I asked the audience to suggest topics for me to sing about. Tinker Toys and haggis were the suggestions. Hoo boy. (Ditta Caffe, Salt Lake City, UT – 12/3/16)
improv
Tonight at Ditta Caffe in Salt Lake
I’ll be performing my comedy show tonight! I’ll be talking about politics, religion and abortion funerals.
2016 Comedy Tour: Packing for Colorado
Here I am at 2200h MDT. I am listening to the BBC World Service. My partner packs her suitcase. The dog wanders around. He sniffs, knowing we are leaving him for a few days.
Tomorrow night, after work, we will drive to Colorado for the start of my first-ever comedy tour.
I have a list of segments, but I have no idea what I am going to say. I prefer to make things happen with the audience in the moment. “Community through comedy” is the rallying cry.
I have been incredibly moved by the support I have received. The donations through the GoFundMe page are overwhelming. Friends have been spreading the word in Fort Collins, CO and putting up flyers (Is it fliers? I never know and every time I look it up, I get more confused.). My partner has done it all: helped create flyers/fliers, publicised on Facebook (which I still refuse to use), shared with friends, planned for video recording and helped me work out a set list.
I have no idea what will happen, but I know this is my dream, you are my friends and this is my life.
I hope to see you there.
-Joey
Fake Dog Song
Hosting Improv open mic at Bad Ass Coffee in Salt Lake City, December 2015. I thought the show was over, but the audience convinced me to play a song.
Me: What song?
Audience: Some suggestions. [I paraphrase.]
Me: No.
Audience: Joey Cougar & The Starfish
Me: Yeah, the drummer is in the trunk.
Specific audience member: You have a fake dog in your trunk. [I did.]
Me: Ok. I can either explain that in a story or make up a song. What do you want?
Wise-ass audience member: Tell the story as a song.
This is the result.
The Joseph Richards Show Live (video)
Thanks to Kira S. Jones, we now have video of my show from Bad Ass Coffee in Salt Lake City on Friday, September 11, 2015. Thank you to everyone who came out, thanks to Bad Ass for hosting, thanks to Kira for recording and giving me flowers and thanks to my family for existing and being great.