A Journey to Stand-up..

So, when I was told last week that I would be doing my stand up routine tonight, I was instantly mortified. It had come to that moment, finally, where my workshop instructor thought I was ready to get up on stage, take that microphone and be funny.

"What could I do to get out of this??!" I asked myself. What kind of devious excuses could I come up with to disqualify myself from performing in front of other, more established comics? Nothing. Damn it! I had to do it. I had to prove to myself that I not only could get up in front of others and speak, but be funny, too.

So, as the week passed, I honed by craft. I tightened my jokes, practiced into a digital recorder, listened to myself over and over, tweaked it some more; I was getting better. As I walked into my workshop this afternoon, they were talking about me and how I was chickening out.. I came in late because of traffic, those bastards. The nervousness was seeping out of me like a soaking rag being rung out. I was fucking nervous. I went up before my class to practice my material. It was so-so. Nothing to write to mama about.

And then the open-mic night started. The music playing over the loud speakers. The MC introducing the host. The host doing her bit and then introducing the first comic. Then the next.. and the next.. until it was my turn. And I got up.

Imagine getting up in front of a crowd and speaking. That, in itself, is somewhat difficult for a lot of people. Throw in being funny and see where you get. Neuroses are born from acts like this.

I killed it! I was actually fucking funny. People laughed. And I did it. Sure, some of the things I had weren't funny but I had laughs. A lot of laughs, from what I can remember. And you know you've done good when the other comics make fun of you. It was fucking awesome.

The bug has bit me. I love it. I've done it once and now I want to do it again and again. It's not about getting fame and fortune because, frankly, that rarely happens. And I'm not conceded enough to think that it will.. though it'd be nice. I want to make others laugh and I want to have fun. And I did both. So, I now have two passions.. writing and comedy. And they go hand in hand.

Oh.. and the fat chick? Yeah, she laughed the hardest. And, you know what? She rawks. Cos she's one fucking funny woman. And she's pretty cool. Laurie's her name, by the way. I see great things for her.