2009 July | Erin Jackson | Stand-Up Comedian

The breakup diet — cheat on me again… Please?

Hey so if you’re not familiar, Rooftop Comedy is a website that has stationary cameras in like 20-30 clubs across the nation. Each weekend the shows at each of their clubs are uploaded to their server and they pick clips and post them on their site. Comics can also submit and upload their own clips… It’s kinda like YouTube but just for comedy. If you have some free time and have never checked it out, browse thru. The content is always fresh. Good for chuckles while you’re at work ;) They posted a few clips from my shows this weekend in Wisconsin. This one is short and sweet so I thought I’d share it.

Haha… this is how GF’09 started. And now 26 pounds later I’m… grateful? OK, maybe that’s the wrong word. But I recognize I needed the kick in the ass. Enjoy!

Me In Your City: Appleton, WI

Hey y’all! Back home for a beat and put together this quick little recap of my trip to Appleton, WI this past weekend. I was working at the Skyline Comedy Cafe and although the shows were a blast, I didn’t rent a car so I got cabin fever towards the end of the week. Check out the video for ensuing hijinx. Who knows, this may be my next foray into shameless ploys to get people who come out to the shows to visit my website — maybe I can shoot a silly video blog in every town.

Yeah, you’re right… I’m way too lazy for that ;) Y’all know me so well.

Anywayz, I hope you enjoy ;)

Sit and spin, then curl up and dye

There was this adorable little laundromat/nightclub/restaurant I used to love in Seattle called “Sit ‘N Spin” It was just super cute and I really appreciated the creativity that went into successfully combining all those businesses into one — but I especially loved the name. I thought it was funky and edgy and just oh-so perfect! I heard it closed a couple years ago. Bummer :-(

I bring that up because the photo above is of a salon in Norfolk, VA right near the base where my mom works. And she and I both think that “Curl Up and Dye” is THE most adorable name for a hair salon. No really… I wish I had thought of that. Though I’m not sure what difference it would have made since I don’t own a hair salon.

But I digress.

I’m here in Appleton, Wisconsin now and yesterday I went into a liquor store that is also a butchery/fish market. Not quite as charming a concept as The Sit ‘N Spin, but hey… what is? Anyway, that’s all for now. I’m trying to get some work done here but it’s not going too well. Maybe I should shut off the TV and the iTunes and get off Facebook…

Or maybe not.

Homecomings and my head on a white man’s body

This weekend I traveled to New Brunswick, NJ to work at the Stress Factory Comedy Club. I was SUPER excited to finally get the chance to work this room since it’s literally 10 minutes from the house I grew up in. It’s a great club and they bring in top-notch talent. Not bad, New Brunswick… not bad at all…

My parents retired some years ago and moved south so I don’t have the opportunity/reason to visit very often. Downtown NB has grown so much since the last time I was home — 5 or 6Â years ago. And I was looking forward to going to some of my favorite local spots (shout to the fine folks at Nicola’s, Filippo’s Famous, Old Bay and Delta’s — how I missed you so…) and catching up with old friends and famÂ — most of whom have never seen me perform live. So many folks came out to support — way too many for me to post all the photos. But here are a few just for fun’s sake ;)

Me with D'Ana

Me with Mr. and Mrs. Plummer

Les and J -- my two BFF's

The staff at the club like to make collages using photos of the comics’ faces on all kinds of different backgrounds. Saturday nite when we walked into the green room there was my face on the headliner’s body. Too funny We both signed it and now we’re a part of the album! ;)

We had some really great shows, so I’m hoping I’ll have the opportunity to go back and work there again. I had some fun with a couple bachelor/bachelorette parties at the Saturday late show. So if the tape didn’t cut off by then I’ll post it later on… Two days home and then off to Wisconsin!

Yay? ;)

Someone stole my car. But they took so much more.

This is all that’s left of my car.

Someone stole it early yesterday morning. There were 7 car break-ins on my block, but mine appears to be the only one that was taken. As y’all know I need my car to do my job. Travel is a huge part of being a comic and if I can’t get from one gig to the next… well you understand.

The insurance company tried to comfort me by telling me that 65% of all stolen cars are recovered. But that means very little when I have to be in Jersey tomorrow nite and had to pay to rent a car on my own. And the 35% chance of having to get a new car (not new, new though. I’ll never do that again) when I have exactly no money is so frightening.

The thing I will never understand (and I’m aware that this is going to sound awful) is why people who don’t have much and live in the hood steal from other people in the hood… It’s like if you have to take sh!t, go to the high-rent districts where people have cars to spare. We’re over here trying to make it just like them. They stole my 10-year old Corolla which has been awesome and hella reliable but also had just 3 hubcaps, lots of scratches and a big dent on the right side. It’s pretty obvious that that’s all I have. The GPS I was gifted that helps me out when I’m working on the road, my video camera, tripod… all of that was in there. I have no idea how I’m gonna recoup that considering the Blue Book of the car is less than $2,000 and well, I’m a comedian who’s had a very slow summer. It was worth so much more.

They gotta find it. That’s it.

Marie Claire chose me and I didn’t even know it

Well, this brightened up my day… I can’t even lie.

I decided to Google to see what “Bad Date Stories” made it onto the Marie Claire website. You remember that post I did a few weeks back… Well I checked it and as I was scrolling thru the 27 Worst Date Stories article, I saw mine! They didn’t let me know but they posted it. So HOORAY!

And they did a great editing job! You can click the photo for a larger image or click the link below to view it online. I’m No. 4 of 28:

http://www.marieclaire.com/sex-love/relationship-issues/articles/bad-date-stories

Attn: All my homies in Jersey!!!

I’ll be making my triumphant return home to New Brunswick this weekend July 16-18 to perform at the Stress Factory Comedy Club! I’m so looking forward to it — I’ve been dying to get work at this club for years and I’m looking forward to catching up with some folks I haven’t seen in forever. My parents retired and moved away about 6 years ago so I rarely get to go home. So getting paid to do it makes it even that much more fun!

Ticket info: https://rsv.stressfactoryreservations.com/tix/default.aspx?selsh=071609

Hope some of you can make it out!

Ummmm… did they really print that?

This is why I love independent, alternative newspapers. No one else (not The Washington Post and CERTAINLY not The Washington Times) would run that headline/cover story. There really is no need to read any further. That headline is the thesis, body, and closing of the article all wrapped into one… And isn’t that what quality journalism is all about?

I can’t lie: I was quite shocked and thought it was a joke when my girl brought it to my attention, but I kinda love that they did this. I just might love the transcripts and recordings of ex-mayor Barry’s voicemail messages a little bit more. Geez Louise… who knew Marion Barry was that crazy? Well, besides everyone…

God bless the City Paper.