Tom Simes Owner of Stir Crazy Comedy Club & Podcaster Show #162

This was a fun interview...Tom Simes got his start as a standup comic later in life...old like 39...Ha! Anyway, after over 5 years as a comic, he had the opportunity to start his own comedy club...and did! In addition, from his analytical mind he saw that many comics didn't understand the Business side of it all, so he started the podcast: 
The Business of Comedy Podcast...available on the StandupComedyPodcastNetwork.com. I know you will enjoy this conversation!

Hosted by: R. Scott Edwards

Transcript

Announcer: 0:04

This is another episode of stand up comedy, your host and emcee, celebrating 40 plus years on the fringe of show business, stories, interviews and comedy sets from the famous and not so famous. Here's your host and emcee Scott at words,

Scott Edwards: 0:21

ladies and gentlemen, welcome back to the podcast. It's something always exciting and different. And today is no different. I have the great honor of introducing and having a conversation with Tom Sims. Now he is a podcaster. He runs a comedy club, and he's a stand up comic. That's how it all started. So let's find out about his story. Ladies and gentlemen. It's Tom CEMs. Tom, Tom, thank you so much for being on the show. It's a great honor to meet you. I mentioned all the great things you've done in recent years. But let's give everybody a foundation. How long were you? Or are you still a stand up comic? Do you still perform?

Tom Simes: 1:10

No, no, I don't I, I, you know, if I'm at the club, I'll go up and maybe introduce the show, and you know, sort of welcome everybody, but I don't really perform anymore. I did out of under duress a couple of weeks ago, as a matter of fact, but other than that, no, I really don't perform anymore.

Scott Edwards: 1:29

So you and I are of the same age. So let's get some perspective. When did you start your life in comedy? What What made you become a stand up comic, and when?

Tom Simes: 1:42

Well, originally, I wanted to be a stand up. When I was a kid really young, I got into stand up comedy. And that was kind of my, my dream as a young, you know, 1213 year old kid, but there wasn't a lot of paths, you know, as a as a 12 year old in the 80s in Iowa. So I ended up getting into music. And I was in the music business for, I don't know, 20 years plus. And then my wife and I moved to Arizona in 2007. You know, all of a sudden, there were there were open mics and comedy classes, and all sorts of it was a comedy scene. And that was just something completely foreign to me coming from where I came from. So that's when I started pursuing it. I started in 2009. And then about six or seven years ago, I decided I I started producing shows, and I found that I enjoyed that more than I did performing. So that was kind of the path to opening my own club.

Scott Edwards: 2:45

So you didn't get into comedy until later in your life. You're you're no longer 12 years old. How old? were you when you kind of first went onstage?

Unknown: 2:54

I would have been 39 When I first performed?

Scott Edwards: 2:58

Yeah, so unlike a lot of comics that do get their start in their late teens or 20s, you had a little bit of a break, got a chance to start as an adult with a full life of experience to pull from for your comedy. Do you remember any of your first jokes or material? What What were you? What was your vein of entertainment that you'd like to share?

Unknown: 3:20

You know, when when I when I started, I was married and had a family. So that was a lot of the material, you know, was just kind of that and and you know, as a standup when you when you first start, you're just you're just worried about trying to be funny, you know, jokes you write, you depend on the material, probably a lot more, you don't get too too deep yet. So I you know, I just did a lot of sort of, you know, married stuff and kid stuff and things like that. Well, that's

Scott Edwards: 3:50

actually but that's good advice. Tom to other comics, you always want to talk about what you know, you want to engage with the audience and share about yourself, and you'll find that most of the audience can relate to that. Did you have a hook or a type of presentation? Or was it straight mythology?

Tom Simes: 4:11

Yeah, no, it was it was pretty much I was. I'm pretty left brain. So it was I really worked on the jokes and the material. And you know, I knew where every pause was going to be. And all of that and I would constantly trim and stuff like that. So I was I was more I was more of a writer than a performer I think and I'm my personality. I'm I'm a little more introverted. So I'm not, you know,

Scott Edwards: 4:39

you're not. You're not carrying the show with your own personal energy. We, as we both seen other comics have done I mean, that was kind of maybe one of the hallmarks of Robin Williams says, Sure, sure. his energy and his excitement about being on stage really brought the audience into his material. But there's plenty of comics, the Steven rights the most famous, that was very deadpan it was just joke joke joke at a very slow and concise way. So that that's kind of the other end of the spectrum. And you were leaning more towards that way. But doing mythology, much like Jay Leno or Jerry Seinfeld? Absolutely, yeah. Yeah. Yeah. So did you get good enough that you were featuring or headlining and hit the road?

Unknown: 5:33

I guess I kind of got to the point where I was featuring, you know, I had a real job during the day, and I had a family. So I couldn't, you know, run off and during the circus and travel around,

Scott Edwards: 5:43

great way to put it.

Unknown: 5:45

So yeah, I got to travel a little bit. And, you know, I did have a good day job at the time, so I could afford to, you know, fly someplace and feature and lose money, just because it was fun to do. So I was kind of at that point. And, you know, being in Phoenix, there were a number of clubs that I was able to work. So I got, you know, quite a bit of work in town. But yeah, it was. I never, I never got to do the whole, you know, road thing.

Scott Edwards: 6:12

You weren't a John Fox Road Warrior kind of guy, or Johnston and one of those guys that famously stayed on the road for a long, long time. Well, I think that it's fascinating, though, that you got a late start, but you had the balls to get up on stage and perform at 40. And build yourself up. It sounds like you were a little bit more anal and did it through writing, as opposed to performance entertainment, it was it was really a written entertainment that you were sharing with the audience, did you get the same feeling that most of us do on stage, it is kind of addictive and fun, at least those first six years. You

Unknown: 6:57

know, when I first started, it was it was also new and exciting to me. And the, you know, learning the mechanics of joke writing was, was really fun. And as you know, comedy, comedy is not easy. And it takes a long time to sort of find your voice and who you are figure itself out. And I think by the time that I was ready to sort of move on and, and open my club, that's, that's kind of about where I was in my, in my development is I was starting to kind of figure out, okay, this is, this is who I am, this is how I start to do this. I was just sort of knocking on that door around the same time. Like I said, I enjoy performing. I did well, I was, you know, I was I was working. But it wasn't. It wasn't that I trying to figure out a way to say this. It wasn't enough to where I really preferred to producing the shows. And I was looking more towards that.

Scott Edwards: 7:54

Well, I totally get it. I mean, I went I was the emcee at my club for over 20 years, I had more time on stage that most entertainers, but I wasn't a comic, I didn't write material. But it sounds like for you stand up comedy wasn't one of those Oh, moments, it was just a fun passage of your life. But you found your interest in comedy. What? At what point? Did you decide to open a club? And in how did you do that? I mean, that's so interesting that you did that transition from comic to comedy producer.

Tom Simes: 8:33

i Well, again, I'm sort of an analytical person. My, my, my day career is, was in software. So my brain just works that way. So I just kind of started learning about about comedy is any comedian does you know about how a show should go and, and the environment and the psychological sort of vibe in the room, and all of that kind of stuff just really started appealing to me. And I started kind of, by sort of producing my own shows around town and booking those and learning a little bit more learning a little bit more. And then I just, it was just sort of a Wouldn't it be neat someday to open a club. That's kind of where I was at. And then I met, I met a couple guys who owned other bars and restaurants, downtown clay mozo. And we kind of became friendly and stuff. And I mentioned to them how I'd like to do that someday. And they're like, let's do it. Like, oh, Jesus is real now. So that's next thing, you know. We did it. So that was kind of quick at the end there.

Scott Edwards: 9:43

Yeah, it's, I'm sure you found it. Exhilarating. I'm a long lifelong entrepreneur. And so for me, the challenge is and what you have to work your mind around to open a business, to me is exhilarating. It's kind of like what a comic feels when To get an audience really on that ride, by going from comic, even an angel one that's that's into the writing and into the, you know, the distinct aspects of the performance, going to comedy club owner. As I've mentioned a couple times on other interviews, you know, now you're not just a producer, there's a, you're a bartender or you know, you own a bar, and you doing food service, or you're a restaurant tour, is going to the business side can be so challenging and so different. Now you have the type of analytical mind that you have, you may have been better at it than me. But it is interesting, that with the help of your partners who had that experience, so they were helping with that aspect of it, right, the bar and the food and how you actually occur, the whole brick and mortar aspect of owning a business hiring employees dealing with HR. I mean, it's really a whole different world.

Unknown: 11:02

Oh, for sure, for sure. And, and it would, you know, I think I'm Smart enough guy would have figured stuff out eventually. But for sure, they saved me a lot of heartache and money. And they were, they were great. You know, they were they were experienced in this space, and they could have just sort of bulldoze me over and said, Well, this is how this is done, but they weren't like that. They were like, okay, you know, this is how we do things. How should How can we tweak this for comedy, and it was a very great back and forth relationship. And, you know, as you know, distraction is the death of comedy, live comedy. So everything that we did was, was channeled through that minimizing distractions, whether that be the the menu selections, how the tables and chairs are set up the room itself. You know, they, they, I think they learned a lot about the comedy business that way, as well. So it was just, it was a great back and forth that we had, you know, sort of putting all this stuff together through the prism of keeping it easy for the audience, to not distract them from the show. It's not a restaurant, it's a comedy club, you know, so all of the restaurant stuff, if you will have to serve the comedy show. So that was kind of the way we went into it. And it was a lot of fun. And I've since become obsessed with the cost, the customer experience, I love it.

Scott Edwards: 12:25

Well, I think it's genius. And I was not so lucky. I was 24 When I opened my club, and it was totally by the seat of my pants, I made all those early mistakes, I learned all those different aspects of the various business vehicles that you have to bring to the equation. But I think it's great that you had that opportunity to mix the producer entertainment side, with the restaurant tour bartender side, with the support of your partners. I mean, it sounds like a perfect cemetry to come together to make it happen. Congratulations, that that had to have been so much fun to be a part of.

Tom Simes: 13:05

Yeah, eventually. I was.

Scott Edwards: 13:08

I was a little scary, too, right?

Tom Simes: 13:11

Yeah, you know, you're you're rolling the dice you're risking, you know, you're risking a lot opening any business, you know, financially. And, you know, we have investors and now I'm, I'm, you know, I have strangers and friends who I'm, I'm responsible for their investment. And that was a lot of pressure on me. And, you know, I tend to be a little bit of a control freak. And when you're opening a business, you're out, you're out of control, you're trusting a lot of other people who aren't nearly as attached to your business as you are. So that was that was, that was pretty stressful for me. And I'm not a I'm not a seat of my pants person. Really. I'm a preparer. To the point of you know, sometimes I you know, they overthink things. Yeah, that's, that's my big problem that I'm constantly dealing with. So I was as prepared as I could possibly be. But it was, it was a stressful time for me for sure. Even looking through the old pictures of the build out process, I could still get that stress ball in my stomach just looking at those pictures. And it's been five years, you know,

Scott Edwards: 14:16

oh, well, I'm sorry, you went through that. For me. That's the fun part. I love the thrill of that, that risk that challenge too. Am I going to make it or not make it in, you know, find the mistakes and fix them and stuff. But I think that it's interesting that you went for speaking as the comic of the group, how was it for you going from comic to producer did it give you did you immediately see the unique aspects of each or was it a slow transition?

Unknown: 14:51

Well, no, I I think you know, I think any any comedian who's been doing it for a while, can can tell you, you know, some of the things that are wanting to be good, you know, you, you know, keeping the audience together and, you know, put setting them up fun and those type of things. You learn just from being a comedian. And then maybe I might have taken it to a little OCD level and where I really get into the details, but that's, that's where, you know, that's, that's very fun for me. So I think, I think a comic there's, there's, there's pro and con of a comedian who opens a club that I found, you know, I think we know the things that make a room good for comedy. But, you know, a lot of comics who become club owners just kind of, I think, you know, they want to do it for themselves, either. They want to further their comedy career, they want it to be about them and all of that stuff. And that can be a detriment to the show for other reasons. So I kind of joke that I'm, I'm the perfect comedy club owner and that I'm a comedian with no comedic aspirations. So I bring the knowledge that comics have about how to produce a show. But I am not doing that. I don't want to be a comedian anymore. So I'm not, you know, I'm not using this as my own open mic.

Scott Edwards: 16:14

I think that's a good point. And there's only one other person I think is successfully done it. Michael Feeny, a comic magician, opened, opened up Fenty bones and has had good success with that. And he still performed. So he is walking that tightrope of both comedian and business owner. And he's one of just a few, if any others that I can think of right off the top of my head. But Tom, what you were able to do was fascinating from the sight aspect of comedians aren't really known for their business. acuity is right, they're not, they're not really sharp when it comes to the business side. In fact, a lot of your podcast and I have to give you kudos for this. A lot of your podcast is helping young comics. Understand that it you know, show business as a business and you there are certain things like in your interview when you and I spoke with a good friend of mine, Barry Neil, as a producer, and Booker, you know, you're sharing information about how important it is for any young comic to understand that they have a business responsibility. Even you know, like as a salesman, you have to sell yourself to the club's. You can't just show up and people are going to assume you're funny, you know, you have to go through all the steps, the rungs of the ladder to get that acknowledgement. But I've already gone off on my main topic. So here's the thing. First off, let's get a plug. Where's your what's the name of your club? And where's it located?

Tom Simes: 17:56

I stir crazy Comedy Club. We're in Glendale, Arizona, just just outside of Phoenix.

Scott Edwards: 18:01

Well, that's how you know, Michael, I'm sorry. Yeah, he's in that area. So let me write that down. Where's it located?

Unknown: 18:10

It's in Glendale, Arizona, at Westgate, which is a big entertainment district.

Scott Edwards: 18:16

All right. That is just so interesting. Now. So you didn't really have that problem of transitioning? What about going from being in the greenroom with the other comics to being the boss? Did you have any you must have known a lot of the guys you booked originally? Was there any conflict or interesting relationship issues when you're becoming instead of going from you went from peer to boss? How did that go with your friends and comedy?

Unknown: 18:48

You know, it's, it's, that's a great question. And I've I've had this conversation with others so hard. I'm a, I feel I'm a comedian. I like being a comedian. I like talking to comics. I like being around comics, I like talking comedy, all of that. There's nothing better than a table full of comics, just talking shop and joking around. That's the best. And what I didn't appreciate was the change that was going to happen in that dynamic, where now, I'm not just another comic, I'm a club owner, that can give them work. So that dynamic has changed drastically. So you know, they laugh at my jokes a little harder. They listen a little more intently when I'm pontificating. And, you know, I get it, because I was I was on that side of the table. But that kind of takes some of the fun out of it for me, because I just want to be a comic and hang around comics, but I'm not that anymore. There's a little asterisk next to me wherever I go, where, you know, nobody's going to call me on my BS, because they don't want to read you know what I mean? Oh, yeah, no, I want you to I want you to make fun of me. font on my shirt, you know what I mean? I want you to bust my balls. So that that has changed. And, you know, it's, it kind of sucks a little bit because I wanted to, I just want to be one of the guys hanging out talking shop, and I'm really not anymore because it's different. Now some of my close, close friends are still like that, but comic friends, but, you know, for the everybody out sort of outside of that, that initial circle things are just, it's just different. It's just a different thing now, and that's kind of a bummer. Because I, you know, even even like, you know, all here, you know, maybe somebody on stage and I'll hear like a tag in my head, right. And as a comic, you would tell someone, hey, you know, you could say this. But now I remember club owners telling me tag ideas that I didn't think would work. But now you kind of feel obligated, because while the owner thinks I'm going to say this, and now I gotta say this. So I don't even suggest tags anymore. Because I don't want them to feel that that they have to feel that well. The club owner said I better say this. So I'm going to say I don't want to do that to them. So I don't know what it means. So even fun little things like that I just can't do anymore. So you really sort of end your your your comedy. You're not a comedian anymore. Now you're a club owner, whether you want it to be that way or not. That makes that

Scott Edwards: 21:21

Right, right? No, you just shared so many important things. I mean, first off whenever you're the boss and become the comedy producer, their sacrifices. And whether it's to your you know, your married life, or your social life or your business life, when you're an entrepreneur and you're a business owner, it's a whole different world. That is that is your commitment. If it's going to succeed, you have to really own it in put everything into it. But it changes the dynamic of a lot of relationships for me, my early employees slash partners were highschool buddies. And as my comedy world grew, they all peeled off one at a time or less. And I had to let a couple go, which really was stressful on relationships. But in the comedy world, it is so true that, first off, I want to agree with you that hanging with comics backstage in the green room, or sitting around around a table or having drinks after a show, for me was one of the great moments, one of the great valuable times of my life as a producer. But I was always the boss. So I wore that hat. Not so much with pride. But I wore that hat and understood. I was a little naive. I thought people actually liked me, not the fact that I was paying them. But it was Yeah, was still was there was a little bit of a shield up because people couldn't be a jerk to me, because I was still where their bread and butter came from. So you know, I mean, coming from the business side, and never being on the comedy side may have given me that better protection against those kinds of concerns. But I think the fact that you went through that transition, where one minute there's your buddy, struggling comic next you in the next minute, you're his boss. You know, a lot of people don't understand that when you're producing a show, whether it's a one nighter a week or a club, when you're paying somebody to entertain you're their boss for that week. You know, I've had some of the biggest names on my stage Robin Williams, Jay Leno, Jerry Seinfeld, Dana Carvey, you name it, you're still telling them what to do. You're telling them when to start, how much time to do if they do something wrong. You're my job was on it. Now, it's interesting that you have found that you're not as engaging on the comedy side. I on the other hand, being arrogant. And not as talented as you always shared my opinion. I felt it was my job as a producer to guide people and I helped a lot of careers. Brian Paul Zane, Paula Poundstone. Carlos, I was rocky there was a lot of people that I had a chance to work with that I think that my view and my observance of what they were doing helped them grow as a performer. So I took the job as producer very seriously, as a producer, you're not offering taglines but you must still guide young comics.

Tom Simes: 24:41

You know, I when comics asked me business related stuff, you know, how bookings and how they should, you know, approach people, stuff like that. I'm, you know, I'm all I'm all in. I'll give you whatever advice I can when it comes to their actual material. I've never been really comfortable with that it's, you know, some people can teach and some people can and I can't I can, I can tell someone what I would do to make that joke sound good for me. But I don't know if that's going to help you. So I, you know, if somebody asks me for an opinion, I'm certainly happy to give one but I always kind of, you know, give that caveat as well, this is how I would do it. But you're not me and I, I've talked about this in my podcast before, there's a young comedian, Dana, Western, and Phoenix, and she, she makes me laugh, I have no idea what she's doing on stage. I don't understand it. And but she makes me laugh. And, you know, I give her as a an example of, I couldn't possibly help her with her material, because I don't know what the hell she's doing. And I wouldn't want to ruin it. I wouldn't want to mess it up. Because I, you know, she's just completely different from anything that would work for me. So I wouldn't want to taint what she does by trying to give her advice. So I just I don't know, I, again, if somebody, you know, asked me, you know, what do you think? What about this way this was phrased or whatever, I'm happy to give my opinion. But I definitely don't give my opinion unsolicited, I just don't feel comfortable.

Scott Edwards: 26:13

Yeah, that is, I think, you know, there's some value to what you're saying is that let the artists be the artist, and you've changed hats. You're the producer. Now you're the club owner, you're the business entrepreneur, you want to focus on that, and trust the talent that you're booking. But I think that's probably where we differ, I took more responsibility for what I was putting on stage and felt like as the producer, it was my job to, for example, if I had somebody that I thought was going to do a certain type of a show, and they went up, and it was just F bombs, right and left, right. It's my job as the producer to fire their ass, or to get offstage telling me okay, you know, thanks for lying to me about what you're going to do. And you're never going to be able to do it again. Because You abused my audience. For me, it was always about the audience, right? Like what you say, Yeah, designing your club, we want the best possible scenario for the entertainment of the audience. That is the key. You know, a lot of comics in this might be why they fail, is club owners, is like you mentioned, it's about them. And I've always tried to teach comics that I was interacting with that it's not about them on stage. They're performing they have a job to do. They're the entertainment, but they're getting paid for the value of the audience. It's the audience experience, as you mentioned, so strong early on, that I think is key. So if you one of the great things about being a club owner and producer is working with people that you're interested in, have you been able to bring in any of your comedy heroes or work, you know, make a point of bringing somebody that really excited you onto your stage?

Unknown: 28:00

Oh, for sure. You know, I'm I have I'm a pretty small club, we only see 100. So, you know, a lot of my options are limited. You know, fortunately, we've built up a good reputation to where I can kind of reach up out of my budget a little bit. You know, I'm a comedy nerd. I love I love the history of stand up. I love the old school, you know, Titans. So and I've been able to get a few of those. I've had Bobby Slayton, I've got Jake Johansen coming back to them a second time. Yeah, so those are thrilled for me, you know, just just, you know, to be able to say please welcome you know, Jake Johansen, that blew my mind that certain when he did the club, so yeah, but going back to what you just said, you know, my Club is a club my size. For the most part, people that have come to my club don't don't really know who the headliners are there. You know, I don't get the big names. There's, there's other big clubs in the Phoenix area that they get the big name. So I, you know, I'm really my, the people that come to my club are just trusting that we're going to have good comedy. So that that adds a little another layer of stress, if you will, to me, because I got to make sure that even though they don't know who they're about to see, they have to leave having a good time. So I I'm pretty, I'm pretty sure of what's going to happen on my stage before I book anybody, I don't book in five years, I booked maybe three headliners that I've never seen in person before. And most of those I had I had performed with so I was pretty sure of what was going to happen. And then you know, same with the the undercard hosts and features. Before I book anybody I'm I'm pretty certain of what's going to happen on stage before before the show. And I make it clear for my hosts, I asked certain things that my host and I make make, make sure that they understand that and I tell them I'm not going to. I'll never tell you what not to say. But if you you know if you don't Do what I, you know, kind of, if you're not who I expect, then I'm not going to have you back. And that, you know, and I have a lot of friends that I've known that I knew from comedy that I haven't booked, because I don't think they're right for the club or whatever it might be. So I'm pretty discerning that way. But I just don't get involved in, in their, the details of their act.

Scott Edwards: 30:22

Yeah, well, I think that you made a couple of good points there. First off, you're absolutely correct if you're looking for some confirmation from somebody older and wiser in the business, and that is that the club has to be the destination. It's okay to get an aim act once in a while, but you need those Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, butts in the seats. And that means that they're just trusting that they're going to have a good time if they come. So that's a great attitude to have as a club owner, congratulations for figuring that out. And then to the fact that you got a chance to work with Jake Johansson and Bobby Slayton, two guys that kind of got their start at my club were a different generation. You know, for me, the exciting people to bring in were, you know, Tommy Chong, or Graham Chapman from Monty Python, soupy sales, Pat Paulson, you know, those were the Yeah, they're the heroes I got to work with, but generationally that's different. But still, I think it's, you know, I'm, you're still doing this, I'm retired. But, as a club owner, have some fun, take advantage of your position, and take that risk, like you did going into the business, sometimes you bring in a show that you know, you're gonna lose money on, but it benefits the club that benefits you. And it, it keeps that excitement and energy going. The other thing that I wanted to go back to was that now that you're booking shows, and you started with one nighters and events, which by the way, I still do, that's always a fun thing to do. Because you don't have that long term responsibility of staffing and running a bar in a restaurant, you just kind of go in, have some fun and do a show and get out. It's a quick and dirty way of doing production. But what has been fun for you, as a club owner mean, what have been some of the highlights of your five year career running a club,

Tom Simes: 32:26

you know, this is gonna sound corny, and I, I understand that, and I accept that. But, you know, when, when the show's over, and people are leaving, and you can see on their face, that they just had one of those elevated nights of what comedy can be. That truly is, makes it all worthwhile. And I know that sounds trite and corny, and all of that. But, you know, and I, I take pride in, in, in all of the millions of details that I obsess over to make a good room and a good show that we were part of that, you know, I want to, I just want to set these comics up in the best possible way to let them do what they do. And when people leave, and have had one of those great nights of comedy, and you can, they're still almost out of breath when they leave. And they they tell me their face still hurts and all of that stuff. I mean, that really makes all the all the problems with the soda machines, and, you know, the cook that called in at the last and all those troubles just kind of seen, you know, far away, when that happens, that really makes it worth their while. And, you know, just the relief, you feel all of this. I'm a very stressful person, I feel a constant state of stress. So, you know, after five years, and we're still here, even through a pandemic, and we're still here that I mean, I do get a sense of just a big relief faction that Oh, my God, who are still here after five years, so I'm starting to just now I mean, the first few years were nothing but just constant stress. But now I'm starting to sort of just take a breath and appreciate that we're still here, we're still doing it. We still got all of our regulars coming out and things are alright. So that's kind of where I'm at now, but you know, definitely, definitely seen, you know, Jake Johansson and Bobby Slayton on my stage and Jimmy Walker, those of those I still can't get my head around. They were on my stage, you know?

Scott Edwards: 34:31

Well, congratulations, by the way, in the first five years, any business as an entrepreneur, the first five years or key that's, you know, you've made it into you're starting to have fun with it. I wish I was around to encourage you to have fun with it earlier on, but it is something that you have to you should never go into a business if you're not going to have fun with it. But the most proud thing that I wanted to share with you, is that you were saying was tried and stuff. I am just applauding Oh, wait, here we go a little applause. That's enough of that, to the fact that you understand that as a producer, the real heartfelt joy, you know, it's good to make a show go off, it's great to get the food and the drinks go in and out and make some money. But for me, in my 21 years, running a chain of comedy clubs, watching the audience, for me was when it lifted my heart, you know, I know, again, it sounds crazy, it sounds a little over spoken. But for the comics, when they get that wave of laughter coming at them, and they feel that adrenaline and they, they get that sense of completeness on stage for a producer for me, and it sounds like for you, rightfully so, that audience reaction that realizing that you've changed those people's lives, even if it was just for a couple hours, brought them a distraction, and entertainment, and got them laughing, which is really healthy, get the endorphins going. But still, it's the it's what you take away from the audience. So when you said that, in my head, I'm like ringing bells and stuff, because that is really the key for a producer. And I think that's the difference between a comic and a producer, Tom, is that as a comic, you wanted to entertain the audience and get that sense of adrenaline and success in your own heart. But as a producer, it's what you're bringing to that particular audience. And by the way, podcast listeners, it doesn't matter if it's 10 people or 1000 people. Yeah, if you entertain that group of strangers, and you gave them value for their dollar, and you brought something, you created something as the producer that made a difference, even for just a short time in their life. For me that was was everything. So it's great to hear you say that.

Unknown: 37:12

Yeah, I couldn't agree more. I mean, especially a room, like I said, like mine, where the audience generally doesn't even know who that headliner is. So they don't even have that in common. You know, you have just a, you have a roomful of completely. The demographics are all over the place at my club, you know, and they're all together on this same wave that's being, you know, guided by this person on stage. I mean, that, you know, I am not good enough with words to put that feeling into words, but that's, that's the greatest, you know, for for 90 minutes in these people's lives. They're having a great time with all these people from different backgrounds and demographics and stuff. And they're all they're all doing this together. It's a great feeling. And and, you know, in his it is cool that in my small way, I'm part of that, you know, that is a great feeling.

Scott Edwards: 38:05

Oh, I would take ownership. Tom, you made that happen. So congratulations, and you should value that feeling. Let's take the conversation to something that's current and happening right now. We're both podcast creators. Mine we're on right now is entertainment based, informational based, and just about stand up comedy, but what I am impressed is, ladies and gentlemen, use your Googler and check out the podcast the business of comedy with Tom Sims and you cannot go wrong, especially if you have any interest in the stand up comedy world. Your Podcast Tom is so great. You talk about so many amazing things. But it's a different perspective than mine. You're not going after necessarily the the art of stand up comedy or the perspective from the entertainment side. Like a producer. You're taking it from your analytical base and looking at it as the business side and I've really enjoyed it. Ladies and gentlemen, I think you will too. You do interviews with club owners comics con concert promoters. Booker's great people that I've had a chance to work with like Jan Karam, good friends and comics like Barry Neil who's a booker and a comic you even interview even had on your podcast? Jenny who took over my club laughs unlimited. So you? Yeah. So, I mean, I really love what you're doing, but I've kind of gone on why don't you explain to the audience in your words, why you do the business or comedy and where it's bringing you value?

Tom Simes: 39:49

Well, it stemmed from a conversation with a good friend of mine. Well, he's become a good friend of mine, Matt Chavez. He owns the LA Comedy Club. I'm in Las Vegas. And I had done a guest spot for them years ago, 10 years ago, probably. So he only knew me as a comic. And, you know, now I'm a club owner. So we kind of talked shop. And I was having a conversation with him one night at his club. And we were just kind of venting about something that comics do, just as one club owner to another. And in my head, I'm thinking, when I was a comedian, I would love to have overheard two owners talking about this, because it would help me, you know, in my career, you know, and it was literally that night where I was like, that, I'm going to do that as a podcast is where I talked to Pete, other people in the business we talked about within our on our mind, and hopefully, the hope comics understand the nature of the business and maybe help with them in their pursuits, whatever those pursuits might be. And then it kind of morphed into, you know, just other people in the business to give you an idea of, you know, kind of what their their roles are, and how they work and stuff like that. But that was the impetus of it. And it was, it was just, I thought it might be helpful to comics. And this stuff is endlessly interesting to me. I mean, if, if you were, and I met in a bar, I would have this conversation for hours. I love talking to stuff. So I just kind of started doing that. And it was just interesting, who I would start hearing from, like, I've heard from other club owners that listen to it. I've heard that people that from people that aren't in comedy at all, which is fascinating to me. But obviously I hear from a lot of comedians as well, you know, I just kind of kept, kept going. But it is a lot of fun for me. I mean, I love talking about all of this stuff. So this is it's more of a, this is more for me, I guess than anybody else. But hopefully people enjoy it. Well, I

Scott Edwards: 41:45

think as a podcast creator, it's important that you do something you're passionate about that you have an interest in. For me it stand up comedy as an art form. And so I like to share performances and share conversations with comics. I've done a couple interviews with managers and producers and club owners recently had Bob Fisher from the Ice House on my show. And we love talking about the industry and about comedy and how it's created and what it brings to an audience. I really enjoy. Of course, I'm a club owner, I'm still producing shows, you know, I produce comedy fundraisers on a regular basis. So I love your podcast, the business of comedy, it's available on all platforms, because you're digging into the business side. And what I've learned in this podcast in this interview is that you have an analytical side, and you've taken it a couple more steps than I ever would have, and dug into what works and doesn't work. In fact, your recent podcast about the value of email, comedy proposals were comics are reaching out via email to try to get booked. And that wasn't a thing. When I was a club owner, there was no such thing as email. You know, I, I'm back in the day when everybody sent me VHS tapes. I mean, I could have built a small building out of VHS tapes, right. And I could imagine, I had to assign one of my employees to watch them all. Somebody I trusted, and then they picked out, you know, the ones that they thought I would like, and then I'd go through and watch those. And then I decided who I booked. And like you, I mostly booked people that I had seen, I would travel to San Francisco or LA and or Reno Tahoe and I would showcase right would watch a comic and then I would, you know approach them about appearing at my club or they when they approached me I'd say oh, yeah, I saw you and such and such. And that's how I met Jake Johansen. So they there's real value to entertainers, potential club owners. And I think even a general audience, from the aspect that what you're digging into on the business of comedy podcast, is all the little nuances on the business side, the only thing I might recommend is that you should bring in one of your partners and talk about the challenges in the good and bad of running the bar and running the food aspect because it all comes together on the business side of being a club owner. But the business a comedy. You've nailed it. Congratulations.

Unknown: 44:34

Thank you. I appreciate that. Yeah, actually, I would like to I would love to have them come on. I just I have an idea for an episode that I'm putting together it's going to be kind of a complicated episode, starting from ground zero so you want to open a comedy club and just go through the entire process and I thought I thought bringing them in for that would be a fun episode.

Scott Edwards: 44:58

Well fun or scary. Do you have to relive all those challenges and stress points? Well, ladies and gentlemen, Tom is obviously a decent comic if you were getting paid as a feature and working around the Arizona clubs, and now a very successful comedy club owner, you gotta go by and checkout stir crazy in Glendale, Arizona. And if you're a working comic, feel free to send Tom a properly presented email and video of yourself and maybe you can get some work it is great club. Tom, I have from the podcaster podcast creator point of view. What is it? What joy is that brought you? I know that talking to all these comics and producers and Booker's brings value to the listener? Is it been valuable to you?

Tom Simes: 45:54

Well, yeah, I mean, it's like I said, it's just fun for me, I can talk endlessly about this stuff. It's, you know, I love talking about it. And the podcast is a great way for me to, you know, get to talk to people about the business. So, it really is sort of a, for my own fun, really,

Scott Edwards: 46:17

a little selfish.

Tom Simes: 46:19

Yeah, it is, you know, I want to have this conversation. Yeah.

Scott Edwards: 46:23

Yeah, no, I think that's, that's so important to do that, you know, as much as we're all about the audience, and we're producing shows and dealing with comics. It's an I think the reason I do a podcast is it's a way for me to reconnect and stay connected with the industry. And so I get a personal selfish balance out of it. But I think that it's good that that's true for you as well, that it's something that you really enjoy. So, Tom, what's coming up, let's say in 2023 2024, that maybe you're excited about looking forward to and give us two versions, one with your club and one for the podcast?

Tom Simes: 47:05

Well, as far as the podcasts, I mean, there's really no grand plan. I just, you know, I try to come up with topics. And then when I have a topic, I find somebody that I can talk to you about that topic. That's probably the biggest challenge I have with my podcast is it's, it's not really guest based. It's where I can just pull someone in. Yeah, so that's difficult coming up with topics that people are interested in. You know, the booking email episode is by far my most popular episode, and that stemmed from that's one of the most common questions I get from comedians, is my advice on booking emails, what you know, the content, how often they should say, all that stuff. So I thought, well, I'll just, I'll do an episode on booking emails. So it's really about finding a topic. And I don't want to get into a position to where I, I just have to throw an episode together, because there's no one expected today. So sometimes I take little breaks until I can get one and then, you know, just by chance, I have an opportunity where I knock a bunch out, maybe I'm out of town at a festival or something. But that's the hardest part is just keeping, you know, getting getting the topics in a timely fashion. So I just kind of take him as they come now.

Scott Edwards: 48:20

And you have to make fun for you, Tom. Yeah, yeah, for sure. How about with the club stir crazy in Glendale, Arizona.

Unknown: 48:29

Stir Crazy. Well, we just signed our, our lease was up after five years. So we just signed for another five years. So we're gonna keep an eye on Yeah. You know, and that's kind of just, that's kind of going. And then, you know, there's, there's some other things sort of in early stages that aren't far enough along that I would be comfortable even mentioning them. But other clubs, you know, stir crazy and otherwise are potential opportunities. So I'm just kind of, you know, rolling with it and waiting for opportunities to present themselves. So I guess,

Scott Edwards: 49:05

well, that's so I mean, it's still there's nothing wrong with that you're going with the flow, Tom. And I think that you found a great foundation and both the producer aspect of owning a comedy club, the business side of owning a comedy club. And then as a podcast creator, that's kind of your fun time. I think that you have a good balance there. Congratulations on all your success. And I am sure that the next five to 10 years is just going to keep building on the success you've already had. And keep growing and it's just exciting to hear about. Thank you so much for being a part of my podcast.

Tom Simes: 49:46

You bet. Thanks for having me. I appreciate it. It's it's fun. Hey, ladies

Scott Edwards: 49:49

and gentlemen, if you're in the Arizona area, Glendale specifically, be sure to go by and say hi to Tom at stir crazy comedy club, but in the meantime, I'm for my listeners overseas and everywhere else, check out the business of comedy. It's a great podcast if you're interested in stand up comedy is an art form. And as a business person, it teaches so much, and, Tom, I'm sure you'll continue to share the various analytical aspects of the business side of comedy.

Tom Simes: 50:24

Absolutely. Ladies and

Scott Edwards: 50:25

gentlemen, thank you so much for listening. We'll be back next week with another great show. Thanks, Tom for being here. You bet. Thank you. Bye.

Announcer: 50:35

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