The competition starts with 2 weeks of prelims, with 16 comics each week, then the top 5 comics advance each week. So the top 10 of 32. It was already cool enough to make be just one of the 32 comedians, they take more than 500 submissions every year! Each week there are 5 shows in 5 different venues and cities around SF. Then you move on for another week of semis, then the top 5 moves on to the final week of finals.
Im in week2 and all 16 of the comics are great. All of them are national touring comics, some of them has some serious credits, like Kevin Shea. I carpooled up to the bay with my friend AJ Finney, a comic from Kansas City. Super cool dude. First night, the shows kicked off in Sonoma State Universtiy, 600 people crowd. I really thought I had a great set, but I didn't place top 5 that night. It is tough to judge your sets sometimes in these competitions. Because even if the crowds love you, there are 3 judges in the crowd that accounts for 100% of the voting! These judges can be a school faculty, a club booker or a comic. They judge you based on delivery, material, technique, crowd response, blah blah. So that was my first night, kind of bummed! Although AJ did place 4th that night. Then controversy! Mike Stanley was annouced to have placed 1st, then when the official results came out the next morning, Mike is ranked 3rd and Stroy Moyd moved up to #1! Apparently they made a mistake counting the votes initially. Man, must have sucked for Mike, but whatever, I didn't even place that night. So screw everyone.
Other than gas, the most major expense was the hotels. Lucky AJ and I split all of that. The first night we stayed at a sweet Good Nite Inn. All the comics were all super nice to each other and we were all down for some partying and hang out. It was great. I spent some of that night hanging out, and went back on the drawing board to arrange a new set for tomorrow.
Night 2, we were at the Black Oak Casino. It was just like the boulevard of broken dreams when you walk by the slot players. I was really looking forward to play some poker and take some money from the locals, but they didn't even have real poker! The poker tables were made out of 10 touch screens so they can save money in hiring a dealer! I was disappointed. The room wasn't bad, although the crowd wasn't as good as Sonoma State. With this mediocre crowd, it really showed the difference between the sets. Everybody did great the first night, but some people really didn't have a good time the second night. I was pretty stressed because if I didn't place that night, I would have had a melt down. I changed up my set to a more witty approach. I had a great spot and good set, ended up getting second. Don Frost got first, and this dude is hilarious. He doesn't have to do anything and he can get you dying laughing.
to be continued.....
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