Musings on Amusing: Walk This Way

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A blogumn by Jessica Glassberg

A journey throught the struggles, insecurities and over-analyzing that make a comic funny

Last Thursday, I participated in a reasonably new, monthly tradition in Downtown LA.  So, right off the bat, you know I’m not talking about prostitution…

Although, en route to my destination, I saw a few ladies (I think they were ladies) of the night…but, this being Hollywood, I’m sure they all had hearts of gold.

I was a featured comic in the monthly DOWNTOWN COMEDY WALK LA.

Apparently, this was walk # 9, so, perhaps “new” is not the optimal word…

It was set up like an Art Walk, but, instead of sitting in a glass box commenting on how sad and closed off the world is, or displaying a blank canvas and showcasing the depths of our souls… we all did stand-up…same messages, just funnier.

The audience walked, venue-to-venue…Six locations…10 performers at each locale…all going on at once.

If people wanted to spend the evening in one place…they did, if they wanted to follow a certain comic to a second location (“Never go with a hippie to a second location” [name the quote in the comments]) they did.

I was invited to perform twice and opted to do 2 different sets…just in case someone saw me at both, I wanted to make sure to give them a whole new show…”Folks, the 8:50 show is complete different than the 9:30 show!”

So that’s how I ended up performing at 2 venues in one night…

Venue #1 was in the Downstairs Theatre of the New LATC (Los Angeles Theater Center).  The Center appeared to have previously been a bank: you entered into a huge, open marble area, and there was even a room downstairs called ‘The Vault” – yeah, all signs point to bank.

The theater felt like the coliseum in the basement of a fallout shelter (very steep seating looking down at the stage…lots of concrete).  It was a huge stage and the acoustics were great.  Which came in handy when, mid-set, I could not get the mic back in the stand and performed umm…Glassberg Comedy: Unplugged.

Venue #2 was just around the corner…an empty art gallery called “The Onion Room.”   (Which was located next door to the Chicken Room) – luckily for all involved, neither room smelled like its namesake.

The Onion had no microphone (sounds like the beginning of a poem…The Onion had no microphone and the radish felt no harmony), and everyone sat around “hootenanny style” on folding chairs…very intimate.

There was this great sense of community.  A feeling like people heard about this event and wanted to come out and experience a great evening of comedy!

And best of all…it was FREE!!!

Often times at free shows around town, people come out to support their friends, and will sit, arms crossed, with a look like, ‘Impress Me,” instead of arriving ready and, more importantly, WILLING to be entertained.

It was a real treat to perform amongst very talented comedians for an audience ready to laugh!

Everyday, my brain whirls with thoughts of self-doubt and questioning, “Am I good enough?”  but performances for such a receptive community allowed me to walk away and feel, for the moment, that I’m ‘supposed’ to be a comedian.

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Let Jessica know that she’s definitely supposed to be a comic TONIGHT. She’ll be performing at the following venue:

SHENK FLO @ ALL STAR LANES
9:00PM
4459 EAGLE ROCK BLVD.
LOS ANGELES, CA 90041
COST: FREE
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And then she’ll be in NYC:

SUNDAY SEPT. 28th
GOVERNOR’S COMEDY CLUB – NY
7:30PM
90 DIVISION AVE.
LEVITTON, NY 11756