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

Coleman Green keeps it green!

Laugh Out Loud

My sister, friends and I recently went to see Coleman Green at the Laugh Factory, a comedy show in Hartford, Connecticut. There were several amateur and professional comedians there presenting their material. As the final comic, Coleman Green left the audience bursting. As he finalized the show, I anxiously waited to speak with him and ask him some questions. The last time I laughed that hard I saw Chris Rock at Comic Strip Live in NYC (he was practicing his material for the upcoming MTV awards).
Coleman Green has appeared on TV's "Evening at the Apollo" and has played some of the country's top clubs. He frequently appears in N Y C. This man will make you LAUGH HARD! Go see his show, it is always guaranteed laughs with Coleman Green.

Hey Coleman

Hi there.

What are your current goals?

More NY but cuz I live in Philly, sometimes that isn't feasible. Many others have made it without (NY). Taking more acting lessons, doing Cablevision commercials, the last commercial I did for them I played a color pixel but I can't really get into that right now because it hasn't played yet...

When did you decide you wanted to be a stand up comedian?

Twenty years ago, but it took me another ten years to actually do it, I took a comedy class, and my five minute stand up went really well.

Where was this?

At a Casting Agency in Philadelphia. The first real show was at a club called Bonkers, there were eight other comics there (from the class), and their family and friends were all there, about 150 audience members in total.

Highest pay per gig?

$1,500, the pay varies however from state to state, venue to venue and things like that. The more famous you are, the more money.

Ever been televised?

Auditioned for the Apollo, haven't seen it yet, did well though.

Would you consider comedy to be a stable job?

I can gauge my income, I budget, my wife works also, one month I could gross 4-5 (thousand) while others 2-3. It depends how known you are, the more well known, the more money...

Would you say, 'on the job training, you learn as you go'?

It takes a while to establish yourself, takes years. Some takes 10-15, while others can break in 3-4, exposure, movies, who you know, 'right place at the right time', these are all beneficial ways (to break in).

Would you highly recommend this job and if so, to whom?
For anyone who's funny: try it! It's an audience thing, if no one is feeling you...you realize quickly if it's for you, comedy is very black and white.

What are initial costs if any?

Advertising, Promotion, self promotion, agent and such. Right now I am my own agent although I have worked with agents before. The more people see you and want you the more agents approach you, until then you wait to be discovered. At the Montreal Comedy show I got close, this year I'm gonna break into it... (The Montreal Show is considered by many comics the "be all..." if you can make it there, you can make it anywhere). I got cards (business cards) and a web page, it was expensive (cards) but worth it. I made my money back, got a lot of gigs that way. I created those cards myself, I have experience in graphic design, and it’s my background.

These cards are cool! When is your next show? I can't wait! You are too funny; the audience couldn't stop crying (they laughed so hard there were tears in drinks, all over appetizers...).

Urban Salon, a local place in Philly, next week I'll in the Poconos for a show.

Were you influenced to do this (comedy) from any family members?

I have a funny family, but I'm the only one who took it to this level.

You write your own material?

It's based on my own life experiences, not fabricated, embellished, they're (jokes) not lies but fabrications of the truth.

You use the same stuff over and over, or...

Yeah, but right now I'm creating a new 30-40 minutes (new lines, new material)it has to come to me, I have notebooks all over the place.

The joke about the old lady you resuscitated when she had a heart attack after she realized you were her new neighbor, any truth in that?

My neighbors were initially nosy but we're cool now. You gotta play up on that, play with peoples' fears, you make exaggerations of the facts. You make a story of it, those people (prejudiced, narrow minded) have fear because of their ignorance, you build on these types of incidents you encounter and use it in your material. (The old lady is white, Coleman is black). I add in new jokes with the old ones and take out some of the old. But what it comes down to is doing all the jokes you remember in your joke arsenal.

Anything you'd like our readers to know?

Right now I'm writing a "mockumentary" with award winning documentary director Joe Fernandez; he's won several awards for his documentaries. If someone needs me, they need to sign up quick, soon I will be playing in major shows in NYC and I'll be all over the place (shows on television). When I get where I want to be (big like let's say, Chris Rock or bigger) you can get a cut (laughing). Why you in Hartford anyway?

Visiting my sister, I'll be going back to NY tomorrow, I want to see you at all the shows there, either way I'm checking you out August 2 at 8:30 pm at the Urban Saloon in Philly or August 8th at 10:00pm at Caesars Cove Haven (Lakeville, PA) or both!

Ok, gotta go, nice meeting you.

You too, bye. Check out more on Coleman Green by visiting his web page: COLEMAN@COLEMANGREEN.COM
His MySpace address is: www.myspace.com/colemanagreen.

This amazing and very funny stand up Comedian and Comedy Writer can also be reached at 215.677.8116 or 215.840.1778!

Michael Buckley

Michael Buckley is a New York based actor, writer and comedian. In addition to his work with The Roast Guys, Michael performs in comedy clubs throughout the Northeast. Michael just finished a successful run of NEMESIS, which he wrote and starred in at Theatre 54 in NYC. Other New York acting credits include Bloody Lies at the Midtown Inernational Theater Festival, Fat Suit (which he co-wrote with Jay Casale) at the Sage Theater, David and Goliath at Merkin Hall, Treaty 321! at the Lucille Lortell and Gangstapella at the 78th Street Theater Lab. National Tours: Grease starring Cindy Williams and Eddie Mekka, The Midnight Ride of Paul Revere and South Pacific. On television Michael has a recurring role as the arrogant but lovable Harley on the popular PBS show, Cyberchase and appeared on The Late Show with David Letterman as a member of the world famous (fictional)singing group Perfect Pitch. He studies acting with Robert McCaskill. Film work includes roles in Gypsy 83 starring Sara Rue, Mona, sexpotjesus and the forthcoming film Heterosexuals starring Natasha Lyonne.

What/who inspired you to do what you do?

I'm not really a big fan of having a real job..I've never had a real job. My brother is an accountant, I'd kill myself if I had to do that. I was always the fat kid no one picked in gym class.

You're lying!

No, I'm serious, it's just something I've always been good at.

How long has your career lasted?

I've actually been a working actor for eight years and I only started to do comedy for a year. Because of my experience as a writer and an actor I think it hasn't taken me as long to catch up whereas a regular comic would take years to get good.

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

I've been all over the country and Canada. I'm lucky. I'd love to book a gig in the Bahamas, that would be pretty sweet.

Where is your favorite spot to perform and why?

Um...probably at my family dinner table.

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

I'm not at the point of my career where I've met too many famous people. The most famous person I've worked with is Shirley from Laverne and Shirley...I'd love to do a movie with Phillip Seymour Hoffman, or do comedy with Lois CK,,,he's an amazing comic.

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

I've done out of town gigs with comics. I've done three national tours as an actor. My first professional tour was Greece..we did that all over.

What character were you?

Danny.

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

(laughing) I wouldn't say...well, define meaningful. I've certainly had a lot of meaningful relationships that lasted one night through comedy. In all seriousness, I don't think it would effect if I was in a serious relationship. Whoever I'm with will probably become part of my act,,nothing is off the table. If she's okay with that then it's all good.

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

Ah, yeah. It happens a lot. You're the one with the mic in your hand, you've got to have the last word. I grew up Irish Catholic,,,there's nothing a heckler can say/do that could damage me more then what I got growing up at the dinner table.

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

I have a reoccurring role on PBS called Cyber Chase...it's a kid show. The first twenty minutes are animated, I play a real person and I'm the main characters' jerk cousin. Every episode teaches math and my character always gets what he's got coming to him because in addition to being a terrible human being he's also awful at math.

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

Always changing it and always trying to find a better, more efficient, fewer words to say the same thing. I'm always messing around in my notebooks, always.

Where do you see yourself in five years from now?

Oh, god, ah, I will rule the world...I don't know. If I'm still making a living in entertainment, I'll be happy. I don't need to be Tom Cruise but that would be nice.

Check Micheal out in person. He gigs everyweek @ Comedy clubs such as Charlie O's and Joe Franklin's in NYC!!