Wednesday, December 26, 2012

Thursday February 7, 2013 will be my first theatre show, and my second DVD taping.  This show has a special twist, in that it is also a culmination of a documentary film, showing my life as a cop by day and cop by night.  We added a dream sequence where I lock my comedy self in jail, while not performing, and when it comes time for the big show at the theatre, I go as my cop self, and pick my comedy self up from jail, and take myself to the theatre for the performance.  We shot many unauthorized clips in rogue fashion with television and film maker Bill Boyd. In the end we will end up with the documentary footage, leading up to the big theatre show, and the actual show itself will be shot as a stand alone piece, giving us a two disc set.  Tickets are still available for this show, so get them now, I'm excited that the pre show sales are going great. The El Portal Theatre on Lankershim blvd in North Hollywood is a beautiful historic theatre.  It's an intimate space which seats 360, we are half way there to a sell out,  so go to www.cliffyates.com and buy tickets on line, or email me at cliff@cliffyates.com give me an address and how many tickets, and i will send them right out to you with a self addressed stamped envelope for payment.  Your ticket for $30 gets you the show, and the after party right after the show at the Saddle Ranch Steakhouse at Universal Citywalk.  

Monday, September 3, 2012

The Cop and The Con Return to Caledonia NY

The Cop and The Con, returning to Caledonia, New York, for the annual Totsie Cook/Dan Coyle Scholarship Comedy Night. Mike Marino has been selling out Theatres all over the country, and headlining in Las Vegas.  Mike is currently filming a movie in Los Angeles, but insisted on changing the shoot schedule to make his Caledonia commitment. I am still cop by day and comedian by night.  I have been ramping up the writing and performing for my switch to full time comedy work as retirement from the cops approaches, so plenty of new material from me.   All my back east people please come out and see this show, no way are you going to see a show like this for 20$ bucks.  This show benefits a scholarship for kids, in the name of two of my close high school who left us way too early in life, so this show is special for me.
I will see you at the show, this will sell out, buy tix today on line !

Thursday, January 12, 2012

Eureka, I made a guy throw up

I had a great week opening for MIke Marino in Reno, at Catch A Rising Star, inside the Silver Legacy Casino.  Eight shows in 6 days, it was a great way to start 2012.  Last night while on duty, Sheriffing, driving the streets, those doubts crept into my mind.  Do I still have the comedy chops? Is it really something I should be doing ? Wouldn't it be easier just to concentrate on my cop job.  Yes I had probably 4 good shows, and two killer shows in Reno, but there were two, where I really felt the pangs of rejection, my self confidence was shaken a bit.  I met with a deputy for coffee, 7-11, Echo Park, Los Angeles.  We received a call of a wild man threatening a bus driver, refusing to get off the bus.  It was in the San Fernando Valley, it took us about 25 minutes to arrive.  We quickly brought the situation to a peaceful conclusion, or the deputy did, while I stood by.  As we drove away from the call, the deputy made a comment to me on our car to car radio.  A declarative statement, truthful observation on his part.  I retorted with my reaction to what he said ( a punch line to his statement).  It was still pretty warm, and our radio car windows were down.  I heard him screaming with laughter.  He then quickly pulled to the curb, and I pulled in behind him.  He jumped out of his police car, bent over, and threw up !  He was still laughing.  He said thats the first time in my life, I laughed so hard I threw up !!  Did you see me, you made me throw up!!  I still have it.  Thats what it's all about.  That is the key to my writing, To take real situations, observations, and insert my natural sense of humor reaction to them.  My attempt to structure made up jokes is not going to work, doesn't work really.  This epiphany comes on the heel of my study of the work of comedian Steve Roye, who professes to do just what I did just then naturally, to develop killer material.  I have been too funny off stage, using my natural sense of humor in reaction to conversations.  I have been less funny in my act, trying to write, structure, create funny out of made up stuff.  Making a deputy sheriff throw up, never felt so good.  I felt like I was back at the lunchroom in high school, throwing in the punch line someone took a drink of their milk, just to watch them spray it out their nose, as they laughed uncontrollably.  I'm off to observe and report, and insert my personal sense of humor reaction, with my point of view and twist.  I want to make more people throw up.