Health & Fitness
Becoming a Comic (with Disabilities) Week One Recap
A recap of my first standup comedy class, and the challenges that lay ahead.
I got to the comedy store in La Jolla around 2:50 pm. I was told the teacher, Sandi Shore, was stuck in traffic, so I sat down in the showroom to wait. There were giant paintings of famous comedians on the wall: Charlie Chaplin, Laurel and Hardy, and Abbot and Costello.
Sandi arrived, and the first exercise we did was to get up in front of the microphone and give our names and a brief biography. I spoke about my writing background, and recent work as a journalist. Sandi asked what I wrote articles about. "Mostly city council meetings," I replied. "Have you considered incorporating politics and opinion into your act?" she asked. Only ten minutes into my class and I already knew what kind of comedian I would be. I had absolutely no reason to doubt Sandi. She has been teaching standup for over 20 years, and has been the manager of three different Comedy Stores. I want to be the opinionated comic; I want to share my ideas and passions through comedy. As I mentioned in the previous blog, I have some disabilities. Sandi never addressed them in class, and neither did I. In a way, I think that's good. I want the opportunity to do standup without any limitations, and so far there have been none.
I still have seven weeks to go, and a lot of hard work to do. If I work really hard and show that I have the potential to be a good comic, I could be picked to perform regular sets at the comedy store here and in Los Angeles to foster my talent, just like many of the famous comedians of today have.
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One of the most important points Sandi said was that in order to be a good comedian, you have to be truthful, and you have to be yourself, and that is the hardest part. I have the desire to hide details of myself that I think others won't like. However, in comedy, you have open yourself up to the audience and draw them in. Comedy is the hardest form of entertainment, Sandi told us you need to work hard and want success badly enough to make it as a comic. I want it badly enough. And I am working hard.
