Notes From the Whirlpool

Hey there! Sit down, have a drink. We should get acquainted…
Me? I’m JAMES GATES. What’s that? Well, that’s a tricky question…You might call me a Wichita…what? Character? Fixture? Gargoyle? I don’t know for sure… I’ve lived in the Wichita area almost 79% of my life. Most of the time I haunt Delano and the Old Town district like they were my own personal Whitechapel—you may only catch glimpses of me, floating in the background at a bar, a show or an art opening, but there are traces of me everywhere. (Wow, that didn’t sound creepy at all, did it?) I’ve been around long enough to have met some people… And let’s face it, I’m recognizable. I’m six and a half feet tall, rail-thin with blond hair, goatee and yellow-tinted glasses—I look like the three-way love child of Andy Dick, Shaggy, and Lurch from The Addams Family.
If there’s one thing I’ve been known for over the years, it’s random, bizarre, goofy shit. Tales are still told of the time I staged a re-enactment of the Oswald assassination in front of the Bohemian Bean Co., or when I held an impromptu white-slavery raffle to pay my rent… After awhile, it just seemed a natural to go semi-pro, which I did in 2006 with the sketch comedy group PANIC BUTTONS. I’ve been performing on stages and microphones throughout the Wichita area ever since, pursuing the goal of building a live, local comedy scene. In March 2007 I started doing THE JAMES GATES SHOW, a live comedy experience based around A) the late-night talk show format, and B) a whole bunch of me. And the rest is, well, the stuff of much confusion…
Anyway, this is my log. I get to write about anything I want, anytime. I like that. Hope you do too.

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Wed Aug 4

WICHITA-AREA COMEDY EVENTS, August 2010

For Immediate Release

Wichita-based Comedy Events, August 2010

· WED, 8/4 – SAT, 8/7

GABRIEL RUTLEDGE @ the Loony Bin, 6140 E. 21^st St. (21^st & Woodlawn)

8PM (2^nd show @ 10:30, Fri-Sat) – 18+ to enter – call (316) 618-HAHA for ticket prices

(Standup – featuring RYAN SKINNER and DAN SKAGGS)

· WED, 8/4 and SAT, 8/7

MEN’S SCRAPBOOKING CLUB @ Fisch Haus, 524 S. Commerce (Commerce & Waterman)

9PM – All ages – no cover (Sketch comedy)

· SAT, 8/7

SAY WHAT?! @ Mead’s Corner, 430 E. Douglas (Douglas & Emporia)

9PM – All ages – no cover (Improv comedy)

· TUES, 8/10

TUESDAY NIGHT COMEDY REVUE @ Rock Island Live, 101 N. Rock Island

Featuring GABE PERRY, DUSTIN KAUFMAN, ROMIE LEE, SAY WHAT?, JG SHOW, music & more!

9PM – 18+ to enter – $3 cover (Multi-genre)

· WED, 8/11 – SAT 8/14

JANET WILLIAMS @ the Loony Bin, 21^st & Woodlawn

8PM (2^nd show @ 10:30, Fri-Sat) – 18+ to enter – call (316) 618-HAHA for ticket prices

(Standup – featuring WARD ANDERSON and JAMES GATES)

· MON, 8/16 and TUES, 8/17

THE MOM SQUAD LIVE @ the Loony Bin, 21^st & Woodlawn

8PM – 21+ to enter – call (316) 618-HAHA for ticket prices

(Standup – the “Airing Out Their Dirty Laundry” tour)

· TUES, 8/17

99 CENT OPEN MIC @ Blue Lounge, 608 E. Douglas

9PM – 21+ to enter – $.99 cover (18+ / no cover for performers) (Open Mic)

· THURS, 8/19

BOOK READING w/ EDWARD AUSTIN ROBERTSON @ Poetic Justice, 300 S. Greenwich, Suite 151 (Kellogg & Greenwich)

9:00PM – All Ages – no cover (Spoken Word/Alt.)

Featuring JAMES GATES and special guests TBA

· WED, 8/18 – SAT, 8/21

DALE JONES @ the Loony Bin, 21^st & Woodlawn

8PM (2^nd show @ 10:30, Fri-Sat) – 18+ to enter – call (316) 618-HAHA for ticket prices

(Standup – featuring RANDY CHESTNUT and DANIEL PEWEWARDY)

· TUES, 8/24

COMEDY HULLABALOO @ Kirby’s Beer Store, 17^th & Hillisde

10:00PM – 21+ to enter – no cover (Standup/Variety)

· WED, 8/25 – SAT, 8/28

STEVE HIRST @ the Loony Bin, 21^st & Woodlawn

8PM (2^nd show @ 10:30, Fri-Sat) – 18+ to enter – call (316) 618-HAHA for ticket prices

(Standup – featuring MARVIN LEE and BRAD PORTER)

· SUN, 8/29

ICT COMEDY @ Blu Nightclub, 8715 W. Maple (Maple & Tyler)

10:00PM – 21+ to enter – no cover (Standup)

…and don’t forget to visit the comedy-friendly local OPEN MICs:

· OPEN MIC with BRANT, every Monday @ 10PM – Blue Lounge, 608 E. Douglas

· COMEDY SLAM, every Wednesday @ 8PM – Loony Bin, 21^st & Woodlawn

For any questions and/or info, contact:

James Gates: (316) 992 -7922 – jgates01@gmail.com

ICT Comedy: booking@ictcomedy.com

ScallyWags: (316) 282-3762 – www.scallywagsonline.com

Say What?: (316) 293-6525 – saywhatimprov@yahoo.com

Loony Bin: (316) 618-HAHA – www.loonybincomedy.com

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