...and Some Random Thoughts on Comedy

On the stand up comedy front, I have now hit open mic eleven. Which is nothing in a big city but in a smaller town like Ithaca it's still not an accomplishment. Two were at least out of town, more than an hour from where I'm staying, so there is some effort. Slow start but I was always more tortoise than hare anyway. I'm hoping to push that number up next year but I have a few things to work on.

First I need to find a way to get more time speaking. I'm not sure if I'll have time or resources to make this happen before my return to Ithaca this March, but it's something I need to keep in mind. I've been working behind the scenes jobs for years so one-on-one conversation is what I'm used to. Any public speaking competitions from High School are little more than a memory for me so pretty much useless. It's time that I fix that before I try to get much further. I enjoy being on stage, I just get nervous up there because I care about what I'm doing. I want to fix this, because I plan to continue to care about it.

To work on my fear of heights I just went to Darien Lake and rode every roller coaster, one after the other. It didn't fix the problem but I had fun, even if I did scream a lot. At a slightly less than manly pitch. Having fun even in the face of fear was a good step and help me address some other issues in my life. Certainly not the proper approach to all problems but sometimes you do just have to go for it. For speaking though it's repetition I need. Since those opportunities don't typically drop into my lap, it's time to track some down.

I could find a somewhere to read to a group of children. Book stores and libraries both have story time readings. As an audience children are not always the easiest to keep the attention of, so I'd have to animated while still patient. That might be easier than trying to hold attention at a bar, but kids will let you know if you are reading wrong. I was once chastised for reading a fairy story wrong. I still don't know what I did wrong.

Some local acting wouldn't be bad, though for now it's a bit of a drive. Prepared lines and movements in front of a live audience are a lot different from trying to entertain using only yourself. Plus typically when someone comes to see a stage performance, they have some idea that they will like what they are going to be watching. Which sounds nice but not something I will have the advantage of. Student films are also out there, but again not the same.

Street performance is how many people got their start. Eddie Izzard to name my favorite. I have no skill at music, juggling or slight of hand, so my only thought was to try story telling of sorts. I have a partial mockup of what I want to try, I just have to try it. It is no frills for now as I have no props or costume, but some people like the idea. Not exactly a winter performance so I will have to work on it in private until spring. I like to think of it as one-on-one improv.

One other thought is to try and start my own stand up open mic. Not sure if there is room for a second, or even where to do it, but more stage time would benefit everyone. Something to look into at least. I have four more months living out of town so it's not like I won't have the time to look into it.

The second thing I am doing is rethinking what I am going to do. I've gotten advice from four people that I have been considering. The two guys both said I should slow things down. Which I guess could just be nerves getting the better of me. So hopefully more speaking practice will help there. From the ladies it's, “be kind” and “punch up not down”. Which has been food for thought. I'm debating setting aside what I have so far and just trying to start with this in mind. In the few attempts I have made, I tried jokes, making up stories and just telling ones I've been part of. I found where I am the most comfortable and how I prepare the best. Now I just have to get more focused on what I want to say.

I have some ideas, we'll see how they go.

Some Random Thoughts on Writing

It's been several years now, but at one point I had started keeping track of some random characters I had pop into my head. They had no story, nor did they have much more than a vague idea of a world to inhabit, but they were there so I kept track of them. Over the years I spoken too as few as two people about some of the characters I had and even jotted them down in a notebook, having nothing to actually write about them.

Now that I have started writing I have slowly been building a world for them. Rather than jump straight to writing about the characters I had in mind, I started writing around them and trying to create others. In doing so I found that I have not one, but two distinctly different worlds. Somewhat the same location, but at a very different time. It was one short story that I had jotted down a brief outline of that had thrown the wrench in the works. Once I finished it, I found it no longer fit the rest of what I was building. On its own though it could spawn some interesting stories. Possibly better ones than the world it came from.

I spent some time at the library this week doing research and so far I like what I'm coming up with. It's also nice spending some time at the library for something other than work or class. As an added bonus, research in building the original world will also work for the new one. After the first trip to the stacks I've already added a new main character, I just need time to develop the surrounding society. I was also able to expand upon one theme I had already started in the first story. A very productive first visit.

The whole process is fun as the stories and ideas don't have to entertain anyone other than myself. Only one person has even seen a short story from each of these worlds, so for now the work I do is very much for myself. Not from the standpoint of the reader as I don't aim to write the stories I like to read, just to tell the stories in my head. It's in the creation and finding your own way that I find enjoyment in. Much like the time I watched my oldest sister paint. She threw a drop cloth down on the kitchen floor, flopped a canvas in the middle and dove in. No fancy tools, no worries, just hands on work. Creation is about one style, your own. There is no point trying to force out something just to please people.

I like to hear advice from people who have already walked the path ahead of me. If you listen long enough you will hear the stories of their struggles. It helps keep things in perspective. I recently read some advice credited to George R. R. Martin, which told people to create their own worlds and create characters people will love. My world has been simmering in the back of my mind for seven years so my next step will not to be creating characters, but reading. With all the advice flying around about Game of Thrones because people get attached to the characters, it's now on my must read list. Until I get a copy, I have plenty of research to do.

New Beginnings

Why have I chosen to pursue a career in stand up comedy and as a fiction writer?

It's not the kind of question anyone who knows me would ask. Not that they may not want to know. I just have a history of trying things on a whim. So there may be some who think this is a passing fad, while there are just as many cheering me on in anything I want to try. In the end time will tell. This blog is not so much to entertain, as it is to keep me thinking and writing so that I will have a better shot at both. So at least the way I see it, just writing here is just one step closer to success.

I'll attack this in halves starting with stand up comedy. I've been reading advice from a couple Binghamton, NY comedians who have been working at it for 4 to 5 years. It was some of what they said that prompted me to write this. They've done groundwork so guys like me would have an easier time starting, so I listen to what they have to say.

I've never been charismatic or the popular kid. There was never anyone telling me I was funny and should do stand up. Nor do I have any illusions about becoming rich and famous. Which I guess covers the main “wrong reasons” to get into comedy. What happened was while I was in Florida for three months, I really wanted a creative outlet. I had never really had anything that was truly mine. I was better at destroying things than creating them. When I returned to Ithaca I tried the open mic at Pixel Lounge. I bombed right out of the gate. Not once. Not twice, but three times in a row. Each time I stepped off the stage I felt a drive to do better the next time. As short as the time was on stage, with me bumbling over what I had prepared, it was fun. What few laughs I had gotten, were mine. That in itself was more than enough for me to seriously set my sights on comedy as a career. It also doesn't hurt that I don't feel the need to be drunk to be funny. When I go to open mic, I have my two drinks to show the bar my appreciation for supporting the event, then I'm done. I want my failures to be mine, not my blood alcohol content. I can't expect to get anywhere if I can't feel myself stumble over my own words.

Despite only having a handful of open mics under my belt, I have improved and continue to work at improving further. More of my friends have started dropping by as I have improved. Eventually I received my favorite comments, “Why aren't you this funny when we hang out?” Which I guess is just added proof that no one thought I should ever be a comedian. My desire to fight my own nerves and become more comfortable on stage, possibly better evidence that I belong there.

Writing was a whole other ball game for me, though is really in the same ballpark as far what I am looking to accomplish. I spend a lot of time writing comedy, so putting together something longer, of a different genre, is just more skill building for me. Once again though, except for one person, I was never encouraged to write. In fact I, due to a number of influences over my childhood, had been convinced that I could never become one. It would take until age forty-two when I would finally cut myself loose from imagined chains.

Again I returned to Ithaca with this desire to create. Spend time with some talented kids, it'll do it to you. One of my friends in town is an author and has been self publishing a small zine. Every other month she puts together a small booklet dedicated to a specific genre. The day I find out about this I also discover that the next issue is horror. After expressing interest I was told to put together a short story and if there was room it would be included. I manged to crank out two in short order. Both were included, thus documenting my entry into the world of fiction. So much for not being able to write.

So why become a writer and a stand up comedian? Because I have it in me to get somewhere with both even though it'll be a rough trip. I know it'll take me a while to get anywhere with either, but I am being realistic about it. I'm prepared to fail on a regular basis, because I know I need that to learn. Persistence, hard work, and educating myself will get me through. So far I have not missed the local stand up open mic. I've even burned through gas money to hit a couple out of town. My stories are written well before the deadlines. That's how you get started with anything. Focusing on the small steps and building to bigger and better things.

Story Time - I Did Him a Favor

Much of what I have been working on as far as writing and stand up comedy, ties directly into past experiences. Sure I twist them until they suit my needs, but typically there is some shred of truth left somewhere. So today, I present you with the original version of a story, that this week I altered for more immediate comedy needs...

Back in High School, I had a friend named Scott. He was one of those guys that was entertaining to hang out with, but was just crazy enough that you could run a death pool for. I actually wonder if he's still around, though it wouldn't surprise me if he passed away years ago. On the off chance he stumbles on this, he should be happy I left his last name out so the search engines will never find it.

There was a wonderful period of time (taste that sarcasm) during which he was dating one of my sisters. Which in itself was bad enough. To make matters worse, he was too embarrassed to buy condoms. So lucky me, I had to step up. As fate, or his poor planning, would have it we were at the mall. We would make a trip there pretty much daily to grab cigarettes from the CVS or visit the arcade. $3.00 each for Marlboro soft packs would be where my lunch money went senior year. Outside CVS is where he gave me money to buy the condoms and waited outside for me. I went in, made the purchase, and before I even made it out of the store I turned the whole thing into a spectacle. I raised up the condom box and cried out "Here's your condoms Scott!" My voice traveling down the mall in both directions.

He never asked me to do that favor again.

In the Write Frame of Mind

I find it funny that I started this blog and then became too busy writing to get back to it. Which isn't all bad given that I while I am not doing everything I want at this moment, I am continuing to create.

Right now I am working on a variety of short stories using ideas I've been tossing around my head for years. I'm building up a post apocalyptic world. It's an interesting project as I am trying to keep as much of it as I can somewhat grounded in science and psychology. I spent the weekend out hiking and taking photographs so while I'm writing I have some visual stimulation. Typically I go out hiking to see the full picture. It's not often I head to a gorge with a huge waterfall when the leaves are changing only to be looking at the ground because I think a tiny acorn is cute. That's exactly what happened yesterday. Last night I was so determined to finish the first short story in this world, that I found myself dozing off in the early morning hours. Prevail I did and later today I'll work on editing. The second will follow shortly as I've already scratched it out roughly on paper.

I've also been putting a lot of effort into comedy. I took the better part of two evenings and started going through all my notes, rewriting the two sets I have while looking at how I can use my other observations in the future. It was kind of like stripping off all the meat from a Thanksgiving turkey and then wondering how to make soup out of what was left. It's a fun, creative process and I keep adding to it. It's amazing how fun it can be just trying to find the funny side to anything you see happen. My little pocket notebook is with me at all times just in case inspiration strikes.

Somewhere in all this typing I have a small comedy video script I need to type up. Just a short little video idea I had come up with out of some comments while traveling. Outside of writing it there is no place for me in the actual video, but I'd like to approach a student director with the idea in the near future. I had originally thought to do the video myself but I find that collaborating with others is a lot more fun and opens the door for larger projects.

Of course some of my lack of time has been Facebook rants. I've been speaking out against various misconceptions on gun control, women, genetically modified organisms, politics and religion. The amount of research involved to give an intelligent argument is impressive given the amount of misinformation out there. It worth it to not be part of the problem. I have tried to quiet down at least for a few days so I can get some work done.

So for now I bid thee good day. I have a lot of entertaining projects in the works for you and I look forward to presenting the first one soon.

Just Desserts

I went to a friend's birthday party tonight and before I left the apartment there were two ice cream bars left in the freezer. Part way through the party I received this rather ominous text:

I regret to inform you that a tragic accident befell

one of the salted caramel brothers this evening.

The surviving twin is distraught and is currently

on suicide watch. We will be vigilant in our

 monitoring, we can not guarantee his safety.

 We're sorry for your loss.

I took that as a hint that I probably should have cake if I wanted dessert tonight.

I am a Nerd!

A cartoon poking fun at the subtle differences between the labels geeks, dorks and nerds crossed my path recently. It was a funny cartoon, or at least I enjoyed it, but it got me thinking. When I was younger the terms were pretty much used as the same word. So how did our obsession with labels get us here just so people can slightly differentiate themselves from others? Vanity perhaps? I'm not sure. All I know is that I can still use it to spoil someone's day.

Do you consider yourself to be a Geek? Have excessive enthusiasm for a specialized subject? Well you are a fool. A freak if you follow the etymology. That's right, "Freaks and Geeks" is redundant. My favorite though is its prior use as a label for circus performers, especially those who bite the heads off small animals. Not really something to be proud of. It sounds more fitting for Ozzy Osborne back in his early years.

Any Dorks out there? Have odd interests and are a bit silly at time? You are a dick. A penis if you prefer. Either way you have labelled yourself as phallic. Dork didn't make it into Monty Python's "Penis Song" so clearly it wasn't even one of the better options. Even with its current use you are considered less intelligent than nerds or geeks, so it's perfect for the underachiever. 

That brings us to the Nerd. The most noble of creatures found in "If I Ran a Zoo" by Dr. Seuss. A far cry from the computers and poorly chosen glasses that we've come to know. If that wasn't cool enough here's even a candy. Even it's transition from literature to insult is credited to family interaction. It is clearly the superior of the three options, thus the only one fitting of someone of my caliber.

So yes I am a Nerd and I say it proud. Now if only I knew why there is not only a hearse at the McDonald's but also one around the corner at Tops.

Life's Not All Puppies and Sunflowers

How great would it be if life were kittens, cupcakes and lollipops? Not as great as you might think. All I can picture is cat hair covered lollipops. Maybe you could at least get part of the cupcakes hair free but only by losing the top (better known as the best part). Which just leaves the kittens. Not bad until they get to the "I'm going to climb you" stage and you're bleeding more often than not.

What it boils down to is that life is nothing more than our interpretation of it. Ignoring the psychobabble aspects of that, for me it meant decades of looking at things from the negative side of life. I'd say with good reason (if you stick around long enough you'll see why). Oh the stories I could tell. O.K., the stories I will tell. That is all behind me now. I've been looking at life from a different vantage point these days. More outspoken on political and civil rights issues, interested in writing fiction and most importantly... trying to find a reason in everything for people to laugh. What I've been through to get here is now nothing more than resource material for where I'm going.

So here we are; me butchering the English language in an attempt to share my point of view and you waiting to see what sort of polished turd I'm able to pull out of my past experiences for your entertainment. Let us begin.

Text and Photo © 2013 Steven Burke