Being an independent artist is hard. You have to fill your own calendar, which is daunting considering there’s no rhyme or reason when it comes to clubs responding to you or deeming you worthy of a response.

makes it hard to advocate for others because you’re barely in the door

Like, last August I was trying to get bookings for the fall / winter and was given a date...this July. The booker wanted a no-compete clause 250 miles from venue from AUGUST THRU AUGUST. I leveraged that into improving the offer from $1200 up to $1800 and shrunk the time frame

I haaate when a show is all one thing (all white, all men, all anything), and requested a few different female & POC features hoping one would get approved.

So, fast forward to beginning of this year, I manage to start filling my calendar with DIY touring dates and a few clubs here and there. Always using my small amount of leverage to push for diverse, inclusive shows. Like this in Boston

Covid pops off and my calendar is wiped from March thru June, and clubs stopped taking bookings for 2020 Bc no one was sure when things would open back up.

still had July gig from last August on the books. One weekend of professional work. One last situation where I have leverage. My friend @HollyLynnea was set to feature. Very funny comic who unfortunately has to get most of her work from headliners bringing her vs clubs hiring her

Another comic posted the clubs reopening line up 2 weeks ago and after being excited to be one of them my heart sank. Am...am I the only headliner of color? There’s NO women? Oooofffaaahhh.

Note: I know Tom Thakkar is now POC but he was white Tom Brady for a decade before hand

I didn’t share the video then because it bothered me. I sat with it a few days. Then I sent booker an email.

We went back and forth a few times with the booker asking if I was sure I wanted to do this (I sent the email once I was sure)

So, i asked the person who booked the clubs if I could lower my pay to elevate my friend to co headliner. They said it was up to the club.

So, I won’t be doing professional comedy until sometime in 2021, assuming im able to scream into the void again and generate responses

But I will be doing free shows at Oakwood Park in my hometown of Lorain OH. Also home of Toni Morrison, pictured here as part of l @GregtheGrouch’s redline series.

I grew up and live in the red area to the right of Toni’s face. That’s also where the show is!

I may never be able to work at comedy clubs in the same way as before but I’m excited to do some community building in the community I was raised in. I’ll do my best to make sure the shows embody the multicultural heritage Lorain has always been known for

The point of this thread is: the system we all work in is flawed and values us very little. It has lots of blind spots. Use this work stoppage as an opportunity to make the changes you’d like to see in the game. Use your position to uplift and empower others.

You know how I know they don’t care? Your home club can reopen at 50% capacity and trot out a mono-chromatic alabaster line up that they have to pay travel/lodging for and never even consider engaging the regional acts capable of filling those line ups