What Happens at the Comedy Store Stays at the Comedy Store

Backstage at the Comedy Store is a weird and wonderful place.  And when I say "backstage" you should know there is not actually a backstage (Ok, there is the Green Room, but that's a tiny trippy mirror-plated room straight out of the Kinnison days).  Backstage is sort of wherever the comics are hanging out - waiting for their set, waiting to watch someone else's set or just having a drink and a smoke.  Could be the hallway, the kitchen, the front bar, the back stairs or the Main Room after it empties out.  In fact, sometimes "backstage" even moves itself into the Original Room as the crowd dwindles down to just the other comics and maybe 2 guys from New Zealand.  That's when you might be treated to an extra special David Taylor set where he goes beyond the fine acerbic/dickhead line he normally treads and lays into everyone in the room, the building or who has ever once crossed his path.  Those are some great times.  Even when you're the one on the business end of his attack.

The Green Room

The other night, I was hanging with the band after the show - and by "the band" I mean the Barris/Kennedy +Overdrive "a little band from Los Angeles, CA" comprised of comics Don Barris, Earl "Kennedy" Skakel, Marc "Snake" Hatchell and Maryjane Green.  Anyway, I was hanging out with the band and they asked if I was going to blog about how awesome the after-hours had been.

Some shots of Barris/Kennedy +Overdrive

I said no.

Wait, then what the hell is this post?

Well, I actually said "No way!  It's like revealing the man behind the curtain and, besides, I'm not going to write about every little thing that happens here or y'all will start acting differently around me - like you've got an embedded journalist in your midst."

To which Marc replied, with true rock star swagger, "Don't worry, we're used to it."

And that's a third reason I wasn't planning to write anything about backstage - so much is so awesome, but so much is "you had to be there" awesome.  That little exchange had literally everyone in the room cracking up and I even made a note in my phone so I wouldn't forget.  And when I think back to the last dozen times the whole room was in stitches, they were all inside jokes - ragging on the manager Dean, airing out the dirty laundry of which comic slept with that crazy, aging video vixen, doing Q&A with one of the Tony Clifton dancers, the time I had this little exchange:

Me: I won't be here tomorrow night

Don: Why not?

Me: I have a date.

Don: With who?

Me: No one you know - I'm dating outside the Store.

Don: Not allowed.

Again, the whole booth cracked up, but you had to be there.  

Okay, okay I've actually got a whole bag of awesome stories that would make you want to come knocking on the back door at 2:30 am, but I don't want you showing up then... I'd prefer you all show up around midnight.  That's the part that's well worth staying up late for