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.
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
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!
Gerald Torregosa could be seen at most of the open mics in Houston. Two or three in one night. He would do his set, then he was on to the next stage. It was about getting on that stage and working out material. He recently made the move to New York City. We were able to catch up with him and get his thoughts on Houston and his reasons for moving to the east coast.
By David Gavri
Kristin Lindner is not just a successful stand up comedienne, but she is also a successful wife and a mother of three. Her cleverness and quick wit provides an amusing outlook to life and the joys of marriage and motherhood, making audiences laugh until their sides split. A veteran in the comedy scene, Kristin was a recent finalist in Houston’s Funniest Person contest. She’s a favorite at The Comedy Showcase, and she will be headlining there this weekend. Don’t miss it! Continue reading
The Houston’s Funniest Person contest was held in May and June of 2011 at The Laff Spot Comedy Club. The winner that year was Theodore Taylor. Shortly thereafter, The Laff Spot closed on July 3, 2011.
What was to become of the HFP contest? Nobody would know until March of 2012. It was then that the Houston Comedy Union and John Wessling would take control of the event. There were still a lot of questions to be answered. Who could enter? When would it start? How long would it last? And most importantly, where would it take place? On March 6th, all of those questions were answered.
By David Gavri
Although a St. Louis native, this Rice University graduate got his comedic start in 1999 right here in Houston at the beloved Laff Stop. He soon developed his trademark style of blending obscure impressions into his stand-up routine. Mike’s television debut was on Comedy Central’s Premium Blend in 2001 and he has since performed on The Late Show with David Letterman, NESN’s Comedy All-Stars, and was also a cast member on the TBS sketch show Frank TV. In 2009, Mike was invited to perform on the Master’s Showcase at the Montreal Just for Laughs Comedy Festival. He has also lent his distinctive voice to numerous commercials, video games, cartoons, anime, and Cartoon Network’s Adult Swim.
Now a resident of Austin, TX, Mike performs in comedy clubs all around the nation. He is heard regularly on syndicated radio programs such as The Bob & Tom Show and The Jimmy Dore Show. Mike was also recently invited to perform at SXSW and the Moontower Comedy Festival in Austin, Texas. And tonight, he’s with us. Continue reading
The original Laff Stop was discontinued back in 2009, and then once again in the same building, Sherlock’s Pub recently suffered the same fate. We’re here to remember them both for giving so much to the comedy scene in Houston. Here is the rest of the story.
Continue reading
Comedy Scene In Houston 