Jess Wood's show is the best place to be on a Monday night

Last night I was once again reminded of why I go to comedy shows. I never want to do things, whether go to comedy or write, because they’re a chore or obligation. I want to do them because I want to do them, and last night’s amazing show brought that home. I took my cousin who’s visiting from LA, who was super impressed that I know Christian Finnegan. He got on the phone after and was describing him as “this guy who’s on the Chappelle Show,” and it was funny because even though I know he’s on TV, Christian is, to me, a funny guy I get to see do shows all the time. I’m really insulated from TV as a whole, not just comedy-wise, but all of TV land. I really haven’t watched a TV show in months, and it’s not because I don’t like it, I do, but it’s kindof liking drinking - I don’t want to overdo it, which is why I haven’t bothered to look into getting cable, because why spend money on something that will suck up my time? I would like to be able to watch Comedy Central a bit more because I’m sure there’s funny stuff on it, but now’s not that time.

Anyway...I realized I’d only made it to Jess Wood’s show once before. Why is that? Not sure but I want to make it more of a priority because it’s convenient, fun and there’s free candy! And I got to see new comics, which for me really is a treat because I often see the same people over and over, and while they make me laugh, they don’t make me laugh as much once I’m seeing their same set for the fifth time. One of the “new to me” people was Eric Andre, who was just hilarious, musing on D’angelo’s nakedness, being a black Jew, and other things I really can’t remember. Christian was awesome, dishing on his recent vacation and sex toys and just having us all doubled over with laughter. I saw Irene Bremis I think for the very first time. Jess Wood got us all singing the theme to “Fame.” And other hilarity. There’s no show July 4th, next one’s July 11th, and Jess is gonna give me some naughty quotes for my next column. Trash-talking, dirty-mouthed comics - just my style.

I also felt, once again, really welcomed by the comedy community, it feels like a really warm, cozy place and I think I finally hit on the dynamic - a lot of comedians are now my friends, and with some of them it’s kindof like a big brother/big sister thing. They’re just so welcoming, and even though I will always be a tiny bit embarrassed when, say, Baron Vaughn says goodbye to me when I have to sneak out early or, like last night, Christian mentioned this column I’m writing, it also makes me feel good. I am not a passive person (usually), and I really do throw myself into everything I do, and as I plan my comedy show birthday party, I realize that my guest list includes a huge amount of comedians. They’re my friends, and I’ve had to learn what social traits are common to many of them, and which are individual quirks. I’ve bonded with so many awesome people on different levels, some in that talk-for-five-minutes-and-know-they-are-one-of-those-super-smart-cool-chicks, like Michelle Collins or Bex Schwartz, and some where we just trade emails and have friendships that just defy description. Anyway, my point may not exist, but I think it was that when people ask me why I go to so many shows, I usually say it’s because so often my life sucks or I’m stressed out and just want to laugh. That’s still totally true - I love to laugh, and it’s not a polite tee-hee laugh, when I laugh, I really am laughing. But it’s also that I genuinely like the people I’m seeing. I get to learn all sorts of biographical information - about their families, homes, jobs, dating life - and it’s both fascinating and funny and I guess that just filled a huge void in my life. I have tremendous respect and admiration for people who can just get up on a stage like that and really work, joke by joke, to win over the crowd, without making it seem like work at all. So major props to the awesome Jess Wood and everyone on last night’s bill.