The San Francisco Punch Line

The backbone of the San Francisco comedy scene is formed of little bars and cafes that host showcases and open mics. Hosted by stalwarts such as Tony Sparks, these are the places where new comics break their teeth and the oldtimers still show up.

But the backbone only exists to support the head which is the Punch Line comedy club. The Punch Line is not the biggest club in the Bay Area, Cobb's in the city is bigger, and the Improv in San Jose is huge by comparison. Still the Punch Line is where the comics strive to make their mark. The comedy industry reputedly only visits the Punch Line in the local area to look for talent and for that very reason comics will bend over forwards, backwards, and even sideways to make it here.

Unlike other clubs which rely upon your ability to "bring" an audience before they book you, the Punch line has a mind-numbingly simple process. Hang out for 10 months as an audience member on Sundays and they will put you on the Sunday showcase. In a few more months you can get on again, and then again, until the frequency increases and in a few years you can become a regular performer.

My first time "hanging out" at the Punch Line was horrible because of my own negative projections. The comics seemed subdued and almost too scared and deferential of the room booker. I left and did not return for several months until a couple of weeks ago.

Now I look at the Punch Line differently. It is one of the hubs of the San Francisco comedy community. The Sunday showcase ends with the comics schmoozing, a few getting drunk, and high. Over time they build bonds and start getting booked on the showcase. I realize that you do not have to be very funny to work the Punch Line, but you need to have put in the time and joined the community.

The question for me is: Will I put in the time?