Tommy T's Open Mic Final - The Grand Finale! - Wednesday, April 21st!

It all comes down to this.

This is it, Sac comedy fans.  It's been a long road getting here, but finally, the winner of the Tommy T's Open Mic Finals will be decided on one night - this Wednesday, the 21st.

That's when me, Willie Mac, Joey Gonzalez and Kristen Frisk will by slinging our best on stage to see who emerges as the open mic champ.  If you've been to the other rounds, you already know what a great night of comedy you're in for, and I consider myself damned lucky and fortunate to be up there amongst such an amazing collections of comics.  And even luckier that the show will be hosting by none other than Ellis Rodriquez, all the way from L.A.!

For me, this is the culmination of a journey that started on January 5th of this year - the night I got on stage to do comedy for my very first time.  I was the winner of that night's competition, and there officially began my fledgling comedy career.  And what a journey it's been.  In the three-point-five months since, I've gone from open mic newbie to getting booked shows around Sac, from an outsider in the comedy world to making so many fantastic new friends with comedians all over the NorCal scene, from local wannebe to having my comedy videos watched and reviewed by some of my favorite TV celebrities.  Comedy has gone from being an occasionally-remembered personal dream to becoming my whole life (thanks, unemployment!).

And Tommy T's has made that happen.  The competition has not only given me the stage time and the exposure, but pushed me in ways most comics have to wait so much longer for.  How many comics have a twenty-minute set together within their first couple of months of starting?  I can tell you...it's not that common.  This contest made me step up and meet that challenge early, and that's given me so much more confidence and experience than I should reasonably have by now.  Whatever happens from here on in, Tommy T's will always be my home.  Thanks, guys.

And as I said, I couldn't have asked for better company to be with in this final chapter.  Along the way I've not only become friends with Willie, Joey and Kristen, but have had the honor of sharing the stage with them in a number of venues, and have become lifelong fans of all of them and their work.  And I'm so grateful that all my wonderful people coming out to see me have had a chance to see them all and what they do, and have become big fans as well.  Anyone's who's seen them on stage knows exactly what I'm talking about.  These guys are all amazing, and have more than earned their place in this final stage.

To those who've been out to see me before, I sure hope you're able to make it for this final chapter in this saga.  For those who haven't, your chance is finally here to be a part of fun, and to see how it all finally plays out.  And if indications are correct from how the voting went down last round, it's going to be anybody's game.  But by the end of the night, the judges will be deciding who wears the crown.  Who will go home with the victory?  Well, my advice is to show up and find out.  I guarantee that you won't regret it.

So let me take this last pre-competition moment to thank everyone who's supported me - and by proxy, Sacramento comedy - along the way.  Thanks to all my friends and family who've taken their time out on weekdays to come and cheer me on.  Particularly, thanks to the members of what Ellis Rodriguez called my "entourage" - Vladimir (my comedy partner, my instigator, my coach, my photographer, my (his words) minion), Tim (my "lifter" of so many years, and my creative partner for as many), and A.T. (my booster both physically and spiritually, my big bald muse).  You guys are the greatest.  And thanks to all the long-distance friends and family who aren't close enough to make the shows, but have provided encouragement and love all along the way.  To all my fellow comics who've provided insight, motivation, inspiration and friendship.  And to Lou and everyone at Tommy T's for giving this chance to all of us to show what we can do, and to help make our dreams come true.

So don't miss out!  Be there at:

Tommy T's Comedy & Dinner Theatre

12401 Folsom Blvd (Hazel & Folsom, right above Spaghetti Factory)

Rancho Cordova, CA 95742

(916) 357-LAFF (5233)

7:30 PM

Get ready for the final round!  The whole enchilada!  The final chapter!  The mother of all comedy nights!  Come early (because it's looking this one may actually be a sellout!), and come ready to laugh.  A lot!  We'll see you there!

Willie!  Joey!  Kristen!  Let's DO this thing!