Reflecting on a Career Highlight: Opening for Andy Bumatai and Pepper Lamb

Show Note #9

Last night’s show was nothing short of a career highlight for me. I had the incredible honor of opening for one of Hawaii’s comedy legends, Andy Bumatai, and a Cincy native like myself, but also a recognized name in the Hawaii comedy scene, Pepper Lamb. Performing a set just shy of 15 minutes, I was stoked to get consistent laughter from the audience throughout—a gratifying experience for any comedian.

One of the evening’s highlights, of course, was meeting Andy Bumatai. It was a total surprise; I had no idea he was on the bill until he showed up. Often referred to as Hawaii’s first stand-up comic, he began his career in the 70s and has been a significant figure in shaping the Hawaiian comedy scene. He’s even earned four of Hawaii’s coveted Nā Hōkū Hanohano Awards, including Most Promising New Artist. Incredible!

It was clear in many ways that Andy has a comedic sixth sense. Here’s just one example: after his set, he offered me invaluable advice on a bit I’ve been developing. Without prior knowledge of my struggles with that particular bit, he provided an on-the-spot solution that was both insightful and practical. His ability to pinpoint the issue after seeing just one of my performances speaks volumes about his expertise and experience in comedy.

Pepper Lamb, an entertainer, MC, and comedian originally from Cincinnati, Ohio, delivered a stellar performance. He had the crowd roaring with laughter from start to finish and did a great job with his crowd work. It was fun to watch! (I took a class with Pepper nearly a year ago. He’s a creative dude who’s always grindin’.)

The audience, too, was just exceptional. In an intimate setting of 28 attendees plus comedians, the energy was palpable. That’s the thing, everybody wants to get to large venues, which is cool, but these smaller rooms often create a unique connection between the performer and the audience that’s just beautiful and can’t really be remanufactured in huge rooms. Anyway, this crowd was one of the best I’ve had the pleasure of entertaining. They showed up ready to laugh and they did!

Performing alongside comedians like Andy and Pepper reinforced the importance of continual learning and adaptation in comedy. Andy’s quick assessment and advice reminded me of the value of perspective and experience. It’s essential to remain open to feedback and to view each performance as an opportunity for growth.

Last night’s show was definitely a highlight in my comedic journey thus far. Sharing the stage with Andy and Pepper was an honor. I’m so glad to have received the invitation from Pepper. The first month of 2025 in terms of comedy has been awesome for me. The second month’s off to a great start with this awesome show and the launch of my joke-writing course, which you can check out at this LINK. So, here’s to more nights of laughter, learning, tweaking jokes, and connecting with audiences.