Is there such thing as an open mic curse? 

If not....then I created it...the last 4 open mics I went to in Los Angeles either didn't pull my name from the bucket or I performed in front of a room of 2 people, an hour and forty minutes after the open mic started.

At one open mic the idea was the booker would be there. At 12:34am (it started at 9:30pm) I hadn't been plucked from the bucket. The host said "And we're done after the guy coming to stage." It wasn't me.

I yelled out. "I can't believe I quit my job for this!" That got a laugh. 

At this point in my life...I'm just hoping God doesn't have a lotto bucket to decide heaven.   

Watch this! It's a live stream from my Facebook!

On 6/21 at 5:30pm my buddy LC posted on Facebook that Will Ferrell's production company Funny or Die was starting a live feed as a counter to the DNC sit in taking place in Congress.

​I showed up at 7:30pm. At 9:00pmish I got to perform in front of a thousand or more people through the live feed. The room, on the other hand, was down to 7-10 iPhones with people attached to them. They were about as interested as listening to me as some of my students during last block of the day. And who can blame them? I was probably the 30th comedian of the night at that point. And I'm not that good looking enough to rip one's eyes away from one's iPhone.

I did my 8 minute set and sat down. Not. One. Laugh. Just cold cold silence. It was like a Los Angeles open mic. But as I'm facing the camera I'm wondering if anyone in America cared. Then I got a bunch of texts and positive Facebook messages. Wait? What?

I checked the video and comments that were live streaming.
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In the end, I like the feedback. There are more comments, but I'll let you check out the video.

So maybe bombing isn't bombing. Maybe, like in life, when you think the world is against you, there are really supportive people just quietly approving on Facebook like the millennials we/they are.

In November of 2007 I made my TV debut. I was working on iCarly as an assistant for the executive producer and he wanted to put me on a green screen. After teaching the past five years I found out I'm part of every 14-25 year old's pop culture subconscious. Enjoy my 3 seconds of fame eating lettuce.

I saw The Conjuring 2 again. Long story. There was a girl involved. It was still great by the way.

The second viewing inspired two new perspectives on the connection between stand up comedy and horror films.

1. Both have "the turn" for effect.

In comedy the joke has to have a turn to be funny.

Example: I just flew in from the South. Boy are my arms tired.

You've all heard that one. It's not a great joke, but there's a "turn" stemming from the setup. The flying in from the south makes you think about plane trips. Then the jokester says he did it with his arms like a bird. Hence, the turn.

Horroe or does this all the time with animals, shadows, music cue. The camera or plot goes one way and then makes a turn to scare you.

We love a good turn.

​2. Heckling

Interstingly, heckling happens in both stand up and horror films.

In stand up an audience member will talk, interrupt, or trash talk the comedian. Sometime the audience member gets made fun of, told to be quiet, or asked to leave. Many times it can create a great opportunity for the comedian. And it can be really annoying.

But horror films have hecklers too. Please screaming, "Noooooo!" or awkward laughing or screaming or "Oh my god!" The Conjuring 2 offers plenty of those moments. and just like in comedy, this can be annoying as well.

I suppose my obsession with this theme of connecting the two is because they are both taboo as well. If comedy is seen as dirty and horror as evil, they both have their fans and detractors. Not the same for other film genres. Most people will see a drama, comedy, or sports film in a theater. But there are some who would see a horror film. Comedy is similar in that many would never go to s club, but would watch Jim Gaffigan on YouTube.

The main argument is that clubs have dirty comics. Well, they also have clean ones.

I suppose my real obsession in this topic is because they are both outcast art forms. And that I appreciate.