50 First Hours
50
So that’s the goal. Do 50 headlining sets. I’ll consider anything over 30 minutes headlining, shared bill or otherwise. The goal is to then record an album, because I love comedy, I am a comedian, and I believe my jokes deserve a more appropriate send off than as a wet fart at an open mic.
50 is a bit of an arbitrary number, but it’s a number that I think will allow for a lot of growth and discovery and fluidity and adjustments and crystallization. I would love to have a date or a time or a place to work towards for an album, but I don’t have that as of now. I’d like to get a recording done by the end of the year, and I think that’s doable. But we’ll see.
What I do have is an hours’ worth of jokes (at least) that have taken an album shape in my mind, and twelve years of experience performing across the globe. I’ve performed in festivals, in bars, in clubs, in subway cars, on beaches, on my knees, in front of nobody, in front of everybody, in front of my cats. Not the most, but definitely not the least.
I’m in no big hurry, but I’m not waiting. I don’t have the luxury of being in a market with lots of opportunities or whatever. Heck, any one of us could keel over tomorrow. And I’d rather be working towards something I care about if it happens.
Since moving to my hometown, winning the Laff Off, helping to create professional rooms in Eugene, and getting up and performing as often as I could, I’ve done all I could to continue to contribute to the comedy communities I’m a part of, and to improve as a comedian, writer, and performer, amidst constant personal and global chaos.
So now I have to sell. I have to sell other people on the idea of hiring me to do headlining sets of comedy. And I’ve never loved selling myself, but that’s what I have to do. I applied to 120 jobs after returning to the States before I finally got one, and I see this as not much different. Comedy prepares you to fail, and if you can do so while still getting back up on that horse-bike, well I think there’s something to be said for that.
Why should people hire me? Because I’m funny. Because I love comedy. Because if you give me a shot and it doesn’t work out, there’s no skin off your back. But it will work out. Weird shit might happen, but I can guarantee you that I’ll do what I say I’ll do, and that both me and the audience who are there for comedy will have a good time. Or at least a decent one.
And who wouldn’t want to be a part of a person pursuing their fucking dream, you know? I’m going to record my first album, it’s gonna be dope, and you’re gonna be a part of it. How cool is that? Someday, you’ll be able to be like, “Damn. Rudy sucked in 2022. I’m so glad it’s 2039 and he doesn’t suck like he did back then. Glad I helped him suck less.” Or something like that.
Anyways, part of the point is, I’m gonna be reaching out to people for bookings and shows in Oregon, the PNW, and wherever else I might be able to find a few stages that will host my antics. I’ve already booked two headlining shows, in Eugene, this summer. And while that’s just two shows, in the town where I live, put on by fellow comedians, it’s a start.
And while it’s the people who see me perform everyday who are putting on these shows, that means a lot to me. The comics who are around comedy all the time, putting in their time and energy as performers as well as producers, have seen me enough to believe in my ability to headline. And even if that faith in my comedy doesn’t at this point extend far beyond the outskirts of Eugene, it will. That’s my job now. Get booked out of town, show that I can bring it. And bring it. Because I can. I have. Just haven’t done it in the States as a headliner that much.
I want people to come out to comedy shows, be it 5 or 105, who are willing to share in vulnerability. I’m whatever kind of comic and person I am, and it’s not for everybody, but it’s honest, it’s silly, it’s loving, it’s bullshit, it’s whatever. It’s fun. Come out and share.
Anyways, enough with the navel gazing, but it is my blog, isn’t it? I can gaze at all the navels I want. I want to make an entry about every one of the 50 sets. We’ll see how that goes.
If you’re booking shows, chances are you’ll be hearing from me if you haven’t already. If you read this, cool! If you’re not, why am I talking to you?!
Either way, hope you’re doing well. Drink some water. See you out there.
