Open Mic

About six months ago I started listening to podcasts. They’re great! Kind of like super specific online radio shows, except with bad words. Finding a few I liked, I dove into their back catalogues like a dog chasing a gopher down its hole.

During an episode of the widely popular Nerdist podcast, comedian Mike Birbiglia discussed his process for writing jokes.

Intrigued, I thought to myself “Self, you’re pretty funny. You have a blog that more then five people read. Maybe you should try writing some jokes.”

To which I responded, “Capitol plan old chum, you always have the most splendid ideas.” (Half of my inner dialogue is in posh English.)

So I sat down at my desk and wrote some stuff down, then audibly, and to absolutely no one, exclaimed. “Shit. Now I’m going to have to perform these, aren’t I.”

I put it off for a couple of weeks, but eventually I went online and found a number of Open Mics in Colorado Springs. (No! I’ve revealed my location! Now hordes of screaming blog fans will decent on the city to harass me!)

I won’t bore you with details of how well my first few sets went. (Not great) What I will do is tell you about this weird, amazing world I discovered.

The open Mic community is a strange one. It’s fluid, ever changing and always unpredictable. I’ve seen singers go up on stage, destroy, then never come back. I’ve seen good ol’ boys with a bluegrass band take the stage after a drag-burlesque show; and I’ve seen comics (usually me) bring the house down with a joke one week, only to have it fall flat the next.

(I added this picture so you'd know I'm not full of shit)

What’s stuck out to me the most over the past few months, though, is the sheer acceptance that resonates from this bizarre, quasi-community. Whatever your level of talent or experience, you can get up on the stage, swing for the fences and nobody will laugh at you… unless, you know, you want them too. I’ve heard this isn’t the case everywhere, but here in the Springs, we seem to have a decent scene going.

 So, I guess what I’m saying is, give it a try! If you play jazz trombone, jazz out. If you can belly dance, belly dance (Please!) If you have a funny story about your 3rd grade teacher, get out there and have some fun! We won’t laugh at you we promise… unless you want us to.