Friday June 17th, 2011 - Fox Lake, IL A stellar standout of numerous boo boos I’ve made in my personal marketing campaign over the years is not getting involved in more comedy festivals. It’s a different vibe than a club gig, and usually a lot easier. Festivals are used for showcasing talent to the industry. The longest continuous running event at least in North America that I’d think of would have to be the Just For Laughs Festival in Montreal. I know there’s one in Edinburgh over in Scotland, but I’m not sure which one has run longer. I know there’s also been a big one for decades in Melbourne, Australia and there was always one for HBO in Aspen, CO. Shame on me for not being on top of every one of those festivals and a whole lot of new ones like the Boston Comedy Festival, Detroit Comedy Festival, and ones that even leave me scratching my head. You mean there really is a ‘Three Mile Island Comedy Festival’? I’m not sure, but it wouldn’t surprise me if there was. Festivals are a lot of fun actually. I’ve had experience in a few, and I’ve not only had fun - I’ve met a lot of nice people both comics and industry people. Many times it’s the only time to get a chance to speak with a person that is totally impossible to track down on the phone. It can be a networking blitz. There was a great one in Chicago for several years run by a very funny comedian in his own right named Dan Carlson along his wife that I was asked to be part of. It was a really fun time hanging with everyone, and I got to cross paths with comics like Ron White who walked all the way up those green room stairs at Zanies to tell me how funny I was. Nice. He did it in front of everyone, and it felt great. He shook my hand and said he’d not had someone crack him up like that in a long time. I’ve heard that same line from many others in many places, but hearing it from someone of Ron White’s status can only lead to many more business connections as word hopefully spreads. This is how to network properly. That being said, Just For Laughs has a festival in Chicago this week along with the TBS Network and I know this isn’t the first year they’ve done it. They’ve chosen to completely ignore the Chicago heavy hitters, and I have to admit that rankles me more than a little. They’ve been advertising all over town and are claiming something like 100 comedians in 13 venues, and I’m glad there’s a comedy awareness in Chicago that isn’t only improv. I don’t have a problem with improv, but it’s different than standup, and I like standup. I’d love to see some of the Chicago locals get a shot and get seen by the industry people who I’m sure are in town. I have made no inroads whatsoever with any of this, but neither have any of the other acts I’m thinking of. Again, we’re better at comedy than at business. Schmoozing to get in festivals can be a hassle, and many now charge to watch a tape of a comedian who wants to enter. That turns a lot of good acts off, and it’s also why a lot of good comedians never work festivals. On the other hand, it can be worth it for contacts.
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