Category: comedy

Nostalgia Post- Portland Over Mics of the Past!


Edit: I have mothballed this page, since I have moved out of Portland- please see the amazing PDX comedy blog for more updated information!

I have had some questions lately about where people can see free and enjoyable local comedy, or where they should go to perform some, and although I try hard not to have anything useful on this page, I am too lazy to write things down for people and would like to have something on the internet.

Monday Nights:

Boiler Room with Kevin Michael-Moore, 503-227-5441. NW 3rd and Davis.
This is the longest-running open mic in Portland.  It is celebrating its ninth anniversary!  It’s old enough to earn its own money!  To maintain quality, the bulk of this show is now PREBOOKED, contact Kevin by phone or on Facebook – but you can also show up at 8:30 and try to get on one of the limited available slots! Kevin Michael-Moore is an amazing emcee.  Kevin doesn’t take any shit, and keeps the chitchat to a minimum.

Tuesday Nights:

Suki’s, at SW 4th and Carruthers. 9:30-forever. Host Jimmy Newstetter!
This is a fun room in the dive bar in the basement of Travelodge. The comics believe that sitting in the small cul-de-sac room is the same thing as being in a soundproof box. Dax is skilled and funny, and this is the hands-DOWN best place to be ignored by your friends while they talk about who threw up in whose car, and also who has pot.

Wednesdays:

The Brody Improv downtown is hosting a regular mic on Wednesday nights!  Show at 8:30!  Contact Tom Johnson at TMJbrody@gmail.com before Wednesday to sign up!  No cover!

Dante’s, W Burnside and 2nd.  Rochelle Love is at Dante’s running a mike from 8:30 to 10 on Tuesdays!  No cover!
HELIUM at SE 9th and Hawthorne has a free open mic- sign-up is between 6 and 7, line-up posted at 7:30, show starts at 8!  Work out your chops at a pro venue!
There’s a late-night open mike at Tonic after Whitney Streed’s 8pm showcase!  Come on out and sign on up!

Thursdays:

Curious Comedy is adding a second open mike on first and third Thursdays, with hosts Jen Allen and Mandie Allietta!  It starts at 9:30 and is free, signup is on email in advance, so find those gals on Facebook!

The Bulldog Tavern on West Burnside runs an open mike whenever the 8 o’clock showcase is over, show up and ask for Brady!

Fridays:

The Brody Theatre has added a second free open mike after their 8:30 Fly Ass Jokes showcase- contact Tom Johnson before 3PM Friday to reserve a slot- TMJbrody@gmail.com!  No cover, starts around 10:00!


Saturday Night:

The Hungry Tiger, Too has a new comedy open mike on Saturday nights!  Sign-up is at 9:30, the show’s at 10.  Rotating Hosts.  Go and look to see who looks annoyed, and attempt to sign up with them!

Sunday Nights:

HARVEY’S Comedy Club is re-introducing their open mike on Sundays on the MAINSTAGE at 9:00!  Signup starts at the side bar at 8- Come show them what you’ve got!
A biweekly Sunday night mic at 9PM at the beautiful Curious Comedy Theatre on MLK, hosted by myself!  5225 NE MLK!  This mike just turned two, and the next one is Sunday, November 13th!  Free For All, Fun For Most!
The Grand Cafe is starting a late Sunday mike at 10!  Go look for the red-headed kid, Jacob Christopher!  He’ll sign you up, and there might be karaoke after your set!

Shine A Light 2011- At the Portland Art Museum, Friday, Oct 14

Untitled #417, 2004- from welovecindysherman.com

The Portland Art Museum does Shine A Light once a year, where performance artists offer new ways of interacting with art.  

This year, they are adding comedians, including Danny Felts, Whitney Streed, Jimmy Newstetter, and myself.  It costs the regular $15 admission, or it’s free for members (only fifty bucks a year to join!).

There will be haircuts, dances, and beers brewed inspired by works from the collection.  I will be leading a fictional art tour on the third floor of the Jubitz center, focusing on the post-1960 modern art collection.

Grandpa Won’t Wake Up!

Grandpa Won’t Wake Up

My friends Simon Max Hill and Shannon Wheeler of Too Much Coffee Man, the comic and Too Much Coffee Man, the opera, have come together to create a book about the delight, whimsy, and the deep, deep cruelty and sadism of childhood, entitled Grandpa Won’t Wake Up.  It is available on Amazon and in any fine bookstores where books which will f*ck up your children are sold.

  I was privy to a live reading of the book, fresh off the presses, by the author in the company of the illustrator, because I am a special person, and because the three of us happened to be standing around in front of La Merde in the daytime, like hoboes.  You will probably just have to order a copy on Amazon.  It is very funny, and will be a good way to explain death, transvestism, Nazis, and devil worship to the little ones in your life.

Wednesday: A Soothing Tonic!

I invite you to escape the ravages of the tail end of Summer in the Tonic, the darkest, dankest, coolest comedy venue in Portland, for a pay-what-you-will show including the awesome talents of myself and Dax Jordan, Tim Hammer, and Sue Ceswick, with the adorably talented Whitney Streed at the helm!  The laughs start at 9, then roll on into the evening with an open mike following the showcase!  Come on out!

More Self-Referential Bullshit

Sometimes I like to look at what drives traffic to Badinia.com. It’s like looking into your own bellybutton and finding eternity.

burning man costumes- Oh, I guess so.
virginia jones- Here!
leigh bowery- Of course.
dave vanian- Someone I think about a lot.
sisters of perpetual indulgence- Sure.
squirrel lamp- I’m a fan.
people who can not paid drugs- What?
open mic comedy portland- Yay!
burning man outfit- You again?
will.i.am trousers- I have thought about this.
silent hill halloween costumes- OK.
fighting squirrel artwork -More squirrel fans!
jock straps- What?
david blaine mother- I don’t know if I’ve ever mentioned her. I don’t know why people are wondering about her, either?
mel flight of the conchords- My twin!
surgical mask porn- OK, seriously what the fuck.
japan lolita- Sure.
strawberry switchblade gothic- Naturally.
badinia dones- Of course.
baby spit- Don’t like it, don’t want it.
jackie kashian- My Homegirl.
claude tanner degrassi- Never Forget.
burning man costume- Oh, OK.
ian curtis dead- He sure is.
ron funches- Homeslice!
canadian comedy festival very fat comedian- Whoever this is, I feel bad for them. Their fatness was deemed Google-able. I hope it’s not Funches, who I love bunches!
brian j perez baby ketten- He has his stalkers.
auggie smith- What UUUP.
queen doris- Why, Yes!
capsule toys singapore- Sure.
french drag queen- Never have specifically written about one, but think about them a lot.
ameen belbahri- Aw yeah.
i close my eyes and walk out there and that’s where i start – Poetic! From Bill Hicks! If I google this and it takes me back to my own page, will I give birth to myself in space?
david bowie dressed as harlequin video- I’m proud to be a part of it.
why did lush discontinue goth juice?-THIS IS THE QUESTION OF OUR GENERATION.
donny don’t- My Pal.
virginia comedian portland- Sure.
dutch treats curious comedy- Of course.
famous mysterious actor bumbershoot 2011- Memories!
bridgetown comedy festival-A proud member.
badinia- sure.
transvestite maid- OK. Might be another person looking for Ryan Gosling.
virginia jones comedy- Sure.
scary big monsters killing people- I had never worried about this before, but now I’m worried! Are there scary big monsters killing people?
japanese amateur ass lady- How can you have an amateur ass?
open mic night comedy portland- Yay!
is billy bragg vegetarian?-I don’t know, is he?
dj rhienna portland- Yay!
bumbershoot mysterious actor- A living legend!
virginia lesbian comic portland – Uh oh.
mac and squatch- A fine film!
furious yellow band- Yay!

Wow, I feel like I’ve learned a lot, don’t you?

* I have gotten tired of people winding up here googling my ex-husband’s name, so I have replaced all incidences of it with Ryan Gosling’s name, because I am extremely mature.

Helium With Sebastian Maniscalco!

I’m hosting at the beautiful Helium Comedy Club for the lovely Sebastian Mansicalco all week, and tonight will also be rushing over to the Hollywood Theatre to check out our competition in the 48 Hour Film Festival!   No matter what, I know that the film we made is beautiful and funny, like the baby I would want if I wanted a baby.

Tonight, We Storm Bagdad!

On the one hand, I don’t know that anyone looks at this.  On the other, I feel Blog Guilt for not posting for weeks and weeks.  Tonight’s show is gonna be a ton of fun, Josh Finch, Seth Milstein, and Stephanie Purtle are in town from Eugene to throw some funny around, the lovely Rochelle Love-Cox and the Portland-Famous Ian Karmel is treading the boards with me, along with visiting celebrity C.J. Levine and your soulful host Tristian Spillman.  Pizza, beer, jokes!  Only $5!  Come on out!