Comedy and Everything Else Episode 137: Jimmy Pardo

Jimmy Pardo: Well then on Sunday I was hosting a Comedy Showcase for Conan (O'Brien) at The Comedy Store. I was hosting it. And I walked out and instantly realized nobody is there to see me. And so I got dry mouth, I, I, I became timid. Like every… like I wish I could see a video of it to see me walk out with the swagger, go, “Hey everybody,” and realize ‘oh, I’m the first guy…”. And by what you already said – the MC has been undervalued. So here’s a roomful of people that don’t know, and please pardon this, that the great Jimmy Pardo is… that they’re lucky I’m hosting. And I was, “Hey, everybody… (oh, nobody is here to see me)… we got a great show.” And all of a sudden nerves hit like I’ve never experienced, like I haven’t experienced that in years. And that’s a month and half ago. The answer is yes.

Jimmy Dore: That is so funny that you say that. I had a similar experience almost a month and a half ago. I’m not kidding. I was on stage, I don’t want to say where, I don’t know what the hell happened but I got dry mouth, I was in my head, I was like, “What if they don’t laugh at this next thing?” And I literally panicked. I’ve never panicked on stage. But I didn’t panic and run, I just kind of like (breathes deeply)… I didn’t know why this was happening and so I was just like I’m going to do one more joke, I don’t care how it goes, and I’m getting off stage. And I did one more joke, and I realized I can’t get off right now, so I did one more and then I said something and I got off. And nobody said anything. I wasn’t a great performance but I got through it and nobody said anything like, “Hey, what’s your problem?” I went home and I told Stef, “I don’t know what the hell happened tonight.” And I started asking my friends if they ever got nervous, and it turns out, yeah, people still do get nervous.

Comedy and Everything Else Episode 137: Jimmy Pardo / aprox 1:28:00

(thanks Mark)