Just for laughs

Dinah Irwin of Rochester performs during the open mic comedy night at The Comedy Club, 2235 Empire Blvd. in Webster. (Credit: Kate Melton)

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Dinah Irwin may be a petite, unassuming 19-year-old student, but don't be fooled. With a mouth many mothers would love to wash out with soap, the comedian says most of her material comes from experience.

"(I have been told) that if I talk about my boyfriend, it's funny and sex sells," she says.

Irwin was one of nearly 20 comedians who showed up at The Comedy Club in Webster in December for open mic comedy night. Every Wednesday the winner can expect a cash prize and a guest spot on The Wease Show on 95.1 The Fox, the following day.

The night was unusually long, according to host Gately of 100.5 The Drive. He says there are normally about a dozen comedians who participate each night. The event, which usually ends at 10:00 p.m., went until 11:30 p.m.

Travis Worth was also onstage that night, as he is most Wednesdays. He says stand-up comedy helped him "break out of his shell." But a major reason for getting on stage, he says, is to hear a positive audience reaction.

"I love making people laugh," says Worth. "It's contagious, it's infectious, and it's a powerful force."

In preparation for their routines, both Worth and Irwin carry around notepads to document their ideas and life experiences. Irwin keeps busy aside from comedy as a student with three jobs.

"The more experience, the more material, I always say," she says.

The comedians who participated in open mic night had plenty of life experiences to add variety to the evening. Buffalo Bob was returning to comedy for the first time after decades away from the stage. Sidney moved to the States recently from Africa and Lamar Williams is originally from New York City, to name a few.

"It’s a great mix (of people)," says Gately, "And everyone is very supportive of the newcomers and the regulars."

For the newcomers, Worth has some advice: don’t be afraid to use notes onstage, and stay away from inside jokes the audience might not understand. Also, don’t be discouraged if no one laughs.

"Open mic crowds are always different every time,” he says, “What doesn’t work one week might work the next."

Irwin says her first time on stage was in November at The Comedy Club, after her friends had left. In fact, she found it easier to speak in front of a room full of strangers.

The cash prize and guest spot on The Wease Show may also be an incentive to prospective comedians. The winner receives a dollar for every person in the crowd, excluding fellow comedians, up to $75.

Irwin already has her future earnings spent.

"Eventually I will win," she says. "The day that I make money off it I am probably going to buy myself a turtle. I’ve always wanted one."

Other ways to get some laughs:

Improv has been a mainstay in Rochester for years, but with the closing of Comix Café in June, improv stepped up to the plate. Currently there are not one, but four local standout improv comedy troupes. Each troupe has their own style, all equally hilarious. And with all of them offering tickets for $10 or less, it’s good, cheap fun:

Geva Comedy Improv (www.gevatheatre.org/onstage/improv)

The Village Idiots at Village Gate Square (www.improvvip.com)

Nuts and Bolts Improv at the Auditorium Theatre (www.nutsandboltsimprov.com)

Unleashed! Improv at the JCC Open Mic (www.unleashedimprov.com).