January deadline

Whoops it’s Feb. What a ride. My first shows of 2025 were in Seattle, Warshington at Wet Fest, which was [you guessed it] a comedy festival held at The Crocodile. I love that place; the staff is wonderful and so are the crowds. Someone on Facebook asked if it was a lesbian bar and I replied with another question, “Is Google gay?” I wonder if the answer was outfit-dependent for them.

photo taken by Mike Quinlan at The Crocodile in Seattle

A loving thank you if you came to The Croc to see me, Maria Bamford and Zainab Johnson. Those were the other comedians I got to see perform while I was there. That’s the wonderful thing about a festival as a fellow comedian! You get to see longer sets from your faves. If you think about it, I’m on the road most weekends headlining which means performing [contractually] 45-60 minutes of stand-up. When I’m in L.A. with other headliners, we’re doing showcase shows which means only 12-15 minute sets.

Looking back Seattle was a simpler time. I bought a cute mug from Porchlight Coffee, I was optimistic that McDonalds might take the next president and my city wasn’t on fire. I’m one of the grateful folks who was not displaced. I lost power during the high windstorm and I spent about two and a half hours cleaning up the next day, but I was happy to do anything that felt like I was contributing to cleaning up brush, debris and ash in my area. Thank goodness the fires have been contained.

Unrelated I think I should start a silly school program like D.A.R.E. where I make a plea to schoolchildren to write an essay on the dangers of tablets, smart phones and social media, but then I get caught by one of them on Instagram Live promoting my stand-up tour dates. Of course I know social media is good and bad. I deplete my serotonin watching videos of people slipping in mud for 90 seconds (I can’t believe how long I stayed tuned in! You can imagine the fall). I also watch people’s funny takes on current events through a screen but I see those in-person too, like when I’m on a show with Neal Brennan at The Comedy Store. I used to get my fill of hot takes watching comics from the back of the room and the takes essentially stayed there, rattling around Chicago bars unless taken out by a particularly moved audience member. Now they’re all lined up waiting for your scroll, and in piles of memes on your Internet desk. So much Internet to do!

I used to think I’d be replaced by memes as they ascended the ranks to everyone’s favorite comedian. They are stiff competition, but I guess I’m different enough with the voice and the flesh, etc. I’ll be in Portland, Oregon next week. Someone sent me Portland Cinnamon Rolls dot com and wow, what a gift. Thank you, pals on Threads! After that I have a lil secret show that I think is sold out in Nevada City [why even tell you?] but plenty of seats left for Valentine’s weekend in Sacramento at Punch Line!

I had a young comic ask me to direct their special but I will be in Alaska doing shows so I’m unable to. A bit of sadness there but I do love that I’ve become someone that younger comics can trust to help shape and present their ideas. It’s an honor.

I had such good coffee when I was in Denver at Vibe. I am a creature of habit and if I find a place that I like, I go repeatedly while I’m in town. I also do this because I don’t have any dependents and so I get a black coffee AND an espresso drink (typically a cortado or flat white). My life sometimes feels like it revolves around coffee, sweets and food. Guess that’s why Mo and I do a podcast loosely about sweets and nothing.

I got a cold but I’m healing up. I don’t really want to direct you anywhere else but I have been enjoying the Alan Cumming vehicle Traitors as well as the Ramon Rodriguez vehicle Will Trent. I initially made fun of my mom for watching it but the drag queen episode stuck with me for a long time and the show gives me what I want. I now realize why people like procedurals; they rock adults to sleep with a triumphant story. I get hooked because I need mysteries to be solved or else the bad guy might show up in my bedroom. So I guess that’s not really all that good if it’s keeping me up, even if I am nocturnal-leaning.

What is GOOD and what is BAD anyway? I met a young woman in my Chicago days who smoked cigs and she believed that as long as she enjoyed them they weren’t bad for you. I try to live like that but then I get a cold, lose my breath walking up a hill and realize I should incorporate some sort of regimen or schedule because I am mentally more well when I do that. Meditate, stretch, water, write. Lofty aspirations.

Love,
Beth

P.S. See you around if you live in Portland, Sacramento or… what’s next? Atlanta. But not my secret show in Nevada City, that’s sold out. ←I wish there were a silly buck-tooth emoji to go with that.

Further away? Tulsa, Oklahoma! Lowell, Arkansas! Tempe AZ! and Alaska!