Goin Hoard

I’ve been doin comedy in NYC for almost 4 years, and I still think about/am thankful for the ATL comedy scene I started in. One of the best parts about Atlanta is there is very little industry presence. It can serve as a perfect training facility for stand up that is kinda hidden away from the bullshit. The scene started to really explode about a year and a half after I started. Everything seemed to click with the comics coming up or relocating from smaller cities, and the venues that facilitated quality stagetime. I remember a palpable sense of progression and pushing yourself. I was consistently blown away by my friends and their new shit, and I knew I better not go up with some ol bullshit when my peers were bringin heat. There was definitely an unspoken obligation to bring it and not be a comedy wuss. Complaining about when you were going up or who you had to follow was unthinkable. Having a meltdown over a bad set was out of the question. This is the way I think it should be. 

I am still very tight with ATL people here in NY. There’s still a mindset of pushing each other, and a sense of duty to represent where we’re from. Sounds silly, but it helps remind me of the standards I want to set for myself. I try to make myself live my own mantra of always lookin to be better and not letting the shit I can’t control affect me. Currently, I have never felt as on top of my game as far as skill level goes…I have also never felt more detached from the world of industry. I can say for certain that, frustrations aside, it’s a better place to be than the reverse of that scenario. I no longer worry about the stuff comics are taught to worry about. I’m not in the hat of names called up for various showcases. I don’t have, nor am I seeking management. I don’t feel like I’m in a beauty pageant, at the mercy of gatekeepers. It’s very liberating, and might sound like rationalizing unless you’ve experienced it yourself. Call it what ya want, but I don’t believe the future of comedy will have “types” as the deciding factor for what comedy fans end up watching. I believe you can get good enough to be your own “type.” That is all I am focused on doing. Also, having fun. I am convinced that the non-fun parts of comedy are that way because they are not what’s actually valuable. 

I hope comics can stop worrying about when they’re number is called (myself included, of course). I hope the trend of varied media outlets for stand up continues. I hope all of the comedy scenes can be all about progression. And I hope ATL continues to be a monster factory. Ok sorry I’m done.