Should one find themself in need of a mid-week pick-me-up, one needs to look no further than Soma Underground, the new home of C-U Comedy, on Wednesday nights. “Soma is our main place right now,” says organizer Jesse Tuttle. “We do a weekly showcase every Wednesday night, and it is free to get in.” Soma offers a benefit to both the performers and the audience that previous venues didn’t, and that is a space that is free of distraction. There are no competing big screen sporting events or video poker machines to be seen. There is seating, a stage, and a bar. Couple that with some of the area’s finest comedic talent, and the environment becomes perfect. Audiences at Soma won’t see any first time comics, however. One will need to earn their way onto the stage via open mic nights at other establishments, such as the Clark Bar. “For Soma, we don’t do anybody for their first night”, explained Tuttle. “Here we only use performers that have been up often.” Comic Eric Sizemore performed his 20th stand-up routine this past Wednesday night. “Do the math”, Sizemore said, “and at about five minutes a pop, I have close to an hour and a half of experience.” Tuttle said C-U Comedy audiences can look forward to visiting comics from WGN Radio, MTV, and Last Comic Standing later in the season as part of their Homecoming Comedy Series. Check them out. You’ll be glad that you did.
Master of Ceremonies Jesse Tuttle
Eric Sizemore
On grey hair: A friend said to me, “Don’t worry. Just because there’s snow on the roof doesn’t mean the furnace is out.” So I asked, “What if there’s snow on the furnace?”
Mikel Matthews
Erik Scott
On sun burn: The thing about sunburn is that everyone feels the need to tell you how sunburnt you are. “Is that what that excruciating pain is? Oh, you mean that big ball of fire in the sky did that to me? Thanks Bill Nye.”
Chris Hightower
On next year’s election: “If you vote for Donald Trump for President, I’ll kill you, personally.”
Sandy Ott
On health: “I only smoke when I drink, so I’m down to two packs a day.”
Jessica Renae
On having a job: I know it’s petty to complain, there are worse job’s I’ll admit
But it’s unbelievably exhausting to do nothing all day but sit
So why did they even hire me, I’m a waste of money and time
Jokes on them, instead of working I’m just making up these rhymes
And the money’s not that great
And the CEO’s a dick
So I try to compensate
Thank God that I can call in sick
Justin Tuttle
On stuff: “I realized, I don’t own much. And of all the things I do own, none of it is of real value. And I’m fine with that. I really am. And I also know I should own something of real value. Anything. Like an antique lamp. A photo album with some special pictures in it. An urn with a family member’s ashes on the mantle. A mantle.”
Visit CU Comedy online for current schedule and more information.