Vancouver's Amateur Comedy Scene

In a tragic case of breaking rules I just made for myself yesterday, I wanted to say something in the traditional blogging sense.

While I wasn't there (I was busy speaking into the smoky darkness at another comedy room at the time) based on every account I've heard, the LOL @ the Cellar charity benefit last Thursday was a rousing success. I just want to say congrats to the two brains behind the show, Andy Kallstrom and Donovan Patrick Mahoney.

While browsing through the facebook pictures of said event (which you can find here), I came upon a realization; Vancouver's amateur scene is pretty damn stocked right now.

After nearly 5 months of hauling my ass around to the different open mics and Pro/Am shows in this city, I'm amazed at how far a lot of us have come. Even just speaking of the 10-12 comics who started this summer (including the aforementioned Donovan and Andy), seeing the progression of both the individuals and the group has given me a real boost of confidence regarding my own development as a stand-up.

It seems to me that, while we may all still have extensive periods of intense stage-suckage, we also are kicking ass in greater frequency and amplitude than expected. In other words, for a bunch of rookies, we seem to be better comics and having more great shows than we should be.

Pardon me while I pat myself on the back. If you're part of the scene, feel free to do so too. I'll wait.

What's also amazing to me is how well we all seem to mesh. While there's some amount of the personality conflicts and back-stabbing that goes on within any amateur scene, we all seem to get along (though, I, for one, still maintain that Ross Dauk is far too handsome to be a comic; get off the stage, dreamboat and leave it for us Fug-ohs, dammit).

Anyways, my point is this; I'm honestly proud to be part of this scene right now. I also wouldn't be surprised if, 10 years from now, I'm going to be telling people "You know that guy/girl, (insert name here)? The one on TV, the one with that special? Yeah, I knew him/her in week 5. And man, did he/she SUUUUUUCK!"

Keep it up everyone, and if you are not a local comic reading this, go to any comedy show and look for the amateurs (we're easy to find, we're usually the ones begging the Host for more stage time). Better see them now before success hits and the same people become giant assholes.

Also, I hope Ross knows I was joking before. I think you are plenty unattractive to be a comic. I (heart) you, buddy.

Francis Brian Shaw

Thought for the day:
I realized last week three things: my father owns a trailer, my mother lives next to a swamp and favorite uncle just got parole. Apparently, my white trash credentials are in fine order. (Seriously guys, NOT joking)