Most likely funnier than your little brother
Welcome to a new year.
I’d like to write more this year, just so I can look a back and say I don’t remember writing that.
It’s a good year so far.
Stay tuned for more updates and email if you want to update me on what you are doing. patel.aalap at gmail .com
I’ve been away from the blog for a long time, sorry you devoted reader.
I really want to get back in the swing of it all and this is a good year for that.
I finished my 29th year of living about a week ago and now I want to focus in on some stand-up comedy goals to aim for in my 30th year. I know some of them may be a little ambitious but I like to aim high.
1. Do a feature spot on the road.
2. Get a manager.
3. Perform on Whiplash.
4. Perform a 30 minute 1 man show in NYC.
5. Win a major comedy contest.
Some non standup comedy goals
1. Weigh under 140 lbs.
2. Cook most of my own meals
3. Play 5 songs (on the guitar)
Let’s just review some highlights for this year past year
1. Performed my first long sets (20 min +)
2. Went on a mini tour in CA
3. Feature spot at a Festival
4. Handful of paid gigs (probably totaling like 300-400 dollars)
I guess that’s all for now.
Hey guys and gals, I’ve realized that one of my favorite activities is acting strange when a camera is running.
Chelsea, Matteson, and I shot a promo video for our 1 year anniversary show. Click over there to reserve tickets online.
Watch the video:
NYC: One Year Anniversary! from New Young Comedians on Vimeo.
Before I talk about the tour I want to mention the 1 year anniversary show, Wednesday June 24th, for New Young Comedians. Please check it out, the show features some of the best headliners from this past year. Free pizza for those who show up early!
So, I just got back from a week of shows in California. I did a few shows in LA, a couple in Bakersfield, one at Moorpark College, and one in San Miguel at The Ranch (a restaurant and honky-tonk).
The tour was called “Like These Guys Stand-up Comedy Tour” and also featured Matteson Perry, John Wells, and Nick Rutherford.
In between touring, Matteson and I found some time to have normal adventures in LA thanks to our tour guide Taylor, check it out (directed by Matteson):
More videos from the trip to come!
I spent Saturday afternoon chatting it up with Dave Greek, Arthur Carlson, and Kurt Vegas on their weekly podcast The Checkspot. Please give it a listen, and if you like it please subscribe to their podcast, it features a new set of funny comics each week. There’s quite a bit of adult language so if you’re are sensitive to bad words or thoughts then watch out.
Chesley Calloway was also a guest on the podcast. Check him out his weekly show at Kabin, he’s got some great comics on each week.
Click below to listen to the podcast, LANGUAGE WARNING:
I was featured on ABC local news in Philadelphia for a weight loss bet that I’m in with my brother. Check out the cameo appearance by the Beard Logo t-shirt. Watch out for the follow up in June.
Thanks to everyone for their support so far. Most of all I’d like to thank Taco Bell, without your support I never would have gotten fat enough to warrant a weight loss bet.
I’ve started keeping track of how often I perform or get on stage.
Jan – 8
Feb – 12
Mar – 7 (Projected 15- 16)
Out of 76 days in the year so far I’ve gotten on stage 27 times, which is slightly more than 1 out of 3 evenings. let’s see if I can get that up to 75%.
If i go up every day for the rest of the month that’ll bring me up to 41 out of ~90. We’ll see what happens.
My friends over at shitpitch.com found a deleted scene from watchmen. Have a listen:
This was one of my favorite shows as a kid and the theme just makes me happy. I’m going to bring back the phrase “How you living?”, I hope next time you see me you’ll respond with “What?” or “In living Color”. I prefer “What?” cause then i can repeat and we can just sing the whole song.
I normally don’t repost but this is a great article by one of the creators of The Wire, reposted from will hines:
“A depressing story from The Wire’s David Simon about how the destruction of newspapers might mean public officials get off the hook. He used to be a police reporter for The Baltimore Sun and a few weeks ago, he was so incensed about the lack of coverage of police shooting a civilian that he covered the story himself!
The most interesting part to me was his story of how when he was a reporter he used a friendship with a judge to strong-arm police representatives into giving him access to police reports — something that the law requires them to do! But when Simon reported, he needed a judge to do it. What if there’s no judge? What if the reporter isn’t around long enough to know the judge?
In the last season of The Wire, the Baltimore Sun is laying off the older reporters. And when a big story breaks, it’s one of the older reporters who has sources inside the police department. Relationships are the oil that help institutional processes run smoothly. Simon uses a phrase “institutional memory” at the end of the article, and it’s one that I like. “
“It’s horribly hard and it keeps me alive.”
This in response to his goal of creating a new hour long stand up special each and every year.
I love the honesty and sentiment of that statement.
There are many things in life that keep you from dying, or keep you from dying as quickly as you are. But only a few things, if any, keep you alive.
This guy is my absolute #1 motivation in stand up comedy.
Mark my words, he is changing the face of comedy. Every young comedians is reading this and hopefully trying to work as hard as he does.
In 20 years, scores of amazing comedians will be thanking Louis for his work and his wisdom.
Do something difficult today if you get the chance.
Swimming in an ocean of funk! (ewww)
I listenedd to a comedy interview with jerry seinfeld. He talks about going almost 18 months without a night off. That seems like madness, but it’s really just sparta.
I would say that i perform about 2-3 times a week, with 4 being the max. This includes open mics. I think I’m on the long train to failure with this approach.
If you’re reading this blog and you run a show in the tristate area go to my video page and watch the clips, and then, if you laugh a little, book me.
If you’re not someone who runs a show then keep reading. (this is a choose your own adventure blog post).
Here’s a another promise which will probably go unfulfilled, 2009 is the year to do comedy about 5 days a week.
This week I’ve got 2 open mics lined up and a show for some Brooklyn Law School students on Friday. I’m going to get out there and try to book more shows.
Aalap Patel