Mike Pincus!

Mike Pincus is a comic. I had mentioned him in a blog about a year ago. He was really just starting out. When I mentioned him, it may have only been his 2nd or 3rd time on stage. To his credit, he had a couple of friends in the audience. I didn't like his set. I thought he was kinda mean . I don't remember what I actually wrote. I didn't like that he was drinkng a beer onstage and I didn't see how it contributed to his material. In short, I dissed Mike in my blog of that evening's show. Not becuase I had anything against him personally, I just didn't like his set. I was recording what I thought about the shows.
Back then, I would make sure I had the names and the show order down and I would write my impressions of people's set. I'm generally pretty benign, I'm no Simon Cowell. Also, I don't see myself as an arbiter of comedy. I am a fan . I like it. I do it , not very well, but I do it. I would critique the shows for people who couldn't get to that show because they were performing somewhere else or just wanted to know what had happened that night. Just a little report for the community. I am not a mean spirited person. People who know me well, know that I would never be overtly mean to someone unless I was ready and willing to burn that bridge. If I'm ready to burn a bridge, that person is already dead to me. I'm just shovelling the last little bits of dirt onto the grave.
I took a writing class with Mike and found him to be a much nicer, funnier person , in person. Also, he makes his living as a writer. He gets paid for doing it. He doesn't work 5 jobs to pay the rent. Nor does a free blog really count as writing to him, whereas blogging is about all I consider to be real writing for me these days. AND I'm not very consistent with it, either ! Unless someone smears poop on a wall at my job , I have no inspiration.
Also, lately, I've been doing the door at the Comedy Studio. I feel like I am helping to maintain a clubhouse. I feel like I am participating in the community . Also, I get to see some great shows. The line-up can change from what is printed on the weekly schedule and that always lends an air of excitement to the evening for me. It' s cool to see people coming up the stairs to hang out. It's just an intereseting vantage point. I am applying my skill at making change to be in comedy. In short , I've been able to see some really kick -ass shows lately. I did the door both nights for DJ Hazard's recent appearances, I asked if I could do it . I did the door for the wonderful Mike Birbiglia . Those are just the recent big names. I've also had the chance to see some kick -ass shows by some hardworking professional and open-mike comics.
For example, last Saturday night, it was standing room only. I had to turn people away. Some people , I told them they could come in, but they would probably have to stand. They were willing to do it. It was a good local line-up . Lamont Price was on the bill , I really like him. Dan Sally was readying himself for his Letterman audition. Alex Folskie, who is a mime, had them screaming ! And also on the bill was Mike Pincus. He was also on fire. He had the kind of set that would keep me from falling asleep that night if it had been me. I don't think any of the material was the same stuff he had done before. He had the audience with him the whole way. It was a great set and I was happy for him.
You see, one night Mike googled himself and he found his way to what I had written about him in my blog. He found it a long time after I had written it and after I got to know him as a decent human being. That's how a lot of people find their way to my little creative outlet. He was annoyed and felt my review of his performance was unfair. I stand by my original impression but I also stand by the fact that I observe that he has worked very hard at the craft and has gotten really better. Both his stage presence and writing are way better than they were. You'd be glad if you caught his set. I was glad I caught his set. I look forward to seeing him perform again sometime soon.
Mike is not the only person to have googled himself during a quiet moment and found their way to my blog. I even had a woman contact me about a comic I had mentioned who was on a show with me. People have thanked me for things I wrote about them , wrote with no intention of them ever reading my stuff. So , I feel weird about this phenomenon. I'm not trying to screw with anyone or ingratiate myself with the "Cool kids". I like comedy. Good comedy makes me laugh (Uh, duh). I like being surprised by people. I like talking about a good show or a good joke. . . I thought Mike did a good job on Saturday night. So did Lamont, and Dan and Alex.
This blog is an extentsion of my desire to communicate about comedy . . . . and poop.