I’ve gained a huge amount of respect for stand-up as an art. It’s so underrated, and many people don’t give it the respect it deserves. What separates us from other artists is that to grow and get better, you have to openly and publicly fail and embarrass yourself over and over. You’d think stand-ups would have a thick skin, but they’re some of the most sensitive people I’ve met. Myself included.

Anyway, I’ve gotten a lot of shit from my friends about not updating my blog, which I’ve been incredibly lazy about. I got sick of watching myself suck on video so I stopped filming for a long time. I always hear comics say “It’s not a race. It’s a marathon.” It definitely feels like one. I’ll try to be better about doing more on my blog. Enjoy the vid!

Cameron Edmondson Standup from Jonathan Edwards on Vimeo.

Love ya lots!

Cam

With the little time I’ve been pursuing stand-up, the video below is a much more accurate look at the kind of crowds and responses you get when you’re beginning your career. I’ve had nights that are much better than this one, like my Poleng set, and I’ve also had nights that left me feeling like putting a gun to my head, like Bunjo’s. Keep in mind, I’ve been doing comedy for about 3 1/2 months. I always tell myself “This is not a sprint, it’s a marathon.”

Open mic comedy usually goes like this. A bar, restaurant or laundromat will have a designated open mic night. You either sign up in advance via email with the MC, or get there the night of, to put your name on a list with 20-30 other comics. Then you wait for anywhere from 30 minutes to 3 hours for 5 minutes of stage time. After performing for a room of skeptical audience members, who want to try comedy themselves, and other comedians, who usually never laugh, you’re done. You repeat this process as many times a week as possible and relish the opportunity when you get a real audience to test your material on. It’s a struggle, but a process that will make you tough and sharp if you can stick with it.