Comedy View
By Chris Murphy
The ModestoView Clean Comedy Competition in partnership with the Gallo Center was a huge success. Our local comedians blew the roof off with laughter and the winner was our very own Anthony K. We want our locals to be seen on the national stage and this is how we do it. This month we take comedy to a new level with new shows and a very special showcase event at Cheroot with a 3 day gig by Anthony K and friends. You will laugh non-stop. Let’s get to know Anthony K and see what is cooking in his world.
Q: Are you naturally funny or do you have to work on it?
A: Its definitely a balance of both, Sometimes I do feel that it comes natural and this is what I’m supposed to do, But you cant be in this business without working insanely hard, Its like an internship with no promise of anything coming out of it except your passion and self reflection. I still try and get on a mic 6 days a week if possible even if I’m not booked, I want to be the best at what I do and I want it to show through my work.
Q: What do you find unusual and what inspires you?
A: What inspires me are the people close to me in my life, family and friends. Also audiences nightly that come to see live comedy, I love when people after a show tell me they have never seen stand up comedy before and that they really enjoyed it. What I find unusual in this stand up comedy world is many things. One that comes to mind, In this business, the people that book comedians or in places of power aren’t funny people. They’ve never gone on a stage before and made anyone laugh or feel anything with their own thoughts and expressions, And sometimes these are the first people to tell you how to be funny or the direction you should go. This always baffles me.
Q: How can we make Modesto a comedy town?
A: I think this a great start, The local media should be covering these things and events, I’ve been doing comedy for almost 8 years and have traveled from L.A. to New York and I can honestly say that Modesto has amazing audiences. As a comedian we have a responsibility to make sure if we put on a show that we book the best comedians and put on the best show possible for the people that do support so that they will come back and have a good experience with comedy.
Q: Tell us about your show June 24-26
A: These shows are very special to me, I’m out of town a lot and I always want to perform in my hometown, So once a year I usually do one giant show (Past shows have been at Gallo Center, Fat Cat & State Theater). This year is going to be different. I wanted this to be an intimate show in a smaller setting with more options instead of 1 night only at Cheroot Cigar Lounge in Downtown Modesto on 10th St. A lot of people don’t event know this lounge exists, which is part of its charm. I also run a free show there where I showcase other comedians 1st and 3rd Tuesday of every month. This is a Cigar lounge, so if smoke bothers you this may not be the place for you. I will be headlining which means doing a 1 hour performance each night. There are only 40 seats available per show. The tickets are only $20 if you purchase pre-sale which you can purchase directly from the Cheroot Cigar Lounge or emailing myself directly at AnthonyKComedy@gmail.com<mailto:AnthonyKComedy@gmail.com> and it’s $25 to enter the day of the event if any tickets are available.
