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Luke Francis

Never underestimated and always over exaggerated, Luke Francis has a style of his own! From the minute he arrives on stage until the minute he is thrown off and banned from the club.. it is a NON-STOP laugh riot! But what else would you expect from a guy with such a manly last name? From one-liners to nearly accurate interpretations of life stories, he leaves no stone unturned! Good Times Magazine NY calls Luke Francis- "Funny as hell" and that is a quote Luke lives up to time and time again, at some of the biggest comedy venues in America ! With his one-step-ahead-of-you wit and natural improv abilities no one show is alike guaranteed!

Who/what inspired you to do what you do?

I’ve always been the guy cracking jokes, it just took a while for me to be able to put down the bong and get on stage. Some of my favorite comics are Adam Hunter, Marty Laquidara, Jim Gaffigan, Tim Allen, Rodney Dangerfield, and anyone who has the courage to get on stage in front of a crowd of people you don’t know and attempt to make them cry from laughter.

How long has your career lasted?

I have been touring professionally for 1 year, I’ve been doing comedy for 3 which I hear is unheard of in the industry. Kind of like me.

Where have you traveled with your talents, what's your next destination? If you could choose your next destination?

I’ve traveled all over the world. I even think I’ve been to the moon once- but the booker tells me it was a small town in Kansas. My next destination is a mid-west tour in the U.S. (I’m not bragging). But if I could choose a destination it would be Japan- I always picture the crowd naked to give me more confidence and I love Asian girls, the only problem would be performing with a boner.

Where is your favorite spot to perform and why?

My favorite spot to perform is on stage because in the welfare line NO-ONE laughs.

Who is your favorite obscure artist/comic/performer to work with? Famous?

Favorite obscure artist would have to be Marty Laquidara though he has been on Spike TV he is relatively unknown (outside of L.A.) he makes me laugh like an evil villain after revealing his plot to take over the world. My Favorite famous comedian is Jim Gaffigan, the guy is hilarious and so subtle I own all of his DVD’s I just hope one day he owns all of mine.

Tell me some perks of being a comic. What are some peeves?

The perks of being a comic is the free alcohol some venues offer us when we perform not to mention the ladies throw themselves at us (after we share the free alcohol with them).. I hate it when people ask me to tell jokes- “Oh you’re a comedian? Then Make me laugh”- I reply –“Ok then Give me my fucking cheeseburger you Burger King whore”

What's it like being 'on the road'?

The road is not for everyone, it gets crazy sometimes- My new DVD “Road Kill” is to be released in Jan. of 2011 I suggest everyone go and get it. In this documentary we try and show the “realistic road”, from being on stage that night and walking off a rock star to arguing with a gas station attendant the next morning over how much you pre paid. Driving from Boston, Mass to Halifax, Nova Scotia and having to hide in the trunk to make it across the border because my passport didn’t arrive on time. Again the road is not for everyone but some of us cannot get enough punishment.

Does being a comic heighten or hinder your chances of having a meaningful relationship?

I know some comics that couldn’t hook a relationship together if they were in a relationship with their Siamese twin…and others who are in a new relationship every night. The road doesn’t help the relationship thing either (even if she goes with you) but all relationships go through hard times it’s just for comics those hard times are 3 weeks out of a month. You have to learn to balance EVERYTHING in your life and if you don’t and things fall apart- its just new material!

Ever had a heckler? If so, how did you handle it?

Let me reference my video on YouTube “Scottish The Comic vs. the Heckler” that should tell the story.

Ever been on TV? Radio? Describe one or both.

Yes. I do radio spots to promote shows almost once a week. And Yes I do TV spots as well. The TV spots are usually something I’ve recorded before whether it is a sound bite or a video clip but there are no appearances that you have to make so they are super lax. Radio is different sometimes you have to be in the studio early to record with the morning show and most comics aren’t alive before 1:00pm- so you are not always on top of you game.

Are you consistent with your material or do you like to change it constantly, what are the ingredients?

Life will deliver new material every day- it's your job to write it down, I always walk around with a notepad so that not only do I look cool for the ladies but I can record those jokes.

Where do you see yourself in five years from now?

I see myself doing YOUR job. Just kidding, that is the typical response. I hope to still be touring...a lucrative career in film and comedy. Writing for a television show or having my own. It doesn’t matter I am waiting to see what the universe throws in my lap next. (Hopefully it’s not a porcupine)

Stu McCallister

The outspoken and entertaining Stu McCallister hates writing bios; although he has no problems talking about himself, the act of writing bios bores him to tears and after a few sentences he just starts making things up. He is the MC of Grand Rapid's long-running open mic at Dr. Grins, and has been a fixture in the Michigan comedy scene for years. He works tirelessly to dispel the popular myth of the surly comic by volunteering at Crash's Landing cat shelter, and by generally being a nice guy to comics who don't act like jackasses in the clubs. He's a runner, and a social worker, and...oh, the hell with this. You can visit his MySpace page. There you'll find some awesome pictures of Stu doing what he loves: standing in front of a microphone, posing with other comics, and drinking. You can also put his name into the search box on YouTube and find videos of him introducing other comics.

Who/what inspired you to do what you do?
By this I believe you mean to tell jokes? I am not sure if I was ever INSPIRED to tell jokes. If anything I just enjoy sharing jokes and being creative. I was unhappy with my job at the time and I saw an ad to take a comedy class so I hopped on it not really knowing what I was getting into.

How long has your career lasted?
In all honesty my career has been just about 5 years. A neophyte in the comedy world. I’ve been told by numerous people that it takes a good 7 years before you really find your voice on stage. So essentially the last 5 years I am not sure who was telling jokes but he sure looked a lot like me.

Where have you traveled with your talents, what's your next destination? If you could choose your next destination?
Sadly my comedic talents haven’t taken me too far. I have been a regional comic as this was a part time job of sorts. I have been to Iowa, Minnesota, and Kentucky… (Are you getting jealous?!) I’m attempting to make this a regular full time gig and will hopefully go to more and varied places as a result. New York would be the ultimate goal.

Where is your favorite spot to perform and why?
Well, I have been the house MC of the club (Dr. Grins) in Grand Rapids, MI for most of the 5 years so I would have to say that. It has been regular stage time every week and I have been able to perform with some really great names.

Who is your favorite obscure artist/comic/performer to work with? Famous?
That is an interesting question as I would say most of the comics I have performed with have been great. Some should be better known than they are. Some of my favorites are Tom Cotter, Pat Godwin, Pat Dixon, Tom Rhodes, Mike Kosta, Alonzo Bodden… I have been able to be onstage with some pretty famous people as well- Chelsey Handler, Greg Proops, Rob Schneider.

Tell me some perks of being a comic. What are some peeves?
Well, my situation is a little different than most comics being the house MC of the club. I get recognized as the “face” of the club and people will stop me at the grocery store or other public places. It can be kind of strange as I am just a guy who tells jokes. I liken the fame to that of the weekend weatherman. I have that kind of fame. Have there been any perks? I get asked to do some local news interviews on a fairly regular basis and I get to do a twice weekly radio segment too. My pet peeves are the comment cards that clubs have out. I understand the need for the cards as the club wants to get info on who is walking in. The club wants mailing lists to send people info about who is coming to the club. Great! But there also are sections to rate and comment on the comics. You can hear the most inane things on these cards. During the same show I was rated as one of the best comics they have seen and someone else said I should never get onstage again. Sigh…

What's it like being 'on the road'?
Road work is coming on more and more. I have been fortunate enough that I have been able to travel and work with people I know. This can make the travel easier. Being able to share driving duties, someone to talk with, and someone to keep you awake….the road can be hard as you may not often know who you are working with or anyone else at the destination or club. Guys can quickly become hermits or try and be more social. I am choosing to be more social and see things that the new town has to offer. On a side not I would like to tell new guys that hitting the road is the only way to get better. There is a certain amount of sacrifice needed to be made. I have traveled over 6 hours one way for a 6 minute slot to then just drive home. In the end it got me some paid gigs but it was a tough decision to make.

Does being a comic heighten or hinder your chances of having a meaningful relationship?
That is a hard question to answer. However on the whole I would say it makes having a relationship more difficult. You work weekends (when most people have off), you are up late at night (when a lot of people are sleeping), and you are in different towns most weekends (not many other jobs have you moving around so much). Currently I am not in a relationship and I don’t have kids so it makes things easier for me to be gone. Thankfully I have a roommate to watch the house and my pets when I am gone.

Ever had a heckler? If so, how did you handle it?
Oh, sure I have had a heckler. I would say that anyone who has been on stage before more than 10 times has had a heckler. Hecklers come in various forms. There are the most thought of guys who are just yelling that you suck or other various insults. There are the ones where people laugh at strange points or just have a very unusual laugh. This just makes for distractions. There are also the ones where people are talking loudly at their table to no one in particular. Often these are bachelorette parties or people out for a birthday. It’s as if the show is just background music like a jazz trio. Comedy in a club is not comedy on TV. You need to pay attention. There are other people around you. I tell people that they should think they are at a play or at least a movie. Sure, laugh out loud and have a good time but please remember it is not about you! Ok, so how have I handled things with a heckler? Depends on what is going on. The main goal is to just get the person to be quiet. You can hammer them but then you risk having the crowd turning on you and you become the bad guy. You always want the heckler to be the bad guy. I often use the crowd to get the person to shut up. I can remind them that the show is not about them. Sometimes if you just give them some attention they will shut up. Sadly this can encourage them to talk more. Thankfully good clubs police the room themselves and tell people to be quiet.

Ever been on TV? Radio? Describe one or both.
I have been on TV numerous times. It has been mostly interview stuff for the local FOX affiliate. My own comedy act has been on local cable as well (Jealous?) It is all a work in progress. I am on the radio twice a week on 105.3 HOT-FM with Todd Chance (doing a plug there). I do my “Talk Stu” where I rant about this or that. It has been a good challenge for me in writing as it is different than writing standup. I obviously have to watch what I say for the radio audience (however I have to say I wouldn’t call myself a dirty comic in the first place). But I have been able to put my stage bits into some radio talk and I have taken radio acts and used them on the stage. I like radio a lot and would like to do it more…

Are you consistent with your material or do you like to change it constantly, what are the ingredients?
I have found that my material has changed in what it is and how I deal with it. As a house MC I am in the same room almost every week. I HAVE to change material a lot as there are many people who come on a weekly or monthly basis. These people drive my desire to write more. And as I mentioned previously you find your voice after 7 years. I’m still trying to find it.

Where do you see yourself in five years from now?
5 years from now I would like to be a touring comic on a full time basis. Really I just want to be enjoying life. Some people would say that the two are not compatible… :D

Comic Angry Bob Rants and Raves

Performing nationwide, Angry Bob has a high-energy unique act that is downright hilarious and crowds all over love him! He regularly performs all over NYC in such illustrious clubs as the Comic Strip Live, the New York Comedy Club and the Broadway Comedy Club - he has recently appeared on CNN with anchor Rick Sanchez performing political satire and making humorous observations about some of the biggest news events of the day; Sanchez has been quoted saying ""THERE'S NO BIGGER NAME WHEN IT COMES TO POLITICAL SATIRE THAN ANGRY BOB!!"

What/who inspired you to do what you do?

Bad parenting? Being too smart in a dumb world? Anti-social personality disorder juxtaposed against a smattering of misanthropy and a solid streak of apathy? Or maybe just tight shoes….

How long has your career lasted?

Up until now?

Where have you traveled with your talents, what's your next destination? If you could choose your next destination?

Ferengenar….during the rainy season for oomax, of course!

Where is your favorite spot to perform and why?

That’s rather personal!! Oh, comedy….wherever there are people and money…

Who is your favorite obscure artist/comic/performer to work with? Famous?

Brother Theodore…unfortunately he’s no longer with us, but I’m working up to that as we all are….

What's it like being 'on the road'?

A cornucopia of mixed emotions and gas from too many Sheetz BLT clubs…

Does being a comic heighten or hinder your chances of having a meaningful relationship?

I really don’t think it’s that!

Ever had a heckler and if so, how did you handle it?

Took him out for beer afterwards and suggested a few encounter groups he could join to get in touch with his true feelings…

Ever been on TV? Radio? Describe one or both.

Yes..yes…great, especially the free water and bagels!!

Are you consistent with your material or do you like to change it constantly, what are the ingredients?

Disdain for the human race? Yes, I vacillate between knock knock jokes and wishing aids and leprosy on the audience…

Where do you see yourself in five years from now?

An al kaida training camp outside of Detroit (selling death insurance, just in case some of the virgins are uggos!)