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Matt Kazam brings Comedian Matt Kazam is a gambler. A dozen or so years ago, the New York native was just starting out in comedy, and, a bit desperate for gigs, he signed on for a one-nighter in a remote part of a remote state: West Virginia.
humor to World Cafe
and D&B
The comedian finds that funny
World Cafe gig
isn't just a function of locale
D&B showsBy Tim Ryan
tryan@starbulletin.comThe audience comprised guys more interested in NASCAR reruns than stand-up comedy. To make matters worse, the headlining comedian failed to show because of an ice storm.
But Kazam, seeing this as "a windfall," convinced the owner to let him do two hours of his Big Apple-edged humor and collect both fees.
"They turn off the NASCAR highlights on TV, which pisses everyone off, and I just go straight into my act," said Kazam, who headlines a night of comedy Saturday at World Cafe. "I'm on five minutes, and this guy stands up in the back of the room. He says, 'Boy, we jist don't get it. You could spend three days up there and we will never git it. And we don't like you anyway, so just put the damn race back on the TV and git the hell out of here.'"
The club's owner then called the town's regular jokester to perform for both paychecks, and Kazam left with nothing except a bruised ego.
Now Kazam, who's been performing 13 shows a week in Las Vegas for the past year, is taking another gamble. The 33-year-old comedian has joined with World Cafe to headline a weekly comedy show at Dave & Buster's through summer, bringing mainland humor to Honolulu for the first time in years.
That means less ethnic and local humor and more generic comedy, says Kazam, who changed his name from Kazem.
The mainland comedy club environment has changed dramatically, he said. "You have to get on TV or in the movies to be successful now," he says. "You must be a big draw.
"It used to be they just sold comedy. You would go see some three guys, and that was it. Now comedy clubs are a place to see somebody famous."
Kazam, who performed at World Cafe last November, admits he doesn't know much about Hawaii, "but funny is situations that all people can relate to," he says.
Comedy is nothing more than a public speaking gig where to succeed you need some genuine ability to talk to a group and decent material, he said.
"My act is a walk through my life," he says. "A lot of relationship humor, and generic issues about annoying construction, traffic, eating, locals.
"I write a lot onstage as things happen spontaneously with the audience. Performing is where I'm most creative."
Kazam's comedy career began in Washington, D.C., before spending five years in Los Angeles then moving on to Vegas.
And despite his West Virginia nightmare, Kazam learned from the experience.
"I bit off more than I was ready to chew," said Kazam, who at that time had three years of experience entertaining family and friends in his back yard.
"Comedy is all I ever wanted to do," he said. "Being onstage, actually performing is easy, the only place I feel comfortable. It's the other 23 hours of the day that's hard, with the traveling, getting gigs."
Kazam's father, a professor of finance, was also a gambler, taking his boy around the world to gambling capitals.
"I ate dinner with Don Rickles when I was 6, met Bill Cosby," he said. "I went to all their shows, and I knew I wanted to do that."
For a while, Kazam followed in dad's footsteps, studying to become a CPA. He did it for 24 months and "hated it."
On a whim he went to an open-mike night at a D.C. comedy club.
"I was the last one to sign up because I knew if I did this, it wasn't going to be a hobby, but something I would see through to wherever it went."
The audience laughed the first night but "hated me" for the next 20 performances, Kazam said. "There was a lot to learn. The best advice I ever got was just to worry about being funny and everything else will take care of itself.
"When I'm onstage it does take care of itself."
In 12 years, Kazam estimates he's performed 5,000 shows in venues such as bowling alleys, strip clubs, prisons and retirement homes.
"There's nothing I haven't seen before," he says.
The performer takes a bit of a spiritual approach to comedy.
"Before I go out on stage ... I think how bad some people's jobs are and they're here to laugh," he says. "Children laugh 350 times a day; adults, three times. They come to a comedy show with open hearts. In the hour I have them, they may laugh 400 times. And I've done my job."
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Starring Matt Kazam, at left, and Mike Siegel: 2 Funny 'Haole' Guys
Where: World Cafe, 1130 N. Nimitz Highway
When: Doors open at 7 p.m. Saturday; show at 8 p.m. for all ages
Tickets: $15; available at World Cafe, Tower Records, Tower Video, Hungry Ear and Cheapo Music, or charge at 585-2877
Call: 599-4450
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Dave & Buster’s comedy
shows coming soonComedian Matt Kazam and World Cafe will be presenting two comedy shows every Saturday at Dave & Buster's beginning next month and continuing through the summer.
Opening the show will be emcees and opening act Rory Wild and Greg Hammer, I-94's "Morning Show" hosts.
Kazam, who for the last year has been performing 13 shows a week in Las Vegas, will be the main act in the 200-seat capacity showroom.
The first shows are May 25 at 8 and 10 p.m. The 8 p.m. performance is for all ages. Admission is $15.
The concept behind the venture is to bring mainland-style comedy to Honolulu, said Kazam and Dannette Lee, World Cafe's owner and operator.
"Matt does mainstream comedy, not just geared to locals," Lee said. "We believe it fills a niche that's been missing far too long in Hawaii."
World Cafe is working with I-94 to help promote the new club and is also talking with television's Fox2.
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