My mental image of Paul Strickland is him in the Zanies green room looking over pages of his material that had been typed out word for word.. reading it under his breath, rehearsing the inflections and energy he would put into each line. A few years ago, this process struck me as funny because you just don’t see a lot of comics doing that. Most have scraps of paper or napkins with one or two words written on them that represent each joke.. or notebooks full of scribbles – sentence fragments, punchlines, random words and broken thoughts and ideas. You generally don’t see comics going over full transcripts of their acts, or talking about the “arc” of their set or the “through-line” they’re trying to establish but I associate these things with Paul’s process. I’m assuming it was his background in theater that led to these habits, but whatever it is has worked in Paul’s favor.

From his first open mic in February 2006, Paul already seemed to have a good head for the business of comedy. He was always working on new, bookable material. He put effort into everything he did and treated it like a job from the very beginning.. which is exactly why he was able to quit his day job in 2009. Since then he has written and performed his one man shows and traditional standup all over the country.

Paul says, “I firmly believe that making people laugh at themselves and their world is a good way to help them escape while, hopefully, gaining some perspective on what they’re escaping from, and distracting them from the fact that I just took their money.”

Strickland recorded “Levels of Difficulty,” his first stand-up album, a few hours up the road at the Comedy Caravan in Louisville. It is available to buy right now at iTunes and Amazon.

As a ‘thank you’ to the local comedy fans in Nashville who supported Paul from the very beginning, NashvilleStandUp and Paul are happy to be giving away three (3!) copies of the cd on April 22nd. Enter to win below.

Paul says, “Listen, people laughed when I said the things on this CD and we recorded both their laughter and the things I said. Now YOU can laugh WITH people that laughed months ago AT the same things I said MONTHS ago! Building community, that’s what I’m about.”

[UPDATE: the contest has closed! Buy the album already, cheapskate!]

If you don’t have time to screw around, waiting to see if you win, feel free to go ahead and buy it right now:
- iTunes
- Amazon

For more from Paul Strickland, stalk him online:
http://talkingpaul.com/
https://twitter.com/#!/talkingpaul
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1080223703

The fine folk at Corporate Juggernaut have decided to record their very own live comedy album and we want you to share this emotional event with us. We want your smiles, we want your laughs and we want your permission to burn them on to a CD for other people to enjoy. So, come on out and be a part of this historical evening and let us help you have a bad-ass time.

Also, stay tuned for all sorts of fun contests and stuff!

Performers Include:

Gary Fletcher
John Thornton Jr.
James Austin Johnson
Brad Edwards
Sean Parrott
Mark Anundson
Chad Riden
Brandon K. Norman
Sean Christian Staggs
Doug Morinec
Paul Strickland
Bryce Damuth
Dan Schlacter

APRIL 23RD

@ 9PM 21+

5 DOLLARS

@ BONGO AFTER HOURS THEATER; 2007 Belmont Ave. Nashville, TN 37212

www.corporatejuggernaut.com

(Facebook event)

The 3rd Annual Longest Running New Famous #1 International Open Mic Comedy Festival

April 1-8, 2012
Nashville, TN
(facebook event)

The Most Successful Open Mic Comedy Festival In The History of Man™©® is back!

Join us for a week of fantastic open mic comedy, in convenient & economically lucrative Festival form!

This amazing, super-duper mega-event kicks off THIS WEEKEND!

Sun, April 1, 8:00pm – 9:30pm
SmartyPants Stand-Up Comedy Show @ Steve’s
Steve’s Restaurant & Bar, 604 Gallatin Avenue #217, Nashville, TN 37206
(facebook event)

Tuesday, April 3, 6pm
Hope Lodge Night of Laughs
American Cancer Center, Hope House, 2008 Charlotte Avenue, Nashville, TN 37203
(615) 342-0840
http://www.cancer.org/

Tue, April 3, 8:30pm
Spanky’s OPEN MIC
Spanky’s Sportsbar & Grill, 330 Welch Road, Nashville, Tennessee 37211
(behind the WalMart @ Nolensville and Harding Place)
(615) 837-3450

Tue, April 3, 9pm
OPEN MICROPHONE: Comedy Open Mic
Bongo Java After Hours Theater, 2007 Belmont Blvd, Nashville, TN 37212-4405
(facebook event)

Wed, April 4, 9:00pm
Dive Laughing OPEN MIC
Springwater; 115 27th Ave N.; Nashville, TN 37203
(facebook event)

Thur, April 5, 9:30pm (?)
The Rusty Nail OPEN MIC
4054 Andrew Jackson Way
Hermitage, TN 37076-2220
(615) 889-2613

Sun, April 8, 8:00pm – 9:30pm
SmartyPants Stand-Up Comedy Show @ Steve’s
Steve’s Restaurant & Bar, 604 Gallatin Avenue #217, Nashville, TN 37206
(facebook event)

“Be there! ..or SUCK IT!”

FESTIVAL REGISTRATION

Of course these shows are mostly show-up and go-up open mics, but there are so many benefits to be gained by registering for the Festival:

Standard Package:
- official festival t-shirt
- official festival laminate
- access to all the festival after-parties
- admission to the industry / booker meet and greet sessions

Gold Package:
- official festival t-shirt
- official festival laminate
- access to all the festival after-parties
- admission to the industry / booker meet and greet sessions
PLUS: One-on-one lunch with the founder of the fest (and “America’s Favorite Comedian Of All Time”), Chad Riden

NOTE: Early Registration is now closed! Please choose one of the other Festival Packages:

packages

Standard Package $30.00 USD Gold Package $50.00 USD Industry Package $100.00 USD

Comedian and writer Cody Marley has been making people laugh — and occasionally, back away slowly — for two decades. A joke-writer for, among others, Jay Leno, Cody’s comedy has been featured in The New York Times, Time magazine and USA Today, prime-time and late night TV and has been broadcast in every major radio market in America.

As a stand-up, Cody is a favorite on the underground and alternative scene, mixing topical takes with bizarre observations that combine the pose of a hipster with the work ethic of a ranch hand — because Cody has been both. Long a “comic’s comic”, Cody has performed at the Bonnaroo Music Festival (or “that hippie thing,” as your grandmother calls it), and has worked with Mitch Hedberg, Brian Regan and Larry the Cable Guy, among many others.

If you caught a local comedy show in Nashville the week of March 4-10, 2012, you may have seen Cody on stage telling jokes and in the back of the room laughing and filming some video. Over the course of that week, he attempted to go to every comedy night in Nashville. He produced a series of corresponding shorts documenting the shows he visited and posted them online. NashvilleStandUp asked Mr. Marley why and this is what he said:

“I’m doing this because it’s fun. I started doing comedy in Nashville years ago and its growth interests me. I think it mirrors the city’s expansion and what’s going on in most other towns. Nashville has 10-12 comedy nights a week and, I’m guessing, a few hundred comics. I enjoy checking out the talent and the scene and staying connected. I travel a lot so I’ll probably do this in other towns. It’s not just in LA, Chicago or NYC anymore. With the Internet, like it has in music, I think you’re going to see a lot of garage band-like comics emerge, develop a following and make a solid living. Nashville? I expect somebody to bust out big here in the next 2 years. Who will it be? Let’s watch.”

Here are Cody’s videos:

March 4th: SmartyPants NerdCore Stand-Up Comedy Show at Steve’s (every Sunday)
“The first stop was tonight at Steve’s in East Nashville. Funny cats. Big fun.”
https://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=295031497230660

March 6th: Spanky’s & Bongo Java
“Tonight I hit Spanky’s (Antioch) and Bongo Java (Belmont). I went up
first at Spanky’s (8:30) and last at Bonjo Java (10:15). Both, a lot
of fun and both had about 15 comics apiece. Oh, except for me, all
different comics. They didn’t shuttle back and forth.”
https://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=296337377100072

March 7th: La Hacienda & Springwater
“Tonight I hit La Hacienda (Old Hickory) and the venerable Springwater
(Centennial Park). I went up first at La Hacienda (8:30) and at 10:40
at The Springwater. La Hacienda had about 8 comics and The
Springwater, a ton. Quite a hoot.”
https://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=297005157033294

March 8th: The Basement
“Tonight I hit The Basement and saw 2 music/comedy acts The Wolf
Sisters, The Gay Republicans and the comics of Corporate Juggernaut
(3).”
https://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=297670043633472

March 9th: Kimbros
“Tonight I hit Kimbros in Franklin. 8-10 comics bringing the jest.”
https://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=298322100234933

March 10th: The Pond
“Tonight, I hit The Pond in Franklin. Watch and enjoy the magic.”
https://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=298974523503024

Visit Cody Marley online:
Twitter.com/CodyMarley
Cody Marley @ Facebook

Billy Wayne Davis is the thinking man’s hillbilly. With a combination of subtle, disarming intelligence and an unmistakable comfort on stage, he has the rare ability to win over every kind of comedy audience imaginable. Billy Wayne’s comedy really has no discernible category. He can be personal, shocking, political and absurd, but his ability to form an instant connection with audiences allows him to get away with anything and everything. For Billy Wayne Davis, no subject matter is off limits because there is nothing he can’t make funny with his trademark drawl and easy charm. He has worked with some of the biggest names in comedy, including Colin Quinn, Lisa Lampanelli, Louis CK and Mitch Hedberg and has toured as the feature act for national headliner Ralphie May. He has performed festivals, comedy clubs and theaters as diverse as Seattle’s Bumbershoot, The Ryman in Nashville, Comedy Works in Denver and the LA Improv.

Years ago, when B. W. Davis started showing up at the old Tuesday night open mic at The Bar Car in Nashville, he was instantly one of my very favorite people on the planet. He embodied everything I love about my best pals from East Tennessee: disarmingly laid back, completely unpretentious, naturally hilarious and smart as a whip. He was immediately one of the funniest comics to call Nashville home. After he followed up his tenure as house emcee at Zanies by going on the road with Ralphie May, he returned to Nashville a much better, road-seasoned comic. When he moved to Seattle, we started seeing him less often – maybe every six or eight months or so when his tours took him back around to his old home.. but his absence just highlighted his exponential growth as a comic each time he returned. Fast forward to January 2012, when Zanies extended his originally planned week of shows into a three-week residency. Sitting in the green room one night, I heard Zanies’ owner Brian Dorfman say, “He has gotten GREAT.” Yeah.. he has.

The material is original, unique, road-tested, and funny but Billy Wayne Davis’ self-titled debut standup album isn’t a perfect show. Davis is heckled several times – and each time he body slams the drunk, annoying morons with style, grace and wit. During track 18, “Feeding My Ewok,” somebody drops a glass on the floor and he reacts in the moment saying, “Did a Jew just get married? What happened?” This gets him a strange reaction from the Seattle crowd and he instantly calls them on it: “Why did you moan that? That’s what they do at the end of their wedding ceremony is they break a fucking glass. That’s the weirdest P-C shit I’ve ever seen right there: I just said ‘Jew’ with a Southern accent and you’re like, ‘Uh-oh. Oh God, I read about this! This is not good!’ That was weird.” and went right back into his bit.

This, to me, is a perfect example of what B-dub does: While in the middle of a well crafted routine there is a distraction. He addresses it with a funny line and is ready to move on.. but smelled a little bullshit in the crowd’s reaction and dove in to explore that. His off-the-cuff reference is smart, well timed, culturally-informed and misinterpreted. This line (and Billy Wayne in general) contradicts the standard stereotypical caricature so often incorrectly associated with anybody with a Southern accent. Davis handily exposes the hypocrisy and prejudice of the people who assume ignorance and racism where there is none.. and he gets laughs with every improvised line as if it’s a bit he has done for years. Turns out, he’s good at this.

Look, I could have scammed a free copy of “Billy Wayne Davis” no problem, but I bought it as soon as it was available for sale because I KNEW that it would be worth every god damn penny.. and it is. You should buy it right now:
- Amazon.com
- iTunes
- RooftopComedy.com

Here’s a funny promo video Billy made for his new album:

Billy Wayne Davis from Billy Wayne Davis on Vimeo.

Follow Billy Wayne Davis online:
Twitter.com/BillyWayneDavis
Facebook.com/BillyWayneDavis