Comedy is Happening

By Adam Quesnell
Contributing Writer

I am setting these words in print as a means of telling Fargo-Moorhead and surrounding communities that, while you go about your lives, there is a good chance, a pretty good chance…Look, I don’t know what the odds are alright, I didn’t go to odds school…but there is a pretty good chance that someone in some little nook and or cranny of the Fargo Moorhead area is doing something that not many people have done, are doing, or will do (holy cats this sentence is unwieldy) in the confines of this region and that thing is, “Writing jokes to later be performed on stage in front of an audience.” This, to many people, is known as, “Talky Joke Making.” However many people are painfully dumb. It is actually called “Comedy While Standing Up” or “Stand-Up Comedy” for short.

In the last 3 years this area has produced many new aspiring yucksters (a term that follows their lot since the Civil War when a Southern Solider would call from battle, “Get me a yuckster! My combat slave is dead,” and then someone would grab a comedian from the dugout to be stabbed by a Yankee (they were also known as “Yankee Pin Cushions”) …at least that’s what my dad told me in a dream that didn’t make sense). This new breed of local comedian can be found at places like the Red Raven Espresso Parlor every Tuesday at 9:00 (sign up at 8:30 comics, all are welcome) or at Courtney’s Comedy Club in Moorhead the first and third Thursday of every October-April (more on this as the time draws nigh). That is the important thing about comedy: Comedians need an audience! So, if you know any audiences, please tell them that there are comedians around and they should find them, stand around them, and listen politely (laughing if they are won’t to do) while the comedian works on new material. Or you can go to the above places at the suggested days and times.

While there have been comedians working out of the FM area in the past, there never was a collective “Scene” or really anything close to it. Then, El Arnston started promoting the Open Mic (in 2007 or 2008, I didn’t do any research for this…) at Courtney’s and in the process gave many of the local comics their first stage time. Since then, El has moved to Minneapolis to work at the House of Comedy and continue his rigorous touring schedule and the comedians of the Fargo Moorhead area have branched out like a hilarious disease, infecting places like the Red Raven, Babb’s Coffee House, the Nestor, Studio 222 and pretty much anywhere with a stage, with their chuckle inducing pathogens.

This new influx of comedic talent seems to be in line with stand-up comedy being on the rise nationally and internationally. Touring comics have gained the ability to reach new audiences with their voices via a new fangled sort of podcasting called, “podcasting.” For the uninitiated a “Podcast” is basically like the radio serials that we enjoy around the Maytag Radiophonic Device on Saturday mornings, but instead they are delivered to our “Computers” via “Gremlins.” Typically, these Comedy Podcasts consist of a comedian or comedians talking to other comedians or celebrities about comedy and current events. There are also Comedy Podcasts where people (often performers) perform radio plays or tackle deep questions, or just monologue about their lives. I would break down the best Comedy Podcasts for you, but a little known rag called “Rolling Stone” already did that (“Rolling Stone” … sounds like something for “Marijuana People”, am I right, readers? E-mail me if I am right). Here instead is an arbitrary list of podcasts to be researched independently by you: WTF with Marc Maron, the Nerdist Podcast, the Superego Podcast, The Pod F. Tompkast, Comedy and Everything Else, the Thrilling Adventure Hour, Comedy Bang Bang, Never Not Funny, The Monday Morning Podcast with Bill Burr and the Smartest Man in the World with Greg Proops.

Folks, much has transpired since we started on the journey of this column together. We laughed, we cried, we probably should have been working on things for our real day jobs, but here we are. Word 666 just passed us by and I still have mentioned precious little about comedy in the Fargo-Moorhead Area. I asked Cindy Gomez what I should write about and she said, “Anything, just put yourself out there!” She opened a Pandora’s box on that day for sure. I’m not just out there. I’m in here with you … between your advertising spaces, telling you that we regularly have 15-20+ comedians on the list at the Red Raven and many of them are local, and some of them are even funny! In the last couple of months, 2 of our open mic performers, Jon Schultz and Paloma Segal, have won their respective nights at Acme Comedy Co.’s funniest person contest and they both have a good shot at making the semi-finals, local comic JD Provorse finished a 10-day stint on the “Just Another Hangover Tour” and followed that up with an MC week at the Skyline Comedy Café in Appleton Wisconsin (one of the top clubs in the country), Grand Forks comedian (and HPR Contributor) Spencer Dobson released his first CD, “Used Up”, and Will SpottedBear is celebrating the 1 year anniversary of his Red Raven Open Comedy Showcase. So far, it has been a good year for local comedians.

I feel like that last paragraph mentioned a couple of things that might require definition (become an internaut and surf to answers!). All you need to know is that those things are generally pretty rad and the comedians in the F/M area are legitimizing themselves in a way that deserves your attention. I will be checking back periodically with updates about these funny people and other (hopefully) funny things. Be well and laugh big.

[Editor’s Note: Adam Quesnell is a writer/stand-up working out of Moorhead Minnesota. He can be reached at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address), http://www.adamquesnell.com and twitter.com/AdamQuesnell.]

SIDEBAR

Places to Know, Things to Look Into
Red Raven Espresso Parlor
Where? 916 Main Ave, Fargo
Why? This is where Will SpottedBear runs the Red Raven Open Comedy Showcase Every Tuesday Night. The sign-up sheet goes up around 8:30, and the list closes at around 9:25, all comics who sign up get up. Show starts at 9:30 pm and it is free (adult themes and content may…happen)

Courtney’s Comedy Club!
Where? 600 30th Avenue South, Moorhead (In the AmericInn)
Why? Because during its operating season (Sept-May), Courtney’s is the premiere club in the F/M area. They consistently bring national headliners every Thursday-Saturday when operational. They also host an open mic the first and third Thursday of the month visit http://www.courtneyscomedyclub.com for more details.

The Nestor Tavern
Where? 1001 NP Ave N, Fargo
Why? Because Brian Grob at the Nestor has been good about booking local comedy nights as well as including comedians in the rock shows that he books.

Jade Presents
Why? Jade presents is one of the biggest concert promoters in our region and lately they have been bringing big name headliners (Patton Oswalt, Louie Anderson, Paula Poundstone, Gabriel Iglesias, Jeffrey Ross…). Go to http://www.jadepresents.com to get on their mailing list.

The Kamikaze Snowcast
What? This is a podcast where local comedy musicians, The Kamikaze Snowmen, write and record a new song as well as other fun things, every week. Go to http://www.kamikazesnowmen.com for more information.

THE RED RAVEN COMEDY NIGHT ONE YEAR ANNIVERSARY SHOW!
Where? (see the first entry on this list, yo)
What? This show is to celebrate the one year anniversary of comedy at the Red Raven.
When? Friday June 10th, at 9pm. $5
Who? Performers Include: Will SpottedBear, Paloma Segal, Ben Baukol, Jason Jacobsen, and Adam Quesnell
On Facebook? Check out the group, “Fargo Moorhead Funny People” (just toss it in the search bar, the url does little good…in a newspaper).