{"id":37621,"date":"2025-11-07T18:19:16","date_gmt":"2025-11-07T18:19:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/37621\/"},"modified":"2025-11-07T18:19:16","modified_gmt":"2025-11-07T18:19:16","slug":"looking-back-at-the-rich-history-of-orlando-comedy-at-austins-coffee","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/37621\/","title":{"rendered":"Looking back at the rich history of Orlando comedy at Austin\u2019s Coffee"},"content":{"rendered":"

Austin\u2019s Coffee open mics over the years have not only given stars of the Orlando comedy scene their first experiences onstage, but it was also a formative space for nationally known comedians like Kam Patterson of SNL and Preacher Lawson. With Lawson now involved in the new Austin\u2019s location<\/a> opening at 2240 W. Fairbanks Ave., we expect this rich legacy to continue. In the meantime, here is a visual walk through the history of open-mic comedy at Austin\u2019s.<\/p>\n

\"\"\u201cAustin\u2019s was one of the first places I went and felt comfortable,\u201d says comedian Joe Censabella. As for the new location, \u201cHope it\u2019s as cool as the old spot and we can make it popular for comedy.\u201d Credit: Sarah Kinbar<\/p>\n

\"\"Erik Myers, a core figure in Central Florida\u2019s comedy scene, died in 2021. But his impact was profound. \u201cOn stage, he was fast paced, high energy, relentless and left audiences exhausted from laughing so hard,\u201d says Craig Norberg, founder of Austin\u2019s comedy open mic. \u201cEven though he would tour the country and won Florida\u2019s Funniest Comedian, he would still come to Austin\u2019s to support the venue.\u201d Credit: Craig Norberg<\/p>\n

\"\"Like others on the Orlando scene, comedian Genesis never gave up on open mics, even though he toured the U.S. doing shows. Genesis revered Erik Myers. \u201cHe was hilarious. He was the one comedian from Orlando that I was scared to follow. He made it so difficult because he was so precise and concise,\u201d Genesis said in 2021. Genesis passed away in 2023. Credit: Erick Feiling<\/p>\n

\"\"Comedian Craig Norberg, founder of the Sunday open mic comedy night at Austin\u2019s Coffee, gathered together the newbies and the old guard on Oct. 19 for one last hurrah at the 929 W. Fairbanks Ave. location. Credit: Craig Norberg<\/p>\n

\"\"The politics of the list are a topic at every mic. \u201cPeople hated that they would wait and then get bumped. But you might not realize that\u2019s common. People come here to laugh. And if someone\u2019s here who can make everybody laugh and wake up the crowd, the host is gonna take advantage of that,\u201d says comedian Edwin Pagan. Credit: Sarah Kinbar<\/p>\n

\"\"Comedian Preacher Lawson has fond memories of Austin\u2019s. \u201cIt\u2019s been an important place in my life for a lot of reasons. It was the first place I performed after my breakup. It was the first place I went after being on TV. The first time I felt like I really killed on stage was there. I went up to do three minutes and ended up doing 10,\u201d he says. Credit: Courtesy Preacher Lawson<\/p>\n

\"\"Jake Ricca\u2019s first comedy set was performed at Austin\u2019s in 2017. \u201cI thought you weren\u2019t supposed to do the same set twice. That\u2019s the opposite of how you get better. My first set felt great. People said \u2018good set\u2019 after. The second time went fine with new material. The third time I bombed hard and wondered if I should quit,\u201d he says.\u201cI didn\u2019t understand you have to keep working bits until they click. The material evolves because you\u2019re building it in front of people. You learn what an audience really is only by doing it again and again.\u201d Credit: Sarah Kinbar<\/p>\n

\"\"Comedian Christophe Jean has since moved to Austin, Texas, along with a cluster of Orlando comedians looking for a bigger stage. But for years he was a regular at Austin\u2019s, testing new material. Credit: Sarah Kinbar<\/p>\n

\"\"\u201cAustin\u2019s was one of the first places I went and felt comfortable,\u201d says comedian Joe Censabella. As for the new location, \u201cHope it\u2019s as cool as the old spot and we can make it popular for comedy.\u201d Credit: Courtesy Robin Love<\/p>\n

\"\"Comedian Ash Cash has ascended as a significant force in Orlando comedy, and like many of her contemporaries, has put in significant time at Austin\u2019s. Credit: Sarah Kinbar<\/p>\n

\"\"Comedian Kam Patterson, now a Saturday Night Live cast member, devoted many hours to the mic at Austin\u2019s. He joined the Sunday crowd at Austin\u2019s and frequented Copper Rocket, Harry Buffalo\u2019s and other hot spots on other evenings, rarely missing a night to work on his craft. Credit: Sarah Kinbar<\/p>\n

\"\"Shown here in 2010, Erik Myers as Princess Leia, Tony Recktenwald as Jek Tono Porkins, Craig Norberg as Darth Vader and Mark \u201cJiggy\u201d Jigarjian as Jabba the Hutt filmed a Star Wars parody song at Austin\u2019s. Credit: Craig Norberg<\/p>\n

\"\"Comedian Ryan Holmes is now on Central Florida\u2019s popular, long-running radio show Monsters in the Morning, but he hasn\u2019t forgotten his roots. \u201cI think myself and a lot of people wouldn\u2019t be where we are without the mic at Austin\u2019s. If you could do well there at midnight after 30 comics, you knew you could do well anywhere,\u201d he says. \u201cPlus it was a top tier hang outside, from riffing bits to talking shit to watching a random slap fight. I\u2019m going to miss the old building but Austin\u2019s is in good hands.\u201d Credit: Craig Norberg<\/p>\n

\"\"Comedian Kam Patterson with Erick Feiling; Feiling was one of Austin\u2019s guest hosts, and while he enjoyed his time on stage, the late night socializing was equally important. \u201cOne of my best memories is hanging out with other comics along the side of the building. Over the years, the moments kind of blur together, but I\u2019ve always enjoyed talking with the comics as much as going on stage,\u201d he says. Credit: Courtesy Erick Feiling<\/p>\n

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