Wednesday, September 28, 2011
Monday, September 19, 2011
The Ball Is Rolling Auckland...........
Hello and welcome along once again,
I'll start by quickly explaining the last video post I made. I doubt you will of seen or heard of Dayne before unless you live in Australia, but Dayne won the Raw Comedy competition this year which is a pretty amazing acheivement. Thousands of people enter every year from all over Oz and the finalists perform on TV and are thrown into comedic stardom (within Australia). Now, not only do I think Dayne is effing funny, I also had the pleasure of gigging with him a couple of times in Melbourne before he won the competition so I thought I'd pay him the compliment of promoting him a bit, although fame has probably gone to his head and he acts like an arse hole now. Maybe someone could let me know?
On to more important things now.
 | |
| The Classic Comedy and Bar |
I have returned to Auckland for a spot of work during the Rugby World Cup that is being held in New Zealand, and on Monday 12th September had the pleasure of performing at The Classic Comedy Bar in Auckland's CBD. It's a really cool venue which, the couple of times I have been there, has drawn pretty big audiences considering it's an open mic night. I think on Monday there were around 40-50 people in the audience.
I really wanted to take some pictures of me performing for the blog (and to satisfy my own vanity) but I also really wanted to record my performance for analytical purposes. But unless I took two cameras, which I think would of been a bit much, I could only choose one so I went with filming it. I had considered putting the video on here but I'm really not sure if the world is ready to see how average I am at comedy. But having looked at it, I'll have to wait a while before I have a better gig than that one.
It went really well I think. There were a couple of ropey seconds where I didn't quite hit punchlines as hard as I would like and a bit towards the end where I briefly forgot the next segue, but other than that I was pretty happy. I think it was really helped along by a large alcoholically lubricated audience and the fact that I myself was pretty alcoholically lubricated. All in all it was a very lubed up room. It was also only the second time I did my new set and I think with a bit more tweaking I might have a pretty strong 6-7 minute set. It seems people find it funny listening about how shit it is being ginger.
The MC for the night, Rhys Mathewson was awesome and a really funny guy and I would of been very happy to have paid the $5.00 fee to see him had I not been on. But I think the highlights for me were two young guys (they couldn't of been older than 16!) that apparently had just graduated the "Comedy Class of 2011". If they are only just starting out, they are going to be awesome a few years from now.
I already have my next gig pencilled in at The Classic for Monday 3rd October, which is ages away annoyingly. If I get the chance I'm going to head to Snatch Bar in Ponsonby to see if I can grab a spot there soon. The only problem is the travelling considering I have no vehicle at the moment.
But in the meantime, keep checking out the blog as I will post a couple of new videos, probably including one of my new beloved TV show Flight of The Conchords. And if I feel brave enough, maybe a video of me. But probably not. But maybe.
Sunday, August 28, 2011
Wednesday, August 17, 2011
Taking New Zealand By Storm......
Hi.
How are you? I hope you are well.
Firstly, let me congratulate you on making it along to another blog. Congratulations.
Crikey, what a HUUUUGE response I've had to my plea for more interaction. I've been absolutely overwhelmed by it all and I'm extremely grateful. Two comments. That's two thirds of my entire group of followers. I'm beside myself.
Don't take the sarcasm to heart because it does genuinely get me excited when I see I have a comment.
Right. Down to business.
Unfortunately I wasn't able to grab a spot at The Fringe Bar a couple of Mondays ago, when I was hopeful of getting a last minute gig arranged. But I went along nonetheless and had a jolly good time. I managed to spend quite a lot of money on alcohol, which in turn, made me enjoy the comedy all the more. Everybody wins. Except my bank balance.
However....drum roll please.....I did attend my pre-booked gig last Monday and have now officially performed stand up comedy in two different countries. Just not my own, yet.
I was a bit rushed to get to the gig as it was also my first day at a new job and getting back was a struggle. But I made it, checked in and saw I was on second. It was a lot more nervous than any other gig I had done for a number of reasons. Firstly because I was wildly underprepared to perform a brand new set. And secondly because it was the first time I had gone on stage without the Melbourne open mic-ers in the audience. At least with them there, I knew I'd get some sort of pity laughter if it went horribly. But no-one here knew me so if it went badly, it would just be me and the tumbleweed.
The girl who went on before me was a bit poo (it works two ways, I don't know them either so I don't need to be nice to them). This enstilled me with a bit more confidence because I knew I wouldn't be the worst person on that night.
My gig went pretty well I think. I managed to remember the whole set (just) and got quite a few laughs. There were some jokes that didn't get any laughs and I was faced with a brief wall of silence. But they were just the "Filler" jokes. The jokes in between jokes that are just supposed to keep the laughter ticking along. All in all I was pretty pleased with how it went. I think the new set has potential but needs a bit of work to strengthen it up a bit. Oh and if you are reading this and you are either Dil or Rob.......I'm seriously debating cutting the "Mum story" out of it all together because that was one of the bits that got tumbleweed. Or at least come up with a stronger punchline than "same".
That will make no sense to anyone other than those two people so just ignore it. Or nod and smile along politely as if you know what's going on.
There were six comedians on that night, and when I came off stage after being on second, I really felt that I was the best so far. That lasted until the next guy got on. I couldn't really hear what he was saying because the MC was telling me how he used to work as one of those human statue things that you see busking. But he seemed to get a lot of laughs. And the guy after him was awesome. Before he went on, he was telling me how he was a Christian and had only performed at religious festivals and I thought he was going to be gash. But he made me lol. In fact I lolled a couple of times. I was very pleasantly surprised. Although, I did find out later that night that half the audience were there to see him. But he was still my favourite of the night.
I don't know if it's the competitive side of me or what, but I always like to rank everyone who performed to see where I came. I didn't win on this occasion, but it was a biased audience so what can I do? I think with a bit of fine tuning and a bit more practice, I'd smash it.
I can now tick Wellington off the list of places I've gigged. I'm moving back to Auckland next Saturday for a new job during the Rugby World Cup so I'm hoping to be able to grab a few more gigs while I'm there. There are a couple of venues that do regular open mic nights so it shouldn't be too difficult to get one arranged.
If you have any ideas for a joke I could use, feel free to post them because it would be my honour to take credit for your ideas.
Oh and real quick before I go....I've just started writing the script for a comedy musical show that I've decided I want to perform somewhere like Edinburgh Fringe next year. Obviously I can't play any instruments so the "musical" side of it will be down to my closest friend Rory. But I really feel like it could be genious!
In the mean time, thanks for coming along on the ride.
And I'll catch you next time.
Sean
How are you? I hope you are well.
Firstly, let me congratulate you on making it along to another blog. Congratulations.
Crikey, what a HUUUUGE response I've had to my plea for more interaction. I've been absolutely overwhelmed by it all and I'm extremely grateful. Two comments. That's two thirds of my entire group of followers. I'm beside myself.
Don't take the sarcasm to heart because it does genuinely get me excited when I see I have a comment.
Right. Down to business.
Unfortunately I wasn't able to grab a spot at The Fringe Bar a couple of Mondays ago, when I was hopeful of getting a last minute gig arranged. But I went along nonetheless and had a jolly good time. I managed to spend quite a lot of money on alcohol, which in turn, made me enjoy the comedy all the more. Everybody wins. Except my bank balance.
However....drum roll please.....I did attend my pre-booked gig last Monday and have now officially performed stand up comedy in two different countries. Just not my own, yet.
I was a bit rushed to get to the gig as it was also my first day at a new job and getting back was a struggle. But I made it, checked in and saw I was on second. It was a lot more nervous than any other gig I had done for a number of reasons. Firstly because I was wildly underprepared to perform a brand new set. And secondly because it was the first time I had gone on stage without the Melbourne open mic-ers in the audience. At least with them there, I knew I'd get some sort of pity laughter if it went horribly. But no-one here knew me so if it went badly, it would just be me and the tumbleweed.
The girl who went on before me was a bit poo (it works two ways, I don't know them either so I don't need to be nice to them). This enstilled me with a bit more confidence because I knew I wouldn't be the worst person on that night.
My gig went pretty well I think. I managed to remember the whole set (just) and got quite a few laughs. There were some jokes that didn't get any laughs and I was faced with a brief wall of silence. But they were just the "Filler" jokes. The jokes in between jokes that are just supposed to keep the laughter ticking along. All in all I was pretty pleased with how it went. I think the new set has potential but needs a bit of work to strengthen it up a bit. Oh and if you are reading this and you are either Dil or Rob.......I'm seriously debating cutting the "Mum story" out of it all together because that was one of the bits that got tumbleweed. Or at least come up with a stronger punchline than "same".
That will make no sense to anyone other than those two people so just ignore it. Or nod and smile along politely as if you know what's going on.
There were six comedians on that night, and when I came off stage after being on second, I really felt that I was the best so far. That lasted until the next guy got on. I couldn't really hear what he was saying because the MC was telling me how he used to work as one of those human statue things that you see busking. But he seemed to get a lot of laughs. And the guy after him was awesome. Before he went on, he was telling me how he was a Christian and had only performed at religious festivals and I thought he was going to be gash. But he made me lol. In fact I lolled a couple of times. I was very pleasantly surprised. Although, I did find out later that night that half the audience were there to see him. But he was still my favourite of the night.
I don't know if it's the competitive side of me or what, but I always like to rank everyone who performed to see where I came. I didn't win on this occasion, but it was a biased audience so what can I do? I think with a bit of fine tuning and a bit more practice, I'd smash it.
I can now tick Wellington off the list of places I've gigged. I'm moving back to Auckland next Saturday for a new job during the Rugby World Cup so I'm hoping to be able to grab a few more gigs while I'm there. There are a couple of venues that do regular open mic nights so it shouldn't be too difficult to get one arranged.
If you have any ideas for a joke I could use, feel free to post them because it would be my honour to take credit for your ideas.
Oh and real quick before I go....I've just started writing the script for a comedy musical show that I've decided I want to perform somewhere like Edinburgh Fringe next year. Obviously I can't play any instruments so the "musical" side of it will be down to my closest friend Rory. But I really feel like it could be genious!
In the mean time, thanks for coming along on the ride.
And I'll catch you next time.
Sean
Sunday, July 31, 2011
New Set, New Audience, New City.........
Friends,
After many a week of comedic inactivity, we finally have movement!
As I mentioned, I was spending some time in the wee township of Picton. I don't know why, but NZ doesn't have villages, it has townships which I think make it sound very Victorian. Or Amish. The point is, I've left Picton now and am in windy Wellington in search of some work and/or money.
After a little bit of research, I found an open mic night last Monday and dutifully attended with the aim of checking out the sort of stuff the locals find funny. It was at a venue called Fringe Bar which is located at the end of Wellington's uber-hip, uber-trendy Cuba Street (This means the guys wear tighter jeans than the girls and everyone has enormous headphones around their neck without ever actually listening to any music.). I have to say, it's a pretty decent set-up they have down there. I was kind of expecting a tiny bar with a microphone and stand in the corner of the room, but there is a decent sized stage, a sound booth, and it's well lit.
The open-mic night is called "Raw Meat Mondays" which makes it sound like the comedians are scared little lambs there for the taking, so I was apprehensive as to how the audience would handle people trying new material out. But they were great. I don't think I heard a single heckle. In fact the closest thing to a heckle was when the Mrs leaned in and whispered in my ear, "This. Is. Shit.". I wonder how she'll react to seeing me for the first time? In her defence, some of it was a bit shit.
Because I'm pretty much a veteran on the comedy scene now I feel like I can say this - there are a few things I would change about the acts getting on stage. For starters, all of them took there notebooks and scribbled on pieces of paper on stage with them. I would make sure people didn't do this for a couple of reasons. Firstly it looks terrible when they have to keep referring to a sheet of paper to get a laugh. And secondly, when you are nervous, the sheet of paper in your hand shakes like a shitting dog and it screams out how nervous you are. Obviously these are just my opinions, but when I'm nervous I'd try anything I can to make it look like I'm not. Overall though, it was a really well run night and the standard of comedy is actually pretty good.
I was inspired to book myself in for a gig. So it's my pleasure to announce, on Monday 8th August, I will be making my New Zealand debut. Maybe sooner actually because I'm going to head down again tomorrow to see if there has been a slot open up. And on top of this, I will be trying out completely new material. I managed to sit down the other night and scour through all of the bits I have written down over the last couple of months, and have pieced together a new 5 minute set. It will need a lot of tweaking and at least 5 or 6 attempts at open mics before it becomes any good but I think it has potential.
I am pretty pleased to be back on the comedy train again after a couple of extended stops and hopefully it will all go well and I will have plenty to talk about in my next post.
On a quick final note, my aim for the blog is to make it an interactive thing where people will leave comments and what not, so if you happen to be reading this (and why wouldn't you be?) then write a comment. Even if you don't follow any blogs, stumbled onto it and never plan to return, it would be nice. You could say how much you think it's all a piece of poo or how you'll never get the 5 minutes it took you to read it back. I don't care.
If you have actually managed to read this blog all the way down to this point, let me be the first to congratulate you and thank you.
Now comment.
After many a week of comedic inactivity, we finally have movement!
As I mentioned, I was spending some time in the wee township of Picton. I don't know why, but NZ doesn't have villages, it has townships which I think make it sound very Victorian. Or Amish. The point is, I've left Picton now and am in windy Wellington in search of some work and/or money.
 |
| The Fringe Bar, the next venue for me to conquer |
The open-mic night is called "Raw Meat Mondays" which makes it sound like the comedians are scared little lambs there for the taking, so I was apprehensive as to how the audience would handle people trying new material out. But they were great. I don't think I heard a single heckle. In fact the closest thing to a heckle was when the Mrs leaned in and whispered in my ear, "This. Is. Shit.". I wonder how she'll react to seeing me for the first time? In her defence, some of it was a bit shit.
 |
| This is what you look like if you hold a piece of paper on stage |
I was inspired to book myself in for a gig. So it's my pleasure to announce, on Monday 8th August, I will be making my New Zealand debut. Maybe sooner actually because I'm going to head down again tomorrow to see if there has been a slot open up. And on top of this, I will be trying out completely new material. I managed to sit down the other night and scour through all of the bits I have written down over the last couple of months, and have pieced together a new 5 minute set. It will need a lot of tweaking and at least 5 or 6 attempts at open mics before it becomes any good but I think it has potential.
I am pretty pleased to be back on the comedy train again after a couple of extended stops and hopefully it will all go well and I will have plenty to talk about in my next post.
On a quick final note, my aim for the blog is to make it an interactive thing where people will leave comments and what not, so if you happen to be reading this (and why wouldn't you be?) then write a comment. Even if you don't follow any blogs, stumbled onto it and never plan to return, it would be nice. You could say how much you think it's all a piece of poo or how you'll never get the 5 minutes it took you to read it back. I don't care.
If you have actually managed to read this blog all the way down to this point, let me be the first to congratulate you and thank you.
Now comment.
Tuesday, July 5, 2011
Non-Comedy Related Post To Show I Still Think Of You......
Dear One and All,
I have so much to tell and so little of it is comedy related. Since my last post I have travelled all around the South Island of New Zealand and have semi-settled in the tiny seaside town of Picton. I'm pretty sure the only reason Picton exists is because the ferry from Wellington stops here. We have found ourselves "woofing" (I don't know what that means but people keep calling me a woofer) in a hostel, which essentially means I do three shifts a week on reception in return for free food and accommodation. It's a pretty sweet deal all in all except for the fact that I'm not earning any dollars.
Since the North Island, I have stood at the geographical centre of New Zealand (yawn), been to a glacier, visited a spa, played two rounds of frisbee golf (Awesome), drank alcoholic teapots in Queenstown and been deep sea fishing. All while stopping at Dunedin to briefly try and find work before deciding the city is full of crazies and making a swift departure. The deep sea fishing was amazing and the captain of the little boat we were on was a proper pirate. He probably wasn't, but he had a wooden leg and every single finger amputated to the first joint (is that called a knuckle?). He was only missing a parrot on his shoulder and a name like Blue-beard and he would have definitely been a pirate. But he was a super cool guy and fully didn't mind jumping in and killing the conga eel that tried to eat us all. Long story.
While in Dunedin, or Dunedinburgh as it's fondly named after the amount of Scottish settlers there, I got in contact with a comedy troupe via otagocomedy.co.nz and enquired as to how to get a gig, if they even knew of any. It wasn't until I had left Dunedin on the Wednesday that I got an email back asking if I would be interested in a six-minute spot at the University Comedy Night. Obviously I couldn't justify going back to Dunedin but that's the closest I've come to doing stand-up in NZ. It's a shame really because I've had gig-horn for a while now, not helped by the fact that the guys back in Melbourne seem to be shooting up the comedy ladder and I can't get one gig. I've also noticed quite a few new comedy rooms opening in Melbourne over the last month or so, which is annoying because there were only a couple when I was there.
Me and the lady friend are amidst serious discussions over whether to cut our losses, forget finding work and heading home within the next month or two. This obviously has it's ups and downs. The major down of course being the fact that I will be back in the real world doing another job that I can do with my eyes closed for the rest of my life. The major up being that I can get myself a place with an adequate man-room i.e. playstation, Lay-Z boy chair, mini fridge, Foosball table, somewhere close to London and start the fledgling British leg of my stand-up world tour.
Or I can keep cleaning toilets in a tiny seaside town for no money until next April. Either way. At least I know that if I end up working in Auckland, Hamilton, Wellington or Dunedin, there are comedy clubs to have a crack at.
Something I have noticed about being on the road is that it's really hard to write new jokes when your brain is so pre-occupied with all the new scenery and different places. I wrote my first new joke last night since Auckland, which feels like ages ago. I don't have much more to say on that matter but I wanted to share that I had broke my joke writing drought.
As soon as I know when I'm gigging next, you'll know. But in the mean time, thanks heaps for still tuning in to see what I'm up to.
Until next time mes amis,
Sean
I have so much to tell and so little of it is comedy related. Since my last post I have travelled all around the South Island of New Zealand and have semi-settled in the tiny seaside town of Picton. I'm pretty sure the only reason Picton exists is because the ferry from Wellington stops here. We have found ourselves "woofing" (I don't know what that means but people keep calling me a woofer) in a hostel, which essentially means I do three shifts a week on reception in return for free food and accommodation. It's a pretty sweet deal all in all except for the fact that I'm not earning any dollars.
 |
| Artists impression of the captain my ship |
While in Dunedin, or Dunedinburgh as it's fondly named after the amount of Scottish settlers there, I got in contact with a comedy troupe via otagocomedy.co.nz and enquired as to how to get a gig, if they even knew of any. It wasn't until I had left Dunedin on the Wednesday that I got an email back asking if I would be interested in a six-minute spot at the University Comedy Night. Obviously I couldn't justify going back to Dunedin but that's the closest I've come to doing stand-up in NZ. It's a shame really because I've had gig-horn for a while now, not helped by the fact that the guys back in Melbourne seem to be shooting up the comedy ladder and I can't get one gig. I've also noticed quite a few new comedy rooms opening in Melbourne over the last month or so, which is annoying because there were only a couple when I was there.
 |
| Me taking frisbee golf very seriously |
Or I can keep cleaning toilets in a tiny seaside town for no money until next April. Either way. At least I know that if I end up working in Auckland, Hamilton, Wellington or Dunedin, there are comedy clubs to have a crack at.
Something I have noticed about being on the road is that it's really hard to write new jokes when your brain is so pre-occupied with all the new scenery and different places. I wrote my first new joke last night since Auckland, which feels like ages ago. I don't have much more to say on that matter but I wanted to share that I had broke my joke writing drought.
As soon as I know when I'm gigging next, you'll know. But in the mean time, thanks heaps for still tuning in to see what I'm up to.
Until next time mes amis,
Sean
Saturday, June 11, 2011
So Close, And Now So Far.......
A lot has changed in the last few weeks since my last post. I was so so close to my New Zealand debut it's not even funny. And now I'm hundreds of miles away from Auckland with no idea when I will get a chance to perform next. It's a bit frustrating really.
It's probably best if I start from the beginning.
So, a couple of weeks ago my girlfriend and I attended one of the open mic nights in Auckland with a view to putting my name down to have a go the week after. It was a funny little bar called Snatch that was hosting the evening. It was a tiny venue with seating for around 15 people and the stage was right next to the bar and was all of about 3 square metres in size. It seemed pretty trendy though and I remember thinking that I would definitely be keen to have a go there. There were only 4 guys on that night, the MC making five, and some of my fears were put to rest about how my sense of humour would go down in New Zealand. The standard of the comedy was about the same as in Australia (which isn't too bad considering it's open mic) although there were only a couple of real laughs during the hour or so that in ran for. It's probably un-sportsman-like to say, but I was pleased to see that they weren't great because it made me think that I could get up and do equally well or better than them.
The one thing that did worry me a bit though is how clean they all seemed to be. I don't think there was one swear word throughout the night and certainly nothing vulgar was discussed. My routine isn't the most filthy or controversial in the world but I would have stood out like a sore thumb had I been on that night. I would like to think that the laughs were few and far between because the subject matter was quite weak, but if Kiwi's don't find sexual material and mildly discrimianting stuff funny, I'm fucked.
We also got talking to one of the comedians afterwards and he asked me what you should never say to an Englishman. I said not to call football "Soccer", because it's not "Soccer", it's football. He thanked me and went to write it down, at which point Susie said "Oh look, he has a little notepad like yours, how cute". Nice one Sooz, way to make us both feel like cocks.
Not that it matters because three days after going to the open mic night, we quit our jobs due to the mountain of things going wrong finally taking it's toll, and left Auckland on a bus that has so far taken us all the way to the very bottom of the North Island, and tomorrow we get on the ferry to take us to the South Island. When I think about it, I guess there are both negatives and positives to leaving Auckland so soon. The negative obviously being that I now don't have a job and still haven't gigged in New Zealand. The positives being that I have now had the opportunity to travel a bit, see how beautiful New Zealand is and do some amazing things that rival stand-up as an adrenaline rush (caving and jumping 15000ft out of a plane being the highlights). I am also now aware that once we have travelled the country and seen what we want to, we are probably going to find work somewhere and settle down a bit again unil the Rugby World Cup in September, meaning I will have plenty of time in the future to gig in New Zealand. It just means I will have to brush off the cobwebs a bit and almost start from scratch. The only other option being that instead of finding work, I take a holiday to Samoa on my way home and get back to the real world by the end of the Summer. Only time will tell, my plans seem to change on a daily basis, as anyone wo has been backpacking will tell you.
Although it is not entirely to do with me, I wanted to share a little something because I think it's both interesting and very cool. I have kept in touch with my old housemate and parner in comedy crime from Melbourne, Dil, and have discovered that while he has only been doing comedy for a year and a half-ish, he has recently progressed leaps and bounds with his comedy. He has had his first spot as an MC at the Blah Blah Comedy Club in Melbourne, is doing a show at the Melbourne Fringe Festival, and (most impressively) is soon to be doing his first invitational gig in Canberra, a place so boring I had no idea laughter had been discovered there. I'm pretty sure that most of the time, the only entertainment available to the people of Canberra is to either visit an elderly relative in a care home (which is as exciting as being at a theme park if you're from Canberra) or standing on the street and counting the amount of tourists that drive through Canberra and decide it's too boring to spend one night.
I'm totally aware that none of that had anything to do with me but he told me about it via a Facebook message which contained some lovely things about yours truly so I thought I would embarrass him by posting it on the World Wide Web, so here it is:
"Lover boy, just a quick story coz I know ure one of the people that will genuinely be happy about this without resentment. I got offered a to do a spot in canberra, where they drive u there and back, provide accommodation and also pay for a bit of booze. Maaaan I can't tell u how pumped I am about this.
I'm not telling you this just to brag...well of course there is a little bit of that hahaha. But honestly I just wanted you to keep gigging and keep at it. U already hav the ability of knowing when something is funny and also how to make it sound funny when telling a group of unknown. So don't let that gift go to waste. Please keep at it.
Also, you're a faggott. Go fuck yourself.
Love always,
Dil"
How nice is that? I am both very happy for him and very jealous of him in equal measures. Also I just wanted to prove to the world that I know him just in case he becomes massively famous.
I think that's about it for now. It's very frustrating for me that I don't have more to say, but until I stay in one spot for a while I won't be gigging. Hopefully within the next month I will have another job and be on the road to comedy success again.
I'll keep you posted in the meantime.
Hugs and Kisses
Sean
It's probably best if I start from the beginning.
So, a couple of weeks ago my girlfriend and I attended one of the open mic nights in Auckland with a view to putting my name down to have a go the week after. It was a funny little bar called Snatch that was hosting the evening. It was a tiny venue with seating for around 15 people and the stage was right next to the bar and was all of about 3 square metres in size. It seemed pretty trendy though and I remember thinking that I would definitely be keen to have a go there. There were only 4 guys on that night, the MC making five, and some of my fears were put to rest about how my sense of humour would go down in New Zealand. The standard of the comedy was about the same as in Australia (which isn't too bad considering it's open mic) although there were only a couple of real laughs during the hour or so that in ran for. It's probably un-sportsman-like to say, but I was pleased to see that they weren't great because it made me think that I could get up and do equally well or better than them.
The one thing that did worry me a bit though is how clean they all seemed to be. I don't think there was one swear word throughout the night and certainly nothing vulgar was discussed. My routine isn't the most filthy or controversial in the world but I would have stood out like a sore thumb had I been on that night. I would like to think that the laughs were few and far between because the subject matter was quite weak, but if Kiwi's don't find sexual material and mildly discrimianting stuff funny, I'm fucked.
We also got talking to one of the comedians afterwards and he asked me what you should never say to an Englishman. I said not to call football "Soccer", because it's not "Soccer", it's football. He thanked me and went to write it down, at which point Susie said "Oh look, he has a little notepad like yours, how cute". Nice one Sooz, way to make us both feel like cocks.
Not that it matters because three days after going to the open mic night, we quit our jobs due to the mountain of things going wrong finally taking it's toll, and left Auckland on a bus that has so far taken us all the way to the very bottom of the North Island, and tomorrow we get on the ferry to take us to the South Island. When I think about it, I guess there are both negatives and positives to leaving Auckland so soon. The negative obviously being that I now don't have a job and still haven't gigged in New Zealand. The positives being that I have now had the opportunity to travel a bit, see how beautiful New Zealand is and do some amazing things that rival stand-up as an adrenaline rush (caving and jumping 15000ft out of a plane being the highlights). I am also now aware that once we have travelled the country and seen what we want to, we are probably going to find work somewhere and settle down a bit again unil the Rugby World Cup in September, meaning I will have plenty of time in the future to gig in New Zealand. It just means I will have to brush off the cobwebs a bit and almost start from scratch. The only other option being that instead of finding work, I take a holiday to Samoa on my way home and get back to the real world by the end of the Summer. Only time will tell, my plans seem to change on a daily basis, as anyone wo has been backpacking will tell you.
Although it is not entirely to do with me, I wanted to share a little something because I think it's both interesting and very cool. I have kept in touch with my old housemate and parner in comedy crime from Melbourne, Dil, and have discovered that while he has only been doing comedy for a year and a half-ish, he has recently progressed leaps and bounds with his comedy. He has had his first spot as an MC at the Blah Blah Comedy Club in Melbourne, is doing a show at the Melbourne Fringe Festival, and (most impressively) is soon to be doing his first invitational gig in Canberra, a place so boring I had no idea laughter had been discovered there. I'm pretty sure that most of the time, the only entertainment available to the people of Canberra is to either visit an elderly relative in a care home (which is as exciting as being at a theme park if you're from Canberra) or standing on the street and counting the amount of tourists that drive through Canberra and decide it's too boring to spend one night.
I'm totally aware that none of that had anything to do with me but he told me about it via a Facebook message which contained some lovely things about yours truly so I thought I would embarrass him by posting it on the World Wide Web, so here it is:
"Lover boy, just a quick story coz I know ure one of the people that will genuinely be happy about this without resentment. I got offered a to do a spot in canberra, where they drive u there and back, provide accommodation and also pay for a bit of booze. Maaaan I can't tell u how pumped I am about this.
I'm not telling you this just to brag...well of course there is a little bit of that hahaha. But honestly I just wanted you to keep gigging and keep at it. U already hav the ability of knowing when something is funny and also how to make it sound funny when telling a group of unknown. So don't let that gift go to waste. Please keep at it.
Also, you're a faggott. Go fuck yourself.
Love always,
Dil"
How nice is that? I am both very happy for him and very jealous of him in equal measures. Also I just wanted to prove to the world that I know him just in case he becomes massively famous.
I think that's about it for now. It's very frustrating for me that I don't have more to say, but until I stay in one spot for a while I won't be gigging. Hopefully within the next month I will have another job and be on the road to comedy success again.
I'll keep you posted in the meantime.
Hugs and Kisses
Sean
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