don’t know how to do that.  As an anxious person, I tend to over-analyse every little detail; a bad set, an awkward social interaction, my place in pretty much every social circle in which I am a part, including familial.

Yesterday, I performed for the first time in the Niagara Region.  What a strange night of comedy.  Many of my friends and family were there to support me, which made me very happy, and very nervous.  But, all of whom were in attendance had mentioned they couldn’t wait to see me perform, so I felt like this was a good opportunity to see them in my “beginnings,” which sounds pretty pathetic, considering I’ve almost been doing this for a year.  It just goes to show, this stuff takes time and a LOT of hard work.  In hindsight, the material I’d chosen to perform might not have been really in synch with the audience in attendance.  Now that I know that, I can bring some more appropriate material the next time I perform in Niagara.

I don’t often think about the big differences between the place where I grew up and the places I’ve lived since.  But hands down, Toronto is VERY different than St. Catharines.  And the comedy audience in attendance here certainly wasn’t the crowd I’m used to in Toronto.  So.  I suppose it inspired me to branch out in my writing.

Anyway, if anybody from Niagara who was in attendance yesterday reads this: Thanks for coming out.  I’m sorry for all the dick, fart and oral sex jokes, but… well, that is pretty  much the standard definition of amateur comedy.

In contrast, I performed at Yuk’s downtown Toronto on Tuesday for Humber night and the set couldn’t have gone better.  I felt really “on.”  (Not so much in St. Catharines, considering I forgot a whole big chunk of my set.  Lame.)  The crowd was giggly and very receptive and almost everyone who went up pulled off an excellent set.

I wish I didn’t find myself so um… different(?) in comedy crowd socializing though.  Again, probably because I’m over-analyzing the situation constantly.  God forbid something I say would be un-funny or un-worthy of this crowd.  I never felt this way in any other social situation.   I think they should conduct psychological and sociological research on this fragment of the population.   The results would be so off the chart.

People are like: why do you care?  What’s the big deal?  Don’t think about it!  It doesn’t matter!  Just forget about it!

But what to do if you can’t?   If it’s impossible?  I’ll drive myself insane.  Maybe that’ll make me a better comedian.