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| - A gentleman caller asked how I felt about comedy clubs. I answered his question skeptically, because I was just sure that I didn't understand what he meant. "I like comedy clubs...I guess...I don't have a lot of experience with them, I suppose. Why?" I felt like maybe there was this dark underbelly to comedy clubs that I just didn't understand. He explained that he didn't get to go to comedy clubs very often because some of his friends refused to go. As we made plans to visit The Improv in the flats, we pondered the reasons why someone would not like a comedy club. We couldn't come up with a definitive reason, but we figured there are two big reasons:
1). You don't want to be the target of jokes.
2). You don't want to feel awkward when the comedian just isn't funny.
We encountered this first big fear as soon as we were shown to our seats. We decided to do dinner before hand so we arrived around an hour before show time, as their website demands of those who plan on eating dinner. We looked at one another as he picked up his tickets and he said "oh boy. I hope they didn't put us up front." Upon seeing our table, we both knew we had two huge targets on us. We were clearly on a date, and sitting not only next to the stage, but so close that the comedians were going to have to step over us to get on the stage. We are the perfect people to heckle; non-threatening and good sports. When I had to get up during the main act to use the restroom, I emotionally prepared myself for whatever he could through at me; but surprisingly, he was pleasant and funny with his rendition of the bladder control drug commercial's theme song "gotta go, gotta go, gotta go right now!"
The other big fear people have over comedy clubs is awkwardness. What do you do when the comedian is just not funny? We certainly experienced that with all three comedians we saw at the Improv. It is inevitable; a comedian will bomb with at least one joke. I think what makes him a professional is how he handles it. All three of these comedians all acknowledged the fact that some of their jokes just weren't as funny as they thought. All three got laughs in their response to bad jokes. They found a way to smooth it over so we never had to feel that awkwardness.
I would like to suggest there is a third fear associated with comedy clubs, felt only by people in their twenties.
3). Do people our age go to comedy clubs? They just aren't "hip."
There is certainly a sense among twenty somethings that only "old" people go to places like the Improv. I am not going to dive into the sociology of that thinking, or what the demographics actually are at comedy clubs. I am just going to say that is the perception. I will admit that I was on the younger end of those there, but certainly not the youngest. There was a nice mix of ages in the crowd and I had a great time. I took advantage of the fact that it wasn't the IT place in town and ordered a strawberry daiquiri. I feel that there are very few times that I can have self respect and order a strawberry daiquiri. Don Pablos comes to mind. A great Aunt's birthday party. Maybe a graduation party. As a somewhat fashionable 26-year-old woman with quisi-hipster friends, a strawberry daiquiri is not acceptable while out on the town. But at the Improv, I figured that my indiscretion could slip by. The daiquiri was great. I recommend everyone order daiquiris. I was also pleased with my burger and fries (both were tasty). I have a new rule: whenever I am presented with a menu which includes both entrees which seem slightly pretentious and "pub grub," with the "pub grub" listed at around $10 less than the entrees, I MUST order something from the "pub grub" category, or else I will feel totally scammed. Trust me on this. If the entrees were that great, the pub grub would be great too...and there wouldn't be a price discrepancy and the "pub grub" wouldn't seem so grubby.
I don't think a little fear of heckling and awkwardness should stop anyone from stopping by the Improv. I hear people complain all the time that they are tired of the old "dinner and a movie" routine. So mix it up and try the Improv on your next date. We had plenty of time to talk before the show over dinner and then got to laugh together, and at our selves at points, during the show. We left knowing one another a little better and having more to talk about. If it makes you nervous to be picked out of the audience, ask for a table in the back. If it makes you nervous when the comedian isn't funny...well, then order some daiquiris. Everything will be a little funnier.
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