Friday March 18th, 2011 - Frankfort, IL Tonight I was back in Frankfort, IL at a place called ‘CD&ME’. Why they named it that is still a mystery, as is why they decided to do comedy shows in the first place, but they’re sweet people so I keep saying yes when they ask me to show up. They respect comedians. It’s booked by my fellow Jerry’s Kidder Ken Sevara, and he’s really put a lot of his own sweat equity into it to get the room going. Frankfort is about as far south as it gets when it comes to Chicagoland suburbs, but Ken lives there and it’s a place for him to call his own locally. It’s a smaller version of the old pro wrestling territories. Ken claimed Frankfort. I think it’s actually a tree nursery or something, but they have a large building with a bar and balcony and large dance floor area where the shows are held. The owners are about as nice as club owner types can get, and they’ve at least supported Ken since he started this a few years ago now. It’s gotten better with time, and people do come out to enjoy comedy. From where I live it’s almost a full 100 mile one way trip and really not worth my while financially or career wise, but the people are so nice I can’t resist saying yes. Ken treats us all very well and at this point I can have my pick of weeks whenever I want to work there. If nothing else, it’s a great place to work out new material. I’m usually able to grab their attention in the first minute, and I can take them anywhere I want after that. I want to give the audience my very best and also Ken and the owners for having me. I’m very grateful. Unfortunately, grateful doesn’t pay the bills. The gig is what it is, and even though it’s a fun time, the pay just isn’t there. Plus, now it’s a Friday so unless I can tack on a Saturday somewhere, it’s difficult to take it anymore on its own. It becomes a matter of economics. I worked tonight with a kid named Pat McGann. This kid is going to be big time, and he is just getting started. He’s a good looking Irish kid from the south side who’s father is an alderman or judge or someone with influence. I didn’t ask, and it’s none of my business. He hasn’t been doing comedy long, but he’s got all the tools to have a big time career in some kind of show business, and I’m happy for him. I never had what he has on stage and off, so there’s no reason to be jealous. Plus, he’s a nice kid and has a good work ethic too. Pat did a fine job opening for me, and I brought it home with a solid set. My friend John O’Brien drove all the way down from Wilmette, and he’s seen me countless times before. He’s always been a huge supporter, as has his wife Gail. How can I not be blown away by that? John had nothing but great things to say, and when I came off stage he was smiling. “Now THAT’S a professional.” John said. What a nice thing to say, and I appreciate the fact he knows how difficult comedy really is. He’s a former student and has done comedy on and off for many years now, so he knows the inner workings. Saying what he said and how he said it made me feel great, even if nobody else in the whole place had half a clue. What sets CD&ME apart from regular comedy one nighters is that they hire a music act to play after the comedy shows are finished, and make it an evening of entertainment for a single cover charge, and I think it’s very smart. They are located out in a remote area so it makes perfect sense to want to keep the customers in one place for as long as they can. This week’s music act happened to be my friend Dave Rudolf, and I’m thrilled. Dave is a super talent and an even better person, and I was the one who suggested he come out to see a comedy show a while back so hopefully he could get hired, and that’s how it went. I love it when I can hook good people up, and this was a perfect match. Dave lives very close by in Park Forest, IL, and this wasn’t a far ride at all. Having work close to home is a real treat on many levels, and everything just fell together without a glitch for a change. That being said, I noticed Ken seemed a little upset when I arrived. When I asked what was bothering him, he told me another comedy show was coming to a steak house up the road, and not only that quite a few of the comedians he’s used for years are working there. This is becoming more and more typical these days, but I don’t like it. I’m all for people working, but in some cases there isn’t enough for everyone and I think this is it. Nobody’s debating the steak house isn’t allowed to start a comedy show. That’s not the issue at all. What’s at steak here is the territory. Frankfort isn’t that big a town, and is probably only a one night a week area. Putting two there will very likely kill off both of them in a short time, and then nobody will be there. That’s bad for comedy, and they should know that. Unfortunately, there’s no requirement for smarts when it comes to starting up business ventures, and they’re going to do what they’re going to do. Ken has invested four years in his room and has really done a nice job with it. The new gig is being booked by a person neither Ken nor I particularly like personally, and that’s going to make it extra irritating. I do agree that the comedians should have at least called Ken and let him know they had taken work at the new place. Etiquette in the old days said that’s exactly what to do. It’s a courtesy, and depending on the situation doesn’t necessarily mean they can’t do both gigs. In a bigger city, I don’t think it matters at all. A person can work all the clubs in a town back to back to back, and it won’t make a difference. Smaller venues in smaller towns are different, and if a place does comedy first the comedians owe the bookers at least a call. Pat McGann happens to book a very nice gig at the Raue Center in Crystal Lake, IL. I’m booked there in April, and another club close by asked me to perform also. It’s on another night just like this gig in Frankfort, but out of respect I called Pat to ask about their rules. Pat said they preferred I not work the other place, and that’s fine I can understand trying to build a draw, and it wasn’t a problem. I told the other guy, and he understood. End of a potential problem. Comedy is a very delicate undertaking sometimes. This is an example.
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