Your Friday Internet Jokestorm, June 19

Sean Flannery looks nice in yellow.

Sean Flannery will get your attention. 

He's the kind of inventive and engaging comic other comics come out to see, his booming voice powerful enough that he never holds the microphone up to his mouth; chest level works just fine. 

But the genius of Sean is in the small stuff: his turn of phrase, his highly detailed stories, and an energy so affable one can't help but pull for the guy. 

Want some hilarious examples rained on your head? 

See Sean riff on wedding attire on Rooftop Comedy:



Or check Sean out in Color Blind from Blerds.com.



Tonight I will share a stage with Sean as a part of the Chicago Stand-Up Run-Down at the Just for Laughs Festival, and I couldn't be more stoked about it.  I checked in with Sean to ask about his experience auditioning for JFL in the past, and what he thinks got him a well-deserved spot in the line-up.

The first year I auditioned, I riffed about the industrial bar that was chosen (it had a three story pile of ash outside) before five minutes of current topic jokes. It was like handing them a coupon that expires in one day. Robbie (Cameron's Note: Robbie Praw, JFL talent producer) kindly pointed out that most the 'judges' (for lack of a better word) were not present and would see the set on tape, in an office. I asked if he could film the pile of ash.

The next year, I used material that was less fleeting and got a call back. At my call back, I did an entirely new set, thinking you were supposed to impress them with breadth of content. It was (kindly) pointed out that they did not want to see an separate set.

The next year, I got call back and --this time-- promised to do the same set. But the callback was in NYC, during the NFL Draft and I ended up on some pub crawl with Jet fans. I did a whole new set again, though, in my defensive, this time it was because I was too drunk to remember which jokes I was supposed to repeat. I was asked why I did a whole new set again. I asked why the auditions were on draft day.

This year, I was going to skip the auditions because I was working on a one man show and figured there was no reason to waste everyone's time with the same kind of stuff that got me rejected the last four years. But, I auditioned and performed pretty loose (maybe because I thought it was pointless); got a call back; did a very similar, loose performance at the call back; and was accepted. So, I guess, if there's a moral: you should be some where above draft-day drunk, but below anxiously serious, when auditioning.

Sean Flannery will perform at the Lincoln Lodge June 19th and 20th at 9 PM as a part of the Just for Laughs Festival.  Or listen to Sean on the sports comedy show Visitor's Locker Room.