Let’s go back in time to September 2021. I’m standing in a terrible venue for comedy. It’s a bar tucked away in an unsuspecting shopping center in Richardson, TX, more accustomed to hosting bands than comedy shows. To make matters worse, COVID is still wreaking havoc on our service industry workforce.
At the venue, there were only two employees: the door guy, who couldn’t figure out how to scan the code for my ticket I had purchased online, and the bartender, who was dealing with a line of people stretching almost to the front door.
The door guy suggested I join the drink line while he sorted out my ticket situation, but said he was “keeping an eye on me” to make sure I didn’t get in for free, if on the off chance I was lying about purchasing my ticket.
When the first comic finally took the stage, we discovered that either the microphone or the PA system wasn't working. The bartender/sound engineer halted drink service to go on stage and fix the issue, which made the drink line even longer.
Once we could hear the comics, the show began, but the venue's charming quirks persisted. The spotlights on stage were directed from the ground up, resulting in two unintended consequences.
First, all of the comedians had their crotches glaringly illuminated.
Secondly, their faces were cast in eerie shadows, akin to telling ghost stories in a homemade fort with a flashlight under their chin.
Another comedy buzzkill was the seating arrangement; the seats had been moved a solid 10 feet away from the front of the stage, creating a symbolic gap between the comics and the audience.
Against all odds, that show turned out to be a fantastic night of comedy and introduced me to one of my now-favorite comics.
This experience marked my introduction to Zoltan Kaszas.
At the time, he was part of a DIY tour alongside fellow comedians Dustin Nickerson and Alec Parent. This particular venue was just one of many unconventional stops on their ragtag DIY tour, which Dustin and Zoltan had organized across the country.
When conventional venues couldn't accommodate these comics, they went to great lengths to book shows at non-traditional venues and promoted them through DIY tactics. This tremendous effort resulted in what appeared to be a sold-out show.
Later on, I had the opportunity to see Zoltan perform at a more conventional comedy club in my hometown of Dallas, TX.
Despite the venue being more prestigious and tailored for comedy, I didn't hear about it through the comedy club's marketing team. Instead, it was another one of Zoltan's online DIY promotional tactics that caught my attention. Once again, I witnessed Zoltan delivering an outstanding performance to a captivated audience in a sold-out room.
Upon discovering that Zoltan's Dry Bar Comedy special and self-produced comedy specials garnered a significant number of views, I assumed he was becoming a household name among comedy enthusiasts.
To my surprise, this wasn't the case. When I asked friends, family members, and co-workers who were into comedy if they had heard of him, almost none of them had.
However, once I shared a brief clip or showed them one of his specials, their reaction was always the same: "How have I never heard of this guy?!?"
From a performance perspective, I firmly believe that Zoltan is the funniest headliner currently on the rise in the comedy world. With each online clip and live performance, it's evident that Zoltan has a profound respect and passion for the art of writing and performing stand-up.
One of his most admirable traits as a comic is the sheer volume and variety of material he has performed up to this point. As of this writing, I’ve listened to hours of Zoltan's comedy in person, and I've yet to hear the same joke twice. This alone attests to his dedication to the craft.
So what’s the issue?
Despite the outstanding on-stage performance and off-stage work ethic, I've witnessed time and time again how comics with less talent secure prime weekend slots, which thanks to excellent venue promotion results in sold-out shows. Meanwhile, Zoltan continues to perform on weeknights at my local club when he comes to town, and I only know about it because of his personal promotional efforts.
I'm aware that numerous factors contribute to booking club schedules, marketing shows, and selling tickets, which might explain the weeknight bookings and the lackluster venue promotion. And yes, I may very well be ignorant of the inner workings of running a club.
Nevertheless, my opinion remains that Zoltan is often funnier than many comics holding those coveted weekend spots that receive much more attention and industry support.
But let's not dwell on the negatives. In fact, for an audience member, it's quite the opposite. There’s a bright and shimmering silver lining for all of us.
The reality is that Zoltan's presence in the comedy world is strong and growing stronger with each passing year. The venues and the crowds are growing larger each time he visits my town, and probably yours as well.
This led me to the realization that we are all in a unique phase of Zoltan's career. Unless you live in his hometown area, this may be one of your last opportunities to watch him in such an intimate club setting. Considering his current trajectory, his venues may become larger, and his tickets more expensive, much quicker than we realize.
As I've witnessed from past experience, if he's given the opportunity, he has the work ethic and talent to rise to the occasion and seize the moment. This recipe for success will likely lead Zoltan past the weekend club spot and into the theatre circuit quicker than we may anticipate. And while I love a good theatre show, nothing beats the intimate environment of a comedy club.
So I urge you to check his current tour schedule or sign up for his email list to stay informed about his upcoming shows in your town and grab tickets as soon as they're available. I, for one, will be attending his show at The Addison Improv in Texas on October 18th, which, unsurprisingly, is a Wednesday night.
It’s easy to get excited about watching Zoltan perform on the coveted Addison Improv stage. After all, if he could make his set at a bar show in Richardson as memorable as he did, I'm thrilled to see what he can do on the prestigious stage at the Improv.
Travis Wright is the host of the “I’m a fan of…” podcast. If you enjoy music and comedy, be sure to subscribe to the podcast and check out the You Tube Channel. Thanks!
I am such a fan of Zoltan! I’m so glad he’s getting the traction he deserves. We were sad to miss him at Sams Burger Joint in San Antonio, and can’t wait for him to come back. We saw him for the first time on a Royal Caribbean cruise ship. I literally still say “Jessica” like he does 🤣