Renard Hirsch taping BET appearance

Renard Hirsch
Renard Hirsch
Not too long ago, we heard “BET Comic View” was changing formats again and would be renamed “BET Gospel Comic View – A Time to Laugh” hosted by Gospel singer Vickie Winans.

We’ve just learned that one of the first comics selected to appear on the new show, is Nashville’s own Renard Hirsch! Mr. Hirsch says, “God is good y’all!!! Every since I started doing comedy everybody has been asking me ‘When are you going to be on Comic View?’ It looks like that time has finally arrived.”

Renard will tape for BET’s ‘A Time to Laugh’ in Atlanta this Saturday the 7th @ Turner Studios. If you are interested in being a part of the live studio audience send an email to timetolaugh09@gmail.com or call 404.885.4206.

Hirsch told NashvilleStandUp that he is excited and humbled by the opportunity. “I was sitting around the house getting text messages from some of the other comedians about who had already made the show. I was thinking to myself that I had a really great set at the auditions, but maybe I should have done some different jokes or something, then they called me the next day and I went through the roof! So I’m getting ready to go to Atlanta to represent for Tennessee and show the world that there are some more funny people in Nashville.”

Congratulations to Renard! Watch for him on BET soon. Until then, keep up with him at MySpace at: www.myspace.com/comedymanrh

Rik Roberts’ “School Of Laughs” Spring Schedule

First, my huge thanks to the many fresh faces that just completed the writing class. The experience was an all around great time. Nineteen are now embarking on the next phase … Performance! Stay tuned for a graduation show announcement so you can come out and support these comedy warriors.

Improv 101 Classes are scheduled for Mondays, April 6, 13, 20 & 27 from 5:30-7:30pm at Zanies. Registration for the Improv class is still a bit away. I will start taking pre-registration on March 16th. I thought I’d up date everyone so you can make some tentative plans. Class fee is $200.

Due to the overwhelming response, I’ve added one more Performance Class session. This session will meet Mondays, April 6, 13, 20 & 27 from 8:00-9:30pm (after the Improv class). If you are interested in this session I have 5 spots left. $200 covers the 4 sessions in the above classes.

Stand-UP Writing Class is tentatively scheduled for Mondays May 4, 11, 18, 25, from 5:30 to 7:30pm. Class fee is $200.

The Bu$ine$$ of Comedy class is getting closer to a confirmation date in May. Thanks for your patience. This will be a one day seminar, cost is $75.

All of the classes listed above will meet at Zanies Comedy Showplace in Nashville, TN.

Click http://www.schooloflaughs.com for class descriptions.

SPECIAL EDITION CLASSES:

Toastmaster Classes

If you are a Toastmaster, please e-mail me for a special announcement!!! I have a two class session designed just for you in April!

Christian Comedy Association

I am proud to announce I will be teaching a course at the upcoming CCA Conference May 31-June 2 in Murfreesboro, TN. This one hour session will focus on “Perfecting Your Performance.” Visit www.christiancomedyassociation.com for more information.

DID YOU KNOW …

If you take the writing and performing classes you are granted a spot on a graduation show at Zanies?

Students who successfully navigate the two courses will be invited to perform a set onstage at Zanies. This is the absolute fastest way to get on their stage. You are not REQUIRED to perform in any way. But most students are pretty fired up and ready to get under the spotlight.

That graduation set is recorded to a DVD for you to have forever and share with friends or even online.

Stage time for former students at ZANIES!

Zanies has asked if I would run an open mike twice a month on TUESDAYS specifically designed to get my graduates more stage time. THIS IS AWESOME NEWS FOR YOU!

Set lengths will vary from 3-5-7 minutes and there will be opportunities to emcee the shows as well. These shows are a direct result of all the quality new faces who have taken the classes and taken it to the next level.

The still has a few limited slots available on the “off” nights as it always has. But, your odds of getting stage time has increased radically with this development.

I will be hosting the OPEN MIKES on March 10, 23 and April 7th. Show starts at 7:30pm.

Extra Stage Time

School of Laughs graduate Brian E. Kiley is booking a room in White Bluff, TN. If you are interested in getting stage time please contact him directly at bekiley@yahoo.com.

nashvilleStandUp.com has a complete list of all the open mikes in the Nashville area.

ALSO … If you have any news you’d like to share with the rest of the School of Laughs please send it on to me and I will put it in the next newsletter.

Gift Certificates

Don’t want to spend the money on yourself for classes? Have someone else do it! You can let people know you want to take these classes and have them pay your tuition with a gift certificate. Just have them e-mail me and I will guide them through it. The gift certificate is available for any of the 4 week courses for $200, and for the Business Class for $75. All pre-paid certificate are fully refundable if you decide not to take the class.

Open Mic @ Lonnie’s, now at 8pm

Lonnie's open mic standup, every Monday at 8pm
Lonnie's open mic standup, every Monday at 8pm
Courtney Kay Meyers’ new open mic stand-up comedy night at Lonnie’s on West End has been a great success so far. Many comics have been doing the open mic at Lucky’s on Stewart’s Ferry and then driving over to West End for Lonnies.. and to help accommodate that commute, Lonnie’s show now runs from 8pm – 10pm. Karaoke Craziness follows the show-up and go-up open mic, but the beer specials run all night long – $5 pitchers, $15 domestic buckets and $21 premium buckets.

Lonnie’s
2813 West End Ave
Nashville, TN 37203
No cover!
every Monday night at 8pm.