Beginning as a member of the then-fledgling comedy troupe ABSO, comedian Mikey Mason has worked his way across 34 states and 3 countries returning to perform where it all started: Muncie.
Friday night, Mason will headline the show "Comedy at Cornerstone," an 18-plus event to raise money for downtown's Cornerstone Center for the Arts.
Mason joined ABSO, then called Absolunacy, when he started his college education at Ball State in 1992. When he first joined, Mason said he wrote nearly 75 percent of the material that the troupe performed. Mason's journey into becoming a full-time comedian has come a long way since then.
"I moved onto standup for a short stint, doing open mics at Crackers in Broad Ripple for about 6 months in 2000," Mason said. "I wanted to perform more often and wanted to rehearse more often, and grew tired of trying to find people to do the same thing. So in 2005, I decided to do it on my own."
Mason then started performing his original comedy songs on karaoke nights around Muncie using backing tracks he recorded on his computer.
"By December of 2005, I'd lucked into a feature spot with Todd Yohn, of Bob and Tom fame, and things took off from there," he said. "By 2008, I'd dropped down to part-time at my job and was able to quit entirely by June of 2009. I've been a full-time comic ever since."
Robby Tompkins, the executive director at Cornerstone Center for the Arts, said he thought Mason and his comedy would be a great way to introduce programming.
"We're a creative, community art center," Thompkins said. "We always try to throw in all forms of art. I think comedy is an art, so it definitely appeals to us."
Mikey Mason will headline the show at 8 p.m. Friday. The event is to benefit Cornerstone and its programs in dance, theater, music, writing and other creative arts.
"The show is geared more to a mature audience," Thompkins said. "It's an 18 and over event. We just want people to come and have a nice time out."
Mason said his comedy appeals to a general audience. He uses a guitar in his act to flow from songs to standup throughout his act.
"I explore my white trash roots and relationships, presenting an off-kilter view of the world," he said. "I've had other comedians refer to my performance as not merely an act, but an event."
Mason said his work is fun and very rewarding, but he has to work hard to get ahead.
"With any profession, the people who bust their humps are the ones who get ahead," he said. "Nobody gives anything to you; you have to earn everything, sometimes multiple times over."
Mason said his act receives overwhelmingly positive reactions from his audience. He said people come up to him after shows to tell him how their faces hurt from laughing, how they cried or nearly choked on a drink.
"I had one woman at the Stardome in Birmingham, Ala., tell me that I made her laugh so hard, she peed herself," Mason said. "That was awesome. Then she wanted a hug. Not so awesome. I gave her a T-shirt instead."
And for those students aspiring to become comedians, Mason has some advice.
"Keep your day job as long as you can," he said. "Write every day. Marry someone with insurance. Take the work seriously."
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Comedy at Cornerstone presents Mikey Mason
When: 8 p.m. Friday
Where: Cornerstone Center for the Arts, 520 E. Main Street
Cost: $5 in advance, $7 at the door
The show is 18-plus and features mature content. A cash bar will be provided.
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