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ramajmedia · 5 years

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The Boys: 7 Things Amazon's Show Does Better (And 3 Things The Comic Does Better)

When it was originally written, The Boys comic was an edgy ode to disillusionment, a cautionary tale that meeting your heroes and realizing your dreams would inevitably end in crushing disappointment and lifelong failure. Filled with pages of gratuitous violence, sexual depravity, and verbal hostility, you either loved it or your hated it.

Amazon Prime's new series The Boys takes the vital elements of the series and chucks the rest, favoring responsible writing over shock value, and bringing in some modern sensibilities to temper the comic's more outrageous tone. The result is a completely bingeable show about celebrity superheroes that emit altruism on the outside, while being dangerous narcissistic psychopaths behind closed doors. Here are 7 things it gets right, and 3 things it gets wrong.

10 BETTER: TRANSOCEANIC FLIGHT 37

When Vought International's plan to put superheroes in the military faces federal resistance, Homelander decides to provide incentive. In the show, he learns a transoceanic flight has been hijacked and goes with Queen Maeve to save it. He accidentally destroys the controls with his laser-eyes and ultimately decides the mission is a bust, leaving every passenger on Transoceanic Flight 37 to die.

This was much more gruesome in the comic, and involved a botched rescue of the flights intended to strike the Twin Towers during the September 11 terrorist attacks. The terrorists are dealt with, but the planes end up crashing into the Brooklyn Bridge.

RELATED: 10 Most Underrated Superhero TV Shows

9 WORSE: THE DEEP

The Deep (Aquaman lite) featured in the series is an egocentric, selfish prick that constantly tries to compensate for his lack of self-worth through bedding women and relentlessly seeking Homelander's approval. He's Starlight's personal hero and he sexually assaults her in their first encounter.

In the comics, The Deep was the most grounded and business-savvy of the Seven, and never touched Starlight (that was a team effort by A-Train, Homelander, and Black Noir). He also wasn't nearly as cringey as The Deep in the show because he was known to be mature and level-headed.

8 BETTER: COMPOUND V

In the show, Compound V is the secret serum that some superheroes take to give them an "edge" and augment their superpowers. A-Train uses it to remain the "fastest man alive", but ends up getting addicted to it. It's been suggested Starlight was pumped full of it as a child to ensure she'd become a superhero later in life.

In the comics, The Boys used it to inject themselves so they could take on superheroes in a fair fight. By giving it to the superheroes as an additional edge over The Boys, it raises the stakes even higher, makes The Boys extreme underdogs, and makes the superheroes even more diabolical.

7 WORSE: BLACK NOIR

The series doesn't do a whole lot with the character of Black Noir (Batman lite). The most mysterious member of the Seven, the show doesn't accurately convey whether Noir seeks the sanctity of the shadows by choice, or that his silence is because of his being mute rather than part of his mystique.

The comics keep Black Noir mysterious up to a point, but he does more in the first few issues of the series than all eight episodes of the show. Black Noir is capable of the same sort of despicable violence as Homelander, and worse. Hopefully Season 2 will make him a more meaningful part of the Seven and the overall story.

6 BETTER: HOMELANDER

Antony Starr has gone to great lengths to embody Homelander in his onscreen incarnation, perfectly mimicking his impetuous and unpredictable nature. One minute, he's smiling brightly and chatting with fans, the next he's erupting with psychotic violence on a member of his own team for destroying their public image.

The Homelander of the comics threw wild tantrums which, when combined with his powers, did make him wholly unpredictable, but also childish. A compromise had to be made between the extreme of his comic book persona and a reasonable sociopath on screen, and we feel The Boys series struck a believable balance.

RELATED: The Boys: 10 Reasons Why Homelander Is Scarier Than Thanos

5 WORSE: STILLWELL

While inherently there was no problem with changing the character of Stillwell from a man to a woman, it did present some complications for the narrative of the series. Because Madelyn Stillwell becomes pregnant, she has a weakness (her child). James Stillwell has no apparent weakness; he's a cold-hearted bureaucrat.

Madelyn Stillwell dies because of her weakness. She doesn't make it past the first season, despite her corporate acumen and resourcefulness. In the comics, Stillwell is a major antagonist the entire series run, for both the Seven and The Boys. He represents all the avarice and greed of a profitable mega-corporation, distilled into a single man.

RELATED: 10 Greatest Supervillains You've (Probably) Never Heard Of

4 BETTER: THE FEMALE

In the series, The Female is one of the most essential of The Boys because she's been injected with Compound V. Kidnapped by a terrorist group and force-fed the serum by her guerrilla compatriots, she's a petite girl that can rip your face off. She was a byproduct of Vought International's desire to create supervillains only its heroes could eradicate.

In the comics, she accidentally eats some Compound V as a baby and develops her powers, but there isn't the same level of nuance to her origins as in the series, when she's an innocent bystander of a much larger plan. She's never even given a name.

3 BETTER: STARLIGHT

When we met Starlight in the series, she's an idealistic young woman who's dreamed of being a superhero her entire life. She's trained relentlessly to become a part of the Seven, and when she finally achieves her goal, her fiction is shattered when she's sexually assaulted by The Deep and learns her powers may not even be real. Her disillusionment is a driving force behind her learning to believe in herself, not external saviors.

In the comics, Starlight is much more meek, and it takes a long time for her to stand up for herself. Critics have attributed much of this to author Garth Ennis and his depiction of women in general throughout the series as damsels in distress rather than capable of taking care of their own business.

2 BETTER: SEXUAL ASSAULT

The Boys doesn't shy away from the real life severity of sexual assault. Sexual assault is featured prominently in different ways, and there are ramifications and repercussions, and it isn't there for it's own sake; it always drives the story, whether it involves Starlight's assault by The Deep, The Deep getting assaulted by a female fan, or Homelander and Butcher's wife.

In the comics, author Garth Ennis (who wrote Preacher) was often accused of not being able to draw a clear enough distinction between sexual assault and just sexual acts in general, peppering the pages of his work with gratuitous titillation that wasn't relevant to the narrative.

1 BETTER: BECCA BUTCHER AND THE SUPER BABY

In the series, the entire reason that Billy Butcher is hunting superheroes is because of what happened to his wife, Becca Butcher. Homelander sexually violated her, and as a result of their abhorrent union she became pregnant. Billy believes she died in childbirth but as we come to see, she's alive (as is her super son) and under protection from Vought.

In the series, Becca still dies in childbirth (for real), and the super baby is actually killed by Billy himself. Billy as a character is entirely more gruesome in the comics, but the series allows him to be a more complex character, especially now that his entire reality has been shattered.

NEXT: The Boys: 5 Characters From The Comics We Want To See In Season 2 (& 5 We Don’t)

source https://screenrant.com/boys-7-things-amazons-show-better-3-things-comic-better/

#screenrant

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entergamingxp · 4 years

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DualShockers’ Favorite Comforting and Relaxing Games

March 27, 2020 4:00 PM EST

From Borderlands to JRPGS to Animal Crossing, here are the relaxing games that DualShockers turns to for comfort and stress relief.

With the growing concerns over the coronavirus outbreak across the world, things are certainly stressful and uncertain right now for everyone around the world. Thankfully, video games have been able to help take us out of dark times before, and with so many countries turning to shelter in place orders and more drastic measures, gaming is certainly a welcome distraction and source of escape right now.

In light of these heavy times, the DualShockers staff gathered to share some of our favorite games that we turn to when we need them most. Consider these our “comfort food games” – the games that we like to use as outlets for relaxation, stress relief, and a bit of warmth when they’re needed.

Kris Cornelisse, Staff Writer

As odd as it sounds, my relaxation games of choice are usually some flavour of strategy title. Stellaris or Civilization 6 might have a lot going on, but once you sink the time, in they become fairly rote.

At that point, I’m just juggling resources and expanding my influence across the map. Amass my technology, build my armies, paint the planet(s) the colour of my empire…the whole thing becomes fairly cathartic. Throw in a podcast to listen to, and you have my wind down method of choice.

For something a little more short duration than those, I’ll play a round of Frostpunk or Northgard, but the same principle applies regardless.

Ricky Frech, Senior Staff Writer

When I think about my video game comfort food, there are a few nostalgia-filled games that come to mind. I could easily make this entry about something like World of Warcraft, Diablo II, NCAA Football 2014, or literally any Yakuza game. However, when I look at my YouTube history since my personal quarantine began, the answer is clear. The number of hours I’ve already spent watching The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past randomizers is kind of shocking, but it makes sense.

A Link to the Past is my favorite game of all-time. Rarely would I call a game perfect, but if any game is, it’s this one. And when the team behind the randomizer put out their first release, an incredible thing was born. I’ve played through the original ALTTP more times than I can count. It’s been in my regular rotation since my parents got me a SNES in 1994. I know that map about as well as I know the back of my hand. So, to get something that completely switches all of that up and surprises you at every turn is an absolute joy. No two runs are exactly the same and your game knowledge is often tested in ways you never expected.

Obviously, I wouldn’t recommend you play the randomizer first. If you haven’t played ALTTP‘s original version, please, do yourself a favor and do so now (and easily accessible through Nintendo Switch Online). Like, right now. But once you’ve played through the game a time or twenty, give the randomizer a try. It will not disappoint.

Cameron Hawkins, Staff Writer

While it’s not normally a game people play for relaxation, my go-to title whenever I sit down to unwind is Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. I like playing competitive games, so whenever I know that I don’t have much time to play, don’t want to start a new game, or trying not to be super active in what I’m doing, I play Super Smash Bros. To me, Smash is just that type of comfort food gaming where I know I can always go to it and turn my brain off for a little. There are times where I play in a more serious fashion to try and better my skills, but normally, I like to kick back, go through a few rounds on auto-pilot, and call it a day.

All I’m waiting for now is for Sakurai to announce Sora in the new Fighters Pass. That’s all I want Sakurai. Please.

Allisa James, Senior Staff Writer

Normally some grinding sessions or mini-games in my favorite RPGs is more than enough to soothe this soul. But desperate times call for even stronger coping mechanisms, and so I turn to two games that exclude relaxation.

The first is Flower, which is a title developed by and released by Thatgamecompany in 2009 for the PS3. The player controls the wind as it blows a flower petal through the air. As you fly close to other flowers, you bloom them and attract more petals. There’s no enemies, no time limits, and the sounds and music are borderline ASMR in how peaceful and tranquil they are. Flower, with its stunning and colorful visuals that convey a subtle message of environmental conservation, is the perfect game to wind down to when the world is too much to handle (especially right now).

The second title is a game that I’ve raved about before: VA-11 HALL-A: Cyberpunk Bartender Action. The aesthetic here is much different, as it takes place in a dark and grim cyberpunk future. But instead of focusing on an epic tale on class warfare, you play as an ordinary bartender that serves her eclectic customers as they pour their hearts out. The graphics are straight from a PC-98 Japanese visual novel, and it features an incredible retro soundtrack that you can fully customize. Getting to know each customers’ story while making them drinks in a fun mini-game that lets you endlessly restart bad drink mixing is a great way to wind down, and reminds you to see the everyday humanity in even the worst of situations.

Otto Kratky, Associate Staff Writer

Alright, let’s be frank. The world’s on fire right now – people are getting sick, international markets are crashing worse than Sonic ’06, and most of us have been told to stay indoors. In short, everything sucks right now, which means it’s a great time for some escapism. While most people are ditching the real world for their Animal Crossing paradises, me and my friends have opted for something a little more active, and therefore more distracting.

I’m talking about Stardew Valley, Concerned Ape’s farming simulator. Sure it’s not the most relaxing game, but it’s one that you can get into the rhythm of and suddenly hours have passed. See, in Animal Crossing, there’s hardly ever any direction: you just have your chores for the day and then you can go fishing or catch bugs – it’s pretty loose in structure like that. But in Stardew Valley you’ve got to take care of your plants and your animals, then you have to go to the mine to get iron for sprinklers, and it goes on. It’s much more active and absorbing, not to mention that with friends, you get a wonderful social experience that a bunch of us may be missing right now.

Is Stardew Valley really comfort gaming? Kind of. It’s not high-stress, and it doesn’t raise my BPM like DOOM Eternal does. But it takes me away from it all and gives me something else to focus on without stress or worry. I think that’s something all of us could use a bit of right now.

Ryan Meitzler, Features Editor

While gaming in general tends to be one of my favorite sources of relaxation when I get home, there are only a few types of games that I generally turn to time and again for stress relief or comfort. Generally, the two that I tend to come back to the most for good ol’ comfort food gaming are Super Smash Bros. Ultimate or Destiny 2. They’re super easy for me to jump into for either short play sessions or longer periods of time, and I can pretty much always find time to play them with friends to hangout and chat with them in Discord.

When I’m looking for something more single-player focused or when I’m not in a competitive mood, my comfort go-to games are either open-world games or RPGs. It’s always soothing to me to get lost in a gigantic world or to grind and level up my characters in the JRPG that I’m playing at the moment on my Switch while listening to some music or a podcast. Open-world games especially tend to just click with a certain part of my brain that loves activities and checklists, which is part of the reason why I put over 90 hours into Assassin’s Creed Origins.

In the current pandemic environment, right now I’ve been delving into Tokyo Mirage Sessions on Switch among other games, though I think I’m finally going to take the opportunity to jump into Assassin’s Creed Odyssey and Persona 5 soon enough.

Laddie Simco, Associate Staff Writer

Like many others, I’ve recently found myself temporarily out of work and quarantined due to the coronavirus. In this troubling time, I’ve sought comfort through video games. Through online games like Destiny 2 and Call of Duty: Modern Warfare, I’m able to mingle with friends and still practice social distancing. Animal Crossing, the game everyone seems to be playing right now, has provided me with an opportunity to leave my state of isolation and visit a bright island that allows me to virtually go about life without the fear of a virus.

With all of this extra time, I’ve also been revisiting various games and one that has been very soothing these days is Concrete Genie. It ended up being one of my favorite games of 2019 and I’ve been meaning to wrap up the few remaining trophies I need to turn the concrete into a Platinum. This mostly entails finding certain collectibles that I missed.

Traversing Denska without a care in the world (now that I have completed the story) is often a zen-like experience. I can stop and fill an empty wall with my fantastic murals that seemingly come to life. The adorable Genies are there to lend a hand or play hide and seek or even basketball with. There’s also the VR mode that offers a free paint mode where you can add your personal touch to some of the memorable places from the game’s campaign and then feel as if you have stepped inside of your painting.

For me, Concrete Genie has been the perfect calming game to counter the craziness that is our life right now, as well as the stress of missing a jump in DOOM Eternal.

Josh Starr, Associate Staff Writer

I certainly wouldn’t describe these two games as relaxing, but they are my gaming comfort food. These games are second nature to me and provide exciting moments, while being the perfect time to chat with my friends.

The first of these is Smite. I’ve been playing Smite since its first season, and even had a brief stint in the professional scene. I’ve tried every MOBA available, but this is the one for me. Its behind-the-back, third-person camera angle is one way it drastically differentiates itself from other MOBAs, while its mythological theme gives it a more widespread appeal. Its heavy emphasis on skillshots also makes it one of the most difficult games to master in the genre.

Ultimately, Smite can be as casual or competitive as you like. There is the hardcore Conquest mode which can take tons of practice to master, while other modes like Arena are easy to approach and enjoy. It’s an awesome game to play with friends, and there will undoubtedly be playable characters you recognize. Now is a great time to give Smite a shot, as it’s free to play on PC, Switch, PS4, Xbox One, and has crossplay enabled between platforms.

My second comfort game is Borderlands; right now, that means Borderlands 3. Now Borderlands 3 received some criticism for its lackluster writing, which is completely warranted. However, Borderlands has never truly been about the story for me. It’s a wonderful zany looter-shooter that gives you the option to completely ignore the story while you run around with buddies searching for the next mind-shattering weapon.

Honestly, aside from the story, Borderlands 3 is the series’ best game in every possible way. Combat is greatly improved with thousands of new weapon options, improved special abilities, and increased movement options. Even the car combat, which was abysmal in previous titles, has been greatly improved here. Borderlands 3 promotes replayability as each subsequent playthrough increases your likelihood of finding ultra-rare weapons.

Borderlands 3 just released on Steam, and with another DLC pack being released this week, it’s the perfect time to grab some pals and drop onto Pandora’s surface. I’d go as far as saying that Borderlands 3 is the best group multiplayer shooter in recent years, even if sometimes you feel like turning down the game volume and blasting Spotify instead.

Nick Tricome, Staff Writer

I love hockey.

I watch it, play it, and depending on the need, even coach it.

I can’t do any of that right now, and probably won’t be able to for quite a while. The current circumstances; they suck. Not having that major outlet to escape them for at least a little bit makes it all feel so much worse.

Video games have had to fill that escapist void now more than they ever have, both for myself and I’m sure millions of others. And while there have been plenty of great new releases to turn to (Hey, Animal Crossing), I’ve found a lot of comfort in spending hours upon hours on NHL 20’s virtual rinks.

Now look, I buy NHL every year and would’ve spent hundreds of hours playing this season’s edition regardless. But the coronavirus pandemic has derailed nearly everything, the NHL season included, turning EA’s annual hockey franchise from a constant in my life to suddenly one of the few constants that remain.

It’s no replacement for the actual sport, it never could be. But in the meantime, taking my Be A Pro into the World of Chel’s pond hockey rinks just to mess around in Ones or drop-in Threes for a bit, or trying to create my best lineup possible through Hockey Ultimate Team, will get the job done. It kind of has to right now.

Please come back soon, Flyers

Scott White, Associate Staff Writer

For me, there is a special kind of comfort I find in the grind of RPGs. It’s calming and relaxing to me when I can just set about fighting monster after monster, working towards a goal like learning a special skill or trying to get a rare drop. The repetitive nature of grinding in an RPG lets me go on autopilot, freeing up my mind to take a load off, work through a problem, or just disconnect if I so choose.

The RPG grind is nice because even though you are tuned out and relaxed, there is still a benefit to what you are doing. Your characters are still getting stronger, you’re still getting money, learning skills, etc. A lot of games that will help automate this process somewhat. Bravely Default, the Tales series and Final Fantasy XII for example will allow you to focus on just running around if you want, leaving most of the grunt work to the computer controlled characters.

Another nice thing about RPGs is that if you get sick of grinding for levels, more often than not there is some sort of mini-game that you can grind thrugh instead. I have spent far too much time with the likes of Triple Triad in Final Fantasy VIII or that plushie creation mini-game in Bravely Second than I care to admit. And you know what; that’s ok. I’m thrilled that there are a few big RPGs right around the corner to help me relax this next month or two!

Now that you’ve heard from us about the DualShockers staff’s favorite games for comfort and relaxation, what are yours? Let us know in the comments below!

March 27, 2020 4:00 PM EST

from EnterGamingXP https://entergamingxp.com/2020/03/dualshockers-favorite-comforting-and-relaxing-games/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=dualshockers-favorite-comforting-and-relaxing-games

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winstonhcomedy · 6 years

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HDWDTW? 11/9-11/10 “Hot Child in the City”

TRYING TO GET CAUGHT UP LIKE A MADMAN SWEETUMS!!!! This past weekend I wasn’t booked anywhere and I haven’t been up to DC in a minute so I figured it was time to pack my bags and head to the city. Thankfully my buddy TJ Ferguson said I could crash with him.

I was able to get two shows each night. Club Heaven and Hell run by Tom Mango and Big Hunt which is Sean Joyce’s main room, and one of the top spots in the whole city.

After work Friday I got in my car and started heading up to DC. It was raining, and traffic was a total bitch (this is always the case). I pull into the metro station at Vienna, and head inside. I hop on and get off at The Farragut West stop. My first set of the night it at Club Heaven and Hell at 8. I have about a 30 minute walk in the rain so I go for it.

It is a surprisingly peaceful walk. I am super cold and it is raining, but it isn’t pouring. I’m listening to the newest You Made It Weird with Pete Holmes and just people watching. Honestly it just feels good to be walking to a gig in a dope city. Makes me keep thinking about when I am finally going to move and go for it.

Club Heaven and Hell is a cool spot. It is run by Tom Mango who is a super eccentric dude. I’ve done a bunch of his shows, and he is always willing to put me up so I can get some extra stage time anytime I am in town. Club Heaven and Hell has three bars where they can do shows. A basement bar (done this room once it was dope), a first floor bar (done this once the audience was shit), and an upstairs room (done this spot the most) which is amazing.

The upstairs room has a stage, a balcony, a bar, a spot for a dj, and a load of seats. It looks really hip and cool. Like you could totally film something there if it was full. The laughs carry in that room, and the mural on the wall behind the stage looks so freaking cool.

I get there and a dude who I don’t know well, but used to do comedy in Richmond (before I started) is there. His name is Andy Tran and he knows a lot of my friends super well. We chat for a bit and catch up. He is going up that night as well. I head upstairs to heaven and talk to Tom. He tells me that tonight is going to be a lighter night than usual, and complains about someone who closed out his show last week shitting on the room and how mad that made him.

I go to the corner and try to just relax, and get my set together. A bunch of comics I don’t know at all start to come in. I’m still relatively knew to doing shows in these scenes, and I’m not out at all the mics so they’re a little cold to me. I also realize I'm not being super inviting sitting in a corner with my notebook out. A lot of nice guys, but also you can tell they’re all super new to comedy/unpolished and this is their comedy cellar.

Alexx Starr comes in and I do know that dude. I’ve done a handful of shows with him and he’s always very nice and complimentary to me. He is also someone who is known for his combative nature on fb (keeping it 100 type of posts), and for liking to have a few drinks at shows. I won’t lie I have definitely seen Alexx murder more times than I’ve seen him do poorly. Also the last few times I’ve seen him I think he has been way less combative and is letting his material/performance speak for himself. This is always a good thing. He and I have a good talk, and get ready for the show to start.

It is a lighter crowd than I have ever seen there before, but they all paid to check it out, and are ready to laugh. The show starts and Tom goes up first. His persona on stage is pretty in your face. If you don’t vibe with it he is not going to change for you. The audience was not into it.

After his set he brought a few other comics on stage, and neither of them did well at all. They seemed nervous, new, and the mic cord was busted so it kept cutting in and out on them. The audience wanted to laugh. You could tell they just needed someone to bust the show open. They were tight, but they were reaching for anything good to laugh at.

I go up next and have a very strong set. I felt like I was doing a hosting set. I did crowd work for half of my set to get them in the mood and loose. Then I did a few newer jokes that they seemed to super dig. The best part was unfortunately I’ve had a lot of experience, but that helped me know how to hold the mic without it cutting out. I’d give my set a B.

After this point the rest of the comics did super well. It was a fun show. Alexx had a super good set after me, and the show really took off. That’s such a good feeling to be the first comic to do well, and for that energy to carry throughout the show it is a nice. Glad those people had a good time. My buddy Matt Deakins (funny dude) showed up and did a spot as well.

I thank Tom for the stage time and Matt offers to give me a ride to Big Hunt. We shoot the shit in the car, and catch up. Talk about how big he used to be (dude used to play college football and he was a monster), and his day job. We park outside of Big Hunt and go inside.

Walk downstairs and Jak Knight is the weekend headliner. I can hear through the wall that he is killing. My buddy Charlie Ross is there, and a comic I don’t know Maddy Gross. So all four of us sit down and are just shooting the breeze. Brittany Carney (super funny) hangs out for a while, and we have a good conversation waiting for the mic to start. My buddy TJ shows up, and I find out he is hosting the open mic.

Big Hunt is the spot in DC. It is part of Sean Joyce’s series of “Underground Comedy”. He runs dope rooms all over the city, but this is the one you want to be able to get on. I am finally at a point where I can get spots here. It’s a super good feeling. It is downstairs, and has the kind of vibe of like “something this cool shouldn’t be here” but it is and it is amazing.

Sean comes in and hangs for a bit. He lets me know I am first on the open mic and that is exciting and terrifying all at the same time. I try to prep in my head what I am going to do (I know exactly, but don’t want to forget the words).

The open mic starts and they’re drunk but fun. The front row is the kind of hecklers where they aren’t being mean, they’re just super loud because they’re drunk and want to talk about how funny the comic is on stage. This is frustrating because there is no way to win other than power through.

TJ goes up and has a good hosting set. A woman comes to the front because she “had” to show him her new phone case. He tells her that is great now sit down and stfu.

He brings me up, and I do my bit on arming teachers. It goes pretty well. I definitely feel good about my set. I don’t let my nerves or the audience distract me. I’d give my set a B.

I go to the back and continue to hang with my friends and wait for the show to end. TJ is my ride so I’m there for the duration.

My buddy Dom Grayer is there and we talk about gaming and comedy. We both can’t wait for the new Smash Bros to come out. I can’t wait to hand that dude a cacophony of L’s in that game.

Find out we are going to have some drop ins!!! This is the dopest part of Big Hunt. Sometimes you have big name comics drop in to hang out or perform. Tonight was no exception. The freaking Lucas Bros (Netflix, Lucas Bros Moving Company) drop in to do a spot (they were at Arlington Drafthouse) I have never seen them live before. They killed. Super smart and weird. I can’t even imagine the type of work/timing has to go into a duo act. You not only have to know your lines, but you have to know your partners. They had a bit about black guys being killed before age 34, and about going to Toys R’ Us to pay their respects. Solid set all around.

After that Jamali Maddox showed up (VICE, Hate Thy Neighbor). I don’t know if he went up, but he was definitely in the building hanging out since he had been performing at DC Comedy Loft which was cool af.

The rest of the show goes pretty well. I had never seen Maddy Gross perform before so I decide to go watch since she is closing out. She had some good jokes, and she did really well especially in the closing spot. Funny and cool chick. I look forward to seeing her perform again.

After the show TJ drives me back to my car and we go hang out at Denny’s. We eat a good meal, and head back to pass out. A pretty solid start to the weekend.

Woke up the next day after sleeping for what felt like 20 hours and went to eat with TJ. Got some wings, pigs in a blanket, and a delicious slice of cheesecake. Went back and immediately took a nap.

I then got ready and hopped in my car to drive into DC. I always like to park at the World Bank Building. It’s a long walk to the shows, but there is almost always parking. It was colder and windier this night. I ended up having to get a hot chocolate at the Wawa because my hands were so cold. This time I was jamming out to music while people watching.

I get to Club Heaven and Hell and am told by Tom that this is supposed to be a better turnout than the previous night. I hang out for a while and a lot of the comics from the previous night are here again. We’ve also got a few other people who I don’t recognize.

We push the show til 8:10 because there is only 5 people there at like 7:55. I feel like this is going to be another poorly attended show, and realize these are the sets that make you better.

Then right at 8 people just start filing in. Like this place gets pretty packed. I’d say at its peak there were 40+ people in the crowd. It’s a super fun diverse crowd and they definitely came to laugh. Since I don’t know anyone this is definitely going to be one of those nights I have to show the other comics what I can do.

The show starts and audience is into it. They’re loving it all. Even Tom had a pretty good set. He has a joke where he crip walks so I made sure I got that on video, and it was glorious and hilarious. He doesn’t feel well so he lets another comic host for him. I can’t remember his name but he is a newer Indian guy and he had some good jokes. The crowd dug him.

I’m towards the end of this lineup, but ask if I can go a little earlier since I have another show. So he bumps me up a few spots which was pretty awesome. I am now going in the middle of the show following Alexx Starr.

During the first comics set the mic goes out, and I start laughing. They had all day to get another mic cord, but they went ahead and said screw it. It is worse than the night before. So Tom is going around telling people to leave it in the stand. Each of the comics goes up and are doing really well, so I know I have to really bring it.

I end up having a super dope set. Like I am absolutely murdering. I do crowd work up top, and the newer jokes (that are really close to being finished) at the end. I had to follow Alexx Starr and he had a super hot set. I didn’t use the mic stand, but thankfully my mic did not cut out. I definitely had one of the best sets of the night. The comics after me did ok, but I definitely felt like I buried them a little bit. All in all it was a super good show and I’d give my set an A-.

After this I head over to Big Hunt. I hang and chill and find out I’m going 8th. This isn’t a bad spot at all, and I’m ready to have another good set. One of my favorite comics Lafayette Wright (Hart of the City) is there. This dude is a monster. I respect him so much, and is one of the dudes I definitely love talking to when I’m up there. There is a group of us talking shit, and hanging out. I get into a discussion with a guy who says Burr’s last special sucks, and Dane Cook was awful. I’m definitely a Dane Cook defendant. He changed comedy as we know it. He was the first to build a following through social media, and I stand by my statement that his Comedy Central Presents is one of the most powerful 22 minutes of comedy I’ve ever seen.

I get bumped down the lineup by The Lucas Bros, and their opener (which is fine and makes sense). They have a pretty good set, but not as strong as the night before. It was cool to see them change a few words and tweak the jokes from the night before.

I am terrified of this room. I only want to do stuff I know works. I don’t want to try newer stuff because I am terrified of doing poorly and not being allowed back in that room. This is a crazy thought. I finally got the balls to do newer stuff. I went up with my newer jokes, and had a really solid set with some big pops. It was a weird part of the show. I definitely did better than I thought I was going to do. I”d give my set a B.

This is a huge moment for me. I’m still nervous and kind of scared of that room, but I am no longer going to do the exact same material there every time. I need these jokes to be better, and I need to be able to stand by my material. So this was a big deal, and I’m super excited.

I walk 30 minutes to my car. Hop in and head back home. I had the type of weekend that reminds me how much fun this comedy thing can be. I can’t wait to go back, and put the lessons I’ve learned into use.

Well sorry it took so long laydees!!! I love you so much and will do better about updating. HUGS AND KISSES! MWAH MWAH MWAH!!!

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