Comic Vs. Audience » Aaron Hertzog

Pat Barker interviews the Philly comedy stars

Dave Walk — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 01:31:05 +0000

Tired of the Conan vs. Leno wars and just want to see some sweet video interviews? Local stand-up Pat Barker has been filming his talks with other Philly comedians lately and putting them up for all of the world to see on Youtube. Here’s one with comic Aaron Hertzog where Mike Jones pops in. No, not that Mike Jones.

And here’s another after Chip Chantry’s Santa Hangover show with Pat House.

There are more interviews with the likes of Joe Murdock (feat. Stu Kamens) and Bing Supernova on Pat’s Youtube page.

To learn more Pat Barker and where you can see him live, check out and join The Official Pat Barker Comedy Group. As an added incentive, Pat will donate $500 to charity if 2,000 people join in 2010.

TOP 5 Lists of 2009 (the last of them!)

Dave Walk — Thu, 31 Dec 2009 20:33:06 +0000

As we count down the hours until 2010, here are the last of the Top 5 of 2009 lists from Philadelphia comedians.

The Top Five Bits By Philly Comics Of 2009 by Luke Giordano

5. AARON HERTZOG’S “SCIENCE TEACHER”

This bit is the summation of what Aaron Hertzog is onstage. It includes a fundamental misunderstanding of the opposite sex, the sexualization of food, the self-realization of his own absurd behavior, and not least of all, funny noises. This bit is so steeped in adolescent fantasy that Aaron actually uses pornographic movies as the logical basis for his assumption that his presumably middle aged science teacher wants to have sex with him as well as a justification for her insistence that he barter the answers to a 9th grade science test for sexual favors. And Aaron never really says that he thinks any of this is a bad idea. You even get a sense that porn is the ONLY point of reference for him from this bit. The very notion of all this would be ridiculous and absurd to the point of criminal if it didn’t make absolute sense from a male viewpoint. OF COURSE he should have made those two girls suck his dick for letting them cheat off his science test. OF COURSE his post-menopausal science teacher wanted to teach him the ways of lovemaking and usher him into manhood. Why wouldn’t she? But Aaron seals off the absurdity of the bit with an exasperated, “I’m a fucking idiot” at the end, acknowledging the reality after two minutes of fantasy, bringing us back down to Earth.

Also, he wiggles around and says “yum yum yum.”

4. DOOGIE HORNER’S “GENTLEMANLY CUSTOMS” / “EAGLES”

These bits really showcase the two different sides of Doogie’s style of comedy. In the first bit, he rips the carpet out from under the concepts of chivalry and gentlemanly sacrifice by sneaking up behind us rather than with a direct assault of. He uses examples in an extended flight of fancy to show us why these accepted practices are stupid rather than simply telling us that they are stupid. And as with a lot of Doogie’s longer bits, the comedy’s all in the precision and the details. He builds the scenario he’s created to a rapid fire climax and cuts the whole thing down with a bit of appropriate non-sequitur smut.

The Eagles bit is just a great short joke. And it instills the audience with a great visual — the mighty majestic eagle, that symbol of power, engaged in what has to be very awkward bird sex.

3. DAVID RAY’S “HOLOCAUST”

David Ray came out of nowhere this year and this simple, short punch to the balls of a joke was all anyone on the scene could talk about for the whole month of June. It’s hard to imagine someone rising higher and faster than he did this summer and this joke stood out among the rest, though all very good. He uses sexual frustration by initially painting a picture of a first time gone wrong and then throws us a curve ball of Holocaust denial that has gotten more consistent cheers for a single joke than I can recall otherwise.

2. KENT HAINES’ “ENGAGEMENT STORY”

This bit was the culmination of Kent’s wealth of material on his relationship with his longtime girlfriend, (and now fiancee). The theme of arrested development in relation to his dealings with his girlfriend is dominant in throughout his act and it all comes to a head with this bit. He has to come to terms with the fact that he’s going to marry this girl but even in this process he can’t help but feel inadequate as his eager girlfriend tells him the mother of all proposal stories that happened to one of her girlfriends (she obviously wanting something similar from him) to the point that he is filled with an overwhelming sense of dread and panic. The subtext of much of Kent’s act — and important subtext that surely ultimately led to his appearance on television — is that he does love his girlfriend and does want to get married and start a family with her someday, but there’s something inside of him that really would rather stay in and play Nintendo forever. He’s tapped into the zeitgeist of men in their early twenties who aren’t quite ready to go all in, as well as their girlfriends who might be pushing them a bit too hard.

1. ANTON SHUFORD “BASEBALL”

What other bit than this one could be number one? This is just a great fucking story. One with twists and turns and surprises. One that builds and builds and never lets up for a second. This is a joke that makes you side with and ever cheer on a guy who does so many things that are thoroughly reprehensible, and who does them one right after the other, and on top of all that, uses shaky (at best) logic to defend himself, but still, Anton is so charismatic, convicted, likable, and such a gifted storyteller that not for a second are you disgusted with him or siding with the disabled child who is victim of his selfishness. He sweeps you up right from the get-go and doesn’t let you down until he’s done with you. And at that point, you’ve been laughing and applauding for the past five minutes so you don’t even have the time, the want, or the need to ask any moral questions on what has just happened. It has to be said, this bit really is a masterstroke.

Meg Favreau of Meg & Rob

1.) Alli Soowol as Kitten

Everyone who I perform with in the Real Housewives of Philadelphia is
so incredibly talented and funny and good, so I hope the other ladies
aren’t offended that I’m giving a special shout out to Alli’s
character. Kitten is a weird-talking, rhinestone-wearing, possibly
mentally deficient woman-child who doles out sage advice and wraps up
story lines at just the right time, and I’m in awe of her.

2.) Bedtime Stories

This is a cop out. Oh, I love Bedtime Stories, but picking it allows
me to include the following things in one item: Secret Pants’ prom in
three minutes, Jon Goff’s PowerPoint presentations, and the utter joy
that is the Greggulator.

3.) Roger Snair’s Script at Guilty Pleasures

I was there for the first performance of this, the one when the
Phillies were playing and almost no one showed up. But oh my god,
what a strange, amazing script and performance. Numerous times the
performers broke down in the middle of their sentences because they
were laughing too damn hard.

4.) Sketch Up or Shut Up

This is a sketch-comedy open mic I started earlier this year. I know
that picking a show I host for my top five list is kind of lame, but
it’s also been the location of some of the best and weirdest stuff
I’ve seen this year, like Dave Walk and Aaron Hertzog’s call-in show
and Brian Kelly and Paul Triggiani singing product jingles by request
to the tunes of popular songs. And all of the performers and audience
members have been so supportive and friendly.

5.) John Kensil’s Video for Chip’s Moon Contest

If I am laughing and constantly asking “What?” during something, that
usually means I love it. Filming NASA interviews in the backyard in
front of tomato plants? What? Amazing. I am also including this
video on this list in hopes that it will spur John to put the thing
online. JOHN. PUT THE THING ONLINE.

PS – That whole moon show was great. Brendan Kennedy in the Iron Man outfit? Aaron Hertzog and Luke Giordano’s moon party thing? All so good.

Bryce Remsburg of Secret Pants

1. Jon Goff

-This dude is a genius. Seriously. I have never seen him do anything but kill an audience. He is consistently the highlight of Bedtime Stories. One specific show doesn’t stick out, because they are all so amazing. He has taken something so simple as a powerpoint presentation, and makes it hilarious every time. Not to mention he makes a fine Roller derby play-by-play announcer and a fine Terrordome host.

2. Kent Haines on Comedy Central

-While the thought of doing stand up comedy petrifies me, this was a feeling of community accomplishment. A guy that is one of us fledgling Philly comedians (for now) was on TV! Paul F. Tompkins introduced him! His name was spelled correctly in my DVR! His American Apparel shirt didn’t fit right! Also, I miss “Why Am I Not Famous?” greatly, the Rowan and Hastings swansong was a special evening.

3. Greggulator at Philly’s Phunniest

-I was laughing to the point of tears during this entire performance. He gets baby powder in some unsuspecting patron’s drink. He shoots a t-shirt into the audience with a homemade slingshot at Helium. The confused silence following some of his jokes. I haven’t just been capitalizing He because it appears at the beginning of the sentence. He is a God to me, the closest thing we have to our own Andy Kaufman.

4. Ascension: Gutierrez

-The Chicago Cubs loss is Philadelphia comedy’s gain. I consider myself lucky to have been present for his rookie year here. He adapts to any situation, be it Johnny Goodtimes’ backyard, the Trocadero mainstage, singing at the Shubin, or giving advice at the Khyber (which led to him being punched in the testicles by Meg Favreau). If you have not experienced Fastball Pitcher Bob Guiterrez live, do yourself a favor.

5. Meg Favreau and Rob Baniewicz

-I’m not referring to their little comedy troupe here, but them as people. I cannot imagine our “scene” without them. They make any show better, be it performing or spectating, and are so incredibly positive, and supportive of everything. I may literally smile when I see them somewhere. Sketch Up or Shut Up is a fantastic, widely untapped idea. I’m so glad they like me.

Dave Terruso’s (Animosity Pierre) Top Five Lines From Philly Comedy (in no particular order and without context)

(Please note, most of these happened in the past month as I have a horrible memory)

1. Bing Supernova’s (Chip Chantry’s) joke, “I accidentally poured a gallon of maple syrup on my poodle this morning. And by accidentally, I mean angrily.”

2. Aaron Hertzog’s line, “If I sh*t myself somewhere, I’m done with that place.”

3. BAD Creations’ Daryl Charles’ line, “I don’t know MY dad.”

4. Fastball Pitcher Bob Gutierrez’s (Brian Craig’s) line “Chip Chantry, I think I have motion sickness.”

5. Doogie Horner’s line: “My friend asked me, he said, ‘If you could be any animal, what animal would you choose to be?’ And I said an eagle. And he said, ‘Why, so you could fly?’ And I said no, so I could, you know, finally have sex with eagles.”

TOP 5 Lists of 2009 (yet even more!)

Dave Walk — Thu, 31 Dec 2009 15:17:35 +0000

As we count down the hours until 2010, here are more Top 5 of 2009 lists from Philadelphia comedians.

Doogie Horner, stand-up, host of The Ministry of Secret Jokes

5. Henry Foley vs. Luke Giordano at the Raven Lounge debate

The Raven debate is always entertaining, but this match was especially interesting because of the contestant’s diametrically opposite approaches. The debate was, Who would be a better wingman: Darth Vader or Scorpion from Mortal Kombat? Luke had Vader and Foley had Scorpion. Foley took an early lead as the crowd favorite, being very personable and friendly, and clearly having fun. Luke came in all business. He appeared confident that his superior knowledge of Star Wars would give him an edge, but it actually worked against him since the crowd didn’t know what the fuck he was talking about. Foley easily walked all over him until the final round when he suggested that Scorpion would use his trademark “Get over here!” move to snare women from across the bar. The crowd thought that was really funny until Luke—in a stunning comeback—explained that what Foley had described was basically ninja rape.

4. Roger Snair beating Gregg Gethard in a Yo Mamma Battle at the Fringe Cabaret.

This show was kind of an uphill battle, because a large portion of the audience were artsy people who’d come to the cabaret to see interpretive dance and such. They did get to see some of that, but they also saw one of the dirtiest—and awesomest—yo mamma battles I’ve ever seen.

The battle started with a pack of eight that slowly whittled down to two players in the final round: Gregg Gethard vs. Roger Snair. Gregg’s Yo Mama snaps were very creative. They were actually long, rambling short stories more than “snaps.” One of them was (and I’m paraphrasing) “Yo Mama asked if she could be my slave. I said yes. Then she asked me how much she’d be getting paid, which means she doesn’t understand the meaning of the word “slave.” So I drowned her in the fountain outside the Cherry Hill Mall. Lots of people saw her dead body floating there, and they laughed, because it’s weird to see a dead body somewhere like that where you don’t expect to see it.”

Roger’s snaps were very short, and also creative in their own way, but totally different than Gregg’s: “Yo Mama is so ugly, the WNBA won’t let her play.” “Yo Mama is so stinky, skunks think she smells.” Near the end, you could tell he had obviously run out of snaps, and was making them up on the spot. He would speak haltingly, his eyes looking up at the ceiling, clearly unsure what his next words would be. “Your Mama . . . is sooooo stinky . . .” a long pause, then his eyes would light up, “she can clear a room!” The crowd loved the genuine, guileless enthusiasm he exuded.

Like Henry and Luke’s debate, it was a great battle because the two comics had very original styles that were polar opposites. Roger wasn’t even originally scheduled to battle, he just jumped in. And fucking nailed it.

3. Bing Supernova

Chip Chantry’s alter ego Bing Supernova has been around for a while, but it wasn’t until this year Bing really found his groove. Bing tells the jokes Chip Chantry can write but never tell because he’s too nice. “Have you ever gotten an erection in a place you shouldn’t? Like your mouth?” His Michael Jordan joke is incredible, so is his “When I fight, I telegraph my moves,” joke, but I don’t want to ruin either of them here. My hope is that Bing Supernova becomes so famous that he completely overshadows Chip Chantry, forcing Chip to wear a beret and blazer and scream obscene anti-semitic jokes for the rest of his career—which, actually, isn’t such an awful fate.

2. John Kensil’s Chicken Nuggets joke

“You know, when you go through the McDonald’s drive-thru late at night, the service isn’t always the best. I got some chicken nuggets from there a couple nights ago. I’m driving home and one of the nuggets starts to ring.” (pantomimes picking up a phone) “Hello?” “Hey, tell Duane I’ve got his Blockbuster card.”

1. The WID at the Ministry of Secret Jokes

The WID is my favorite comedian of all time (sorry Bob Hope, wherever you are). But my admiration and respect for his comedy reached a new height after seeing him do a half hour at the Ministry of Secret Jokes Bachelor Party (full disclosure—the bachelor party was mine). The room was packed, it was the end of the show, and crowd was a little rowdy. The WID got off to a smooth start, telling a few marriage jokes: “Doogie said when he gets home he’s going to rip Jen’s underwear off. The elastic waistband is killing him.”

Then he brought out the props.

If you’ve never seen the WID before, he dumps huge containers of props all over the stage and then makes lighting fast puns about them. For instance, at one point he angrily shook a pair of small shoes at the crowd. “Who put these here? Who put these here? Oh you little sneaks.” His jokes are very fast, and he’s incredible at thinking on his feet. Which came in handy when this drunk in the front row started making fun of the WID’s pants. So the WID said “Hey, stop looking at my pants. Or as they say in Spain, ‘Leave my pantalones.’” The crowd loved it. Making fun of the WID on stage is like standing between a mother grizzly and her cub, if grizzlies told jokes while they mauled you. This guy in the front kept fucking with the WID—talking during the show, not laughing—and the WID didn’t miss a beat, he’d make fun of the dude and then slip right back into the act. At one point he held up a white trash bag and said “Here, you can hang out with the rest of the white trash,” before dropping it at the guy’s feet. The guy wanted to murder the WID, but then the WID would say something so funny the guy had to laugh. That’s powerful comedy, taking someone who wants to punch you and making them laugh.

I’ve seen plenty of comics get lengthy applause breaks, but before that night I’d never seen a comedian have to pause because people were loudly chanting his name—WID! WID! WID! And then the WID would scream “bring up more props!” and three guys would bring giant tupperware containers on stage and he’d spill them everywhere and keep going. Nobody follows the WID, because there’s nowhere to stand on the stage.

Kent Haines’ Top 5 Jokes of 2009

It’s hard for me to remember if these jokes were all written in 2009, but they’re the 5 jokes that made me laugh the hardest.

5. Chip Chantry – Wheel of Fortune
If I had to point to a single joke in Chip’s act that exemplifies his sense of humor and persona, I’d pick this one. His Wheel of Fortune bit does an excellent job of establishing his sensibility with the crowd and giving them a taste of what’s to come. And structurally, it’s airtight. The type of joke you can only write when you have gained an intuitive feel for stand-up.

4. Joey Dougherty – Self-Esteem
Again, this joke instantly gives the crowd an insight into Joey as a comedian and a person. The Philly scene has a lot of ramblers, but Joey understands the economy of words and getting straight to the heart of a joke. I’ll be quoting this joke to friends for a long time.

3. Darryl Charles – Asparagus
Darryl has really impressed me this year, but this joke in particular keeps me laughing every time I see it. Darryl’s performance takes a solid premise and elevates it wonderfully.

2. Luke Giordano – Boba Fett
Boba Fett was a solid joke. Luke did it for months, and it always got a decent response. And then he ripped it apart and rewrote it from scratch, turning a good bit into a killer bit. I am really impressed with Luke’s commitment to get every drop out of a joke, as well as his willingness to throw out good jokes and search for better ones.

1. Anton Shuford – Baseball
Anton won Philly’s Phunniest this year, and it’s this joke that shows why he deserves it. Anton plays a game with the crowd where he exposes bigger and bigger flaws in his character and dares the crowd to stop liking him. And night after night, they can’t. In fact, they love him even more for it. Just a fantastically written story.

Gregg Gethard’s Top 5 Philly Comedy’s Best Moments for 2009

1.) Doogie Horner’s Bachelor Party Ministry of Secret Jokes: Top to bottom the best comedy show I’ve ever been to, let alone a part of.

2.) David Ray’s performance at Helium’s contest: A true “Where the f did this guy come from” moment.

3.) An Evening at Applebee’s Bedtime Stories: The best BS of the year, including a breakout appearance from the debuting Chris Cru Thick.

4.) Anything involving Bing Supernova.

5.) Emily and Micah’s performance at the Shubin.

Brian Craig of Secret Pants

5. – The “Kick the Keg” Backyard Show
With half a keg leftover from a show the previous night, Chip Chantry and Johnny Goodtimes decided to throw together a short-notice, by-invitation-only comedy show in Johnny’s backyard (which is the size of my bedroom). An incredibly awesome, incredibly intimate night of hilarity ensued. Twenty years from now, everybody will claim to have been there.

4. – Emily & Micah McGraw
When we were choosing acts to open for our two Shubin shows in November, we just went with people that we wanted to watch. Emily and Micah were at the very top of the list. And beyond the hilarious, catchy tunes, these guys are just plain adorable. My favorite songs: “Cat on the Street”, “Tasers”, “America”

3. – The Philadelphia Comedy Community
This is kind of a holdover from 2008, but the Philly comedy group-o’-friends really solidified this year. Not only were there some really great monthly shows (like Chip’s “One Man Show”, Gregg Gethard’s “Bedtime Stories”, and Kent Haines’ late “Why Am I Not Famous??!??”), but there were also some wonderful social gatherings, such as Aaron Hertzog’s Super Bowl get-together, Dave Walk’s Halloween party and everyone getting together at Murph’s to watch the Phillies during the post-season. The sketch and stand-up sub-communities have become fast friends and I wouldn’t be surprised if 2010 brought with it some very interesting and exciting collaborations.

2. – Aaron Hertzog, the handsomest man you ever did see
I have no hesitation in predicting that Aaron will be the next big thing to come out of Philadelphia. He is easily one of the best jokesmiths in the city and he has a comfortable stage presence. Almost all of my favorite jokes right now belong to Aaron. To list a few: the “Hide-and-Go-Seek Killer” bit, his bit about how he’s an unlikely abduction target, the story about his mom bringing him a clean pair of pants to work, and, of course, his “handsomest man” intro.

1. – Secret Pants, five years deep / Brian Kelly’s 30th birthday show
2009 marked our fifth year together as a group, effectively culminating in a montage Paul cobbled together to surprise BK onstage for his birthday during our show at the Shubin. We’ve come a long way together, from fresh-faced college graduates to balding, tired semi-grownups with jobs, responsibilities, and, for more than half of us, mortgages. I’ve really enjoyed growing up with these guys and it’s an honor to be able to create funny stuff with them on a regular basis. And the added bonus of being in this group of exceptionally talented people is that we’ve had the opportunity, especially this year, to perform alongside some amazing comedians and sketch groups. Hitting the five-year mark made me look back on all the people we’ve met and become friends with and I’d do it all again in a heartbeat. Thanks, guys. You’re true blue.

TOP 5 Lists of 2009 (continued!)

Dave Walk — Mon, 28 Dec 2009 19:48:21 +0000

Sorry for the breaks, hope you had a good Christmas. The Top 5 Lists continue this week…

The Top 5 Character comedians of 2009 by John Kensil

5.) Jackie Lincoln – The only Abraham Lincoln Impersonator comedian seen at two Chip Chantry One Man Shows At the Khyber Pass as portrayed by John Kensil (sorry if it seems ego stroking on my part but so what? it’s funny)

4.) Johnny Goodtimes as the 1920’s Comic at Chip Chantry’s one man show salute to history special. Lines like- ” I like my women like I like my airplanes….BI”

3.) Roger C. Snair a real character who is Brendan Kennedy’s own Larry Bud Melman/Play write extraordinare/political/ social/flea market vendor Libertarian commentator

2.) Bing Supernova, Chip Chantry’s alter ego and invincible soapbox pontificating pseudo intellectual Ignatius J. Reilly.

1.) Fastball Pitcher Bob Guitteriez, brilliantly funny and mesmerizing motivational speaker, with a Chicago accent so thick you could cut it with a chainsaw, that could talk and mingle and captivate a crowd all night.

-Notable mention- WID

-Notable mention – The guy who walked out behind Pat House all year as about 20 different characters as per the Youtube Videos.

Aaron Hertzog’s 5 Favorite Shows of 2009

Chip Chantry’s One Man Show (With Special Guests) Moon Landing Spectacular
Don Montrey’s excellent Die Actor Die show at the Khyber is thought of by many in the city as the beginning of the “new” Philly comedy scene. The show is really responsible for bringing together sketch and stand up and helping form the tight knit community that continues to grow with shows like Bedtime Stories, The Ministry of Secret Jokes, the great PHIT lineup at the Shubin, and numerous other independent shows in the city. When Die Actor Die finally ended its run at the Khyber, Chip Chantry stepped up to keep the tradition of a Monday night variety show alive. Another tradition Chip kept alive was a summer sketch contest (previously DAD’s Dirtiest Sketch contest.) When his July show fell on the 40th anniversary of the moon landing, the topic for his sketch contest became clear. The night was filled with great sketches from some of the mainstays of the sketch community along with sketches put together by stand ups. The show was a hit from beginning to end as all of the sketches were well received by the packed in crowd. After the show, many of the performers stayed and hung out at the bar and sang karaoke. I posted on my Twitter after the show: “nights like tonight remind me why i want to do this forever” because it was one of those magic nights where everything comes together – a great crowd and a great show with the people that make doing comedy fun.

The Ministry of Secret Jokes: Bachelor Party Edition
Doogie Horner was getting married, and he decided to celebrate by bringing back The Ministry of Secret Jokes from its temporary hiatus – and he brought it back with a bang. The show was packed with great games and bits – from the team comedy of Mike Rainey and Roger Weaver – to the worst man speech competition bringing the worst out of Gregg Gethard and Chip Chantry – to Emily McGraw completely baffling Brendan Kennedy, James Hesky, and Pat Barker in “What’s Wrong.” The night ended with The Legendary Wid taking the stage at Fergie’s and destroying – literally and figuratively. He stormed the stage armed with buckets of his visual aids and his razor sharp, super quick wit. His usual manic act was intensified by the fact he was performing in such a small stage area and the crowd reacted with laughs, applause, and in the ultimate act of praise, a chant of “Wid, Wid, Wid…”

Johnny Goodtimes’ Backyard Extravaganza
A show in someone’s backyard might sound like a recipe for disaster – but when you combine great comedians, a keg of beer, about 30 crowd members eager for comedy and willing to go along wherever the comics take them – and its all done for a good cause – you get one of the top nights of the year for comedy in the city. JGT’s backyard is the ideal size for a get together like this – and the crowd he attracted for the show was ready to laugh and have a great time.

Brendan Kennedy’s Guilty Pleasures presents: Fructose: A play by Roger C. Snair
I have seen the rotating cast of Brendan’s show perform this script twice, and each time I laughed so hard I cried. The story takes place in a gay bar name Fructose, and the cast of characters range from the bizarre to the even more bizarre. The play is filled with great moments, sometime characters will speak in rhyme, there is one point when two characters in separate places long for love (or lust) and don’t realize there is someone out there looking for the same thing as them, and the monologue delivered by a priest presiding over a wedding at the end of the show will make you want to stand and hum the Battle Hymn of the Republic. Brendan has talked of making a short film from the script, and I pray that he does.

Chip Chantry Presents: Stay With Me at The Shubin Theater
Chip Chantry had a plan: a plan to take comedians and put them in front of a crowd to deliver their deepest, darkest material – and instead of receiving moans and groans be loved for their morose thoughts. His plan came to fruition at the Shubin Theater, where a well informed crowd who definitely knew what they were getting into gathered to watch comedians take the stage and talk about the dark side of life. I performed on this show, and there is a real feeling of catharsis that comes from saying things you usually can’t – and having people agree with you (or at least laugh at it.) Everyone on the show had great sets – and one of my favorite new jokes of the year was born in Kent Haines’ “Playing House/Playing Guns” bit.

Amie Roe, improviser

1.) Chip Chantry as Bing Supernova. Love the delivery, love the beret.

2.) M@&. Brilliant. Matt Holmes. Improv. Consistently one of my favorite improv shows in the city.

3.) The rise of Fletcher. Kudos to the consistent growth of what I consider to be Philly’s top act in long form improv. My favorite Fletcher moment? Their amazing set representing the Philly Improv Theater at the 2009 Del Close Improv Marathon in New York City to an absolutely packed house. Anyone there will remember this set for its unwavering focus on Kristen Schier’s nipples.

4.) Dirty Jokes Every Man Should Know, edited by Doogie Horner. Oops. I read this and I’m a woman. I still loved it.

5.) Murmurings of a permanent home for the Philly Improv Theater (PHIT). No matter what happens, its fucking fun to see PHIT in the City Paper gossip column. Regardless of what 2010 brings, these kinds of efforts make me optimistic about the future of Philly comedy.

Allen Iverson is back in Philly

Dave Walk — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 12:46:59 +0000

If you live in the city of Philadelphia, no doubt you’ve heard about the return of NBA point guard Allen Iverson to the Sixers, which has electrified some of the city. His first game back was this past Monday and Gregg Gethard and Aaron Hertzog that I do The Holding Court Podcast with were there to take it all in. Enjoy!

A new podcast!

Dave Walk — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 19:06:01 +0000

Folks, in my free time when I’m not writing here (which is pretty much most of my day), chances are you’ll find me either reading, listening, playing or watching basketball. So the new podcast I’m doing with local comics Gregg Gethard and Aaron Hertzog, The Holding Court Podcast, makes sense. We just recorded our first show of this weekly podcast that will try to take a humorous glance at the National Basketball Association. You really don’t need to know a lot about the league, or even care at all, but hopefully we are being funny with it. So check it out, follow through Facebook and Twitter, and let me know what you think!

SLAMDANCIN’: A Journal of a Stand-up Comic #5

Gregg Gethard — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 11:45:24 +0000

This week, Gregg Gethard performs on a new show in Philadelphia.

Last night was awesome.

It was one of those nights that reminded me why I love performing comedy so much. The guys from Camp Woods, this new sketch group who have burst upon the local comedy scene with the fiery intensity of 100 fireballs, have started up a show at the Starlight Ballroom. For those not in the know, the Starlight Ballroom is a really big local music venue that is usually home to decent sized indie bands touring through the area. Having a show at this place is huge for the Philly comedy scene.

I was lucky enough to be invited to perform at their debut show on Thursday. And I think I did a really good job and took away a lot of things to do in the future wherever I play.

The crowd was about 20 people. It felt smaller than that because of the size of the venue, but this was actually a pretty good turnout for a debuting show the night after Philly went crazy because of the Phillies clinching a World Series berth. They were all young hipster-ish kids; I don’t think anyone was over the age of 25. It’s been a while since I performed at a “real” show in front of a crowd that’s more in tune with my own sensibilities, which I thought would be a great compare/contrast from performing in front of more older, adult suburban audiences.

I went on second. The opening act put on a great set and was terrific. I went on stage carrying my props (which is a weird thing to admit to saying in a public forum) in a big plastic bag like I was a homeless guy who thought he was Santa Clause.

The Starlight has a giant stage and also a wireless microphone. This provided difficult when I did my baby powder bit since there was no mic stand. I somehow managed to pour my baby powder in my hand while holding the microphone against my chest to introduce myself. This was a little hard to do and probably looked incredibly awkward and bizarre on stage. But it was the only thing I could think of. From now on, I’m going to always check to see if there’s a mic stand or not in order to figure out a better way to handle this if it occurs again.

But I loved having a wireless mic and a giant stage. I love to move around a lot, which I definitely did. It also allowed me to go into the crowd, which I absolutely love doing. I have a joke where I compliment the eyes of various audience members. I haven’t done it in a while but I broke it out last night since I could get into the crowd. I’ve done this bit at the one other time I had a wireless mic and it worked really well. But other times, when I have a corded mic, it hasn’t gone over. I think making it really personal and getting physically near audience members when I deliver this really makes it work.

After that, the next thing I remember doing was my BoyzTown (a fictional boy band I belonged to in the late 90s) song. I started this on stage but went back into the crowd. This is because I saw an audience member wearing a fedora-style hat. I did the BoyzTown bit in Philly’s Phunniest Contest over the summer and saw a guy with a similar hat. I took it from him and wore it for a little bit before throwing it back at him. That really got over well. So I always look to see now if an audience member has a hat within distance for me to steal. I took this guy’s hat, wore it for a second and then threw it to the other side of the room towards a garbage can. I was trying to get it into the garbage can but the hat hooked left.

Also during the song, I started to crawl and writhe on the floor like some backup dancer in a Lady Gaga video. This also had a good response and I’m going to keep doing that whenever I do the BoyzTown stuff.

I also did the hypnosis bit once again. I used my “hypnosis sock” which I’m going to keep using from now on, since it’s funny to stick a dirty sock into the face of an audience member. This time, he ordered me to do jumping jacks, which I obediently did. I was kind of kicking myself right after I did the jumping jacks. I did them at normal speed; I think it would be more successful if I did the order with 150% commitment and with some manic energy. Another thing to keep in mind next time I get up on stage. I also used the Altoids afterwards but spit them out. I also did the sign of the cross and pointed to the sky while doing this, which I did impromptu. It’s another thing to I’m going to keep doing in the future.

I ended my set with the slingshot. I had two audience members on stage with me to hold the ends of the slingshot. I then fired my hypnosis sock into the crowd. It barely fell off the stage, which was a great visual gag to end the set.

It was definitely one of the best sets I’ve ever done. However, there were three problems:

1. I completely whiffed on doing the “Before I begin my set…” introduction. I got caught up in the moment and blanked on it. It hit me towards the end of the act that I forgot to do it. If I remembered, it would have really gotten over and tied everything up in a neat little package.
2. I have a hard time remembering the order of my set. I rely on my notes in order to keep doing it. However, I left the stool way behind me so logistically it was hard for me to get to. It was very awkward. And it also led directly to problem three.
3. I forgot about the veteran’s bit. But I saw my American flag on stage and remembered. I held the American flag and said something like, “I love this country, but I hate veterans!” This got a good response and I decided to try out the rest of the joke. However, I completely whiffed on it and botched it. I can’t break this out at a real show until I work it out practicing or at an open mic some more.

Overall, this was a great week of shows for me. Here’s what I got from the week and learned:

1. Even though my stuff is definitely bizarre, I shouldn’t be afraid to try it out in front of an older, more “normal” crowd. It’s worked two times already. People who pay money to go to comedy shows are there to laugh. Playing to that without dumbing down anything I do (not that what I do isn’t dumb already) is something I have to keep doing consistently. Even more mainstream crowds like absurd/bizarre stuff.

2. One of my strengths is to move around on stage. Not too many people in the local scene move around. It helps me stand out and look different if I bring my natural manic tendencies with me on the stage and use that physically. Before every show, if there’s a corded mic, I’m going to test out exactly how far I can go off-stage with it. I’m going to mark the furthest spot I can get to (maybe bring some masking tape and place it on the floor like you’d do in a play) and try and work to that location. I want to keep a frenetic “madman” pace on stage from now on. But, at the same time, I also have to time stuff out properly to give the audience some breathing room.

3. If the microphone and stage limit what I can do physically, I’m going to try and do stuff without a microphone. I have an annoyingly loud natural speaking voice, especially when I’m excited. If the room is small enough, they’ll be able to hear me without any problem. It might also add to the absurdity that I want my act to have. Then again, it might not work at all. So we’ll see.

4. Definitely keep some of the things I discovered this week, especially the crawling dance I did during BoyzTown.

5. Remember my set-list. I’m just going to have to try and memorize it before I get on stage. And, at some point, I’m just going to have to wing it without my notes.

What also made this show fun was how great everyone who performed was. Joey Dougherty (who just graduated high school but has been doing shows for a while now) was a great opener. He did some stuff I haven’t heard from him yet that was absolutely great.

Brendan Kennedy went after me and delivered the best set I’ve ever heard from him. He literally had people crying in the crowd. What really sold it was that he looked like he wasn’t performing at all; he was having a conversation with the crowd, which is what everyone who does his style should strive for. Doogie Horner’s one of the best comics in Philly and is just consistently awesome; at this point, he’s more-or-less a professional and hits every single time.

Headlining was Aaron Hertzog, who hit an absolute grand slam. I think that Aaron’s improved more than anyone in the time I’ve been doing comedy. His stuff is now really tight and delivered very comfortably. I think he’s joined the group of comics that are considered the best in Philly. I’m very proud of him.

This night reminded me of just how much fun it is to perform and why I love doing this so much.

VIDEO: Pete Kuempel opens for Norm Macdonald

Dave Walk — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 14:14:40 +0000

Working a big room like the Helium Comedy Club is a great experience in itself for a young comedian, but the chance to work with a big name takes it a step further. It happened recently to Pete Kuempel (profile) who had the opportunity to open for a “comedy hero” of his, Norm MacDonald. In the video below, Pete struggles to be a “co-worker” or “colleague” of Norm, if you will, while also being a big fan of a guy that he grew up watching. Luke Giordano (profile) and Aaron Hertzog (profile) follow him along the way to make fun and to hold the camera.

Philly’s Phunniest Preliminary Results for Thursday, July 30th

admin — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 05:23:45 +0000

There were two shows of competition this evening, which means double the comics advancing to the next round.

From the early show, H. Foley, David Ray and Jared Gillespie will be moving on to the semi-finals on Saturday, August 8th.

And from the late show, comics Doogie Horner, Aaron Hertzog and Vince Patterson will be going on to the next round.

There is no contest show tomorrow (Kevin Nealon instead), but it’ll all resume Saturday with another double-header.

VIDEO: Luke and Aaron Are Comedians – “There is no Aaron”

Dave Walk — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 13:59:44 +0000

Sometimes the title says it all, right? Local comics Luke Giordano (profile) and Aaron Hertzog (profile) have a new web series called “Luke and Aaron are Comedians” in which the pair discuss their material and find ways to tweak it with the never-ending goal of being funnier. Or, as Aaron puts it, “it’s the Jerry Seinfeld movie Comedian but a view from the bottom.”

In this episode, Aaron tries to find a better way to end his King Kong bit while Luke and other comics Pete Kuempel (profile) and Blake Wexler jab at him.