my friend Tracey

I've known my friend Tracey for 23 years now. She's the inspiration for some funny stuff over the years!

meeting Portland

Friday the 13th isn't always as bad as all that. This last one, I got to meet some comics at an open mic in Portland. "Portland Love" is a real thing! I can't wait to get up there again!

Here's what I got recorded.

bad days

ah!! Conedy! Open mic is fun. A place to try stuff out. I'd been doing the same stuff for a while now, but the whole time kicking myself for not having new material.

In my other world as a storyteller, I've been learning all about the need to be true to myself and vulnerable. Last night I learned it can work in comedy, too. Even talking about bad days. This video starts with whining a little about how rough my life has been, which I'd been feeling the last couple days.

In the end, my nature is to just pick up and move on. Mom taught me that. when she would tell us to clean up a mess. Like all kids, the instant reply was "...but I didn't make the mess!"

She just said, "I didn't ask how the mess got here, I asked you to clean it up!" The focus isn't on blame, or how I got where I am -- the focus is on what do I do now!

hitchhiking

Wednesday night open mic at Wiseguys Comedy in West Valley City, UT! Mic drop! Mixing up the jokes!

All my videos are up on my YouTube channel: a t.rex walks in...

gadgets & kids in sports

No actual video, this time, but a couple fun stories from Wiseguys Comedy open mic the other night.

baby bird

I have been lax in recording the last couple weeks. This last Wednesday, though, I got a good recording from open mic at Wiseguys Comedy.

popcorn popping

Still having fun at open mic night at Wiseguys! Tonight, I tried an audience participation joke that went quite well! I'm thinking no more shorts, though.

I'm stashing my comedy videos on their own YouTube channel (link: a t.rex walks in . . .) if you're interested in perusing all my old videos. I watched them newest to oldest, and it made me depressed. I'll have to make sure and review the other direction so I can see improvement!

little johnny

Had fun doing a jokes for open mic at Wiseguys again.

Before t.rex, way back when I was much skinnier, my buddy Cody said I looked like the Homo habilis he was learning about in school. That's the evolution guy who can't quite stand fully upright in the ages of man pictures.

Little Johnny was the homeless guy I talk about. He ended up pointing us to where we could find some hookers if we were still bored!

hobo zoo

haha! Just noticed emcee Marcus said "Aaaah! That was funny! Give him a hands!"

Another good night last Wednesday at Wiseguys Comedy in West Valley City. Tried a couple new bits. I'll keep honing them. Fun as always, though!

am I ableist?

I haven't been recording every open mic at Wiseguys Comedy lately, but I got another one tonight. I didn't really try anything extremely new. Just the bit at the beginning about me and this other dude being "ableist" which I hadn't heard of before. Had a little fun with Jay Whittaker, the emcee, before and after, as well. Here it is:

awkward moments

Another night at Wiseguys Comedy last night!

I started with "pay attention" as I set up the stool, then announced my dad was a t.rex. It went over well. The idea came from Jacob Leigh, and went as well as he promised! The rest of the time I kind of just had the theme awkward moments. I talked about the kid at the drinking fountain, and also getting put into a cop car at the school break-in.

It felt really smooth finally. Don't know what the difference was. Maybe just practice and experience. I didn't record it, either, so no video this time. I wonder if that frantic setting up recording right before is what made the difference.

driving poorly

Another night at Wiseguys open mic in SLC. I really thought this went worse than it did. I'm glad I record these. It'll help me see progress and already helps me not be so hard on myself.

meeting people (open mic video)

So here's last night's performance! Well, sort of. My battery died, so the last minute cut out. I recorded the ending separately and attached it at the end this morning.

I thought it went pretty well. If you compare my notes (the last post), you'll notice I completely missed my t.rex joke!

As always, let me know what you think!

meeting people (notes)

Tonight's notes for open mic at Wiseguys Comedy in SLC. Video hopefully later!

---

So you may have noticed I’m … uhhh … you know … recognizable??
If you see me on the street tomorrow, you’ll know you saw me here tonight.
Me? I’ll be wondering who the hell you are. Plus, I’m old, so it’s even worse!

---

When I first moved here, I went to Taco Bell one day. They were polite, and the food was ... yeah ... Taco Bell. The exact second time I went, though, the manager goes:
I’ll just GIVE you the drink.
You’re here all the time!

---

Free stuff is always good!
But you all keep me laughing, as well! People really stumble over how to just ask the obvious question:
What’s wrong with your hands?

A couple weeks ago, Christopher Titus straight up asked me.
He’s the rare adult, though.

Kids are waaay better at it. They just ask ... and ask ... and ask!
I usually just patiently say:
I was born like that.

---

One time, though, I didn’t warn a friend that I’d gotten sick of being polite about it. So when some poor kid asked the usual:
What’s wrong with your hands?

I started in on how I’d been in a horrible plane accident.

The kid was impressed, but my friend tried lecturing me about how rude I was.
Right??

Now, thanks to my new buddy, Jacob Leigh, I have an even better response:

I’ll just look them straight in the eye and say:
WHAT!!!? So my mom slept with a T.REX! What do YOU care?

---

But sometimes even the kids are shy. Especially when they have someone eles to ask.

I went to church for the first time with my new roommate, Mike. He’s one of those cool guys who all the kids loved.

After the meeting, I headed to the bathroom, and apparently, all the kids gathered around Mike.
They all started asking him questions about me.
Is that your new roommate?
What’s his name?

Then, of course, they got to the usual:
What’s wrong with his hands?

Mike didn’t really know what to say, so he said:
Nothing, why?

One of the boys dropped his jaw in horrified wonder!
HAVEN’T you NOTICED?

---

So I’m Mitch Nelson. Thanks for coming out tonight!

second open mic!

I was traveling, so I missed open mic night at Wiseguys last week. I got up again last night, but didn't get a recording. I started by specifically telling the audience to watch while I got the stool and mic set up, then talked about how I look like a T-Rex. Did a couple waves (hi, peace, flipping off, etc.) then tried out the story about finding the zen place and the road rage while scrambling to get to it.

People were polite and laughed at some parts. Wish I had it recorded, though. I'll go back again next week and generally keep at it.

comedy virgin no more!

Another hobby! Comedy!

I've been to a couple "open mic" nights and the Wiseguys Comedy here in Salt Lake City. The other night, I actually tried it!

Here's what I got recorded: