PLEASE ALLOW ME TO INTRODUCE…GEOFF LAFLEUR!!

What’s up and welcome to the first PAMTI (Please Allow Me To Introduce) for the new year! I’ve been getting pretty busy with shows and whatnot here in early 2010, which is a good thing, but I finally was able to sit down and knock one of these out. Speaking of which, I was performing at Giggles Comedy Pub this past Saturday night. If you’re not familiar with Giggles Comedy Pub, it’s located in beautiful Brookfield, Wisconsin...or so I heard it was beautiful as it was so friggin foggy I couldn't see JACK 2 feet in front of my car. I drove up to what I thought was "GIGGLES" only to find it was "GiGi's Nails" located in a strip mall. Anyway, Giggles Comedy Pub is a very unique comedy venue where you initially walk into the “Pub” area. The entrance for the comedy show is in the back and is well worth the wait. The Comedy venue is very large and it was packed! The staff there is also extremely hospitable and very nice! The energy from the crowd was high and that energy was taken to the next level when the feature comedian of this edition of PAMTI came on stage. He’s originally from Wisconsin and currently resides there. Often mistaken for Toby from the office or a gay version of Brett Favre, Folks, PLEASE ALLOW ME TO INTRODUCE…GEOFF LAFLEUR!!

I met Geoff for the first time almost a year ago when I was Emceeing up in Milwaukee and yes! for the record, he does look like those similarities mentioned above. Fast forward to present day and his material, stage presence and delivery has crowds rolling in the aisles with laughter. After having his name blasted on the sound system, Geoff took charge of the show and, as an audience member, you're immediately drawn in by his Midwest charm as he is very welcoming, witty and collected. Then, give him 30 seconds and he starts in on his inability to pull off many masculine attributes, specifically, “The Male Sniff”. Geoff's material comes from real experiences he's had and how they've actually played out...in his mind. Such is the case with a particular rendezvous at SUBWAY. My personal favorite is his constant struggle on dealing with his McDonald's addiction. I've put a clip of it at the bottom of this blog entry. Through his set, Geoff pulls in his audience with his innocent description of an episode in his life and closes the curtain on it with a sharp sidesplitting punchline. He came off to an ovation and will have many more as he is starting to tour as a top notch opening act.

Regardless of whether you liked my introduction or not, you’ve now been introduced to Geoff LaFleur!

GEOFF can be found on the web at: http://www.rooftopcomedy.com/comics/GeoffLaFleur and you can find him here as well:

Facebook: Search "Geoff LaFleur"
Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/geofflafleur

About the Blogger:

Pablo Rodriguez is a Stand Up Comedian of 3 years and has spent the last 10 years moving around the country and disappointing American’s expectations with his lack of Spanish culture. After moving back home to Chica

go, he hit the Comedy Scene and found that his ridiculous perspective on uncomfortable situations, weddings, and acting politically correct had audiences laughing with approval. Pablo makes everyone aware of the importance of bathrooms and gives his take on today's College Student. Working the Comedy Scene all over the country, and anywhere anyone will listen, Pablo comes armed with great stage presence, impeccable timing, and hysterical charm. Pablo also co-produces the "Cheap Shots Comedy Show" and will be writing another blog debuting in 2010 entitled, "The View From My Stall".

Pablo can be found at: www.Facebook.com/RodriguezComedy
www.Twitter.com/FunnyRodriguez
www.MySpace.com/PabloRodriguezComedy Email him at RodriguezComedy@gmail.com OR Pablo@pleaseallowmetointroduce.com

PLEASE ALLOW ME TO INTRODUCE...JACK CALHOUN!

Whats up Folks! Hope you are all getting ready for the holiday season!! (If you don’t celebrate anything, then just pretend I didn’t mention the holiday season thing..OH CRAP! i did it again..DAMN IT!) Anyways, I was recently hosting a showcase on the Southside. No, I didn't wear an extra sweater. Yes, it was replaced by a bulletproof vest. When I saw the roster of comics, I noticed that there was a good mix of new comers and vets.
One of those vets was this month’s feature. Having grown up on the southside of Chicago and Northwest Indiana (an area he states is commonly referred to as "the region"), he's been doing stand up comedy since February of '05. When asked about it, he says, "I did well for a first timer. Second set? Totally bombed. Every open mic I have done since then has been somewhere in between." On this night he was definitely on the high end of laughter and brought the crowd with him. Ladies and Gentlemen, "Please Allow Me To Introduce" Jack Calhoun!

Having worked this room previously, I knew that if the comics did not grab the crowd’s attention quickly, they would rapidly grow impatient and our odds of doing well would drastically drop. As I was putting the lineup together, I needed someone with a solid act who would not only perform well and give the crowd great laughs, but also would set up the previously booked headliner perfectly. I referred to my experience in working with Jack. I knew he had a strong act and put him at the “set up” spot right before the headliner. A “Jack of All Trades” (You SOOOO knew I was gonna use that at some point!!), I took full advantage of this solid vet and asked him to also bring me up. His intro was perfect and I went up and got the audience going before I introduced the night’s first act.

The show started off well and kept getting better as the night went on. When it was Jack’s turn to take the stage, he brought a hilarious set and got the audience laughing even more with the right mix of not only prepared material, but some adlibbing as well. Jack’s commanding voice and stage presence kept the crowd’s attention through his entire set. His take on how the City of Chicago can help the homeless by having them work as toll booth workers was a personal favorite of mine and got a BIG laugh from the crowd. Jack’s jokes were very funny, but paired with his ability to confidently deliver them, made them even more hilarious and got the crowd laughing even harder.

The more I do shows, the more I see a lot of comics focused on trying to outdue each other and forget that, while you want to perform well, the audience getting a great “show” is the most important issue of the night. It’s hard to find comedians that put ego to the side, do whatever is asked of them, and still deliver a HILARIOUS set! To have someone on the show who can do all of those things was great!

Jack has a trailer out for his film, "Open Mic: Confessions of a Chicago Comedian" (The video is below)

Regardless of whether you liked my introduction or not, you’ve now been introduced to Jack Calhoun!

Jack can be found on the web at:
http://www.facebook.com/jackcalhoun OR http://www.myspace.com/jackcalhoun

Jack's email is: JCalhoun02@hotmail.com

About the Blogger:

Pablo Rodriguez is a Stand Up Comedian of 3 years and has spent the last 10 years moving around the country and disappointing American’s expectations with his lack of Spanish
culture. After moving back home to Chicago, he hit the Comedy Scene and found that his ridiculous perspective on uncomfortable situations, weddings, and acting politically correct had audiences laughing with approval. Pablo makes everyone aware of the importance of bathrooms and gives his take on today's College Student. Working the Comedy Scene all over the country, and anywhere anyone will listen, Pablo comes armed with great stage presence, impeccable timing, and hysterical charm. Pablo also co-produces the "Cheap Shots Comedy Show" and will be writing another blog debuting in 2010 entitled, "The View From My Stall".
Pablo can be found at:
www.Facebook.com/RodriguezComedy
www.Twitter.com/FunnyRodriguez
www.MySpace.com/PabloRodriguezComedy
Email him at RodriguezComedy@gmail.com OR Pablo@pleaseallowmetointroduce.com

PLEASE ALLOW ME TO INTRODUCE...VINCE CARONE!

This past holiday weekend, I had the pleasure of working at JD’s Comedy Café in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. If you’ve never gone before, take the trip into the city of Milwaukee and check this spot out. The staff is great and the comedians always put on an outstanding show!(I know it sounds biased, but they always do) The audience gives off great energy and I really love performing there. On this particular weekend, I was hosting and had the opportunity to work with a great comedian. He’s been in the business since he was 18 years old and 8 years later he is truly a rising star in the world of Stand Up Comedy. Having worked an extremely long list of comedy clubs all over the United States and opening for several big name acts, such as Dave Attell and Pablo Francisco, Ladies and Gentlemen, “Please Allow Me To Introduce” VINCE CARONE!

Having spoken with him the night before, at the show I co-produce (“The Cheap Shots Comedy Show” in Forest Park, Illinois), I knew I would be working with Vince all weekend. I’ve seen his work before and knew his style. However, I hadn’t seen him perform his new material from his new CD/DVD, “Thanks For the Clap”, that he will launch next week. After driving into town on a chilly holiday weekend (sounds like the beginning of very bad horror film), I went over regular HOST duties and felt even more comfortable than usual as I looked forward to bringing up Vince as I KNEW how talented he was. After setting the stage with my act, I brought Vince up with a strong intro.

A ranting blue-collar rep for America’s true voice, Vince begins his set (which is my favorite bit) by exploiting American’s blatant and almost automatic lie when we’re asked the question: “How you doing?”
Citizen: “Well, I can’t complain.”
Vince: “Really? In the state our country is in right now, you can’t find a reason to complain?”

With that, his all out rant is ignited and a laughter, that would grow stronger and stronger through his set, has begun. Equipped with a strong attitude and opinion, he gave his stance on customer service, parenting, and the current state of this country we call America. He made people think twice about some of the things they say and make you doubt your reason for saying them. It’s a style that mirrors some of Vince’s idols, such as; George Carlin, Dennis Miller, Greg Giraldo, and Louis CK. At the end of his set and as I came back on stage as host, I could literally see the crowd catching its breath and struggling to clap as a result of their continued laughter. A tough guy on stage, Vince was very approachable to his audience as he spoke with the crowd, took pictures and signed his T-Shirts, CD’s, & DVD’s after the show.

Some consider “hosting” tough, but it’s much easier and very exhilarating when you know you’re bringing up a great act. If you haven’t had a chance to see Vince, he’ll be performing at his CD/DVD release party this Thursday, Dec. 10th at 7pm @ Moretti's (Formerly Famous Freddies) in Mount Prospect, IL. It is undoubtedly a MUST SEE live performance.

Regardless of whether you liked my introduction or not, you’ve now been introduced to VINCE CARONE!

VINCE can be found on the web at: http://www.vincecarone.com/ and you can find him here as well:
Twitter: www.Twitter.com/vincecarone
Facebook: www.facebook.com/vincecarone
Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/vincecomic
Email: vince@vincecarone.com

Your Kid Is a Dork


Vince Carone (VC) MySpace Video

About the Blogger:
Pablo Rodriguez is a Stand Up Comedian of 3 years and has spent the last 10 years moving around the country and disappointing American’s expectations with his lack of Spanish culture. After moving back home to Chicago, he hit the Comedy Scene and found that his ridiculous perspective on uncomfortable situations, weddings, and acting politically correct had audiences laughing with approval. Pablo makes everyone aware of the importance of bathrooms and gives his take on today's College Student. Working the Comedy Scene all over the country, and anywhere anyone will listen, Pablo comes armed with great stage presence, impeccable timing, and hysterical charm. Pablo also co-produces the "Cheap Shots Comedy Show" and will be writing another blog debuting in 2010 entitled, "The View From My Stall".
Pablo can be found at:
www.Facebook.com/RodriguezComedy
www.Twitter.com/FunnyRodriguez
www.MySpace.com/PabloRodriguezComedy
Email him at RodriguezComedy@gmail.com OR Pablo@pleaseallowmetointroduce.com

PLEASE ALLOW ME TO INTRODUCE...TRENTON DAVIS!

Whats up Folks! Hope you are all getting ready for a short week at work!! (If you don’t have a short week, pretend I didn’t mention the short week....oh crap, i did it again..damn it!) Anyways, I recently had the opportunity to perform at the IMPROV in Schaumburg last Thursday night. Like most comedians, I was looking forward to it. When I arrived, I noticed that I knew some of the comedians already and had the pleasure of meeting some other great acts for the first time such as Beth Stelling, Matt Helsen, and Robin Bach. As I looked at the set list, one name stood out. The name belongs to a comedian who’s been in the game for a little over two years and has performed at the Laugh Factory in LA, Riddles, the IMPROV, the Comedy Shrine and is a former winner of the Norwegian Cruise Lines Talent Search Competition. Folks, please allow me to introduce, TRENTON DAVIS…

A friend had mentioned Trenton to me before as a comedian I should check out. On this night, I would have a front row seat (actually we sat in the back, but it wouldn’t have sounded as dramatic) and was able to watch this very funny and talented comedian.

Originally from a rural area in Greensboro, North Carolina (but with a name from New Jersey), Trenton’s slot had him performing towards the end of the show. Since I was in the middle, this gave me an opportunity to watch his set. After I went up, I watched the other comics and when Trenton came up, I sat with attention. Now, first let me state that he was sporting a tanned leather jacket and hat. That being said, I figured he was either going to be really funny or look really sharp as he stood in silence! No time spent on the latter as his jokes were as sharp as he was dressed. Trenton came out of the gates armed with strong stage presence, hilarious jokes and good tone. His smooth delivery on all his jokes gave the illusion that he wasn’t telling written jokes, but rather just talking to the audience. His take on how Americans can show their love for Barack Obama was my personal favorite. His physical humor had me laughing very hard, but his charisma & quick wit also stood out. Afterwards, I had the pleasure of talking to him more and found that he also prides himself on being a CLEAN comedian. He shows this commitment by producing a monthly showcase called “The Clean Comedy Show with Trenton Davis” which will be back at the Chicago Center for the Performing Arts in January of 2010. If you haven’t had a chance to see him, Trenton will be at Zanies in St. Charles from Dec 9th-12th.

Regardless of whether you liked my introduction or not, you’ve now been introduced to TRENTON DAVIS!

Trenton can be found on the web at: http://www.trentondavis.com/ and you can find him on Facebook by searching for him using the email: comedy@trentondavis.com

About the Blogger:
Pablo Rodriguez is a Stand Up Comedian of 3 years and has spent the last 10 years moving around the country and disappointing American’s expectations with his lack of Spanish culture. After moving back home to Chicago, he hit the Comedy Scene and found that his ridiculous perspective on uncomfortable situations, weddings, and acting politically correct had audiences laughing with approval. Pablo makes everyone aware of the importance of bathrooms and gives his take on today's College Student. Working the Comedy Scene all over the country, and anywhere anyone will listen, Pablo comes armed with great stage presence, impeccable timing, and hysterical charm. Pablo also co-produces the "Cheap Shots Comedy Show" and will be writing another blog debuting in 2010 entitled, "The View From My Stall".

Pablo can be found at:

www.Facebook.com/RodriguezComedy

www.Twitter.com/FunnyRodriguez

www.MySpace.com/PabloRodriguezComedy

Email him at RodriguezComedy@gmail.com OR Pablo@pleaseallowmetointroduce.com

PLEASE ALLOW ME TO INTRODUCE...ETHAN PELDO!

I didn't know what to expect when I saw this "Ethan" person on the set list for a show I was hosting in Mid-October. It was the first time I would meet Ethan, even though I have heard his name a few times & always heard good things.

First off, let me tell you that Ethan looks young. Like “Embryo” young (He's 18). The show was for a Church function at a grammar school. When Ethan walked in, I thought he WAS one of the kids that went there!

I was hosting that night and got the comics together to give them the rundown of the night. Having never seen him before, I was curious to see what his act was like. HOLY CRAP! I was taken aback by what was coming out of his mouth. Nothing vulgar, but definitely a more polished comedian then I expected (Bad Pablo! I should not judge a book by its cover). In fact, he might have had the set of the night and he was the first comic up! Church show or not, while he's only been doing Stand Up Comedy for a little over a year, this mug has the delivery of a savvy vet. His take on his own physical look and overall personal experiences are hysterical. His jokes caught me off guard and their pacing definitely kept me interested through his set. His basketball joke hit me hardest and I've put a clip of it below. I'm looking forward to working with Ethan again and maybe this time, he won't steal the show : )

Regardless of whether you liked my introduction or not, you’ve now been introduced to ETHAN PELDO!

Ethan can be found on the web at:
www.facebook.com/ethanpeldo OR www.myspace.com/ethanpeldo

Ethan's email is: ethanpeldo@yahoo.com
Here's a short clip(it might not load as YouTube has been acting up lately):

About the Blogger:
Pablo Rodriguez is a Stand Up Comedian of 3 years and has spent the last 10 years moving around the country and disappointing American’s expectations with his lack of Spanish

culture. After moving back home to Chicago, he hit the Comedy Scene and found that his ridiculous perspective on uncomfortable situations, weddings, and acting politically correct had audiences laughing with approval. Pablo makes everyone aware of the importance of bathrooms and gives his take on today's College Student. Working the Comedy Scene all over the country, and anywhere anyone will listen, Pablo comes armed with great stage presence, impeccable timing, and hysterical charm. Pablo also co-produces the "Cheap Shots Comedy Show" and will be writing another blog debuting in 2010 entitled, "The View From My Stall".

Pablo can be found at:

www.Facebook.com/RodriguezComedy

www.Twitter.com/FunnyRodriguez

www.MySpace.com/PabloRodriguezComedy

Email him at RodriguezComedy@gmail.com OR Pablo@pleaseallowmetointroduce.com

WELCOME TO "PLEASE ALLOW ME TO INTRODUCE..."

Welcome one and all!

"PLEASE ALLOW ME TO INTRODUCE ..." is a short monthly blog that will highlight a Comedian whose act stood out to me in the last month. These comics might be brand new or been at it for several years. You might be asking yourself, "Who are you?", "Why?", or "Why would you do this?" Well, in short, I'm Pablo Rodriguez, Stand Up Comedian of 3 years. While my dream is to become a Full-Time headliner, I also want to become one of the Premiere EMCEES, in the game. Hence, the title of this Blog : ) That being said, I think Stand Up Comedy is the hardest thing in the world anyone can attempt. Period! In fact, in a recent study done by students at the University of Rochester in New York(August 2009), the fear of public speaking is more common than is the fear of death. According to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders DSM-IV-TR, when people are fearful of public speaking, they have certain reactions to the situation, such as; sweating, anxiety, naseau, and, in some cases, the person suffers a panic attack. Now imagine feeling like this, and then adding the pressure of making people LAUGH! Yea, I know. I love being a stand up comedian and hopefully, with each blog, you will also see why I enjoy my "co-workers" : )