Comedian Ed Konyha reveals recipe behind Stand-Up and Deliver's open-mic success

Comedy open mic events differ from your standard variety open mics, because put frankly, doing good comedy is damn hard. Many people think they can do it, and they can try, but to be good it takes a hell of a lot of work.

Often, comedians scribble into their notebooks, not knowing if what they're writing down has the potential to become a joke. That’s why open mics are essential for a comic: the only way to know if a joke will work is to perform it in front of a group of people. But in a place as fickle—and expensive—as Vancouver, comedy open mics can come as quickly as they go. 

There's one comedy open mic night in the city, however, that is nearing its second anniversary, which, in open-mic years, is really like a decade. Offering a stage for pro, amateur, and generally curious comics to test out quips and gags every Wednesday at the Seven Dining Lounge (53 West Broadway), Stand-Up and Deliver Comedy Open Mic has become a staple in the local comedy community.

Ahead of Stand-Up and Deliver's Two-Year Anniversary Edition, we talked to comedian Ed Konyha, one of the show's two producers, to find out the secret behind Stand-Up and Deliver's open-mic success.

Georgia Straight: What has kept your open mic event running for so long?

Ed Konyha: Many things, including a great venue and owner, a central location for comedy, terrific co-showrunners, and consistency. We've never missed a Wednesday since we started and it starts at the same time, every time. No exceptions.

GS: You've had a few notable names drop in over the past two years. Can you share some of these names and talk about one that was a highlight for you?

EK: We've had lots of national headliners, and to be honest, none are better than the ones in our own back yard. Ivan Decker, Katie-Ellen Humphries, James Kennedy, and Chris James are there a lot, but the night Maria Bamford texted me for a spot has to take the cake. That was a really special night.

GS: Did Maria do new material or old stuff?

EK: She was doing new stuff because she was on tour. I asked her how much time she wanted and she replied, "Can I do five minutes?" I said, "Maria, let me rephrase that: I want you to do as much time as possible. How much time do you want to do?" She asked for 10 minutes, and when I lit her at nine, it was both the happiest and saddest moment of my life.

GS: It takes a lot of energy and time booking and running shows. What has kept you motivated to keep running it every week for so long?

You're right, it's a ton of work to do this week after week. But I share that load with some very notable people, starting with my wife, Joan, who takes all the photos that have become a huge part of our social media presence, and the awesome staff at Seven Dining Lounge, including bartender Patrick Randall.

The key ingredient, however, is having showrunners who are reliable, funny, and great to work with, and here is where I have to give a big shout out to my first partner, Sam Tonning, and my current one, Roman Mancini. I can't imagine trying to do this on my own and I haven't—not by a long shot.

GS: Is there a reason why Sam left?

EK: Sam has a number of projects on the go and it became too much. It was a great one-and-a-half years together. Roman was a guy that Sam recommended to replace him and he couldn't have been more right. It's been a super smooth transition and Sam will be back many, many times to guest-MC.

GS: I love seeing the progression of jokes and how comedic acts are developed. Is that something that you enjoy about an open mic? And is there anyone that you've seen grow a lot over the past two years?

EK: Yeah, me too—both pros and new comics. I saw Ivan [Decker] do at least three slightly different versions of his "eating in the dark" bit because he was prepping for the Winnipeg Comedy Festival. It was a lot of fine-tuning on what was already a killer bit.

The real kicker for me, though, is seeing people that did my show regularly as new comics go off to perform at the Comedy Mix or get put on the Yuk Yuks fast track. People like Steev Letts and Oli Maughan come to mind. It's like any other art form: practice makes perfect and you can't practise standup without an audience. And that's where the mics come in.

GS: What advice do you have for someone who wants to come try standup comedy?

EK: 1. Don't just walk up on stage and "riff". That's generally a waste of everybody's time, including yours. If it's clear you had nothing very specific planned, you will get lit early at most mics, including ours. So write three to five minutes worth of material, practice it as best you can, and do that. If it goes well, great; if not, fix it or write something better.

2. Respect the light. We put up 40-plus comics every Wednesday—it's way better to go short than long.

3. If you've been yearning to try it, try it! Comedy isn't for everyone, but you will gain a newfound respect for the craft of standup and what it takes to become even moderately good at it.

GS: Is there anything you want to say to anyone who might come watch an open mic for the first time?

EK: Come with an open mind. You will see many levels of ability, but on every night, there is a new comic that will surprise everyone with a great set. There will be a lot of rough patches over the course of the night, but also keep in mind that this is the process that has produced all the great comics that you know and love. So, who knows?

Maybe one of these people will make it big someday—and it may not be the guy who killed on his first set. It may be the woman who bombed, but kept coming back and just got better and better because she paid her dues at a lot of comedy open mics like ours.

Stand-Up and Deliver's Two-Year Anniversary Edition show takes place on June 7 at the Seven Dining Lounge.

Other open mics around Vancouver you can also check out include Crafty Comedy hosted by Johnny Paul at 12 Kings Pub (395 Kingsway) every Sunday at 8 p.m.; Bomb Shelter presented by Suzy Rawsome in the basement of Goldie’s Pizzeria (605 West Pender Street) every Thursdsay at 10 p.m.; Magic Mic presented by Steve Letts and Oli Maughan at the Junction (1138 Davie Street) every Tuesday at 8 p.m.; and Benny’s Bagels open mic (2503 West Broadway) every Thursday at 8 p.m.