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.
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.
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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By David Gavri
Sheng Wang is a Taiwanese Texan who developed and honed his comedy in the thriving stand up community of the San Francisco Bay Area. A working comic in New York City, he has toured with the Comedians of Comedy and American Eagle’s Campus Comedy Challenge. He also appeared on Comedy Central’s Live at Gotham and was invited to attend the Just for Laughs comedy festival in Montreal, Canada. Sheng recently filmed his half hour Comedy Central special back in 2011. After that, NBC awarded him with a holding deal that same year. Sheng also appeared on the John Oliver NY Stand Up Show. After headlining at the Improv here in Houston, Sheng gave us his time, as well as his knowledge. Continue reading
If you are getting into stand-up comedy to become wealthy, quit now
There is no money in comedy. You will perform for free for a very long time. When you actually start to understand who you are and how to actually be funny on stage, you will make very little money. At this point you may be just a guest spot or the host at a comedy club. It took you three to four years to get to this spot. Now what? It may take another three to four years to have enough material to become a feature at a comedy club. Still unable to quit your day job because a feature spot does not cover your bills plus road expenses. Three to four years later to have finally reached headliner status and you can finally quit your day job and focus solely on comedy. You still have not broken the bank. In that nine to twelve years you spent pursuing that comedy dream, you could have become a manager, senior manager, or something greater at your job. You could have invested your extra money into stocks and bonds. Been able to afford that new house and car.
By David Gavri
Mark Hurtado is a Houston-born comic who has performed at all of the major Houston comedy clubs, including: The Houston Improv, The Comedy Showcase, and The Laff Stop (now closed). He has also performed at The Velveeta Room as well as Cap City in Austin, along with Hyena’s in Dallas, and Boom Town Casino in Louisiana. Continue reading
A new comedy club has opened up. It’s not in Houston, but it’s close. The Laugh Out Loud Comedy Club in Beaumont had its grand opening on Friday, August 17th. Here are some pictures of the new comedy club.
By David Gavri
In 2003 Ralphie May was chosen to compete in the first season of Last Comic Standing. His second place finish earned him respect all over the nation. His career took off from there. Ralphie then appeared on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno. There, he became the first comedian in ten years to receive a standing ovation from the audience. His first comedy special Just Correct went platinum in 2004, and the CD version made the top ten list on the Billboard comedy charts. But Ralphie was just getting warmed up. He later followed up with four Comedy Central specials: Girth of a Nation (2006), Prime Cut (2007), Austin-tatious (2008), and Too Big To Ignore (2012).
Ralphie May now lives in Los Angeles with his beautiful wife, a fellow comedienne, Lahna Turner, their daughter April June May, their son August May, and their two dogs, Pimp and Hoochie Mama. Coming back to Houston this past weekend, Ralphie performed seven sold-out shows here at The Improv comedy club. And after taking pictures and signing autographs with every single one of his fans, Ralphie was nice enough to hang with us to talk comedy.
By David Gavri
The great city of Houston has been home to some of the most successful celebrities. The list includes: Patrick Swayze, Dennis Quaid and Randy Quaid, Matt Stone, Michael Strahan, Anna Nicole Smith, Renee Zellweger, Shannon Elizabeth, and Beyonce Knowles.
Some of the most successful rap artists have come out of the city of Houston. They include: Mike Jones, Pimp-C, Z-Ro, Chamillionaire, Slim Thug, Scarface, Lil’ Flip, Paul Wall, and DJ Screw.
But what about our most successful comedians? Comedy Scene in Houston compiled a list of comedians who came out of the Houston comedy scene. The list has been narrowed down to Houston’s five most successful comedians of all time. And we are finally down to the number one decision. Continue reading
There is a new comedy open mic outside of Loop 610! You asked for and you got it. Nico’s is located at 22610 Loop 494 in Kingwood, 77339. This open mic takes place every Sunday and starts at 8. There is plenty of seating and plenty of parking. For anyone interested in performing, signup starts at 7:30 and it is first come, first serve. Stage time will vary between 5-10 minutes, depending on how many people are performing. If you have any questions, contact DJ Northway on Facebook. Support local comedy!
Comedy Scene In Houston 