‘Watching his face fall was beautiful': Entitled comedian gets himself blacklisted from performing after not realizing he was using the manager of the venue to fuel his insulting punchlines

Author image for Elna McHilderson
Elna McHilderson • Managing Editor
Nov 27, 2024 4:00 PM EST

A controversial comedian isn't a new concept to the world. Comedians like to take jokes as far as they can. Sometimes it's hilarious and sometimes it's a total miss—sometimes it's even both and some people love them and some hate them. Where do you draw the line? When is it offensive and when is it actually someone just not being able to take a joke? Everyone has their own opinions and the discussion can get messy. But sometimes it's very obvious…

Like this comedian a Redditor shared a story about. They were the new managers of a bar venue. They dressed like a student, wearing tie-dye and colored hair. They were walking around helping pick up glasses and work while this comedian was doing his stand up act. He must have not prepared, because he started harping on the staff. He picked out the tie-dyed/crazy hair-colored girl bussing tables and started complaining about how students are "lazy" and never try to get a "real" job. Unfortunately for him, he was not only NOT funny, but he also lost the gig permanently because it just so happened that was the manager he was using for his entitled punchlines. 

Advertisement
  • 01
    "I smile and continue working..."
    via Unsplash+ (and Andrew Petrischev)

    This image is for illustration only, and the subjects are models; the image does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • 02
    Performer didn't realise I was the manager Some years ago, my partner and I managed a bar and we had live acts every Friday night. We had inherited a few bookings from the previous managers, but we honoured the bookings. One night, we had a comedian who before us had performed regularly at the bar. Anyway, at the time, I dressed like a student and had long, dyed hair. The regulars all knew I was the manager and had no problems with my appearance.
    via jojosparkletoes
  • 03
    The comedian starts his act and spots me collecting glasses and proceeds to complain about students, how lazy they are, look at this one, can't get a "proper" job, what's with her hair, etc. no laughter, so he carries on laying into me. I smile and continue working. After the set, I walk over to give him his cash and he's already got more dates to book with us. The joy as I said "No thanks, I'm the manager and I will never book you again." Watching his face fall was beautiful.
    via jojosparkletoes
  • 04
    MotionlessTraveler Jokes on him.
    via MotionlessTraveler
  • 05
    evil_timmy I'm sure OP would have been okay taking a few hits, had it actually been funny. This just sounds like punching down on regurgitated and outdated stereotypes, a classic "This is why Uncle Ron isn't allowed at family Thanksgiving anymore" rant with no real point or punchline, no insight or clever perspective, just "Look at that thing I saw!" Toddlers have that one covered, find a different lane.
    via evil_timmy
  • 06
    FrangibleSoul Read the crowd dude. Read the crowd. hoginlly But also, even if she wasn't the manager... did he really start laying into bartenders as not being a 'proper job' and lazy? While he's performing in a bar? I wouldn't be booking him again anyway...
    via FrangibleSoul
  • 07
    pepperpat64 That dude seriously thought anyone working in a bar is lazy? Did he only perform in churches and senior centers before this? What a jojosparkletoes OP He spotted an easy target, or so he thought.
    via pepperpat64
  • 08
    Contrantier He must have zero self respect to try a bit like that on someone. Like really bud? You have no jokes, so your act is to bu y people? Get off that stage and give yourself a spanking and a time out since you wanna act like a child.
    via Contrantier
  • 09
    BeeQueen40 Right?!? Any GOOD employee worth a hit working in the restaurant biz (including bars) is def NOT lazy. Far from it, in fact. I can attest to this, having owned, managed and worked every position in a restaurant from dishwasher to server to owner. I think everyone should spend a year in the service biz so they can appreciate what we do.
    via BeeQueen40
  • 10
    Poinsettia917 I'm guessing that he had to get a real job after failing as a comedian. lovetocook966 Loving this comment. If you're a great comedian you won't have a problem getting a job, however this guy has no idea of what is of comedic value, and picking on people relentlessly not part of the "act" shows he is lacking in material and is lazy and lastly a POS.
    via Poinsettia917
  • 11
    Mighty MightyMag First of all, f him. Second, excellent a little more than petty revenge. Third, that's not even funny. That's the mark of a beginning comedian, going negative and picking on people. You were well shot of him. jojosparkletoes OP It freed up space for some brilliant acts too!
    via MightyMightyMag
  • 12
    heidismiles I worked for a test prep place, and one time I took a phone call from someone who was onboarding to be a teacher. I guess she thought she reached tech support, but I was just in the local customer service office. I'm pretty tech savvy, so I tried to help her anyway. She kept going on and on about how "ridiculous" everything was, why does she have to make an account on our website, etc. And things like
    via heidismiles
  • 13
    "UGH now it says I need a password, what now?" me: "Click 'forgot password."" Like that. For 20 minutes, I was just patiently helping her, until I finally said "Look, I'm just from the local office. I am trying to help you, because you got me on the phone. None of this is my fault." Then suddenly she was falling over herself to thank me for all my help.
    via heidismiles
  • 14
    NeolithicOrkney I don't see how belittling someone is anywhere near funny. He didn't even get a clue when no one was laughing tells me he is not in touch with the audience at all.
    via NeolithicOrkney
  • 15
    PsychicHorse Imagine being a comedian and telling other people to get a real job...
    via PsychicHorse
  • 16
    nicknick1584 He could have been hilarious if he understood the crowds reaction and asked you what you do and then when you said you manage the place, he could have jokingly (obviously) "well f me. Guess I picked the wrong person. Lol. Probably my last show HERE tonight." and the crowd would have laughed.
    via nicknick1584
  • 17
    profjake Making fun of or mistreating staff at a venue that books you is a terrible, stupid idea no matter what kind of entertainer you are. Good managers will make sure you don't get booked again, and staff have a million ways to make your life easier or harder.
    via profjake
  • 18
    As a comic, punching down like this almost never lands well with an audience. It's just baked into what makes something funny. A billionaire strolling along the bow of his yacht and slipping on a banana: funny. A maid exhausted from spending a hard day working cleaning rooms for minimum wage, slipping on a banana: not so funny.
    via profjake
  • 19
    Darksoul_Design I don't see the comedy in berating someone in front of an entire crowd without pretty clear sarcasm, and even then, NOT following up with "it's all in good fun, let's give her a hand for being a trooper", something along those lines, otherwise, really your just being a bu y (and a J).
    via Darksoul_Design
  • 20
    Remarkable_Li... I think even if it wasn't u that he picked on & it was "just a waitress." It seems appropriate as the manager to not allow him back. It's important to look out for your staff. He was way out of line picking on a staff member of the venue he's working. & idk why he'd do such a thing. Like, why would u purposely sh ot yourself in the foot?
    via Remarkable_Line_1165
  • 21
    wesleyhroth The STAND UP COMEDIAN said YOU needed to get a real job?!!? While you were ACTIVELY doing MANUAL LABOR in an establishment you OWN??!! HAHAHAHAHAHA oh man that guy is hilarious, but not for the reasons he thinks he is
    via wesleyhroth

Want More? Follow Us and Add Us as a Preferred Source on Google.

Tags

management getting fired karens service industry story firing story I got fired firing employee fired employed fired dinning manager job server fired story heckling waiter how I got fired funny server I fired them reddit karen tipping stand up fine dinning stand-up comedian fired on spot server life venue what goes around comes around entitled people karma pay back karens in the wild justice served workplace entitled karen karma I got fired today dining experiences r-entitled waitress Reddit restaurant work karen story comedian karma karen restaurant server entitled people service industry got fired funny dinning
Scroll Down For The Next Article