| StageTimeMag.com | Vol. 2 No. 1 |
Comedy news, interviews, reviews and essays
STAGE TIME | "The Comedian's Magazine"
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INSIDE THIS ISSUE FEATURES Festival Wrap Up: New York Underground Comedy Festival Hustle & Grow: STAGE TIME Celebrates 1st Anniversary Comic Resolutions 2007 Comic's Final Progress Report 2006 INTERVIEWS Brad Stine **NEW** Careers in Comedy: Ryan McCormick PR Manager COVER STORY Shang REVIEWS Angry Bob Comedy Jump Off Doug Powell Eric Schwartz James P. Connolly **NEW** Anatomy of a Joke "Racism Damnit!" Written and Performed by Shang |
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What is it that comics can do to change that?
Use their power.
Do we do that with the bottom line?
Yep. The bottom line. We don’t do it enough. We don’t join
together enough as comics to use our power to do it that way.
I tried it out in L.A. once; they wouldn’t go for it. People wanted
to work. They were taking little money.
For instance, on Mondays at the Improv is “black night” –
Mo Betta Mondays. They charge a 15-20 percent hike up on all
drinks just and they charge more for the parking just on
Monday. Now, black comics know this. But nobody says
anything. I said something and got banned. They brought me
back because I put asses in seats, because at the end of the
day, it’s about the bottom line.
The problem with New York comics is that they don’t ban
together enough; there’s too much fighting. I’ve never had a
problem with any comics – one time with Todd Lynn. That’s
because he was so – now, he’s better – but he used to be so
bitter. So now, we never get into an argument.
We went on tour together with Tony Woods…I’m more known
on the road because I had a following from BET…more of the
audience knew me. There was constant bitching and finally, we
came to an agreement: “We’re grown men. You do your thing.
And I’ll my thing.” It’s not that deep dude.
Use their power.
Do we do that with the bottom line?
Yep. The bottom line. We don’t do it enough. We don’t join
together enough as comics to use our power to do it that way.
I tried it out in L.A. once; they wouldn’t go for it. People wanted
to work. They were taking little money.
For instance, on Mondays at the Improv is “black night” –
Mo Betta Mondays. They charge a 15-20 percent hike up on all
drinks just and they charge more for the parking just on
Monday. Now, black comics know this. But nobody says
anything. I said something and got banned. They brought me
back because I put asses in seats, because at the end of the
day, it’s about the bottom line.
The problem with New York comics is that they don’t ban
together enough; there’s too much fighting. I’ve never had a
problem with any comics – one time with Todd Lynn. That’s
because he was so – now, he’s better – but he used to be so
bitter. So now, we never get into an argument.
We went on tour together with Tony Woods…I’m more known
on the road because I had a following from BET…more of the
audience knew me. There was constant bitching and finally, we
came to an agreement: “We’re grown men. You do your thing.
And I’ll my thing.” It’s not that deep dude.
We have a bigger thing to fight. We got the Hollywood machine to fight and you’re fighting with this
dude." Think about it.
Are you going to do Def Comedy Jam again?
I probably won’t do the new season. They’re just not feeling me. I don’t know why. I’m not even caring
about Def Jam. I care about HBO specials because the last ones were garbage. There were like four of
them that did well. That’s a fact; that’s not a diss.
The guy from the Whoopi Goldberg show, [Omid Djalili] - his half-hour was absolutely hot garbage. How
dare you get a special? How dare you slight the art form? Flight of the Conchords...What’s her name? The
lady who is very cute. [Bonnie McFarlane] You weren’t ready. Patrice [O'Neal] did well; he's a great
comedian. But because he is so nonchalant, he doesn’t want to promote. How dare any comic get a HBO
special and not become a millionaire?
You’re supposed to promote yourself. If you have a special, you should be on everybody’s list, not by
chance, “I saw your special.” These guys get a Comedy Central Presents and don’t even promote them.
There’s people walking around with a Comedy Central Presents and you don’t even know they got one. It’s
like, “Oh you did one?”
Why don’t they promote their specials?
Because they don’t get it. It’s a show business. You have to promote yourself; you have to publicize your-
self. Pay for that email blast. If you’re getting $30,000 dollars for a HBO special, you should take 15 of
that and get a publicist and go on every talk show and say, “I have a HBO special coming out.” Be funny;
be likeable on the show and promote your HBO special. It’s like, “How dare you?” It’s a special. You don’t
know if you’re going to get another one.
dude." Think about it.
Are you going to do Def Comedy Jam again?
I probably won’t do the new season. They’re just not feeling me. I don’t know why. I’m not even caring
about Def Jam. I care about HBO specials because the last ones were garbage. There were like four of
them that did well. That’s a fact; that’s not a diss.
The guy from the Whoopi Goldberg show, [Omid Djalili] - his half-hour was absolutely hot garbage. How
dare you get a special? How dare you slight the art form? Flight of the Conchords...What’s her name? The
lady who is very cute. [Bonnie McFarlane] You weren’t ready. Patrice [O'Neal] did well; he's a great
comedian. But because he is so nonchalant, he doesn’t want to promote. How dare any comic get a HBO
special and not become a millionaire?
You’re supposed to promote yourself. If you have a special, you should be on everybody’s list, not by
chance, “I saw your special.” These guys get a Comedy Central Presents and don’t even promote them.
There’s people walking around with a Comedy Central Presents and you don’t even know they got one. It’s
like, “Oh you did one?”
Why don’t they promote their specials?
Because they don’t get it. It’s a show business. You have to promote yourself; you have to publicize your-
self. Pay for that email blast. If you’re getting $30,000 dollars for a HBO special, you should take 15 of
that and get a publicist and go on every talk show and say, “I have a HBO special coming out.” Be funny;
be likeable on the show and promote your HBO special. It’s like, “How dare you?” It’s a special. You don’t
know if you’re going to get another one.
SHANG - PAGE 6
| Three Things You Don't Know About Shang 1. Comedy influences: "A [black rock] group called Fishbone. Comic wise, Dick Gregory. Eddie Murphy – huge. Bill Hicks. Lenny Bruce. Mostly bands: Public Enemy was huge on my comedy. Bad Brains and X-Clan." 2. Comics he worked with: "Talent, Mike [Britt], Billy Burr, Donnell [Rawlings]; I used to ride around with Rob Stapleton and do every little bar in the Bronx." 3. Comedy business: "I love the craft. I love the shows, but I hate the business. I hate the bullshit of it. Somebody’s getting a part or they’re getting to headline because they’re fucking this person. A lot of people don’t realize this, but I would give up all of it in a heartbeat for my son. I’m not as committed to comedy as I am my life." |