Joel Kim Booster

had a wonderful show that she ran with this duo, the Potterbaugh sisters in Lakeview called entertaining Julia.

It was a dive bar.

You could fit maybe 60 people max.

And that was uncomfortable into this show every Sunday night.

But like Robin Williams would drop in to do this show.

Like it was like where every major comedian wanted to, to do a set on Sunday nights in Chicago.

And I remember going to see that show.

And it was the first time that I saw standup where it was like,

quote unquote, what then was considered alternative stand-up comedy because it was in the space and it was grungy.

And it was also the first time that I'd seen stand-up that wasn't on a special, you know, that wasn't filmed in a comedy club.

And it was the first time that I was like, oh, I really like this.

And Beth was really the person who sort of encouraged me to try it because she was like, you're a writer, you're already comfortable on stage, you're halfway there.

And then one year in my first year of being in Chicago, our theater company had a fundraiser that was a variety show.

Someone dropped out.

They had a five minute slot they needed to fill.

And they were like, Joel, you can do whatever you want for five minutes.

We just need someone to do this.

And I said, OK, I'll try stand up.

And I remember, you know, writing that set very hastily on the train the day before.

And then, you know, cold, having never done stand up before, I performed in front of this audience and I crushed.