The Foreign Mic

At the Foreign Mic, you wear your best clothes. You start with your strongest oldest jokes. You come to impress. I am not talking about a mic in a hostel with foreigners, I am talking about the open mic outside of your comfort zone. The one in a completely different city. It's funny to go out of town and perform at an open mic because you feel pressure to wow the people in the room. Even though they are all clutching sweaty notes with half-formed ideas. The first impression a comedian wants to make is a funny one. After the mic I learned about other booked shows I should get on when I visit next.

At the Foreign Mic, you take what you get. Above is a pic of Kyle Martin at his open mic in Uptown Tavern in Washington, DC. The very night I was scheduled to perform, the restaurant changed it's name to Sabores.

"What's up...town tavern? That's what I planned to open with. It doesn't work anymore! Que pasa...sabores? See? Oh this is going to be awful..."

They could tell I was joking, and the set was a lot of fun.

At the Foreign Mic, you bring your family. Not only did one kid have both parents in the front row watching him perform for the first time, but my mom was also in the crowd. She was in town and hates missing opportunities to see me shine. As is inevitable with my smokin' hot mama, she was hit on by two comics after the show. She's like a trophy mom--I'm glamorous by association. But the highlight of having her in the crowd is watching her watch the show.

Mom: Can I talk to the comics?
Me: No, please don't heckle the comics.
Mom: I can't heckle anyone?
Me: No. Just enjoy the show.
Mom: Okay.

Two comics in, just like when she watches movies or an episode of Oprah, she can no longer contain herself and gives a verbal response.

Comic: ...and I said you'd better pick it up.
Mom: HAHAHA! Pick it up! (beat) What does that MEAN?