Who’s laughing now: New comedy show at Fred’s

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By Kaiya Morrison

Drinking with friends in a bar generally means making new friends, a possible hangover or the inevitable reality you might miss at least one class the next day. Rarely does a night out result in a productive business meeting, but this is exactly what happened for Steve Mayeux, LSU student and local comedian.

“I have a classmate who worked at Fred’s as a bartender for three years, and one night I was helping him with a paper, and he wanted to thank me by treating me to some beers, so we went to Fred’s,” Mayeux recalled. “I met the GM that night and talked to him for a while, and then I had a meeting with him a few days later.”

Once the meeting was over, the local comedy scene in Baton Rouge had scored another win. Starting Thursday, May 1, Fred’s will host a bimonthly comedy showcase called “Full Contact Comedy.”

“We weren’t seeking out any bars in Tigerland,” Mayeux continued to explain. “We’re marketing to a different audience, and to tell you the truth, this is the biggest experiment we’ve ever done.”

Mayeux is a member of The Family Dinner, which is an improv comedy troupe that found its roots on LSU’s campus in November 2002. The troupe is a part of the LLC Salami Vice Productions, which is the official sponsor of the showcase.

“There were 12 original members, and they were taking these improv workshops that were put on by the Union Program Council. That was the first generation of The Family Dinner,” Mayeux explained. “There’s no more original cast members, but other LSU students continue to be a part of it.”

Although the Fred’s show is technically being sponsored and hosted by the same people who run The Family Dinner, the new showcase will be completely different.

“We normally perform at Perks. That’s been our bread and butter,” Mayeux said. “What we do at Perks is a family friendly show, but this show at Fred’s is going to be a no holds barred, fast-paced comedy.”

The Family Dinner Performs at Perks Coffee on Perkins Road every Friday beginning at 9 p.m. The troupe also performs a biweekly show at North Gate Tavern. Each of the shows at North Gate are preceded by an open mic portion, where anyone can hop on stage and try to warm up the crowd.

As for the show at Fred’s, that will be held every other Thursday and will begin at 10 p.m. on the outdoor patio. Mayeux and Ryan Sands will host the show, and three comics will step on stage to bring their A material to the Tigerland crowd.

“The thing that separates the Fred’s show with the rest of our shows and other shows in Baton Rouge is that there’s a theme to it,” Mayeux said. “We want it to still be a comedy show, but we want it to be entertaining.”

Participating in the first showcase were local comedians Reggie Reg, Chris Fontana and Anthony “Corn Bread” Gauchier.

“When you’re a comic in Baton Rouge, you have to produce your own show and find your own venue,” Gauchier said. “There’s no central organization. You have to do your own thing.”

Gauchier, who is a senior at LSU majoring in Political Science, first found a love for comedy in high school, but never considered performing in front of a crowd until he attended open mic comedy at Phil Brady’s on Government Street.

“Red Stick Open Mic night, which is now at Phil Brady’s, is the reason why I am what I am today,” he said. “It’s the ultimate form of free speech. You can go to an open mic night and see how people respond to the things you say.”

Gauchier has been heavily involved with the local comedy scene ever since those initial open mic showcases, and now he too knows all too well about what it takes to establish a comedy showcase. He’s been doing just that since April 2006 at The Station Sports Bar and Grill.

“It was originally a weekly comedy competition, and we started it to give a young crop of Baton Rouge comics a place where they could showcase and have an opportunity to better themselves in front of a more diverse audience,” Gauchier said. “Now, the show is on the last Wednesday of every month and it’s not a competition any more. We ended that in December.”

The showcase was originally called Stand Up Stand Off. Since the show switched to monthly, the name changed to Comedy Crossroads.

“The reason the show is once a month now is because in Baton Rouge, it’s hard to get people to come out to a comedy show every week,” he admitted. “To do the show once a month makes that the highlight for the month, and it’s less of a headache for me.”

Along with changing the frequency, the show has evolved into a more traditional format. Each month local comics are given the chance to perform with a national headliner. The next national headliner will be Theo Vaughn, who will perform on July 30. Vaughn is best known as a former cast member of MTV’s “The Real World,” which he became involved with while attending LSU.

“Basically, what the show has become is a place for local guys to perform and get club experience with a veteran performer,” Gauchier explained. “We’re taking comedy to another level in Baton Rouge, and we’re keeping our fingers crossed that we’ll have a stronger scene in Baton Rouge.”

To learn more about The Family Dinner and the Full Contact Comedy showcase at Fred’s, visit www.salamivice.com.

For more information about Comedy Cross Roads at The Station, e-mail Gauchier at comedycrossroads@yahoo.com.

Originally Published: Issue 607 - May 6, 2008

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