Hello my sweet readers! I hope you’re having an amazing day. Are you staying cool? Are you drinking enough water?
I’m back to square one. The shallow end. The first page. I taped my debut standup special in June and now its time to come up with new material. I always knew this day would come some day. And if I’m lucky it’ll happen several times over.
I started writing material for my first special before I had any idea I’d have a special. Those jokes were born of days and nights spent at open mics. Then eventually bar shows, then booked opportunities, then college gigs, then one off headlining shows, then a headlining tour. All the while I was trying to write more and get better at telling the jokes I’d already written.
I did not set out to write an hour of material about being a trans man, but that’s what ended up happening. I was responding to the immense amount of change happening in my life. I journaled every day. I wrote down every crazy thing the kids I coached said to me at soccer practice; every time I got weirdly labeled by a stranger or misgendered in a surprising way. Everything felt channeled towards the common thread of this radical change I was experiencing.
Once I began headlining in 2024 I knew the core stories of the show and all of my writing was geared at shaping the show around these stories. This gave me direction and joke areas to focus on.
I knew in December that I wanted to shoot my special in 2026. I felt ready. I spent all of my 2026 winter and spring tour dates getting the show tighter and better. Pushing myself to figure out what works, what I’d gotten complacent about and how to make this the strongest representation of my comedy.
Until June 18 my head was deep in this show. I wasn’t even considering new jokes aside from lines that would work in the special. Then I shot the special and all my jokes that had been keeping me safe from failure were officially off the market.
Now I’m at stage one. I haven’t been at stage one since 2021 when I first moved to New York and did my first open mic in Brooklyn. What do I talk about now?
There are days where the blank page is very exciting to me. I can talk about anything I want! It doesn’t have to fit this structure I’d committed to. I’m a better comic than I was in 2021, surely this will feel easier this time around. And I’ve been writing new jokes this whole time, certainly it will be fine, right? RIGHT?
Then there are days where the blank page terrifies me. Oh my god I have to have at least 45 minutes of material by September when I hit the road for some new material dates. At present I have 10, maybe 15?
Talking about being trans on stage was always a blessing and a curse. While I always ran the risk of ostracizing audiences who didn’t want to hear about it, more often than not its a buzzy enough topic that I can usually get people’s attention. My new material is much more mundane. I’m talking about talking to my dad on the phone - a much more universal experience but is that going to make people lean forward in their seats?
The fun job of comedy is taking any topic, mundane or buzzy, and making it funny, subversive and surprising. I try to tell myself if I could make strangers care about my transgender experience for 10, 15, 30, 60 minutes, then I can make them care about anything.
I’m excited to get on stage with a less rigid structure than before. I’m excited to find my comedic voice through new joke areas and stories. I’m excited to keep connecting with audiences around the country. I know you all work hard for your money and I’m grateful when you spend it to come see my shows. I hope to see you there this fall, we’re going to have a lot of fun! Come help me figure out what the hell is so funny about how my dad talks on the phone.
SONG OF THE WEEK:Purple Haze by The Jimi Hendrix Experience
NEW MATERIAL TOUR FALL 2026
8/27 - NICO AND FRIENDS IN BROOKLYN (TICKETS SOON)
As always, if ticket price is a barrier to entry for you (especially if you are trans) please fill out this form and I will do my best to get you in! Comp tickets are first come first serve and can be limited depending on the venue.
Last but not least, watch BOYS CLUB! All five episodes of season 1 are out now on Youtube and you could watch all five in about 30 minutes. Perfect for your lunch break.
This month has been going so fast I don’t even remember which of those books I read in May. IF ANY! Thank you for all the recs, they’re going on my list. I’m recommending a TV show today:
Widow’s Bay on Apple TV - This is a comedy horror its super funny and scary! Really enjoying this. First four are already out and the last two come out tonight 5/27!
