This summer I’m releasing my first comedy special and album! Leading up to it, I’m sharing some of the specials I’ve made for other people. In this edition, I’m sharing James Mattern’s “The Check Spot.”
James is one of the most entertaining comics to watch. He is a riff machine. Free association, improvisation, and deep cut references to 70’s NBA basketball players or obscure rock n’ roll facts are his love languages. When I first started performing in 2014 people would talk about James as the city’s best show host. He knows how to perfectly warm up a crowd and focus attention for all the other comics on the lineup.
When James approached me to make this special, he said, “I have a crazy idea.” And he sure did. He wanted to purposely record his sets during “the check spot” during multiple shows to cobble into a film. He called it a “Comedy Experiment.” For the uninitiated, the “check spot” is the part of the comedy show where wait staff comes around to drop off each table’s bill. In a showcase setting, the producers will strategically time out this moment of the show and give a newer comic a 5-7 minute spot to perform while this necessary process happens. It’s a tough gig because while you’re up there trying to perform, people are in their seats trying to do math. No matter how many couples bicker or large parties squabble, the comic must not falter.
I’m most proud of this special for the fusion of documentary / concert film we achieved. I love making docs and this one feels well-paced and informative. There’s a punk rock edge to it as well. I used a bunch of outdated gear to make it mainly to satisfy budgetary restraints. We decided to edit it in black and white. It suits James Mattern as a comic. He’s a throwback personality and I think this special does him justice.
Ladies and gentleman, please enjoy James Mattern in…. THE CHECK SPOT