An Honest Mistake

Friday April 8th, 2011 - Waukesha, WI

   Another mistake. My life has been so full of those, I’m all too well aware when another one has been made. Now it’s a matter of trying to get out of it and move on. This is where it gets tricky. I could easily parlay one boo boo into an all time disaster I’ll never forget.

   I don’t think that will happen this time, but I never know. My problem has always been an inability to say no when I need to, and this was it. Now I’m paying for it, and I want to get away with the least amount of time wasted and feelings hurt. This will be a challenge.

   My situation is I’ve been asked to be the booker of a weekend comedy club in a hotel in Waukesha, WI. I’m very familiar with Waukesha, because it’s right outside of Milwaukee and I booked my first pro wrestling show there at the Waukesha Expo in 1992. It’s a nice town, and close enough to Milwaukee to make it workable but still keep its own identity.

  One of my former comedy students knows the hotel manager and was told they’d like to run comedy shows on weekends. My student called me and asked if I’d meet with the guy and offer a few pointers. I always try to help comedy grow in a good way if I can, and this intrigued me. I always thought the area could support a major comedy club, and I still do.

   The hotel is very classy, and there’s a spare room next to their bar which would make a nice intimate comedy room. It’s not a 350 seat mega show lounge like an Improv or other big time room, but that’s not necessary in a Waukesha. Money could be made with about a 100 to 120 seat space, which this is. The problem now is filling those seats every week.

   After looking at the room, the manager asked if I’d be interested in booking comedians to do a few shows to try it out. We agreed on a month’s worth of shows, and then we will talk after seeing how they went. I told him I really don’t want to be a booker, and I don’t.

   Not of a start up room anyway. There’s a lot of work to getting butts in seats and that’s not what I’m looking to do at this time in my life. I know how to book shows, and I don’t mind helping when I can, but this is turning out to be more of a hassle than I’d thought.

   Word has gotten out I’m booking a room and I’m hearing from everyone and their uncle wanting work. I changed my phone number at exactly the right time, but I still have email and I’m getting deluged with comics wanting gigs. I kind of expected it, but not like this.

   Times are tough, and everyone is looking for work. I want to focus on my own projects, and that sucks up enough time as it is. I thought I’d be able to book these first few shows to get the room started, and then turn it over to someone else. That was my plan all along.

   I should have known better.  My life has NEVER gone according to any plan I’ve come up with at any time. The shows tonight were very slow, even though the people were nice both in the audience and at the hotel. It’s going to take heavy advertising to transform this into a real club, and I’m not sure they’re up for the challenge. Nice alone doesn’t cut it.

Posted via email from Dobie Maxwell's "Dented Can" Diary