Geneva Nodland
David's Audience Member Do's & Dont's
Dont: Talk
“You don’t have to talk back to the comic, you don’t have to be the guy to say something. I feel like so many people in America just want to be a hero. A lot of times the people in the crowd are like, ‘You loser,’ yeah, well, that’s why he’s doing stand-up. So I think they’re just setting themselves up for failure when they say stuff like that.”
Meh: Phones
“As long as you’re not in the front rows, if I can’t see you on your phone, whatever, as long as you’re not like talking.”
Do: Not Laugh
(Unless It’s Funny)
Over 15 years of comedy in the FM area hasn’t aged David The All American Standal a bit— besides his skill of course. While the Fargo native has built his material and confidence through years of stage time across the venues that have opened and closed in the community, you never want to get too comfortable on stage.
They say that some of the brightest and best comedy can spawn from the darkest places; that comics have described that joke-telling ability as a crutch, coping mechanism, or other like it—and I suppose a lot of that is up for interpretation for both audience and comedian—but regardless, for David, comedy was something learned early on as a tool to help navigate both on and off the stage.
“In the 90s or early 2000s, I was pretty much the only brown kid that I met until I was at least in like high school, so a lot of people would give me shit and whatnot. Then I realized, I think I was like four years old, that if I make these dudes laugh, then they just don’t care anymore,” David said. “So, I started doing that at a young age and throughout my life. I just thought of a joke and I would say it. I was like, what’s the worst that’s gonna happen? They’re gonna yell at me? You know? I got a feeling of what’s funny, what I can get away with, and what I can’t… My theater teacher in high school, she was connected with somebody who knew about the open mic at the Red Raven, they got me connected, and I started showing up there.”
David honed his “make them laugh with you before they can laugh at you” power, had gotten some stage experience through theater, and when his theater teacher, the infamous and highly admired Fargo South retired faculty Gwendolyn Stark, connected him with local stand up opportunities— he took it.
Upcoming Shows
(Pelican Rapids, MN) Taqueria Escobar – Nov 15, 7 p.m.
(Devils Lake, ND) Elks Lodge – Nov, 22
(Lengby, MN) Clinic Bar – Nov, 23
(Fargo) Boss’ Comedy Club – Nov 29
(Barnesville, MN) Ratzos Pool Hall – Nov 30
The First Open Mic
“It was fun. I had written my set down and practiced in front of the wall with a hairbrush for a whole week straight. So, when I actually did my set, I did it really well. Also, I think they weren’t expecting a 15-year-old kid to go out there and crush it or do better than a 15-year-old kid should do, I guess, but that was a good start to ignite the flame,” he said.
With a perfected set, a good friend in the audience (shoutout Joe), and the sweet sense of teenage invincibility, David took the stage one fateful night 15 years ago and hasn’t looked back. And now, besides his entertainment-related odd jobs—ie: radio, equipment set up, freelance work, or “pretty much anything I can get my little hands on to make it some extra bucks,”— David does comedy year-round.
Did You Know?
In general, the comedy world tends to slow down in the summertime, that is especially the case here in Fargo-Moorhead due to the summertime usual—the lake. Many local comedians will take this time to hit the road and do some traveling for shows. This year, David summered in, well, the rural Midwest, doing shows at small-town bars as well as a few festivals! Now that the summertime is coming to a close, the shows at The Cellar and around town are packing in again, make sure to arrive on time to get the best seat!
What's So Funny?
David’s comedy style isn’t for one set group of people but rather he has certain jokes in his arsenal that might hit better with one group than another
“I like to think that I have a joke for everybody. I try not to make too much of a niche where I’m offending half the crowd, I like to make everyone have a good time, but I do like to push the envelope a little bit by challenging myself and seeing what I can say and how I can say it and get away with it. A lot of my stuff is—because of the way I grew up—racial stuff, but it’s more like satire. I like to make fun of what people would say or hear in their daily lives.”
David has an edge to his jokes and his more serious inflection and demeanor on stage adds to the perfect execution of said material. But, that’s not to say he doesn’t laugh with the audience or even at himself when the moment presents itself. David’s sets don’t feature a lot of riffs with the audience, but there’s a loose flow that you can feel during his time with the mic. He guides the energy in the room with a gentle, steady hand. Laughs come easy and there’s ample room to breathe around the jokes while still keeping your attention fixed on his next line.
I've learned a lot of comedy is not what you say, but how you say it—and what voice you say it in, what your face looks like. You can add a bunch more laughs onto something, just by the way you said it... You learn about levels of joke writing after a while. You start with the basis of that punchline, and then you can add a little more to it."
He might throw a little self-deprecating-like joke in, but rather than making you giggle at the awkwardness or “cringe” of it, it’s endearing and relatable. There’s a soft and warm feeling in the room while David is giving his set, even if he’s joking about vulgar material.
How has he crafted this easy-going yet peculiar enough to hold your attention energy? Years of practice.
“It was probably at 27—the last two, three years, so maybe 26—that I’ve really felt truly confident with what I’m doing, but there’s always room for improvement. I could always be better. But as far as being self-conscious about what I’m able to do, not so much,” David said. “If the challenge arises, I’ll usually take it, but it takes so many years—even just authentic stage presence and stuff like that. You can tell someone who’s been doing it for a long time and some who still need to work on it.”
The Long Game
Being in the comedy scene for as long as David has, has given him a unique perspective on the journey.
“I think people get really confident, you know, once they get that taste. Being on stage—it’s pretty addicting, but I’ve always looked at it as it’s never gonna be a quick game. It’s not like, you do comedy for two years and then you’re a little famous, it’s gonna encompass your life for years and years and years.”
After doing some open mics and getting that initial taste, David knew that this was not something he was going to let go of. He continued to attend open mics for years after highschool, but as dedicated as he could be at the time, he says he got more serious about comedy as a career and knew he was going to stick with it for the long haul when he was in college.
“I was really depressed many years ago, and it was during the Fentanyl crisis, and a lot of my friends were passing away, and [I thought], I can’t keep hanging out with these guys because they’re bad influences. And I was kind of miserable, and—actually it’s kind of funny, I started watching ‘Alf,’ the show with the puppet. And I was like, ‘This guy is boss. This guy literally does whatever he wants, you know, and doesn’t bring anything up.’ I kind of want to be like that guy, so then I was like, screw it—I’m gonna move downtown and I’m gonna start doing comedy. Alf was pretty much my inspiration,” David said.
Well—actually, David said, “Alf was pretty much my Alf-spiration.”
Q&A with David
Q: Craziest on-stage experience?
A: I was hosting a show at The Cellar, and some drunk, homeless guy came in and rushed the stage. I jumped off stage and ran around and tried to rodeo clown him, people came and wrestled him… I mean, it’s a great story, it’s the most anguish I’ve ever had on stage.
Q: Top on-stage experience?
A: One of my favorite things to do every year is the roast, and I’ll do a PowerPoint. Those are some of my favorites because it’s like a multimedia comedy set. It’s like the one time of year where comedians are able just to say all the real nasty stuff that they want to say, you know, like, what they can because of society. It’s kind of the green light just to be mean.
Q: Have you been heckled?
A: Yeah, I’m pretty good at it. I just, I don’t know, I just kind of look at them and like a stern parent, say, “Shut up.”
Q: Do you think there are any misconceptions about comedians?
A: I don’t remember who said it, I think it was Shakespeare, said [something] like, comedy is tragedy plus timing, you know? A lot of the comedians I know, that are really good especially, are really, like mentally ill… There are a lot of emotions that actually go with comedians that people don’t see or even hear about. Like with Robin Williams and stuff like that—checking on your funny friends. I think a lot of people think that comics are doing comedy to be famous, or to get under people’s skin. But, I think a lot of it is just that people found their outlet and what helps them feel better. I know a lot of people that if it wasn’t for comedy, I have no idea what they would be doing.
Keep up to date with David’s upcoming shows, the occasional Alf meme, and more on his socials!
Facebook | /NotDavidStandal
Instagram | @davidstandal
