Leveling Up

Just came out of a really tough comedy slump. I was actually talking with a comedian friend of mine who compared comedy slumps to playing City of Heroes. When you start off, you know you're terrible. But as you progress a couple levels, you can wipe the floor with the baddies in your general area, making you think your pool has no deep end.

And then you get into a bigger, badder area and, suddenly, everything falls out from under you and you realize that, not only has this metaphor fallen apart, but also how bad a comedian you really are. And, as in City of Heroes, when you fail - lets say 'die' since you actually do that in the game and it's a term we're fond of using as comedians - you feel like you've been set back.

I had three or four bad sets littered throughout a couple which, while not terrible, were far from the fantastic ones I'd been delivering just a few weeks ago. So, I felt like I was treading water and I became super sensitive and bitchy.

Now, however, I think I'm pulling myself out of the muck. I wrote a couple new jokes and rewrote a few old ones, added them into my routine, and I'm generally back on track.

How back on track? I did a set on Tuesday pretty late. It was a super late show and I went up close to the end. Tired audience, fine, whatever. I did my stuff, did some great crowd work, and I had a blast. Good audience in general, and when I got off, I felt good. So, I walk by this little James Blunt (a cockney rhyme I learned from some British audience members I met the other day) who said, "You suck!"

Now, usually this is the type of thing that will take me down and make me its bitch. I'm susceptible to criticism and hearing this wasn't the best of things. Yet, at the same time, my main response was, "Really? I thought it was okay." If I'd have said, "Fuck you," or "screw you," or some attempt at something witty, I'd have been basically admitting that I agreed.

But that night? Nah. I let her have her opinion. Because, damn I looked good.