Vail Comedy Show welcomes Carmen Morales Dec. 4-5
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Vail Comedy Show is flying in Los Angeles based comedian Carmen Morales this week. Morales has appeared on HBO and Comedy Central and is a passed regular at the world-famous Comedy Store.
She will be at Capitol Public House in downtown Eagle on Dec. 4, and at Sarah’s Lounge in Christiania Lodge at Vail on Dec. 5. We caught up with her in advance of her visit.
Have you ever performed in the Vail Valley?
This is my first time in Vail Valley! I’m stoked to see it. So often stand-up comedy lives in dingy bars, basements and comedy clubs so I’m interested to see how it works in such a beautiful place. I hope the audiences are in such awe of the beauty around them that they don’t forget how to laugh once they get to the show.
Do you have a favorite Colorado comedy memory?
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I adore performing in Colorado. I’ve been all over the state in various cities and it’s always been a delight. I honestly can’t say that I’ve had a bad show in this state to date. Hopefully that statement doesn’t come back to haunt me. I will say the strangest thing I’ve ever seen performing in Colorado was, I was waiting to perform at a comedy club and a guy walks into the club with a full size canoe with him. He had apparently been out in nature all day, lost track of time and came straight to the show so as not to miss it. I couldn’t believe it, had never seen something so unapologetically Colorado.
What was it like to be on HBO?
It was surreal to be on HBO. My whole comedy career it was a moniker of success to be a comedian featured on HBO so when I finally got the opportunity to do so, it definitely felt like an “I made it” moment. With how much things have changed in the industry and with the emergence of streamers it definitely doesn’t carry the weight it once did but it still felt that way.
You live in Los Angeles but tour nationally, how does Colorado compare to other markets?
Colorado audiences are prime audiences for stand-up comedy. They are hard working people who also read. They get literary references and sex jokes, I love an audience with range as I like to perform with range as well.
How would you describe your comedy?
When people come up to me after a show, they never say I remind them of another comedian. I don’t ever get compared to other comedians, instead I always remind them of their best friend, their cousin who always makes them laugh, their goofy sister etc. So I suppose my archetype is that of a person who you love that says silly things and makes observations that people perhaps haven’t ever noticed. I am usually making fun of things I’ve observed that we as humans have done that I think are ridiculous or that don’t make sense, oftentimes making fun of myself for doing said dumb things.
Why do you think people should come to the show?
I’m so glad you asked. First of all, it’s been scientifically proven that laughter is good for you. It releases dopamine, oxytocin and endorphins, also known as the “feel good hormones”. Secondly, on average a 4-year-old laughs 300 times a day and the average 40 year old laughs only 4, and that’s if they’re lucky. How unfair, right? These kids don’t have bills or stress or any of the myriad of things adults have to worry about and they get to laugh exponentially more. So I’m on a mission to get adults to laugh more because laughter is … well not the best medicine, that’s probably penicillin but it’s up there and you deserve it. So even if it’s not MY show, which you definitely attend because I’m funny and would love to make you laugh, you should go to any live stand-up comedy show because it’s what the doctor ordered. Plus, some of those “feel good hormones” promote arousal so it’s great for a date night too. Wink.
Any great stories from The Comedy Store where you are a regular?
One evening when I was working the door at The Comedy Store, Dave Chappelle had done a surprise pop-in set as he is known to do. A pop-in meaning he wasn’t on any line up, he had just showed up and wanted to perform. Oftentimes when he does this, there will be a few celebrities that will also show up to catch his set. On this particular night, he must’ve come from a party or something because there were so many celebrities there, I couldn’t keep track. John Mayer and Talib Kewli were talking about psychedelic mushrooms in the back bar, Paul Rudd, Remi Malik and James Pattinson were dancing in Ciro’s secret bar. I went up the back steps to the Belly Room where Dave Chappelle was performing and a strangely dressed man wearing a big hat, sunglasses and drabby clothes was trying to get in and I had to try and explain to him that we couldn’t let anyone in as it was a sold out show. The guy removes his sunglasses and hat to reveal it was Leonardo DiCaprio. He was in his “regular person” disguise to try and catch the show without being bombarded. Needless to say, I let him in.
What is next for Carmen Morales?
I’m currently preparing to film a special and in doing so I tour to work out the material to arrange it and see what works in which order so these shows are an integral part of the process and I’m excited to have Vail, a market I’ve never been to, as part of that process.
For tickets and information, visit VailComedyShow.com.
