Before I go any further let me say this:

Paul Oddo is a funny comic. I've been a fan since I saw him do his first open mike 1:30 in the morning on a Laff Stop open mike. From 'Cwazy fo Swazie' to 'God Hates Superman', his observations are funny and well crafted. I am envious of his talent, and the deditcation he takes to hone his skill. I have nothing but the fiercest respect for the man. I wish him no ill will, and hope the best for him. I hope New York makes him stronger in what creative endeavor he chooses.

Reporter Dusti Rhodes is a good person. She sincerely cares about the Houston comedy scene. From what I heard, she got her friends together to help keep Rudz Comedy Werkshop going. This was back when I was pissed at another comic that ran it. She even took the effort to make sure 'Rudz Comedy Werkshop' is listed on HoustonPress.com. I am grateful for the press, her support and the plug. You know what they say; "There is no such thing as bad publicity."

When I heard from the grapevine that the Houston Press was doing an article on Houston comedy, I was excited and was looking forward to reading her article. After reading the article, my expectations were shot down quicker than Michael Richards at the Apollo open mike. Dusti, I expected better from you.

Instead of covering Houston comedy. it made most of us Houston comics look like a bunch of emo posers that cry and whine, "Oh there's no one one to watch me tell my socially conscious dick jokes!". Pardon me as I switch my iTunes to the world's smallest violins.

'Mob Rule' is fun. I am grateful Paul created it. However, I try to block out memories of the night Paul canceled 'Mob Rule' due to the lack of a noncomic audience. I find it says nothing good about Houston comics. It says, we're not real comics. I wasn't the only one who was pissed, there were about 7 or 8 of us who live outside the loop that traveled far and wide, only to be denied stagetime. Lets face it, that episode does make us look flakey. Besides if worse comes to worse, just like the many open mikes I've been to in New York City, (and everywhere else) we become our own audience.

SHAMELESS PLUG!!

By the way the next 'Mob Rule' shredder show begins next week at June 6th, 10pm at the Proletariat, bring your new jokes. I like watching my peers feed their brand new jokes into a paper shredder. (Show starts at 10. By the way, if I don't piss off too many people with this blog I'll be co-running the show.) If you haven't add http://www.myspace.com/mob_rule_wednesdays & www.myspace.com/rudzcomedywerkshop to your friends list. Tell your friends!! These are some of the best free shows you can catch in this city.

END OF SHAMELESS PLUG!!



There are better stories that reflect the real can do spirit of the Houston Comedy Scene:

Anyone remember the Ryan Thauburn Benefit show? Comics, bands and other members of the community came together on a Sunday night at Rudyards. They donated time, food, art, energy and money to help Ryan Thauburn pay his medical bills for removal of a lung tumor. That in itself was a miracle. The show went off well. Paul Oddo does deserve credit for leading that charge, and taking the burden when things went wrong. Things went wrong and the audience, they didn't know. How was that not newsworthy?

There was even a short period of time the Laff Stop's open mike was held in the 'Wet Spot' on West Gray. During that time, even while sports, and multiple tv shows were going on, comics showed up and kept on performing. There were even two times that the sound equipment couldn't get to the bar. Did comics cancel open mike? No. The show went on. The first time we did our comedy open mike 'unplugged'. The second time comics were about to go 'unplugged' at the Wet Spot, Frank Garcia brought his own mike and amp. We did the show, and it was good. Ask anyone, this city is full of more stories like this.

Other things the article forgot to mention, the other ongoing rooms like Tymes Square, the Red Cat, and the Hot Spot. There was no mention about the many Houston comics who make pilgrimage every Thursday night to Comedy Texas in Beaumont to tell five to six minutes of material.

Speaking about comic history, why was there no mention of the Hip Hop Comedy Stop, Spellbinders, and Just Joking? Here's some Houston Comedy trivia; The Improv's greenroom used to be a fallout shelter. The Improv's bar was designed by one of the artists behind the movie Alien. Don Learned and Danny Martinez are Highlanders. (Okay 2 out of three isn't so bad.)

Besides Bill Hicks and Sam Kinnison, there are many great working comics who are still alive, and proudly call Houston their comedy home. Off the top of my head, in no particular order, here's my list; Caroline Picard, Billy D. Washington, T. Sean Shannon, Slim Bloodworth, Matt Kirsch, John Wessling, Jody Ferdig, Ray Barnett, Kier Spates, Mo Amer, Peggy Gutierrez, Jeannie Terhune, Danny Martinez, Terry Grossman, Joanie Coyote, Ezra, Tom Webb, Paul Pappas, Ryan Sperry, Martin Walsh, Jeff Burghart, Jack Mayberry, Olivia Arrington, Steve Moore, Pokey Simmons, Norm Mitchell, Carl Faulenberry, Dave Lawson, Alfred Rhodes, Dez, Eric B., Andy Huggins, Eric Dieckman, Dwight Slade, David Raybon, Shayla Rivera, Rene Garcia, Greg Warren, Don Learned, Frank Ovelton, Tommy Drake, Shacklefoxxx, Jerry Wayne Longmire, Danny Rios, Rob Mungle, Bob Biggerstaff, Alan Adams, Joseph Hicks, Scott White, All D. Freeman, Ali, Quint Hatch, Daryl Wright, Fiya, Eddie Cruz, Jim Holder, Ron White, Touchee, Thea Vidale, Dick Williams, Ron Shock, Riley Barber and many other road comics, some of them still live here. I know I've forgotten some names. Sorry I'm no journalist. And yes Viginia I know my grammar ain't good.

Dianne Cupps, Sara Tollemache, and Kristin Lindner barely represent the majority of female comics in Houston. Why wasn't Caroline Picard, Slim Bloodworth, Olivia Arrington, Fiya, Carolyn Agnew, Nia DeBose, Marlena, Ezzie Hussein, Kiana Dancie, Jennifer Jermany, Keisha Hunt, Peggy Gutierrez, Jeannie Terhune, and Magee Miller were even interviewed. My uneducated guess on why most of the above were not interviewed, they were busy hustling, working, and not hanging out in the back of the Laff Stop open mike.

Why wasn't Houston's current funniest person Danny Rios not mentioned? Have you seen him do his act? He is consistently funny, dark, and a comedy powerhouse to be reckoned with.

What about the upcoming contest? People love contests! Houston's Funniest Person Contest, it's like American Idol, but with talent. By the way, the contest starts in June. You too can be a contestant! Sign up, and pay your fifteen dollars. I paid mine in one dollar coins, because I'm passive aggressive like that.

Here's the thing about live comedy in general, unless we die, we are never going to get the respect we deserve. Even in New York, comics really aren't that respected. I spoke to a friend of mine in Bronx, he said he was going to a comedy show. I asked which comic he was seeing. His response "Some comedian". Yeah that's respect. I've been to New York a couple of times, and hit the mikes for a week and came back to Houston grateful for the scene. Want stage time in New York? Pay 5 bucks, bring 5 people who will pay the two drink minimun and buy yourself a cold stiff drink, that will get you stagetime in some Thai restaurant in back of the Greenwich Village at 1:30 in the morning on a Wednesday night itching to go up after the goomba who spouts out late 80's material, only to be bumped off the list by Chris Rock, Dave Attell, and Lisa Lampanelli working out new stuff. A comic can go broke hitting as many mikes as you can in New York. Stage time here is free, all you have to do is show up. Don't have the gas money to travel to a mike? Make friends with other comics, save the enviorment and carpool. Mother Earth will thank you.


If you don't get any thing from this rant, please remember Houston comedy doesn't revolve around Paul Oddo, Mark Babbitt, Pete Prelli, The Laff Stop, or any one club. It begins with the comic and ends with the comics. On any given night, there are many things I can find wrong with comedy in Houston. On any given night, there are many things I find right with it. Instead of shuckin' and jivin' to the interests of some TV network executive, we can develop and find our own voice. That's worth more than all the exposure in the world.

Forget Letterman, forget Comedy Central, if you take the time to utilize all the stagetime opportunies given to you, you too can be a real stand up comic. To be a great comic, you're going to have to hit the road, and play every crap gig you can. An audience of three people that might not be listening should be given the same attention as five thousand hanging on your every word. The road is going to make you bitter, and better. I love this city.