Thinking is deadly......Certainly to any performer.  And yet it's the one thing we all battle against.  Being up in our head's during a performance leads to a crap performance.

So, after my debacle in show 2 I opted to do two things.  First, do a song.  Get back to myself a bit.  Second, after my discussion with Dave Reinitz about the puzzle I present an audience, I wrote some new material about being different from the other comics.  And boy, was I up in my head.  New material in a competition?  Was I crazy... Somewhat.

The crowd dug most of the new lines. And I finally got a good opener I can use for awhile now.  Something I've been struggling with for a couple years.  I did a little bit of my engagement ring bit and it did ok.  And then I whipped out "Get Any', a song that almost never fails for me.  I said 'almost'....

For some reason this crowd didn't quite get it.  They laughed, but not nearly as hard as my normal audiences.  And I don't suppose it helped that I was going on last.  16 comics is a lot for anyone to sit through.  But it was certainly my most genuine set of the competition so far.  It also resulted in my lowest score yet.

So, plan D for tonight's show in Stockton.. Hit them with loud and dirty.  That was the plan until I got on stage.  I had spoken with some people in the audience before the show, and I just got the vibe that I'd need to warm them up for the dirty.  So instead of talking about porn and then doing "Asshole", I ended up doing a little ring material, then doing "LCW".  And they weren't on board with the song at first, but I got them.  And I hammed up the end just like the stuff I was doing 4 years ago when I stumbled into this comedy stuff.  And it was my best set yet.  I didn't place, but I don't think I'm in last place anymore.  Mission accomplished.

I'm definitely in over my head on this one.  I'm trying to compete against people that have their own tv specials and headline huge clubs nationally.  So, it's a learning experience.  Tearing down the weaker walls to build stronger ones.

I never recommend that anyone be a performing artist.  We're always told that it's not that people don't like us, it's the material, or the song, or they just don't relate.  But we need not take it personally.  But as every performer knows, we're up there laying our souls on the line every night.  Baring our inner thoughts to a room full of complete strangers hoping they'll find something to connect with.  We walk a fine line and when you fall off, there are distinct emotional injuries.  But as we all know, pain makes great comedy.  

Two more shows to go....

Phil Johnson
www.RoadsideAttraction.com