Listen to the SHECKYmagazine Podcast!
- A YEAR LOCKED DOWNMr. Potato Head, Dr. Seuss, truth, common sense and trust have all succumbed to a totally different virus! Will history, art and "Breakfast At Tiffany's" be the next victims? Is that a light at the end of the tunnel, or is it the headlight of the Woke Express? Give us a listen and find out!
- Comedians Are Energy ConductorsIn Episode 18 of the SHECKYmagazine PODCAST, Brian and Traci vent about the 198-day (and counting) lockdown, flying, Sophie Tucker, ancient alien astronauts and ENERGY-- why we lack energy, why we need energy and how comedians are super-conductors. Tune in now-- but STAY AWAY from the CANS!
- Is It Over?Brian McKim & Traci Skene, podcasting from locked down Las Vegas, NV, consider whether standup comedy-- LIVE, the way it oughta be-- will ever come back from the Great 2020 Fear Porn Lockdown Pandemic Panic! Is life over? Is the career history? The future, as always, is uncertain. Listen in as we speak for the […]
The Authors
Shecky! Alumni!
Dan Rosenberg
…& Lester
Tim Cavanagh
Paul F. Tompkins
Mitch Hedberg
Mack Dryden
Jamie Alcroft
John Curtin
Joey Yanetty
Pete Fogel
Kip Addotta
Bob Zany
Wayne Cotter
Richard Lewis
Andy Kindler
Jimmy Myers
D J Hazard
Nehl Bobal
Sheila Kay
John Bizarre
Doug Benson
Jim Shubert
James Gregory
Gabe Abelson
Paul Gilmartin
Hal Sparks
Bob Harris
Paul Bond
Grover Silcox
Basile
Bobby Collins
John Wing
Brian Whalen
Rich Williams
Steve O.
Jeff Shaw
Ryan Wilner
Brad Slaight
Harland Williams
Joe Rogan
Triumph
David Feldman
Steve McGrew
Dan Barton
Rob Becker
Matt Weinhold
Bobby Gaylor
Steve Silberberg
Jeffrey Ross
Dave Little
Vince Vieceli
Marc Jaffe
Dick Cavett
Buddy Fitzpatrick
Stephen Kruiser
Suzy Soro
Jeff Allen
Doug Stanhope
Kid Dave Miller
Brian Kiley
Gary MuleDeer
Jim David
Judy Carter
Drew Hastings
Andrew Gropman
Rabbi Bob Alper
Dan French
Robert Hagearty
Chuck Savage
David John McCarthey
Mrs. John Hughes
Jason Stuart
Rick Overton
Steve Eblin
Jack Mayberry
Tom Parks
Charles Viracola
Rusty Warren
Robert Dubac
Jeff Marder
Joe Dunckel
Evan Davis
Veronica Mosey
Troy Conrad
Matt Davis
Mat Becker
Lewis Black
Dan Carlson
Jan McInnis
Joe Dixon
Larry Getlen
J.D. Sidley
Jeff Klinger
Tony Camin
Bill Engvall
Pat Mac
Anwar Richardson
Mary Ann Nichols
Rita Rudner
Larry “Bubbles” Brown
Jim Morris
Brett Butler
Kathleen Madigan
Todd Barry
Roger Ritenhouse
Marc Maron
Doug Hecox
Tommy James
Emo Philips
Lord Carrett
Jim Gaffigan
Eddie Gossling
Tom Rhodes
Etta May
Ron Zimmerman
Ross Bennett
Franklyn Ajaye
Chris Zito
Argus Hamilton
Costaki Economopoulos
Laurie Kilmartin
Jimmy Pardo
Leslie Thomason
Bill Bunker
Vinny Badabing
Henry Cho
Jonathan Katz
Dave Pavone
Larry-Bob Roberts
Brian Hennigan
Kenneth Nichols
Rich Vos
Dave Mordal
__________________
Traci Skene & Brian McKim
SHECKYmagazine
Editors, Publishers
© Copyright 1999-2022 SHECKYmagazine Published by Independent Together
More on Las Vegas Comedy Festival '04
We got an email about who won the contests at the L.V.C.F.: “Winner of Royal Flush (I dont know who the other top two were): A kid with cerebal palsy named Josh Blue won the $10,000… Uncle Lar won the whole thing the big $25,000.”
COngratulations to Josh Blue and Larry Reeb!
We got another email from a comic who participated. The following is but a short excerpt:
When she said “I’m a judge,” what she SHOULD have said was “I’m THE judge.” This PA or intern, or whoever she was, was THE judge. A comic, no. A booker, no. Just a festival runner of some sort with a clipboard, taking some notes and marking on a template. There was someone else giving the comics the light but she was not writing anything down. “Wow! This is a contest?” I thought surely that there would be…say…a panel of maybe three judges all with some sort of insight to comedy, or at least with a good sense of humor. Club owners, bookers, Paula Abdul, someone, anyone but ONE gal connected to the festival? Come on.
Sounds… interesting. Read the whole thing.
No Responses
Reply to: More on Las Vegas Comedy Festival '04
On Amazon.com! Only $1.99!
Traci Skene Kindle Single hilariously skewers traditional social and sexual mores as well as modern feminism. "This book is a prime example of quality over quantity."
"This book made me laugh out loud! ”
Our Book!
What else is new? Nothing positive is ever said on your site about the Las Vegas Comedy Festival. I went and I had a wonderful time. Met some of comedy’s greatest and tons of industry. Josh Blue was amazing and not even a pro. Where else can you have that type of opportunity? I know you guys weren’t there this year – but give me a break – it was amazing – sorry your “friend” didn’t win but he if obviously jaded because of it. Why ruin it for the rest of us?
Anonymous Commentator: What else is new? Nothing positive is ever said on your site about the Las Vegas Comedy Festival.
SHECKYmagazine: Wrong you are! A fair amount of positive comment was included in our 2003 coverage. Even though we got boned up the ass, we were cheery and complimentary. (In fact, some folks took us to task for being a little _too_ even-handed. That’s us! Cheery and complimentary even while getting reamed! Even no less an authority than USA Today called us “charming, sincere and helpful!” We can’t argue!)
We were congratulatory to Messrs. Blue and Reeb. Can’t get much more positive than that!
A.C.: I went and I had a wonderful time. Met some of comedy’s greatest and tons of industry. Josh Blue was amazing and not even a pro. Where else can you have that type of opportunity?
SHECKYmagazine: Where else? In Montreal, at the Just For Laughs Festival, in Boston, at their festival, at the NYUCF, at their festival, at Aspen, maybe, at the Improv on Melrose, on a random Thursday night? And– all without getting boned up the ass!!!
A.C.: I know you guys weren’t there this year – but give me a break – it was amazing – sorry your “friend” didn’t win but he if obviously jaded because of it. Why ruin it for the rest of us?
SHECKYmagazine: We’ve never met either of the folks who gave an account of their ’04 Vegas experience. Calling them a friend (with or without quotes) would be an abuse of the language. The intent was not to ruin it for the rest of you.
We’re curious: We’re understanding that our previous commentators would want to remain anonymous, but we’re puzzled as to why someone whose experience was allegedly a positive one would want to conceal his or her identity. Hmmm… Pat Wilson? Is that you?
Wow! I attended the Las Vegas Comedy Festival and I really did not see half of what you saw! True it was not a flawless performance by the staff, but in case you did not notice the staff was extremely small and overworked! I had a lot of time to speak to the staff, not because I went out of my way to find them, rather because they were at every single event! The people putting on this festival are underpaid and overworked, and why do they do this? To give comics an opportunity. I actually asked around to a couple of comics and they recommended this website to me, but if this is the kind or literature that you post I will not be returning. I understand in journalism that there is always criticism, but every good writer should know how to balance the good and the bad together. Writing congratulations to Josh Blue and Larry Reeb means nothing compared to the article that was written. Hopefully there will be better articles to come in the future and we as comics will remember to thank those who are trying to create opportunities for us.
Yet Another Anonymous Commentator: Wow! I attended the Las Vegas Comedy Festival and I really did not see half of what you saw!
SHECKYmagazine.com: Wow! Good for you. We welcome any/all commentary.
YAAC: True it was not a flawless performance by the staff, but in case you did not notice the staff was extremely small and overworked!
SHECKYmagazine.com: A staff that is “extremely small and overworked” is a staff that is _too_ small and managed poorly.
Half (or more) of the problems we heard about (and witnessed ourselves last year) were in no way attributable to understaffing or overworking.
YAAC: I had a lot of time to speak to the staff, not because I went out of my way to find them, rather because they were at every single event!
SHECKYmagazine.com: I should hope so.
YACC: The people putting on this festival are underpaid and overworked, and why do they do this? To give comics an opportunity.
SHECKYmagazine.com: This festival, as with every festival since the Jurassic Period has been staged for one reason: Money. This is neither a bad thing nor a good thing. But to believe otherwise bespeaks an innocence that is touching.
YACC: I actually asked around to a couple of comics and they recommended this website to me, but if this is the kind or literature that you post I will not be returning.
SHECKYmagazine.com: So long and thanks for the fish!
YACC: I understand in journalism that there is always criticism, but every good writer should know how to balance the good and the bad together.
SHECKYmagazine.com: We just re-read our coverage of the ’03 LVCF and even we couldn’t believe how even-handed we were! We don’t need lectures on journalism, thanks just the same.
YACC: Writing congratulations to Josh Blue and Larry Reeb means nothing compared to the article that was written. Hopefully there will be better articles to come in the future and we as comics will remember to thank those who are trying to create opportunities for us
SHECKYmagazine.com: There are two kinds of people in this world– people who “get” what this magazine is all about, and people like you. Mary Thomas? Is that you?
My name is Vickie and I auditioned in the Wild Card category. The only reason I went under anonymous is becuase I didn’t want to HAVE to sign up on your site to comment.
Regrading:
SHECKYmagazine: Where else? In Montreal, at the Just For Laughs Festival, in Boston, at their festival, at the NYUCF, at their festival, at Aspen, maybe, at the Improv on Melrose, on a random Thursday night? And– all without getting boned up the ass!!!
None of those festivals give out $55,000!
VICKIE: My name is Vickie and I auditioned in the Wild Card category. The only reason I went under anonymous is becuase I didn’t want to HAVE to sign up on your site to comment.
SHECKYmagazine.com: There’s no reason to fear signing up to comment. We don’t capture your information and use if for nefarious purposes, if that’s what you fear. And we’re fairly certain that the blogger people don’t do that either.
VICKIE; (SHECKYmagazine said) “Where else? In Montreal, at the Just For Laughs Festival, in Boston, at their festival, at the NYUCF, at their festival, at Aspen, maybe, at the Improv on Melrose, on a random Thursday night? And– all without getting boned up the ass!!!”
None of those festivals give out $55,000!
SHECKYmagazine.com: If you want to subject yourself to all manner of indignities for the chance at a hunk of cash, by all means, go for it. But you’ll notice that a common thread running through both of the commentaries (and through our account of last year’s miserable experience) was a desire for, clarity, basic decency and fair treatment. When we sign on to participate in a festival or contest, we want clear-cut rules, information, respect, a decent crowd, maybe. To put it another way, comics want merely to be treated like the professionals that they are. If we get those, the prospect of a hunk of cash is icing on the cake.
There are surprisingly few things that get comics (professional comics) really riled up– confusion and indifference are two of them.
And, not to pick nits, but the boys in Boston offer $10,000 as part of their contest.
YAAC: True it was not a flawless performance by the staff, but in case you did not notice the staff was extremely small and overworked!
That’s an “okay” point BUT here’s where it gets sticky. If you’re going to invite professional, well-respected comics from all across the country and ask that they pay their own air/hotel/car/everything, then there is an EXPECTATION that the festival, contests, and rules will be tight and well-managed. It’s easy to say, they “just want to give comics a chance.” Sure, that’s obvious and nobel. However, when you encourage folks from all over the nation to come out, then it’s essential that the food be one the table before everyone sits down to eat. Being overworked simply means they need more staff….it’s to my understanding the festival runners are very, very, and I mean VERY aware of what was done right, wrong, and in between. Next year, things WILL be better.
If you are going to let people have the chance to post anonymously then its seems inapropriate to be trying to guess who they are.
Someone posted (anonymously):
If you are going to let people have the chance to post anonymously then its seems inapropriate (sic) to be trying to guess who they are.
We reply:
“Inappropriate?” Hardly. It’s… lemme see… it’s…
a joke! Yes. That’s it– a little gag. A “gaglet,” if you will. You see, they post anonymously, we analyze the content, then we “guess” his/her identity, thereby making a satirical or editorial point, hopefully giving the knowing reader a bit of a chuckle. Fun, yes?!
All these negative postings about the lvcf. I went and had a great time. Granted some of the comedy sucked but the event went ok as far as i saw it. The problem was the golden nugget. It like all other downtown hotels is small not well laid out and not interested in anything but gaming. There were no signs up not from the lack of effort by the staff but because the golden nugget would not allow it. I work at the Mirage and Ray Ramano was in town last week there was ONE poster up in the whole hotel. All you had to do was look at your ticket which clearly said PAVILLION or SHOWROOM on it and follow the signs. I was down on fremont st a week before the festival and what did I see but a very atractive girl behind a big table selling tickets. I have been a weekly visitor of this site for some time now and am a little disapointed. It sounds like you had a grudge from last year and waited for this year to just hammer an event that went pretty good as far as I could tell.
As for the anonyomous poster, the comics who did the best in my opinion were the ones many considered to be the new comers. A lot of the OLD PRO’s clearly went over thier time and I am sure that probably played a part in the scoring of the whole thing. I am a fan of comedy I am out there going to shows at least a couple of times a month and I am not an INDUSTRY person or a comic but I know what makes me laugh and what doesn’t. The winners all made me laugh and I can’t really argue with thier placement. I don’t want you accusing me of being someone I am not so email me if YOU have anty comments odonnelley@yahoo.com
Odonnelly writes: I have been a weekly visitor of this site for some time now and am a little disapointed. It sounds like you had a grudge from last year and waited for this year to just hammer an event that went pretty good as far as I could tell.
SHECKYmagazine.com replies: We’ve never made any attempt to hide our dissatisfaction with the LVCF organizers. (Note the frequency with which we use the phrase “boned up the ass” in our commentary!!) As for “waiting for this year to hammer an event,” we did no such thing. Any/all commentary has been unsolicited. (We even posted announcements throughout the year telling our readers where and when LVCF ’04 would be held and where to send their tape and where the auditions would take place.)
If, as you say, you are a weekly visitor to our site, and you can still hold these mistaken impressions, we suggest you visit more frequently. And, if you are, as you say, “a little disappointed” with us, we suggest that your disappointment stems not from any poor behavior on our part, but on unrealistic expectations on your end.
I use your site to get background on comics that are performing at Laugh Trax, The Comedy Stop At The Trop or any of the other local clubs. I don’t go in depth into the site because I dont really care about a lot of the other things in it. That is not an insult just a fact I go to ESPN.COM to look up nfl stuff not wnba stuff. I just attended an event that I enjoyed a lot and wanted to offer a different view on what happend. I felt bad for the staff they were all so nice to me and were working so hard that I felt compelled to come to thier defense. Thanks Jonodon (odonnelley)
REPOSTING THIS UP HERE BECAUSE I BELIEVE IT GOT LOST IN THE LOWER PREVIOUS POSTING…
also because the newer comics responding to the comments all seem to be saying the same thing.
“Those poor festival workers were understaffed, they did the best they could”.
Thats like buying a car, it breaks down on the first day, and the car manufacturer saying “What do you want? We are underpaid and understaffed”!
To that,you, as the car buyer would say, “Well you need to get more employees and pay them more because breaking down on day one is not acceptable”….
anyway, here it is…
I read the other post about the LVCF and the comments and what would say is this…
If you are a new comic (2 years or less), I could see you enjoying this festival. I am not dissing you, but if you are new, it WOULD be exciting to be around a festival and meet lots of comics and take some seminars, etc.
The reason established comics are upset is because they went there for comraderie and fun.
But they are also there as a PROFESSIONAL looking to advance their PROFESSION. So for that reason, it was very frustrating to be around a disorganized festival.
I will agree with the comments about the Boston Fest, where you do get comraderie and fun AND you get a well run festival where everybody knows the rules, sticks by them, and no comics feel like they are part of something unfair or disorganized.