Featured Episode

Episode 10 – Comedy Vs. Audience

Released on Wednesday 3/23/22

For the 10th episode, we take a peek into audience awareness, audience sentiment, and what comics wish audiences knew before coming to a comedy show. Would having a club lead to a more informed audience base? Would it make getting laughs easier or harder? Do people pay more attention at a paid show or a free one?

This episode features interviews with Robert “Buck D” Gipson, AMarie Castillo, Sam Tallent, Chuck Parker, Carla Vasquez, and Trip Stelnicki.

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Past Episodes

Episode 9 – No Coast Comedy Club

Released on Wednesday 3/16/22

Episode nine is a little different.

Sarah was recently a guest on the fantastic comedian, Zach Peterson’s podcast No Coast Comedy Club. The two dove into Comedy Ghost Town, Albuquerque comedy, and more. This episode features highlights from that podcast and shines a little more light on Sarah’s views on things.

If you like what you hear (and you will) you can listen to all the episodes of No Coast Comedy Club by going here.

Episode 8 – But Where Would It Go?

Released on Wednesday 3/16/22

In the eighth episode, we explore the (sometimes judgemental) geography of Albuquerque and ponder the best location for a club. Everybody has an opinion on this and you’ll hear from a heaping handful of people about it.

This episode features interviews with Rusty Rutherford, Greg Ziomek, Brett Hiker, Robert “Buck D” Gipson, Rep. Moe Maestas, Genevieve Garcia de Mueller, William Wheeler, AMarie Castillo, Zach Abeyta, Chuck Parker, Stef Darnell, Carla Vasquez, and Marc Jay.

If you’d like to see Rusty and Curt‘s judgemental Albuquerque map, you can find it and the maps of other cities on judgmentalmaps.com

Episode 7 – Don’t Hurt The Baby

Released on Wednesday 3/2/22

In the seventh episode, we look from the inside out, exploring what it means to “not hurt the baby” as Buck D describes it, plus we get his perspective on how Albuquerque comedians get in their own way, how we’d fare with a comedy club, and what he thinks that we need to do to take things to the next level. 

This episode features an interview with Robert “Buck D” Gipson.

Episode 6 – We Are Not Alone

Released on Wednesday 2/23/22

In the sixth episode, we look at other cities across the country that are in a similar comedy-club-less situation to Albuquerque and we dive deeper into how the Laughing Tap came to be in Milwaukee. Could Albuquerque replicate the model of the Laughing Tap? How does a space open and survive in the wake of COVID-19? How can comedy spaces be in service to the wider network of comedians across the country?

This episode features interviews from Brett Hiker and The Laughing Tap‘s Matt Kemple.

Episode 5 – Burque and Booze pt 2: Open Source Comedy

Released on Wednesday 2/16/22

In the fifth episode, we take a different approach to further examining the liquor laws in New Mexico: We let a crew of people who applied for a special and off-the-beaten-path option tell their story. 

Learn more about what a Club License could look like in the hands of a comedy club owner by listening to Open Source Comedy founders, Jason Green and Danger K Varoz, tell the story of the space.

This episode features interviews from Danger K Varoz, Jason Green, and Sam Tallent.

Episode 4 – Burque and Booze

Released on Wednesday 2/09/22

In the fourth episode, we start examining the liquor laws in New Mexico, why they are so strict, and how a comedy club owner could navigate it all.

Could a comedy club run as a sober space survive? Is that an option for Albuquerque? What if you just want to serve beer and wine?

The episode features interviews with Brett Hiker, Rep. Antonio “Moe” Maestas, and Sam Tallent.

Special mention of The Box Performance Space and Improv Theater.

Episode 3 – History: House Shows

Released on Wednesday 2/02/22

In the third episode of the series, we take a tour through an important aspect of ABQ comedy history. In the face of all the obstacles hindering the establishment of a brick-and-mortar comedy club, many performers/producers have turned to letting strangers in their own houses over seeking commercial or public spots. How can these choices inform who next comes in with big ideas? Is a DIY aesthetic needed for the next phase in growth?

The episode features interviews with Brett Hiker, Genevieve Mueller, Greg Ziomek, and William Wheeler.

Special mentions for The Deer Pile in Denver, Comedian Power Hour, Tyler Lovely, and Jared Ostrom.

Episode 2 – Is Comedy Theatre? Is It Art?

Released on Wednesday 1/26/22

In the second (surprise!) episode of the series, we explore an aspect of comedy that not everyone agrees on: Is it theatre? Why would or why wouldn’t that matter to a person opening a space in Albuquerque?

The episode features interviews with Rusty Rutherford, Brett Hiker, Genevieve Mueller, Greg Ziomek, William Wheeler, Sam Tallent, and Jeff Andersen.

If you’d like to read Arts Hub’s State of The Arts report from 2020, you can find it here.

Episode 1 – The Big Question

Released on Wednesday 1/26/22

Why doesn’t Albuquerque, New Mexico have a comedy club? In this first episode of the podcast, host Sarah Kennedy lays out the challenges that need to be tackled in order to give the town a home for stand-up comedy.

The episode features interviews with Rusty Rutherford, Danger K Varoz, Rep Antonio “Moe” Maestas, AMarie Castillo, Sam Tallent, and Matt Kemple.

Comedy Ghost Town – Introduction

What the heck is this podcast all about? Take a quick minute and listen to the preview before diving in head first.