It’s setting a high bar for comedy!
The “School’s Out” comedy show at the High Dive bar in Park Slope started earlier this summer, hosted by Park Slope native Drew Dowdey and Jenn Welch. The hosts first met on an OK Cupid date — and though they didn’t find love, they did forge an artistic connection. The stand-up show happens in the back room of the High Dive, known for its generous tap selection and free popcorn, on the second and fourth Thursday of every month. We chatted with the pair about the challenge of hosting a show and the art of reeling in an audience.
Why did you decide to create a show?
Drew Dowdey: I’ve always wanted to have a show in my neighborhood because I live out here and Jenn lives out here — and I used to work here [at High Dive]. I was looking for a venue and the owner asked me if I wanted to run a show here. I called her up and said “I’m starting a show at High Dive” and she cut me off and said “First of all, you know I’m running it with you.” She didn’t even allow me the opportunity to ask her.
How did you find your audience for the show?
DD: You kind of have to prostitute yourself in a certain way. Whenever I’m barking to people out [on the sidewalk], I feel like I’m a prostitute, because I’m trying to sell myself. “Free comedy show, free popcorn, starts in 15 minutes.” Most people won’t even say anything and that kind of hurts, but it’s part of the process.
Jenn Welch: I find if I yell at men who are passing by they actually come into the show. They respond to that for some reason — having a tiny bespectacled woman yell at them to come watch comedy.
What do you say?
JW: What the f— else are you going to be doing tonight?
DD: She gets way more aggressive than I do. I just smile and most people think I’m security.
JW: What we’re finding here is I do a lot of bullying. I bullied my way onto the show as a host and now I bully people to watch it.
Has there been anyone you regret convincing to come to the show?
DD: There was this guy who was holding a pizza box and he was with his wife and Jenn was doing her usual bullying. It turns out that he used to do comedy or he was interested in doing it. He wanted to come see the show, but he didn’t want to come see it with her, so he said he didn’t like watching comedy with pizza. Basically he went home, ate the pizza, dropped his wife off, then came back and heckled us the whole show. After the show he started asking us for advice on how to get into comedy.
“School’s Out” at High Dive [243 Fifth Ave. between Carroll and Garfield streets in Park Slope, (718) 788–0401, www.highd
