Today, I am sitting here with a friend of mine,
Jen Richardson, who is a comedian in the Windsor
-Essex County area, and she is one f - Funny
lady. Hi, Jen. Hi. I'm so excited that you're
here. Thank you. Me too. Me too. I found her
on Instagram and she's at Jen Jokes Too Much
and you can find all of her shows in, I mean,
you're hilarious. Thank you. What made you get
into comedy? Oh, gosh. Well, I had a humor blog
for, an observational humor blog for like 10
years. It just started because someone came up
to me at work and was like, Jen, your stories
are ridiculous. You need to start writing them
down. Like, just like me being me. Because one
time I called a restaurant to grill them about
their butter chicken poutine, because that was
like poutine and butter chicken together. How?
It was glorious and then so I started it at the
time it was called generally speaking about nine
months later I changed it to Jen talks too much
and it was just like I was single at the time
when I started it so it was like dating in the
city kind of but like not cool like Sarah Jessica
Parker it was more like like me being awkward
and weird and then It did well. I had about 30
,000 returning readers and it was it was really
fun and then I was watching Comedians in Cars
getting coffee. Favorite show ever. It's so good.
It's so good. And then Jerry was talking to,
I believe it was Louis C .K. I get another favorite
of mine. Yeah. Well, and during my podcast too,
I would interview comedians. So I interviewed
Josh Gondelman. I interviewed Carol Leifer from
Seinfeld. I interviewed, did I say Tom Cotter?
He won America's Got Talent one year or was second
or something like that. And so like, I really
loved comedy. And so I was watching it and Jerry
asked Louis who his favorite comedian was. And
Louis said, some columnist. And I believe it
might not have been Louie because it's been a
long time since that moment because it was 2014.
And then I enrolled in the Second City stand
-up class and so that's how I got into stand
-up. And before that I had taken three Second
City sketch writing courses but never, I never
pictured myself. Even though I always wanted
to be a performer. I always but I never had the
courage to actually do it So that was dear. I
was like I want Jerry to be my friend one day
Well, I kind of want to be better friends with
you finding out. Well, I knew about your podcast
I haven't had a chance to listen to it but I
literally just hit as I'm I'm following it now
on Apple and it's called moms are not funny podcast
and Now that I know that you have all these famous
people is like, how did you find them? I've always
been good at finding people that I want to talk
to. And so eventually I ended up in my, I was
in advertising for 10 years, and then I ended
up being a headhunter for a while. I figured
out how to get people's contact information.
Like I was emailing with Judd Apatow's management
team for a while to try and get him on, and they're
like. Email us back in a month and blah, blah,
blah. It was so close in my mind. I'm sure it
was always a no, but I've just been really good
at finding the right people to talk to. That's
what I do for my job that pays me. You're one
degree of separation from Judd Apatow. I mean,
come on, you're talking to people he knows. It's
like, wow. Yeah. Well, I mean, they wouldn't
remember. This was 10 years ago. No, I know.
But you got to talk to people that knew him as,
ugh. Yeah. Have you thought of bringing the blog
and the podcast back? Sometimes. It's just my
full -time job keeps me very, very busy. And
I really like my full -time job. Maybe at some
point when I have, if I ever have more time,
like I would... just do creative things all day.
I would dance, I would paint, I would write,
I would speak, I would perform. enough money
to do. Like, that's how I would fill my day.
I would build a dance studio in my basement.
She actually has posted some videos of just rented
out space and dance. Yeah. I like that. It was
just, who cares? Yeah. I've always used dance
as a form, and I didn't realize it, but as a
form of therapy. So if I'm really sad, like,
I will dance and cry around my living room. If
I'm really... Happy like I if I hear music anywhere.
I can't stop moving when I hurt my hip in January
It was really painful for me because music is
played everywhere and I can't I don't even I
just start moving and I'm like I felt like it
was terrible I felt like a grandma like not that
there's anything wrong with grandma's but like
I felt like one who hasn't stretched in 90 years
Yeah, I'm one of them I used to dance and now
it's like oh I get up and to go to the bathroom.
I'm like doing the 90 -year -old walk? Well,
I'm actually kind of glad I hurt my hip, because
I hurt it just taking my daughter skating, and
I really injured it. I'm too young to hurt my
hip in a fall. Now I'm stretching more often,
and soon I'm planning on, like, working out or
something. Exercising in some way. But I've started
with stretching, which is a big... Big win for
this girl. Yeah, I have to bring down. I have
a roaring machine upstairs that I got on Amazon
and I was using it quite often until we got the
puppy and I realized she was going to eat me.
Yeah, that's why I dance too. I mean, dance is
one of the best exercises because if you do it...
Like you can move every single body, like body
part and every muscle. Well, and that's why I
didn't mind doing, using the rowing machine.
I would watch TV and it wasn't horribly loud.
I would actually forget that I had been doing
it for like almost an hour. I was like, okay,
you got to stop. My phone is buzzing. I'm very
embarrassed. I'm going to, sorry about that.
I'm just going to put it on. Do not disturb.
I just threw it in my head. I'm like, they're
going to hear it. How many female comedians are
there in Windsor? Oh, that's not a fair question.
There's not a lot, is there? No. There's two
of us that are the most active, I would say.
There are some really, really, really funny women
that just are too busy to do comedy more than
they do. Well, that's what I mean, like, because
there's a bunch of you guys that do the stand
-up comedy all the time. and most of them are
men, the occasional time in the summertime, and
I know they must have kids because I only see
them in the summertime, are a few women. Yeah.
It is unfortunate that there isn't more women
because comedy is very male -dominated and it
can be pretty intimidating, but there's been
some women who have come in and out and hopefully
there'll be more because, well, I mean, there's
a new comedian in town named Tracy. Just once.
She did so great. You know, it's like the more
there are of us, the better, because then, like,
our point, our perspective is important. Our
point of view is important. Like, women are funny,
and people who don't find women funny are idiots.
Well, I'm not going to turn this into about me,
but the one night, which was last Tuesday night,
that I did the six -minute stand -up I know a
lot of those comedians from going to the various
shows like Dre, Sky, the whole group, Paul. And
I find I was nervous as hell when I saw them.
Well, thank God Dre and Sky weren't there. But
when I saw the other guys that I know walking
in, but everybody All the guys are so supportive
and very protective of the women. I find, at
least in that group that I know... The comedians
that were there, absolutely. They are very, very
protective of the women, which is great because
that is really hard. There's a lot of people
in the comedy scene who are very... They just
want it to be fun and inclusive and... welcoming
and because funny is funny and people should
feel comfortable and happy and if you're doing
comedy you should be having fun while doing it
and you know comedy like there's a lot of personalities
and a lot of egos and a lot of different things
and like we're we're all neurotic that's why
we do stand up and sometimes our emotions get
the most of us and so it's just been everybody's
kind of been trying to center themselves again
and trying to get back to a place where it's
like a warm and welcoming environment for people
to come and try comedy. How Isaac introduced
you he's like everyone applaud like you're at
the Apollo like let's get it going and then forcing
them that Everybody applaud at the end. Well,
they didn't force to applaud you know, he's like
you do it Yeah, he's like you make sure that
you're you're clapping for every he did it for
every single person that was leaving because
people they get into drinking or go to the bathroom
and they just whatever and yeah And you did so
great. You did so great. I forgot everything.
I forget everything all the time. It was a lot
of fun and it's very addicting and I want to
do it more. Do it. And I will. I will for sure.
Right now it's just... taking the improv classes
for the next month because we're going to be
doing a show on the 25th. Yeah. So I want to
make sure that that's really good because I love
improv too. I want to figure out a way to combine
them both. Yeah. And my teacher, she does it
really well of combining both stand up and or
one woman show and improv. Yeah. Jacob Russell
at the Independent in Hamtramck. So just outside
of Detroit, he runs an improv show. where I believe
this is, I believe stand up comedians go up,
they do stand up and then improvisers go and
improvise their material after. And it's supposed
to, like I hear it's awesome and so fun. You
should check it out next time. I'll send you.
It's Jacob Russell and I'll send you his Instagram.
That would be fun to go see. I know Christina
used to, she trained at Second City in Novi and
then they closed down but there was another place
that opened up and they have open mic nights
as well and we keep talking about going but you
know life, we're all busy. I have no time. I
know. I went out two nights this weekend and
I couldn't get out of bed this morning. It was...
felt sick tired like I was like I'm like I can't
do this and like what I did is like I did stand
up on Friday at Lion's Head Dave show it was
really good Dave's putting on a really good show
he had really great comedians I know squeaky
wheels is yes and he's so supportive and encouraging
and he's he's a really great guy and he's very
funny too and the lion's head there They are
enjoying it, there was a decent crowd, and it's
just gonna get better and better the more times,
because Squeaky had to take several months off
because he injured himself, and so it's good
to be back, and I grew up in Riverside, so it
was fun. Oh yeah. I'm finding, like, I knew about...
stand up because you had reached out to me I
think last year on Instagram and so did Paul
who runs Windsor Comedy Club and Dre and I've
gone to a few of Dre shows and it just worked
out that I was never able to go see you or Paul's
show just timing and but to find the improv and
stand up and how much is actually going on in
Windsor that people don't know about I know I
sound like a broke from record follow local on
social media You didn't still follow the stars
and famous people but follow local because there's
a lot of talent there is a lot of talent in this
town and do you know what there is an appetite
for comedy right now like the shows I am the
I took a hiatus from producing shows for about
four months. I did my first show back at Windsor
Eats at the end of February. And it was two shows,
a seven and a nine thirty. Totally packed, both
shows. And the comedians were so funny. So you
produce shows as well. What goes into that? It
depends on the venue. It depends. But so it is
finding finding the venue. figuring out what
equipment is needed for that venue. Some venues
don't have a stage, so do you bring a stage?
When Tim Rayburn, Taylor Last and I had Gangs
All Here Comedy, we had a stage that we would
bring to places. Now it's just me producing right
now, because neither of them wanted to produce
shows anymore, because it's so much work. what
equipment do you need? You need to figure out
which comics. So what type of show do you want?
Do you want it to be a showcase with short sets?
Do you want it to be a feature set where it's
just like, it's a showcase but with longer sets,
less comedians, like 15 minutes, everybody does
15. Do you want it to be like a typical show
where it's a headliner and a middle and a host?
So you figure out those details and then you're
like, okay, so who do you want on it? And then
for me, I'm like, I try to make sure that I have
a mix of women, different. Different races different
ages different every like different sexualities
like all I try to make sure it's all inclusive
all inclusive because you know It's important.
We all have different voices We all have different
perspectives and so like that's a priority for
me When I when I book shows and sometimes it
doesn't necessarily work out where I can whatever
but it's always a goal when I first start out
planning And then so making sure that it works
for them figuring out Oh, I also have to start,
you have to start with a budget because otherwise
you don't want to go broke. Comedians broke?
I know. You know, you have to make the poster.
You have to post it on all of the different sites
across the city. You have to figure out how much
you want to spend for advertising and start your
ads. You have to... Sometimes I send out press
releases. Sometimes I print posters in the night.
I go, and it's called barking in comedy, where
you go out and you pass out flyers. It's called
barking. So I go out and I bark sometimes. And
then it's just monitoring, making sure everything's
going, and then you set it up. And then you make
sure everybody's there on time. You check in
tickets. You do all sorts of things. Oh my goodness,
that's a lot of work. It is, but it's fun. The
end result is so gratifying. Yeah, it's really
fun. Now, do people that know you just expect
you to always be funny? People who kind of know
me would describe me as like, oh, this is the
funniest girl that I've ever met, or this, like
my whole life. But like my good friends would
say I'm the funny one. But I also have always
been drawn to very funny people. And like, I'm
not the funniest one out of my friends, but I'm
the one with no shame. Same here. You can't have
shame when you are funny or old. As you get older,
you lose your shame anyways. If you don't like
me, you don't like me. I don't care. I do care.
It pains me inside. But I also am not going to
stop being myself just because you don't like
it. I'm done with that. I'm done with pretending
to be someone I'm not. Do you write a lot of
your jokes before you go up or do you do spur
of the moment? I write my jokes. I'm not like
a disciplined writer. Like I don't sit, oh I'm
gonna sit down and I'm gonna write for 30 minutes.
If I say something, if I have a funny thought,
I write it down. If I am in a conversation and
then I said something that was funny, like I
write it down. And I will sit there and I'll
work out the joke and try and figure out what's
funny about it. Sometimes I just have an idea
where it's just an insider. Recently, my daughter
did something so disgusting. But then I thought
about this time, I saw a little girl come out
of the bathroom, lick all of her fingers like
Curly Sue. And then wash her hands. You know,
I was like, and I wrote it down. It's not a joke
yet. It's just a premise. Like, I don't know.
You're just gonna save it. Yes. And so I do,
yes. And sometimes I do things on the fly, on
stage, but I'm also not a crowd work comic. I
find a lot of the impulsive stuff that I do,
it's because I got inspired by something that
another comedian said, like all... I don't want
to give away one of Billy Squire's jokes, but
he said something funny and then I went up and
I added to his joke. So it's that kind of stuff.
Where some people are just so naturally funny.
They can just go up and they talk to people and
they can just make their whole set crowd work.
And I'm like, I don't know how you do that. Have
you watched that show on Netflix where all he
does is crowd work? No. Oh my gosh, I don't even
remember the name of it or the comedian, but
he literally, that's all it is, is him talking
to the crowd. And that's what it was meant to
be and funny. Now, do you work the audience a
lot or? No, not really. No. I want to get better
at it because if... Like, I want to be a really
well -rounded comedian, and so, like, I have
to do it, but it's just... It hasn't been something
I've been comfortable with. I would be terrified
of that. I would probably be the one to pick
the wrong person that just wants to sit there
and watch the show and not participate, and then
I'd be stuck going, okay. But then you can just
move on or make a joke about it. You're like,
well, that's a great conversation and move to
the next. I notice crowds can be different. The
first Saturday night... At the one venue. Sidelines.
At Sidelines. That was Dre's show. Dre's show.
And it was funny, but that crowd compared to
say at Fog Heads on the Tuesday night, completely
different. And I'm sure Lion's Head was different
from that. What do you do if you're starting
to do a joke and you notice it's panning? That,
that, that, that. I do that. That's okay, you
can take a minute. So sometimes, you know, sometimes
you go and you do a joke and you think it's gonna
work because of who's in the audience, whatever.
Well, if it's worked out the last three, why
wouldn't you think the fourth would work? I mean,
but every crowd is different and then you can
like pivot to a different joke to like make a
joke about how the joke bombed. Like I've gotten
bigger laughs on pointing out how my joke bombed
than like on lots of things. The joke itself?
Yeah, like. That's great Some comedians get mad
at the audience. I always like when they don't
laugh I honestly I'm like that's funny because
like it is funny Like just sit there and think
about what I said because it was hilarious and
you're not getting it But you know and some crowds
some crowds want you to prove it to them where
some crowds go wanting to laugh. Like, and so
it just depends. And, you know, Dre's show was
a ticketed show, so people paid to be there.
So they were like, I really want to be there.
And the energy was light. Like, you walked in
and it was just a, it was a good vibe and everybody
was ready. That was actually one of the best
shows I've been to in the city. It felt like
it had like full on comedy club laughs. Like,
it was like the whole room roared. And all the
comedians did great. Like, All of them did great.
The one guy that kept engaging with all of them,
they kept asking him questions. His girlfriend
was sitting next to me and she just kept putting
her head down and putting her head down every
time he talked. That was funny, the table. Oh,
I thought you met the comedian's girlfriend.
No. Yeah, because he kept on saying things that
were, like, borderline sexist. Awkward. But,
like, I'm like, I think he's just trying to be
funny. Like, he was trying to be a comedian as
well. Mm -hmm. But she was a good sport. Oh,
she was funny. And they were there just to have
fun. Oh, that crowd was... That was a good night.
Yeah. That was really fun. It kind of... And
it was my first time performing in a month because
I took time off. Mm -hmm. And I was like, okay.
Let's do it. Let's do it. And you never would
have known. Yeah. You never would have known
that you took a month off. You were just right
there and funny. And that was the first time
I had seen your show, so it was good. Thank you.
Thank you. Yeah, comedy's the best. Now, do you
find that... You know, there can be some awkward
things or really bad shitty things that'll happen
in your life that comedy and doing a stand -up
routine can be like therapeutic. Oh yeah, I process
my trauma on stage. You know, you talk about
things that are, you can talk about things that
are very personal and you can talk about things
and like just finding the humor and the pain
that you've been through and I, yeah. Comedy
doing stand -up is it's it's live therapy for
just you and like you bring the audience along
for a ride Which is nice. Yeah, cuz you know
at least one person in that audience is going
through pretty much the same thing like life's
hard Now you have a kid. Yes a daughter. Yes.
Does she know that you do? Yes. Yes. She think
of it Well, obviously she hasn't come to the
bars to see it. Yes. No. No, I swear too much
and I call her bad words in one joke. I love
her very much. But it's very funny. She said
my ass was fat, like... Sorry. Hey! That was
the one joke that I remembered when I was on
stage. It was the fact that my kid's fiancé called
me old. And there's just something... You've
got to bring the kids along. Why is your neck
starting to look like a vagina? Like, go fuck
yourself. Thanks a lot. You're in here now, but
I'm gonna add that to my joke. That's funny But
does she think it's cool yeah, yes Yes, she uh
She likes the thought and she's like, so are
you gonna be famous and I'm like, well, I hope
so And she's like me too But then she the other
day was like I want to be the first one to be
a star in this family And I was like well You
better move your ass then. Get going, figure
something out. Now, what is she good at that's
gonna make her famous before you? Oh, she's a
little actress, actually. She's very expressive.
She did a play. She went to the... Persian Center
of the Performing Arts, they have a day camp,
which is amazing. It's run by Maryam, I forget
her last name. And they did put on a little play
and she was like one of the stars in it. And
she also does dance at industry. She also does
singing lessons at Brava Academy. Oh my goodness.
And piano. And she has the voice of a little
angel. But she's also really good at math because
she's just like me. So she's got it all going
on. She's gorgeous and biased, but it's also
objective. That's cool. Oh, she might be famous
before you. Yeah. That's cool. Because I'm probably
not going to be famous. I am going to be famous.
I'm manifesting it. Yes. This is it. OK, she
says she's not going to be famous, but on the
comedy scene in Windsor, you are. And you're
going to be performing in Toronto coming up?
May 23rd at Backroom Comedy Club. Out of Windsor,
you've performed in the States and Toronto before?
Yeah. Anywhere else? Yeah, um, nope. Just, well,
Chatham one time. Mm -hmm. But I've performed
at a few clubs in Toronto. I perform in Detroit
and Michigan. I perform all over Windsor. Like,
in 20, like for, in 10 months, myself and Tim
Rayburn and Taylor Last, we put on 55 shows in
a year. That's all which is why I took time off
and I haven't been around as much because oh,
yeah between that and full -time job and being
a mother Yeah, no, it just makes me tired thinking
about it. Oh my goodness. I have panic attacks
not anymore though, maybe Now you go up there
and just make them laugh. Yeah, have you ever
had that person? That's just walked up to you
and said Okay, you're a comedian. Tell me a joke.
Oh, all the time. Like, as soon as someone finds
out you're a comedian, tell me a joke. It happens
at customs a lot. If someone asks me to, like,
say a joke, that's the only time I can't think
of one. Because most of my jokes are dirty, too,
and I'm not gonna just say something... Not most
of my jokes, but I'd say, like, 60%, which I
guess is most. Well, stand -up usually are. You
know, that's your place where you can go and...
Let loose. In Windsor -Essex, actually anywhere.
Is it pretty open concept that you guys can joke
about anything or is there still taboo stuff
that you shouldn't touch? Because watching you
guys, it just seems that anything goes. I am
a firm believer that anything can be funny. But
how you do it may not be funny. But you can find
humor in anything. I think some people use certain
subjects as a crutch, and then it's not really
funny, but they're trying to find the shock value
funny. I don't know, I think anything can be
funny. I just think you have to be smart enough
and funny enough to do it right. That's hard
though, isn't it? Because I know there's a few
things that I've thought of that it's like, okay,
if I was to walk out and start talking about
this, people would... Cringe and go. Oh my god.
I can't believe they're talking about it, but
I know there's something funny There's a nugget
of fun in trying to figure out how to pull that
out. Yeah that people aren't Hating on you. Yeah,
like kudos to you guys for being able to do that
Well, I'm sure people hate on us and like you
watch people get offended by some of the things
that they say or I say I I didn't see too many
but I mean Even the ones that Dre and Skye have
done that I've seen, and I don't see too many
people that are, they're more like, but I miss
our old comedy clubs. We need to have them back.
Yeah, well, I know like, Craft Heads is working
on getting the comedy club ready. They're waiting
on permits and other things. I don't actually
have any of the details, but it's not ready yet,
but that will happen. the independent comedy
scene too in the town. Dave puts on shows, Curtis
Coleman puts on shows, Windsor Laughs puts on
shows everywhere as well run by CJ Irwin. I put
on shows, who am I missing? Dre. If I missed
you, I'm sorry, but like there's no finding them
Yeah, there's independent shows and like we all
work with amazing comedians. We all put on great
shows and so it's it's really fun like there's
It's really exciting right now. Like people are
just because everything's so chaotic in the world
right now people are just I need to laugh and
so they're coming out and they're laughing and
Every time we perform we're getting a little
bit better. Right and so And we've all, like
last year, like everybody leveled up a lot because
we had a weekly mic fog, or Windsor Comedy Club
had a weekly mic, then they also had mics after
all the pro shows. So people were just getting
stage time, stage time, stage time, as well as
performing in the States because the Detroit
House of Comedy has a mic you can apply for.
The Indie used to have a show up, go up on Thursday
nights. They also have... mics after their shows
and then there's other things that you can get
booked on like in Ann Arbor and like The Blind
Pig and there's just there's so much talent and
it's really it's really fun. Well I mean I remember
gosh in my 19... You know, my 20s, we had Yuck
Yucks, we had Leo Dufour's Comedy Club, we had
Comedy Club, so it was just strictly that. And
I miss that. I like going around to the different
places and seeing them, but I miss one that's
just, whatever night you wanna go, there's gonna
be something. I think you should do that. Well,
I have a full -time job, and I... have a mortgage
and two cars. Okay. Never mind. And an eight
-year -old and a cat. Okay. And a lot of debt,
you know. Okay, lottery it is then. Yes, yes.
Lottery and like a secret long -lost uncle who
I was his favorite and everybody forgot about
and he's just gonna leave me. Hey, I have two
dads. I'm just waiting for them now. so I can
go and fight the wills because they don't talk
to me. So that's where I'm going to win all my
money. And then we'll do that. When is your next
show? That's going to be at Windsor Eats? Yes,
on April 26th at Windsor Eats. There's two shows.
There are nine comedians per show, plus me. The
one show's at $7 and then the second show is
at $9 .30. It's $15 for one show, but if you
go to both, it's... It's only 20, so it's just
five more dollars. And it's at Windsor Eats,
which is the coolest venue in town. And you can
get food from the food trucks, you can get margaritas,
and the decor and the vibe and the shows there
are so fun. And working with Adriano and Peanut,
they're just so great to work with. My favorite
place ever. I know, I know. I'm really lucky
that we established that partnership last year
because the shows we've put on there have been
some of I'm some of the best in the city. Sorry,
everyone, but it's true. It's true. I mean, the
vibe at Windsor Eats is, you just, it's there.
And yeah, I don't care. I am biased. I love the
place. The margaritas, I'm addicted to them and
they're wonderful. And then you're going out
to Toronto and is there anything else or is?
Yeah, I mean, I have a show. There's a producer
and comedian in the States. I'm going to be doing
a show on May. 5th or May 1st at Supernatural
Brewing Company in a town. I will have all of
the information for her upcoming shows as well
as the contact information in the description
of the podcast and on my social media. Well,
and the show that we're doing in Toronto, I'm
bringing, so I'm bringing up Patty Rooney, who
is a Detroit comedian, who is one of my absolute
favorite people in the whole world. She is so
funny and so kind and I'm so blessed to have
her in my life. And then we're bringing up...
Johanna Medranda, who is one of the producers
at The Independent, who also is a producer for
Don't Tell Detroit, and she is a phenomenal comedian.
I'm also bringing Jacob Russell, who produces
shows all throughout Detroit, and he is so funny.
And then we did this Windsor Detroit Showcase
in the summer at Backroom Comedy Club in Toronto,
and I brought... Tim Rayburn with me at the time
and they asked for him to headline so he's going
to be headlining the show when we go and then
we're gonna stay for the weekend and I'm just
looking I'm reaching out to different producers
to be like can who like can we find different
shows all weekend so we can just pop up and do
the Toronto scene while we're there. I know we're
supposed to be going at to Belleville in May
or June, so I'm really hoping we're going to
be in that area during that time, because that'll
be a blast. Well, and Backroom Comedy Club, it's
such a cool little comedy club, and one of the
owners, he was my first friend I ever made in
comedy at a Second City course, in 2011 or 2012
or something like that. Now, do they still offer
Second City courses in Toronto? Oh yeah, I think,
yes. I'd have to Google, I assume. Now, if somebody
wanted to get into comedy, what would you suggest?
You know, write your jokes, get to the funny,
and just go to an open mic and try it. Or take
a stand -up course. Like, I think you can do
them online possibly now, too. I'm doing a Zoom
one. I've been doing it... Since January it's
three different sessions with a comedian in Toronto,
but that's to learn how to write for a one -person
show Different than stand -up. Yeah, you have
to break that down for stand -up Yeah, but like
you're never They just get on the stage like
the hardest part is just taking those first few
steps onto the stage once you're there like at
least for me Once you're there. It's it's worth
it's It's the best high, honestly. You ride that
high for days after. Some comedians take bombing
really hard. I don't, it does hurt, but I'm never
gonna be like, I'm gonna quit comedy because
of it. Bombing just makes it better for the next
time, because I don't wanna feel that again.
Just do it, just go, hit up. If you think you're
funny and you have that itch for the stage, just
write your jokes down. Try it and just get up
there. It's true that high. I was just like pat
myself for a couple of days. But the funny thing
is, is in your right, as soon as you get that
first laugh and mine was going up there going,
I promise I'm going to try not to vomit. Can't
guarantee it. And people started laughing at
it. And it's like, yeah, but then I don't remember.
But I was taking pictures instead that's okay
because I know it was nothing great But it was
it was relieving to to hear somebody laugh Yeah,
you got laughs and like it was there was mostly
comedians in the room. They that's nerve -racking
But that's why I say the comedians and Windsor
even the ones that I didn't know and I met that
night Are all so supportive and so nice very
very nice. Yes the the young group of comedians
that are coming out to you like they're really
supportive and encouraging and very funny like
very funny and getting funny very fast like getting
good very fast yeah you definitely have to if
you're in the Windsor Essex County area Toronto
wherever find where comedy is playing and get
out there support the comedians because I really
think in the world that we're in today in Canada
or the United States We need to laugh. Yeah,
oh my god, yeah. It's a necessity because the
grey hairs, it's just costing way too much money
to keep covering them up by being stressed out.
Or just keep your hair blonde and then when your
greys come in they just blend in like highlights.
I would love that but unfortunately my hair is
shit brown and that's just all it is. Mine is
ash blonde. As my hairdresser used to say, it's
the perfect colour for highlights. Nice. Mine
is like I said shit brown but in the grays coming
in and I'm not going to have the nice gray or
the silver the white hair that I don't like pubes
that are wiry like I have the old man salt and
pepper old man salt and pepper that's coming
through I have more gray eyelashes and nose hairs
than what I do in my hair the eyebrows and they're
growing like old man and they just appear out
of nowhere and then like Yeah. I've been there
a long time. You no longer pluck underneath,
you pluck the long ones out of it and then you
have to sit there and colour them in. Yeah. It's
wild. It's wild. So did you do anything before
you performed? How did you get in the zone? I
went I always go early to my improv class because
it's in a sketch part of downtown and I want
to make sure that I could park right next to
the door and I was talking to my improv coach
and told her the funny thing that I saw going
there and I said you know I said they're having
open mic night and I'm just itching and she's
like don't bother coming to class tonight this
is what we're doing just go get it done stop
walking around with your books, just go and figure
it out and have fun. And so it was her. And then
as the students were coming in, they were saying
the same thing. So then I just went and had a
beer, had a cider, and just said, oh God, I didn't
tell anybody. Nobody knew. Nobody knew except
for her. Well, it was awesome. At one point though,
I had to get up from my seat because... and go
because I have a routine, because they put me
up right after you. And before I go on stage,
I have to stand like Superman. I like stand like
Superman. I got it from Grey's Anatomy, because
one of the surgeons, before she does surgery,
she stands like Superman and gets into the zone.
And then I also make myself really big, as big
as I can. And then I bend and I shake and I whatever.
And then as I do it, I say things that a psychic
told me to tell myself. Oh my goodness. Which
is that I'm just as funny and just as talented
as anyone else. And so I do that before every
single time I get on stage. and so I felt so
bad because I had to get up while you were up
and it was your first time but I didn't even
notice. I need 20 seconds just to like do it
so that way I can because what the times I don't
do that before you can always tell like I don't
perform the way I want to. You need to do your
thing. Yeah and it's ridiculous that a psychic
told me that I see way too many psychics. No,
I actually didn't even notice you getting up.
I just, out of the side of my eye, happened to
see the red light go on. But I had been watching
Mrs. Maisel that morning and I was trying so
hard not to end it with, and I'm Mrs. Maisel.
Thank you. Good night. I'm like, you can't do
that. It was just weird. I appreciate you and
all the support and how funny you are. Thank
you. And everything that you're doing for women
and men in the comedy scene in Windsor and helping
everybody get a place to have their voice heard.
Thank you. I love what you're doing and you're
supporting local artists and local creatives
and putting a focus on the talent. that's in
Windsor or even local businesses and all of that.
I think it's important because Windsor is such
an undervalued city. It is. And yet, that always
worked in our favour in the sense that it kept
people out. But now people came and it's expensive.
But too many people talk terribly about this
town. And I believe Windsor's a wonderful place.
I believe it has all of the best things. We're
a small city. with a very much small town vibe,
but we have amazing restaurants. We're pretty
much a suburb of Detroit, so we have access to
all the major things, and it's another country,
another culture. Even though it's just a small
little river, it's wildly different, and yet
the connection between the two cities is so warm
and welcoming, and to have people promote it
and just be like, no, it's awesome here. You're
missing out on the greatness. It's important
what you're doing. Like Windsor, I agree with
you 100%. Growing up, even when my mom was growing
up, Windsor had a lot of stuff going on. And
I was growing up Windsor had tons going on. And
then I think we got a little too complacent,
a little too lazy. And I'm seeing us. figuring
things out again and we're up and coming and
we need to let people know that we're not the
armpit of Ontario anymore. If anything, we're
the butthole or the penis tip. All the fun's
coming out here. I'm going to end it on that
note right now. Thank you so much for putting
Windsor into such wonderful perspective. Definitely
come down here. And again, my name is Tracy Martens.
I want to thank you for joining me for another
episode of YQGM Bloom. You guys all have a good
day and make sure to laugh.