Author Archives: comedysceneinhouston

Don’t Post Your Stand-up Video, Yet

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By Steven Padilla

You just killed it on stage and happened to record your set. Then you posted it on YouTube for everyone to see. Take it down! Odds are you recorded your set at an open mic. It was a good set, but you probably didn’t kill it from beginning to end. Be honest. You felt really good about it and that’s a good thing.

Don’t post your stand-up video until you figure out what you want to get out of it.

To Get Discovered? To Get Your Friends To Come See You Perform? To Make People Laugh? For Your Own Entertainment?

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Theodore M.E. Taylor: Comedian, Performer

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By David Gavri

An all-around performer, Theodore M.E. Taylor is more than just a comedian. He’s also a singer, an actor, a storyteller, and a writer. Theo is part of the comedy troupe known as The Deadbeat Club, whose members include: Steven Katz, Keith Manning, John Gard, Frank Garcia, and Mark Hurtado. In 2011, Theo was crowned as Houston’s Funniest Person, and continues to kill it. You can catch him at The Improv–Houston’s biggest stage. We were lucky to hang with Theo and learn a few things about himself as well as the art of comedy.

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Be Careful Squeezing the Juice

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By: Steven Padilla

What is the divorce rate among stand-up comedians? There are no numbers, but it wouldn’t be a surprise if it was a high number.

Getting into stand-up comedy is very different than other professions. If you are young and single, have no responsibilities, go for it. No holds barred. Leave it all out on the table.

Being married and getting into stand-up is a whole different ballgame, especially if you have kids. There needs to be a stradegy.

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Rob Mungle: The Reverend

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By David Gavri

Both feared and revered, Rob Mungle, A.K.A. The Reverend, has been a staple of the stand-up comedy world here in Houston since the early 1990s. His brazen style and his foul language have caught the attention of comedy fans everywhere. And his near-bloody conflicts with the IRS, anime fans, along with strip-club managers have turned his punchlines into legendary stories.

Mungle is also a voice actor, as well as the founder of the highly successful comedy group known as The Whiskey Brothers. Needless to say, Robert Mungle is highly entertaining. We had the opportunity to hang with Mungle after his set to talk about the Houston comedy scene—what it used to be, and what it still can be. Continue reading →

What To Expect When You’re Not Expecting

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By Coleman Cox

Advice booklets have become commonplace. About.com-type sites are on the rise (for all you know) and more than any other time in history, people are looking for advice to solve problems.

Some problems don’t allow for the time it takes to look up a bit of advice on your smartphone, sometimes you need to improvise. Even if you could, would you really want to follow the advice of some fat guy, typing on the internet, posting theoretical solutions to your problems, who also probably lives with his mom? No, of course you wouldn’t.

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Ali Siddiq: Houston Legend

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By David Gavri

Without a doubt, Ali Siddiq is a Houston comedy legend. To date, Ali has toured and has worked with comedy’s most notable talent to date. The list includes: D.L. Hughley, Katt Williams, J. Anthony Brown, Bruce Bruce, Bill Belamy, and Mike Epps, among others. His TV credits go something like this:
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Paul Oddo: Oddo Man Out

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By David Gavri & Al Bahmani

When I first started doing stand-up, there was a Houston Press article about Paul Oddo. I studied it like it was a strategy guide for a Nintendo game.  —Chase Durousseau

Nominated as “Best Local Comedian” by The Houston Press in 2006, Paul Oddo’s style is different from the classic set up, punchline formula. With Oddo, there is always a story. It takes time and attention to appreciate his style, but have faith in him, he’s worth it. Plain spoken and unpretentious, Oddo weaves a narrative tapestry thas full of twists, turns, and unexpected surprises. Currently residing in New York City, Oddo takes some time off from self-promotion to catch up and tell us what he’s been up to. Continue reading →

Houston Improv Open Mic Night: Be There

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By Steven Padilla

Open Mic Night is Back

It has been well over a year since The Houston Improv hosted an open mic. When there was one, it was held consistently every month or so.

On September 5, 2012, it was resurrected. This time on a more consistent basis. The plan is to have the open mic every other week. The dates are posted on the Improv website.

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Owen Dunn: Doin’ It Right

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By David Gavri

Owen Dunn is a stand-up comedian based out of Houston, Texas.  A three-time finalist in Houston’s Funniest Person Contest, Owen has hosted at the Laff Spot, Laff Stop, Comedy Showcase, and the Houston Improv.

Not only does he perform shows all throughout Texas, but he is also a writer and a producer for CW39. He’s even an MC for corporate events and private parties at the Houston Texans Grille. On top of that, he interns for ESPN Radio 97.5 FM. After recently opening for Comedy Central’s Sheng Wang, Owen hung out with us afterward to talk comedy.

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5 Common Open Mic Mistakes

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By Steven Padilla

1. Not Staying In The Light

All of the attention is meant to be focused on you.  That’s why you went on stage in the first place.  Stay center stage, where the light is.  If the entire stage is lit, feel free to roam.  Very simply stated, stay in the light.
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