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Wiley's Comedy Club

Let Tabari McCoy Make You Laugh At WIley’s!

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Given the fact many Dayton comedy fans just celebrated America’s birthday,  Tabari McCoy knows some people might a little tired after their Fourth of July events. 

That’s not going to stop him, however, from bringing plenty of fireworks to the stage when he headlines Wiley’s Comedy Club this weekend.

“Let’s break it down: Tuesday was  recovery day for many people, especially if they didn’t go to work Monday because they were too busy partying Friday night-Sunday. That means they’re going to cram four days’ of work into Wednesday and Thursday, making them ready to relax as soon as Friday hits,” McCoy says, envisioning how the week is going to go leading up to his shows. “You already grilled, got sunburnt and/or spent too much money to end up home alone or with the same person you’ve been with forever, so why not come get some laughs? There’s no threat of burning down your house with those extra M-80s you forgot were near that bottle of lighter fluid in the garage.”

While it remains to be seen whether he is can make such predictions accurately, McCoy’s comedy track record reflects his ability to entertain audiences with hilarious results. Possessing 17+ years’ experience on stage, McCoy has performed at several festivals such as the San Francisco Sketchfest, Gilda’s LaughFest in Grand Rapids, Mich. and the inaugural Limestone Comedy Festival in Bloomington, Ind. Routinely heard on Pandora and Spotify, he has also appeared on the Fox’s former late night stand-up show “Laughs” and has released two albums, Laughing with a Panther and Remarkable. 

In addition, McCoy is an accomplished writer with work published in The Cincinnati Enquirer and Ebony.com among other outlets. (Many of the reviews from his McCoy on Movies blog are featured here on Dayton 937.) His appearances at Wiley’s, however, come in support of his latest project: “Be Happy,” his debut 1-hour stand-up special from Four By Three Productions currently available to watch on YouTube. Clips from the special have garnered views in the tens of thousands across Instagram and Facebook.

“I knew I had a funny and true joke about how most of America is really just the Midwest, but not to the tune of 85,000-plus views. If I ever find the time to start making all the sketches I have ideas for, maybe I can just become a TikTok influencer and have companies pay me to just eat burritos,” McCoy says. “Seriously, what is wrong with us that so many people just sit around watching others do everything things for hours on end; smartphones are just ironically named at this point!”

That notwithstanding, he hopes all those who come out to his shows will be happy that they did. 

“Pretty much anyone with a pulse knows the world is insane and we do horrible things to each other daily. The fact I haven’t caught a case dealing with the way people drive on I-75 between 8 a.m. to midnight is nothing short of a small miracle,” he says half-jokingly. “When I talk about being happy, I think how great it is I can get people – who sometimes may be a little intoxicated – to not think about the person or people in their life that drive them nuts while I’m on stage. I don’t want to get into that laughter/medicine cliché, but no one has ever left one of my shows to then start mailing crazy-*** letters to the media about teaching the world ‘the truth’ – RIP Ted Kaczynski!” 

WHEN YOU GO:

When: 8 p.m., Friday, July 7 & Saturday, July 8

Wiley’s Comedy Club

101 Pine St.

Dayton, OH 45402

(937) 224-5653

www.wileyscomedy.com 

Heywood Banks- Clean & Clever Comedy at Wiley’s This Weekend

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Heywood Banks is simply one-of-a-kind, almost impossible to describe, with a style his very own. Equal parts genius and buffoon, this songwriter-comic-singer-poet-musician has become a cult hero and a pop icon, with a show that appeals to college students, stoners, businessmen, yuppies, rednecks, punks, kids or your grandmother.

Heywood intersperses his humorous observations of life with twisted, inventive, bizarre songs, sung and played in a variety of styles, from folk, to country to rock to pop, and way beyond. You have to be pretty smart to get Heywood at his deepest level (he demands a high level of pop culture literacy), but you can also enjoy him just for his vocal style impersonations, expert musicianship and just plain silliness.

A regular on the Bob & Tom radio show, his witty tunes seem to weave their way into your brain.   Here’s one of him most popular:

Heywood has been featured in “Rolling Stone Magazine” and “People Magazine.” He won First Place in the Johnnie Walker Comedy Search Contest. Heywood Banks has appeared on A&E’s “Evening at the Improv,” MTV’s “1/2 Hour Comedy Hour,” CNN’s “Hollywood Minute,” “Caroline’s Comedy Hour,” “Entertainment Tonight,” “Showtime Comedy Club Network,” “Dr. Demento Show,” “12th Annual HBO Young Comedians Special with Paul Rodriguez.”

See Heywood at Wiley’s Comedy Club
1o1 Pine Street, Dayton, OH 45402

Fri, Oct 14, 2022.  8:00 PM

Sat, Oct 15, 2022  7:15 PM or  9:30 PM

Tickets run $25 plus a 2 item minimum in the showroom.

Dayton Story Slam Kicks Off 7th Season

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Dayton Story Slam, which is based on Public Radio’s “The Moth” format, encourage local story tellers to share true stories, on the 3rd Tuesday of each month.  This Tuesday, September 20th at 7pm host Bryan Suddith will kick off the season with a story, then draws tellers names randomly from a hat, inviting that person to take the stage and share a five minute story with the audience.

2022 Grand Slam Champion LaTisha with the grand slam tellers.

Just like The Moth, “each show starts with a theme, and the storytellers explore it, often in unexpected ways. Since each story is true and every voice authentic, the shows dance between documentary and theater, creating a unique, intimate, and often enlightening experience for the audience.”

“When you can share from a vulnerable place what is different inside you based on that little event, those are the stories that people grab onto. It goes beyond socioeconomic status, what part of town you’re from, what color you are… The same elements appeal to everyone in the audience,” Suddith said.

Teams of judges chosen from the audience score the 10 highlighted stories. Every StorySLAM produces a StorySLAM winner. In June, the winners from each month are invited back for the Grand Slam and the Grand Champion is crowned.

Tips for Tellers:

  1. Be forewarned. Stories are told, not read.
  2. Have a great first line that sets up the stakes and grabs attention.
  3. Know your story well enough so you can have fun!
  4. Steer clear of meandering endings.
  5. No standup routines please.
  6. No rants.
  7. No essays.

Dayton Story Slam

Hosted by Wiley’s Comedy Club
101 Pine Street in the Oregon Distict

Doors open at 6:30pm, Show starts at 7pm

Tickets are $5 at the door,plus a 2 item minimum in the showroom.

Donnell Rawlings At Wiley’s Comedy Club

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Comedian Donnell Rawlings, aka Ashy Larry, will perform one show at Wiley’s Comedy Club in the Oregon District on Thursday, September 9th. He’ll be working on perfecting his material for his upcoming Netflix special he’ll be taping at the end of the month.  Donnell is He is best known as a cast member on the Comedy Central sketch comedy TV series Chappelle’s Show and the HBO drama The Wire. He spent most of last summer in the cornfields of Yellow Springs at Camp Chappelle.

Wyatt Lutz will be hosting the show and Marshall MB Brandon will be the feature act.  Tickets are $30 and go on sale now on line. This show WILL sell out! Buy your tickets online now.

“WE AINT DONE WILD’N YET” Comedy Tour Hits Wiley’s

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Two of the newest cast members from Nick Cannon’s MTV Wild’N Out show are set to stop their tour in Dayton, Ohio next month. On the Dayton tour will be  Jay “Lil JJ” Lewis and Mope Williams.  They are coming Wiley’s Comedy Club in Dayton, this Friday, August 20, 2021 with an 8pm show and 2 shows on Saturday, 7:15 and 9:30pm.  Tickets are $20 plus a 2 item minimum purchase in the showroom.  Wiley’s offers a full bar and a menu of appetizers and desserts. Guests must be 18 or over with proper ID.

Better known as  (Big JJ),  Jay Lewis is a comedian, rapper, actor, dancer, and singer best known for starring in shows such as Just Jordan, All That, and The Rickey Smiley Show. He has also appeared in films such as Yours, Mine, & Ours, Beauty Shop, and Brotherly Love. As of Season 12, he is one of the recurring cast members of the improv comedy show Wild ‘N Out on MTV and VH1. Along with Comedian/Actor Mope Williams who also is on season 12, home of Atlanta, GA. with special guest Nate Williams who will be taking over the STAGE and bringing the funny as well.

Mope Williams is an American comedian and is one of the recurring cast members since Season 12, 13, 14 and Season 15 of the improv comedy show Wild’N Out on MTV and VH1. His high-energy, animated stage performances leave the crowd begging for more.  Mope has appeared in movies and commercials and has been a featured guest on Kandi Burruss’s talk show “Kandi Koated Nights.” He also co-starred in the short film “Labour.”

Wiley’s Comedy Club

101 Pine St
Dayton, OH 45402

937-224-5653

*due to Out of 5th, please enter the free Wiley’s parking lot off of Wayne Ave, turn right on Gates St and then left on Pine St.

Comedian Ryan Singer – Home For The Holiday

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Ryan Singer is the rarest of breeds: A comic’s comic who electrifies mainstream audiences with material that is both uncompromising and unpretentious. LaughSpin says, “With his high-energy delivery and unpretentious leanings, there’s not a lot to dislike about comedian Ryan Singer. And it’s not just us saying it: In the last few years, he’s won over audiences headlining the nation’s finer comedy clubs and was hailed by Marc Maron in Rolling Stone as a comedian “Who Should Be Big.”

Ryan has released his 3rd full-length album IMMORTAL FOR NOW after his debut album HOW TO GET HIGH WITHOUT DRUGS and sophomore release COMEDY WONDER TOWNwere selected as Top 10 Comedy CD’s of the year (2010 & 2012). He is the creator and host of one of the top Science & Medicine podcasts on iTunes, ME & PARANORMAL YOU, the twice-weekly mindcast (podcast) in which he has in-depth interviews with people who possess paranormal abilities or have had extraordinary experiences. He was selected by LA Weekly as one of “10 LA Comics to Watch” for 2014, was mentioned in NY Magazine as a “Comic to Watch,” was one of 4 finalists in the original CMT’s Next Big Comic Contest, is a frequent guest on the WTF Podcast w/Marc Maron and the Bob & Tom Show, and his joke “United Snacks of America” has over 7.5 million listens on Pandora.

 

Wiley’s Comedy Club

101 Pine Street in the Oregon District

(937) 224-5653

Fri, Dec 20, 2019  8:00 PM

Sat, Dec 21, 2019  7:15 PM 9:30 PM

Tickets $10 plus a 2 item minimum

Storytelling for the Stage” Workshop Kicks off 4th Story Slam Season

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Story Slam Dayton kicks off it’s 4th season with a “Storytelling for the Stage” workshop on September 3 from 6:30pm to 8:30pm.

Story Slam Dayton is Dayton’s monthly open-mic storytelling event held at Wiley’s Comedy Club in the Oregon District. Modeled after The Moth storytelling events, the open mic event welcomes storytellers of all ages and experience levels to share a story from the stage. So far Story Slam has done 31 shows,  2 clinics and spurred a half dozen Moth Storytellers, and hosted more than one hundred tellers to our stage.

Left to right: Becky Koop, Nicole Ruttencutter, Allie Hundley, Faith Robertson (winner) and Sandra Combs.

The September 3rd workshop, led by Story Slam producer Bryan Suddith, will cover the basics of crafting a 5 minute personal story for the Story Slam stage. The two hour event will give you the tools to create a story, practice and take the stage with confidence under the lights.

Space is limited, so reserve your spot in the workshop online, just $5.

Story Slam happens on the 3rd Tuesday of each month and they’ll kick off the season on Sept 17th.

Where To Get Your Laugh On This Week

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Dayton IS the comedy scene! Comedy fan Cal Westray has pulled together this list of laughs for the upcoming week:

Monday 8th:

     The Barrel- 857 W. Central in Springboro.Open Mic  with Nate Jenkins (Every Monday) 7pm

Tuesday 9th:

 Peach’s 104 Xenia Ave, Yellow Springs. Every Tuesday at 8pm!  Kyleen Downes is Open Mic Host

      Paradise Key Lounge 3243 Needmore Rd, Laughing in Paradise with Don Smith, Johnny Woods, Evan Michael Kackley, and Scott Mallory.

 

Wednesday 10th:

South Park Tavern. 1301 Wayne Avenue. Open Mic at the9pm every Wednesday.

     Buckeye Sports Lodge 126 W High St, Springfield, Open Mic every other Wednesday 8pm -show up go up

     Mila’s Suburban Cafe, 606 Taywood Rd, Englewood. Call 937-832-2200. Open Mic Night every Wednesday 7p-8:30p. Come and share your music, poetry, comedy, or other form of performance art.

    Hannah’s on Ludlow. Open Mic Showtime  will be 7pm every Wednesday night. See Raymond Jackson to signup.

Steve Hoffstetter

Wiley’s Comedy Club in the Oregon District Steve Hofstetter for One show only!  7:15pm

Hofstetter’s national TV debut came on ESPN’s Quite Frankly, where Stephen A. Smith yelled at him for three minutes. Hofstetter has also appeared on CBS’ “Late Late Show With Craig Ferguson,” Showtime’s “White Boyz in the Hood,” VH1’s “Countdown,” Sundance’s “On the Road in America,” and ABC’s “Barbara Walter’s Special,” where he thankfully did not cry.

 

Thursday 11th:

W.O. Wrights, 3979 Colonel Glenn Hwy in Beavercreek.  8pm show with Neil Griffin and Friends! With Don Smith.

Spirited Goat in Yellow Springs. Open Mic Nights are every Thursday at 7pm! If you wish to sign up,  give them a call or come in the shop any        time after 3pm on that day!

     Barrel House at 417 E 3rd St. Dayton Open Mic every Thursday evening from 8:30-11pm  Musicians! Comedians! Poets!
Jayson Aldridge hosts their Open Mic Night!

Jay Mewes

Dayton Funny Bone at The Greene – Jay Mewes (From Jay and Silent Bob)  7:30pm

Indie film icon, Jason Mewes, is perhaps best known as the vocal half of the on-screen comedic duo, Jay and Silent Bob. Mewes’ has reprised his role as celebrated character, “Jay,” in a number of hit films. With cult-fans following his controversial antics, Mewes has captured audiences with rebellious banter against his unspoken other half and longtime friend, Kevin Smith (Silent Bob). Since the beginning of the duo’s offbeat work together, Mewes and Smith have continued to build on their beloved character driven roles from the Jay and Silent Bob series.

Friday 12th:

Michelle Wolf

Dayton Funny Bone at The Greene: Michelle Wolf  7:30 & 10pm

MICHELLE WOLF has quickly become one of the most influential voices in the comedy landscape as she continues on the path of a breakout year, with the Village Voice calling her “the voice comedy needs right now” and The Daily Beast declaring, “Michelle Wolf is the future of stand-up comedy.” She recently served as the executive producer, writer, and host of the critically-acclaimed variety sketch series “The Break with Michelle Wolf” on Netflix. Previously, she made international headlines as the much buzzed-about headliner of the 2018 White House Correspondents Dinner.

Wiley’s Comedy Club in the Oregon District: Rich Ragains

Rich Ragains was a contributing writer for National Lampoon’s Sports Minute Or So. Rich has opened for the likes of Dave Chappelle, Carrot Top, and Larry the Cable guy. He’s appeared on Country Music Television, NBC, and The Bob and Tom Show.

Saturday 13th

Wiley’s Comedy Club in the Oregon District: Rich Ragains

Dayton Funny Bone at The Greene: Jackie Fabulous

Sunday 14th:

Jackie Fabulous

Dayton Funny Bone at The Greene: Jackie Fabulous

JACKIE FABULOUS, is a gut-busting, writer, producer, speaker, and headlining comedian who uses comedy to simultaneously entertain, encourage and empower audiences. Having survived her fair share of loves, tragedies, lessons and embarrassing moments, Jackie channels all of that energy into hilarious sets and inspiring keynotes. More than just a funny lady, she is on a mission to inspire and empower women all over the world to Find The Funny In Their Flaws.

Wiley’s Sunday Comics at Wiley’s Comedy Club!

Performing on the same stage that held, Drew Carey, Chris Rock, Chapelle, Ellen, Emo Phillips, Bill Hicks, and more, Wiley’s Sunday Comics is a mixture of local amateur comedians and nationally touring professionals working on their craft by performing in short sets. Some are showcasing for future work at the club and others are working out new material to get it perfect for weekend shows on the road. For 35 years, Wiley’s has supported live stand-up comedy and encouraged and instructed young performers in their dreams, often giving them their first paid jobs as an MC right here at Wiley’s. Come see the Stars of Tomorrow Today…..ONLY AT WILEY’S. To sign up for stage time, email [email protected] .

Funny By Any Pronunciation

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Pronounced “Shall-Lee-Foo,” his last name – C–H–A–L–I–F–O–U–X – has given those taking those taking the stage before him trouble for years. Now, the Cincinnati-based comedian aims to make audiences remember not only his name, but how funny the man behind it is when Wiley’s Comedy Joint this Friday, Feb. 23 and Saturday, Feb. 24.

 

A regular at the world-famous Comic Strip Live during his time in New York City, Chalifoux’s accolades are those of a comedian that has worked to earn his keep at his craft. A featured past performer at both the Limestone Comedy Festival in Bloomington, Ind. and Laughing Skull Comedy Festival in Atlanta among others, Chalifoux has also been featured on The Bob & Tom Show as well as BBC Radio. Additionally, his jokes have been heard on Sirius/XM radio, featured in Reader’s Digest and he’s written for ESPN.com.

 

Now that he’s served his time in the trenches of the city he calls “comedy college,” Chalifoux is excited to be back home in the state where his career started years ago.

 

“I loved New York City. I loved living there and I loved doing standup there; the mix of audiences and venues is incredible and the amount of incredible talent you’re alongside in the trenches is inspiring,” Chalifoux says, speaking of the city he called his “comedy college.” “At the same time, there are certain lifestyle things NYC isn’t the best for and there are things outside of comedy I wanted in life, so moving back to Ohio once my family grew made the most sense.”

 

Chalifoux’s on-stage persona is much like his off-stage, a fact he knows sometimes comes as a shock to those who think of comedians as wild and crazy individuals that are always “on.” A married father of two daughters, Chalifoux credits his domesticated lifestyle for giving him a “wealth” of material seeing how “I’m home with the kids a lot and constantly failing in new and increasingly embarrassing ways.”

Saying stand-up has instilled “a deep love and respect for jokes in me,” Chalifoux says being a married stand-up comic that doesn’t party hard on the road does come with its share of pros and cons.

 

“It’s much worse to be the unbearably obnoxious guy trying to be funny in every conversation. I do it professionally, so I’m not trying to prove myself to people around a water cooler,” he says. “In terms of wild road stories, I do miss out on that a bit. When I’m gone for a weekend, I try to treat it professionally, and spend most of the days holed up in a coffee shop somewhere writing jokes … After spending a chunk of my 20s in a city with reliable public transportation and spending most nights in bars/nightclubs drinking for free, you have to get a handle on that.”

 

Now preparing to release his debut stand-up comedy album this year, Chalifoux promises to deliver a mix of entertaining stories and observations from the mind of a man trying to make people “laugh a lot and forget all their BS for a few hours.”

“I don’t do a ton of observational/topical stuff – there’s Twitter for that – so audiences can expect to see a lot of jokes at my expense. I’m also not going to be up there doing ‘Git-R-Done’ jokes or talking about my penis a lot (only a tasteful amount),” he says. “I’m also bringing two terrific comedians with me in Josh O’Neill and Molly Hartzell, who are both hilarious. So, audiences can expect a lot of jokes … And maybe cookies.”

 

THE DETAILS

 

WHO: Mark Chalifoux with opening acts Molly Hartzell and Josh O’Neill

WHERE: Wiley’s Comedy Joint, 101 Pine Street, Dayton, OH 45402
WHEN: 8 p.m. Friday, Feb. 28; 7:15 and 9:30 p.m., Saturday Feb. 24

COST: $10

FOR MORE INFORMATION: (937) 224-5653 or  http://www.wileyscomedy.com/events/21783

MIDWEST-MADE FUNNYMAN

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MIDWEST-MADE FUNNYMAN
Ricarlo Flanagan to headline Wiley’s Comedy Club Saturday, Feb. 3

At 6’3” with a deep voice to match his frame, Ricarlo Flanagan might seem like an imposing figure at a glance. But to hear the Cleveland-born, Michigan raised comedian tell it, his presence is simply the doorway to getting to know the real him.

“I’m also fat or husky as they like to say, so my weight gives me a look (that’s) kinda jolly to most people,” Flanagan says. “That allows me to connect my personality to the crowd.”

Flanagan plans on bringing all his personality – and a collection of jokes – when he headlines Wiley’s Comedy Joint next month.

Joined by host Meldon Williams and feature act (and MostMetro.com film reviewer) Tabari McCoy, Flanagan takes the stage for two shows at 7:15 and 9:30 pm Saturday, Feb. 3. Flanagan, who gained national stand-up exposure in 2015 on NBC’s Last Comic Standing, has also ventured out into the acting world with roles here and there– his size often serving as a key component of his character.

That should explain why he enjoyed his roles a security guard on an episode of The Mick on Fox and as a bouncer on The Carmichael Show, he’s proudest of his recurring role as Davey, a new friend of Debbie (Emma Kenney) who always had some advice for her in a humorous fashion.

Calling acting a “great” experience overall, Flanagan sees his character on the show relationship to Debbie similarly to the way he approaches his act on stage.

“That’s kind of who I am as a person. I’m always saying something uncomfortable or let the air out of the room,” he says. “The things I may say may be uncomfortable, but there’s some good advice between that’s framed in a way you can enjoy it.”

Flanagan hasn’t “gone Hollywood” by any means, though, saying the biggest difference he’s notice between the Midwest and Los Angeles deals with the state of people’s mentalities towards their own image. “People in the Midwest seem to be at peace with aging with grace. People in LA want to look 21 at 60 – also it’s not cold out west; it’s cold as Jarred Kushner’s heart in Michigan.”

Now ready to play the oldest comedy club in Ohio, Flanagan appreciates the chance to perform again back in the Midwest.

“I can feel the history in the room. Some of the best have put 10 toes down on that stage and it inspires me to leave my mark,” he says. “People who enjoy comedy in its purest form should come out because I have every intention of leaving you with an experience that will stick with you for a lifetime.

Want to know what experience has stuck with Flanagan? It might not be what you expect – but it’s one he still appreciates.

“I saw (actresses) Nicole Ari Parker and Salli Richardson in the same day … A single tear comes out of my eye every time I think about it.”

THE FACTS

Who: Ricarlo Flanagan
Where: Wiley’s Comedy Joint, 101 Pine St., Dayton, OH 45402
When: 7:15 and 9:30 pm, Saturday, Feb. 3, 2018
Cost: $10 in advance; $15 at the door
For tickets and more information: Visit Wiley’s website or call (937) 224-5653.

Ohio’s Oldest Comedy Club Has New Owner

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wileysOriginally opened in 1982 by Dan Lafferty and his wife Jody on Patterson Road, Wiley’s Comedy Club is one of the longest running clubs in the country and the oldest in Ohio.  Sometime in 1990 the club moved to it’s current home in the Historic Oregon District. After 17 years at the helm of the business Lafferty sold the club to stand up comic Rob Haney, who is also a writer for the Bob & Tom radio show.  Now, fourteen years later, and  for the first time in the club history, the new ownership group are not Daytonians.  The team is headed up by stand up comic Steve Hofstetter.

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Hofstetter on stage at his Indy club.

Author’s confession- I worked at Wiley’s in 1993, before I bought Jokers Comedy Cafe.  It was at Jokers that I first booked  Hofstetter, bringing him in for a special one night show he was promoting aimed at college students.  I’d never seen his show, but based on his success on the college circuit, his status as the original writer for collegehumor.com, and his persistence in pursuing the booking, I took a chance on him.  While I don’t remember much about his humor  (which generally means his show was fine- the ones that sucked and those that rocked the rooms are the ones that stand out from my 25+ years of comedy)  what I did come away with was the sense that this New Yorker had the determination and drive to make a success out of anything he undertook.   I lost track of him along the way, but would occasionally hear about his latest accomplishment.  I heard he’d taken over a failing club in Indy and knew he was still hustling his way through comedy clubs.

Then one morning in July I started getting phone calls and facebook messages asking if I’d bought Wiley’s.  Rumors were out that Rob had sold the club and folks were asking if I’d bought the club.  I chuckled, and gave my standard answer, “been there, done that, not going back.”  Later that day I posted this update on the MostMetro.com Facebook page:

“As of October 1st, Wiley’s Comedy Club will have  new ownership. Comedian Steve Hofstetter will be the managing partner.
This will be the 3rd club they own, adding to their Indy and Louisville clubs. Steve is a hustler and knows how to promote so expect some exciting things to happen when he takes over!”

So I reached out to Steve and asked him a few questions about taking over Wiley’s:

 

What made Dayton an attractive city for you to buy a club in?

SH:  I’ve been performing there for ten years. I’ve done shows at multiple clubs, as well as Wright State and U. of Dayton. The vibe of the neighborhood in particular is what got us. It is a working class town, but filled with artists and young people actively looking for something interesting to do. Who wouldn’t want to run a club here? It’s also a Bob & Tom city, and so are our other clubs. This club in particular is a great fit – amazing bones, but not doing much re: social media and modern technology, which is what we do best. In addition, we specialize in clubs in the midwest. Our other two are in Louisville and Indy – both 2 hours from Dayton. We can do wonderful things regarding routing big comedians through the three cities.

What changes can guests expect at the club?

SH: Our philosopy is that we are responsible for the customer’s night as soon as they get out of their car, and every aspect of the experience must be considered accordingly. Our other clubs are known for quality food and a vast liquor selection, in addition to great talent. Because we have the ability to book in bulk, customers will quickly see an increase in celeb acts. We will also focus on building more of the local artists – with opportunities to grow in our organization, we’ll be teaching the local comedians to think beyond open mics and hopefully churn out some amazing acts from the scene. Rob Haney has done great things at Wiley’s over the years. Our job is to take it to the next level.

gwarren

Comedian Greg Warren

Who’s your favorite all time comic and favorite still playing clubs? (and no, you can’t say yourself)

SH:  All time is Bill Hicks. Also love me some Mitch Hedberg and Eddie Izzard (who is still gigging, just not at clubs). My favorite current club acts are probably Greg Warren and Tom Simmons. But there are so many wonderful ones it’s really hard to choose (MM:Since Greg Warren is probably my best friend in comedy, Steve wins some brownie points for that answer).

 

358272FA-D4F0-24D7-5BAC91F03B4A9E0CSo tonight, is the first night of the new regime and it’s ladies night, all women get in free on Thursday. And the first comic they have booked is another good buddy of mine, B.T.

Originally from Oklahoma and now living in Indy, this drama school graduate trained for the rigors of making people laugh and has been so successful that he has performed at the prestigious HBO U.S. Comedy Arts Festival. B.T.’s physical performance style and charm landed him two performances on NBC’s “Friday Night Videos”. He has also appeared on BET Comic View, MTV’s The Jenny McCarthy Show, and FOX’s The Keenan Ivory Wayans Show.  B.T. is only on the show for tonight, come this weekend, Steve Hofstetter will be taking the stage at his newest club.

Wishing them well and looking forward to the new energy Hofstetter will bring to Wiley’s Comedy Joint.  Stop on out to the club at 101 Pine Street in the Oregon District, with shows Thursday through Sunday at 8pm, with a second show at 10:15pm on Friday and Saturday.  You can purchase tickets on their website or call the club for more information at 937-224-5653.

Jackie Kashian Providing Laughs And An “Excellent Horcrux” At Wiley’s

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 When I was younger, I would try to make all of my family and friends laugh by doing impersonations and/or spout off  silly comments and observations.  I had a few (and I mean few) individuals make comments about how I should be a  comedian.  And I actually thought about  going into that world.  I figured that if I made a few people giggle at my  dumb jokes-I could easily have an amazing experience.  As time went on, I determined that I should just stick to I know,  and be a writer.

For comedian Jackie Kashian, the past couple of years have been anything but relaxing.  Recently, Kashian has bumped  being on the road and performing at comedy clubs from 25 weeks to 35 weeks a year.  Luckily for Kashian, though, a  typical week will consist of being on the road for 3 to 4 days, and the rest of the week being home.  The days being at  home are particularly a nice welcoming to normalcy in part due to Kashian recently getting married.  “I’m a beacon of hope  for everyone who ever to get married and never thought that they would,” Kashian playfully said to me during our  phone conversation.  On August 8th, Kashian will be performing at Wiley’s Comedy Club, located at 101 Pine Street in Dayton, Ohio.

Growing up in the state of Wisconsin, around the Milwaukee area to be exact,  Kashian grew up with five siblings and a father that was a salesman.  Kashian mentioned that during her childhood, her father never had anything related to comedy in the house.  “We would always listen to motivational speakers…I learned more about pitching and closing the deal than comedy.”  It wasn’t till she was a little older and attending college in Madison, Wisconsin when she discovered the world of stand-up comedy.  Kashian attended a show one night at the local comedy club, and loved it.  She kept going to the club to watch the other comedians to the point that the manager approached her one night.  “The manager came over and said to me ‘Open Mic.  Sunday.’” Kashian said.  So, Kashian without any hesitation went to the club to do a set at the open mic.  “It was like heroin…the first time I did it, I’m sure I was terrible, but I just going back.”  For eight months, Kashian would go to the comedy club and perform every night.  “I was the only woman, so I got lots and lots of stage time,” Kashian added.

Kashian wanted to leave college and continue to pursue comedy after the eight month stint at the local club, but her sister pressured her to finish.  After she graduated college, kashianKashian packed up her belongings and moved up to Minneapolis, Minnesota.  The decision to move to Minneapolis was in part a start over.  “Whenever you move to another city in stand-up comedy, you have to reinvent the wheel a little bit,” Kashian says.  The change of scenery gave Kashian a better audience to perform to, and it allowed new eyeballs to see and ears to hear her set.  Kashian lived in Minneapolis for about six to seven years, and then relocated to her current residence in  Los Angeles.

According to Kashian’s website (www.jackiekashian.com), she describes herself by saying “comedy is like listening to a really racy episode of All Things Considered”.  Her material comprises  a multitude of past and present experiences of her family life by telling stories about her siblings and her father when she was growing and today.  Kashian’s views on relationships are very unique, fascinating, and extremely out of the ordinary in her work.  The reason is because she has had one relationship in her entire life-the one she is currently in with her now husband, having just gotten  married near the age of 40.  “I just never wanted to date,” Kashian explains.  “My husband always says that it’s great that I never really had a boyfriend because he doesn’t really have any expectations to meet, and the bar is low.  I just tell him that the bar is not low, my expectations of him are to be a decent human being.”  Her presence on the stage, along with the delivery of her jokes, is light-hearted and fun.  Kashian is very sarcastic, but also very pleasurable to be around.

Kashian’s resume includes  a half hour special on Comedy Central, being a semi-finalist on the  NBC  television contest Last Comic Standing, and recently being featured on Conan on TBS.  Her second comedy album, It Is Never Going To Be Bread was one of the top ten comedy albums of the year on Amazon.  Kashian also hosts a weekly cult favorite podcast called “The Dork Forest” where she creates a safe space for people to admit that thing they dork out about more than anyone.  Kashian recently has released her newest stand up special This Will Make An Excellent Horcrux and it is available on the website www.allthingsrecords.com for $5.

I wonder what it would be like to be up on stage and perform rehearsed material to the gathering of  patrons at comedy clubs.  I wonder if my jokes would have the on-lookers rolling on the floor, laughing uncontrollably.  Individuals would be reaching out to their napkins and/or tissue to wipe off the tears that are rolling down from their eyes.  Others would lean onto the person sitting next to them, smiling and chuckling.  My material would be your typical observational humor, chronicling the misadventures of my life and what I have experienced.  Throughout my set, I would share the high jinxs and shenanigans of my youth and early adulthood.  I also feel like maybe it wouldn’t fare well and I should just leave it up to folks who have been putting in their time.

Case in point-the wonderful Jackie Kashian.

Jackie Kashian’s show is at Wiley’s Comedy Club is Friday, August 8th at 8:00pm. Preshow admission price is only $12. Admission is $16.00 on the day of the show. To purchase tickets online, just click this link – http://www.showclix.com/event/dayton

The Doc of Comedy Rock **Ticket Contest**

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628x471“My college roommate thought he was Hunter Thompson. He started calling me Dr. Gonzo. I asked him why, and he threw me the book Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas. ‘Gonzo’ refers to someone who takes it to the edge without falling off.”

And Gonzo sure has.  After receiving his degree in 1977, he and a buddy moved to San Francisco to produce a play. “For a long time there, I worked at mindless jobs — putting boxes in boxes, sweeping rain off roofs. I made some money playing guitar.”

Gonzo started to get gigs at the Boarding House, in San Francisco, and other popular clubs — “the places where Steve Martin and Robin Williams performed,” he says. At that time, he was developing his special mix of humor and song.  He opened for the Bay Area band Huey Lewis and the News for more than a year and appeared in the band’s videos.

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Having fun for the camera at the Hard Rock Cafe in San Francisco in 1987 is comedian/actor Sam Kinison, right, and Dr. Gonzo

Means also toured with another San Francisco band, Jefferson Starship, did some shows with Stevie Ray Vaughan and told jokes on the syndicated Los Angeles comedy radio show, “Five O’Clock Funnies.”

“I was the cartoon before the movie. When I was on the road with a band, I stopped in local comedy clubs and met all these wise guys. Then I started working the clubs all the time.” In 1991, he was asked to open for Joe Walsh during a time when Walsh’s band, the Eagles, was not together. “I got to live my rock ‘n’ roll fantasy. I was playing with one of my idols.”

I first met  Dr. Gonzo sometime in the late 80’s when he was one of the top touring comedy headliners and I was a young club manager, running the show and partying til dawn after the shows each night.     I can’t say my memories are all that clear about a lot of what happened back in those days, but I do remember one weekend night Gonzo was playing a club I managed in Buckhead, the hot night spot in Atlanta. We were packed the first show, the bar was rocking and  Gonzo was on stage living up to his “Doc of Comedy Rock” billing.  The box office summoned me to deal with some dude that was saying he had a back stage pass that John left for him.  I head up, see a scruffy looking guy in a ball cap that looked pretty wasted and insisting “John left me a back stage pass.”  I laughed and said, sorry no such thing as a backstage pass at a comedy club and there was no John working the club.

In between shows Gonzo mentioned he was supposed to leave a ticket for a friend of his that was in town for a gig.  I laughed and said oh, was it a backstage pass, making fun of the dude from the box office earlier.  He laughed too, and said just leave a ticket for Lewis.  Then he said, he may ask for me by my real name, John Means.  Suddenly I got a weird feeling, I think I’d just turned away his friend.  I told Gonzo that and just chuckled and told me I’d kicked out Huey Lewis. He was in town for a gig the next day and had asked Gonzo to jam with him. Gonzo, being the nice guy he was, just laughed and said it would be all right.  And later that night, as all three of us were hanging out back at the hotel, we were all feeling pretty good and laughing  and it was all right.

I haven’t seen Dr. Gonzo in years.  He moved back to his hometown of Mason City, Illinois in the 90’s to raise his son.  He ran for and won a place on the City Council, started teaching at the local college and as we all said in the comedy business, he grew up and went legit. He and his wife bought and ran an Italian restaurant in town and then a second.  In 2011 Gonzo came out of retirement to perform at the 30th anniversary of Comedy Day in San Francisco, his old stomping grounds.  What he learned is that after 30 years, he could still make people laugh.  And he’ll be doing that this weekend in Dayton.

Catch Dr. Gonzo at Wiley’s Comedy Club in the Oregon District.

Friday March 14th at 9:00pm with an admission of $12.00
Saturday March 15th at 8:00pm and 10:30pm with an admission of $15.00

DMM Ticket Giveaway

DMM has 2 pairs of tickets for Friday night’s show. We’ll do a drawing at 4pm Friday and post the winner’s names on this post.  To enter the drawing, like this post and fill out the form below.

Our contest is closed, congratulations to Scott Strawser and Patsy Sanders-Mercuri