Andy Carretto of Carretto Studio
There’s a bit of regenerative vibe happening on the St. Louis comedy scene this winter, with some new names on the scene grabbing solid gigs, even as others are departing for challenges in new cities. Meredith Hopping’s among the former group, and she’s made some real strides in a bit more than a half a year working her material in an array of local clubs.
If there’s a tendency to cast standup comics into certain, preordained types, Hopping’s story is… well, not coming of the expected batch of backgrounds. It reads like so:
Meredith Hopping took her first step (big step, she's 6 feet tall and wears a size 13 shoe) into comedy less than a year ago. Once she got that first laugh at her first open mic, she was hooked. She has found the St. Louis comedy scene to be encouraging and welcoming, providing many opportunities to hone her newfound passion through various indie shows and club showcases. A semifinalist in the Jukebox Comedy Competition in Peoria, Illinois, last fall, she is a comedian at night, homeschooling mother of three by day, and the granddaughter, daughter, and wife of pastors (every day, not just on Sundays). Add to this a childhood and adolescence filled with the awkwardness and angst one experiences while growing up in Normal, Illinois, and she finds limitless material for the audience to laugh along and commiserate with.
This week, alone, Hopping’s got a few events taking place, including a multi-comic Host Showcase competition taking place at Helium this Sunday, which is looking like a very promising evening, indeed. In light of that busy week, we’ve shot her some questions about what’s happened and what’s happening.
Give the us the short version, the 101 version, or your introduction to the scene and your decision to tackle your first open mic? And this event is of pretty recent vintage, yes?
I had always wanted to try a standup open mic, and made a list of 30 things to do when I turned 30 (four years ago). At the end of June last year, I finally took the plunge. It was spurred on by a combination of things. I was pretty depressed, both from postpartum depression, and the election/state of the world. I was getting stuck in a rut of feeling powerless. It seemed like a great thing to try where there were obvious concrete outcomes. I was either going to make people laugh, or I wasn't. And then I'd go from there. The Funny Bone is only a few minutes away from my house. With three kids, every minute counts (babysitters, geez man, they know their worth these days) so it was the most logical place to try it. I researched the rules and the parameters, wrote my four minutes of material, and showed up one Tuesday night. I thought I was going to pee my pants the whole time until I went up! I didn't. One of the rules is to not leave the bullpen area (where the comics sit during the show) a mess. So that kept me from soiling myself...
Some of these questions are directly inspired your recent interview with Chris Cyr on Impolite Company. As example: can you sum up your story about that first mic, and then your decision to completely write a new set for the second mic?
I adored the control and the structure of the Funny Bone open mic. There were rules, so don't break them, and you're good. You still need to be funny… but don't break the rules! As I was sitting there waiting to go up, the person in front of me bombed. To a painful extent. I felt awful, like I might throw up for them. My husband and all our friends were texting me "Stop watching, you're going to be too focused on feeling bad for them.” I somehow was able to compartmentalize it and get up there and make people laugh. I needed to grip that four minutes for me, no matter what happened before, or what was going to happen after. That first laugh was the most wonderful feeling. It's indescribable. And addictive. On the ride home, my husband said "Well, I'm so thankful I don't have to tell you that you were horrible, but now we have to look at how life should change so that you can pursue this, because you have to."
One of the ways I pursued it, which was incorrect, was to write a completely new set for my next open mic. I did, and sat there watching the other comics realizing they were all doing the exact same jokes from the week before. I felt like the wind had been knocked out of me. But I wasn't comfortable enough yet to just do my old set. I had planned on this new set. It wasn't a bomb by any means, but it was definitely a learning curve. There's no shame at all in getting something polished and refined. Repetition is key!
Talk, if you would, about the transition from open mics to club work and how you've been able to start making some crossroads there. Also, any particular mics that you'd recommend to folks, be they performers or audience members?
I feel like the transition from open mics to other club showcases and local independent shows has been fairly fast. Which I'm EXTREMELY thankful for. I think it's a bit of an avalanche phenomenon. Comedian Jamie Fritz was kind enough to ask me to be on her showcase early on, and that was my first thing outside of open mics. I started screaming and almost woke up the kids because I was so excited when I got that message. I think from there word gets around that you are capable of that much time, that a crowd likes you, and whether or not you are kind, fun to work with, and tip the bartenders well. These were rules instilled in me very early on in life, I had no idea they would serve me so well in comedy (insert wink emoji here, get it?).
Funny Bone and Helium are the open mics I've committed to trying to do every single week. I love it when I can get to the Improv Shop. Bar 101 is an incredibly safe atmosphere to go crazy and try something off the wall, as is Comedy Shipwreck at Heavy Anchor, and Wild Card at Crow's Nest. I may have just listed quite a few, but that highlights all the different opportunities to hone your craft or try it for the first time. If I were dating, I'd totally take a first date to an open mic. Such an awesome opportunity to see what someone else laughs at, pretty cheap, and lots of distraction if it isn't going well.
In your conversation with Chris, you both discuss the competitive nature of competitions (which, as I type this seems pleasantly redundant) but can you maybe sketch out your own, personal take towards the competitive nature of the field? Not only competing in actual competitions, but the slow, gradual move up the ranks? It that comfortable for you, or always a bit of a challenge?
I think competition is inherent in all of us. But it starts to get messy when you begin to care about people. The St. Louis comedy scene is lovely. There seriously isn't another way to describe it. I have found everyone to be incredibly supportive and I adore them and consider them friends (some closer to family). I've had those few moments where I've had to check my ego. Where I wish I had gotten an opportunity someone else did. But what purpose does that serve? None at all. I learned quickly to refocus that energy on writing and refining and celebrating them. And to trust that your my work and diligence is going to be noticed. That's all I have control over, so I cling to that.
Perhaps not intentionally, but have you noticed any patterns in your writing, i.e., any topics that you've maybe mined for material more than you'd realized? On a similar note, as a parent, does that impact your writing in any way, or are your smalls off-limits for material?
I don't know that there are patterns yet. A fellow comic accused me of talking about poop a lot. I responded that maybe it's because as a parent most of my material is written when I've locked myself in the bathroom pretending to poop. Is it ok to say poop? I didn't know this before I started comedy, but I use the word "amazing" a RIDICULOUS amount. My smalls definitely aren't off limits! They are a huge part of my life. I'm a homeschool Mom, and I work part-time at the church my husband is the Pastor of. One thing I've loved about comedy is that it's funniest if you are true to who you are. To your experiences, your thoughts. If not it falls flat. I try not to use their names. I don't know why, but that feels like a little bit of anonymity and seems to work for now.
To paraphrase a question from our previous series of comic Q & As, do you enjoy topical, timely humor? Or do you shoot for a more-evergreen approach? And to what degree does a new joke or bit get worked into your set, in terms of initial thought to being used on stage?
I think anytime you have the opportunity to stand up in front of a group of people and have them listen, there's a responsibility there; a weight, if you will. I don't want my comedy to be heavy, but I don't want it to lack depth, either. Our world has a lot of hurting and things going wrong in it. If people laugh AND think critically about something I said, which might move them to action, then that's the ultimate win to me.
I find that sometimes topical news events will just naturally weave themselves into pre-existing set/joke. And then you can't help but take that opportunity!
I normally like to write everything out and then edit, edit, edit. I also love to bounce jokes off of my (poor) husband. There are times when I think something is brilliantly, and he will ever so gently suggest that maybe that's one that stays in my head. It's amazing to have him as a cheerleader and support, an in-house editor.
Where will you be performing next? Any highlights you'd point towards?
Totally! These are some places you can catch me:
Thursday, February 22: Hey Guys Talent Search & Benefit for Christa Goers
Sunday, February 25: Helium Host Showdown
Wednesday, March 7: Hey Guys Comedy Contest
Wednesday, March 14: History Shmistory at Foam as Queen Isabella of Spain the First
Thursday, March 15: Gezellig with Sam Lyons, Kendra Jones, Chad Wallace, Chris Cyr, Sarah Bursich and Tina Dybal
