The Show Must Go Online
04/02/20
by Clare Austen-Smith
For me, the thrill of comedy is connection. A performance where you crushed feels so good, and the ones you bomb in feel equally bad; although with time you simply consider them “learning experiences,” while walking back to the CTA plagued with insecurity about why the crowd didn’t like your jokes about your huge pussy. Right now, with all live performances abruptly ended and a massive amount of uncertainty over when they will return, it’s hard to feel optimistic about my work (or figuring out the huge pussy joke).
The delight of making someone else laugh and living in that connective moment is just not going to happen when you’re alone, cooped up in your parents house, sleeping in the twin bed frame that you secretly carved “my mom sucks!!!” into when you were fifteen, the only light coming from your Dad’s recently acquired Himalayan salt lamp. Spoiler alert: I went through a breakup right before the quarantine (which yes, sucked, but can you imagine being quarantined with an ex? Ok wait, now I am, and I’m getting a little sad).
With everyone going online, live-streaming comedy shows have been popping up coast to coast. Doing comedy live to a room, tightly packed with people (if you’re lucky), is not analogous to live streamed comedy. I’d wager more comics would be more comfortable doing a bar show to three interested people, a bored bartender, and a rowdy group celebrating someone named Kerry-Ann’s birthday than trying to create the same experience over a webcam.
The best way to think of it, for me, is that it’s not an attempt at recreation. It’s something new. It doesn’t mean it can’t work; it just has to be different. Comics who already have online content, or are comfortable creating work online, viewable by anyone, anywhere, are popping the fuck off, like former Chicago comedian Megan Stalter, who graced the New York Times last week. Chicagoans even got to tune into Helltrap Nightmare last week, with more to come.
Some weekly shows here in Chicago, like The Arts + Culture Club, have managed to keep their regular schedule on Instagram Live. “The first [Instagram Live] show made me cry,” said producer Courtney Crary. “It’s not something I ever anticipated, but we are seeing people popping up on the Instagram live show that I’ve never seen at shows in person.” Quenchers, which sat on the corner of Fullerton and Western before turning into a pediatrician’s office, used to host the oft-missed and incredible show, Spitballin.’ Longtime host Mike Brunlieb, one third of the improv trio Sand, has resurrected Spitballin’ on his Youtube channel. Still, many comics I talked to have the same worry, despite all the online platforms to create art—when we get to perform live again? Will people still care?
The clear and hopeful answer to me is yes. Of course they will. This pandemic will likely end with an explosion of people running out of their houses to live and touch and do gross horny things to each other like normal. The internet already created new avenues for success in comedy, and this has already been a reality, even prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. Yes, ok, everyone probably needs to move to New York or LA to land real jobs with benefits and roles that pay eventually, but you no longer have to be there, to get there. An agent doesn’t need to see you perform live to sign you anymore, your viral videos on Twitter might do that for you. You can shoot POV character videos in your bathroom in Chicago or Ann Arbor or Boston; it doesn’t matter where you are, just that you make people laugh. For anyone who's scared to look at themselves in their front-facing camera, it is now the time to conquer the fear. Or, hey, do something different. One could attempt to feel grateful to flex their creative muscle in a new way while also mourning the loss of their favorite thing to do; perform.
The proliferation of ability and access doesn’t necessarily mean it’s fun or natural to start making online content, and that's….fine. So much of the advice I received doing comedy was about being true to your voice (once you found it) and following what you found funny—and fun—to do on stage. The pandemic means that collectively, almost every artist I know has had to put their career on hold. That’s a scary thing, especially if you’re not 22 and the full weight of the mortal coil seems pressed upon you. If front facing videos don’t feel good, or fun, or you’re just too sad; then don't. Rest. Relax. Drink some juice. I suggest listlessly staring at a wall for 45 minutes a day, minimum. Take your evening bath at 1pm and drink a whole bottle of wine on Facetime (am I getting too personal?) Use iMovie to subtitle your best stand up clips and tweet them into the void. Do the work on yourself that will make you a more successful artist in the long run. Tune in to what your peers are doing and dare I say, attempt to get inspired. Who knows, maybe something will happen. The void is feeling good these days; after all, we’re all looking at it.
WHERE TO CATCH LIVE COMEDY IN CHICAGO AND BEYOND ON YR SCREEN
Spitballin’ - Hosted by Mike Bruinlieb. Youtube Live, Mondays at 7pm
Arts & Culture Club - Every Thursday at 8pm, on Instagram Live
Megan Stalter - Shows streamed live on her Instagram, topics range from self help to vacation to getting your fortune read.
Joy’s Bed and Breakfast - Hosted by comedian Jessy Morner-Ritt, this show finds Joy making all preparations to move her BNB into lockdown due to an outbreak of COVID-69. April 13 & 20, 7:30pm Youtube Live, event information on Instagram
Helltrap Nightmare - Sarah Squirm, the Shrimp Boys, Scott Egleston + more! April 17, Youtube Live
Clare Austen-Smith is stand-up comedian based in Chicago, IL. She’s featured for Jaboukie Young-White, Elliot Morgan, Jo Firestone, and opened for Joel McHale. In Chicago, she's performed at the places like the Laugh Factory, Second City, Sleeping Village, The Chicago Improv, and The Hideout. She’s been a performer at The Chicago Improv Festival, The Onion Comedy & Arts Festival, The Las Culturistas Podcast Live Show, and Butterboy. She produces the alt-comedy showcase "Just Us Gals,” at The Hideout, and "Yeast Party" at Marz Brewing. She spends her free time sleeping. So far, pursuing comedy has earned her the undying respect of her peers and just one stalker. Find her on twitter and instagram at @Okayclare or at www.clareaustensmith.com.
