Getting heckled at a show is always terrible, because anyone demanding a response has to be addressed and then the show takes an unprepared turn. Sometimes a heckler can be ignored, but most of the time a comedian will just verbally attack them. That’s what they want to do as a person, they have the authority to do and they are in a profession where they can do it very well. It’s so easy to make someone else look like an idiot when they are interrupting you and you are on a stage with a microphone. It’s like picking a fight a party with the person who owns the house. You’re going to be outnumbered.

Last night I did a show uptown and then went down to Comix with comedian Trey Galyon to check out Al Madrigal headline. It was the late show on a Friday and there were a lot of loud drunk people out with eight of their friends. One of them was getting heated for some dumb reason or another and then heckled Al. They were going to throw the guy out, but Al just let it slide, tried not to be a dick to him and kept going through his act.

I really thought it was noble of him and respect him for that. It’s so easy to go after a guy. It doesn’t happen that often, but every now and again someone is a disturbance that has to be dealt with. I’ve gone after drunks in the crowd a few times and you always end up looking like a champion. Sometimes it feels like it has to happen to get the rest of the show moving along. Last night Al didn’t attack the guy and that was great to see.

As a comic, sometimes I like to see a trainwreck. It’s kind of humbling, because heckling is a vicious cycle. Hecklers always say, “it’s all a part of the show,” or “you guys are supposed to be able to deal with that.” No, it’s not a part of the show; and yes, it is easy to deal with. But because hecklers think that it’s a part of the show they’ll keep doing it and it becomes a part of the show and since we get more practice in handling it we do end up dealing with it.

Good on you Al Madrigal! I’m impressed that you didn’t just bury that fucker into the ground. You got a couple of simple shots in, but you left that guy with some dignity. Although he clearly hated every minute, but that’s his own fucking fault, of course. That was the first time I’ve ever seen someone let a heckler off, but truth be told, I may stick to what works, y’know?