Mary Lindsey, the owner of Jokes & Notes Comedy Club, is a legend in the comedy game. She has helped to open doors for the likes of Lil Rel Howery, Bernie Mac and so many other talented and legendary comedians around the country. Rolling out spoke with Lindsey about her approach to running Jokes & Notes, the What’s Funny Comedy Festival and her advice for up-and-coming comedians in the digital age.
Jokes & Notes was a cornerstone for Black comedians in Chicago. How do you envision the “What’s Funny Comedy Festival” continuing this legacy and impacting the careers of emerging Black comics?
I think it’s a great idea what Knowledge [Beckom] and Lil Rel are doing because comics of color, or Black comics, don’t get the attention or recognition that they should. In Chicago, we do have a comedy club up north, the Laugh Factory, and it’s really important to me to see them on an even platform with all comics. When I owned Jokes & Notes, I started out with just Black comics, but a lot of comics from Hispanic and White backgrounds came to me saying they heard so much about my club and asked if they could perform. I said, “Sure, you just have to show me that you’re serious about it.” I would invite them to Wednesday night open mic, and that’s where Rel was hosting. He did an excellent job hosting the show.
I loved that Rel was my host because he took it very seriously, and his material was thoughtful. He wasn’t the type of comedian where everything was just crude language; he told stories, and I noticed that my audience really enjoyed that. Then Just for Laughs reached out to me and said they wanted to come, and I asked, “What kind of opportunity will that provide for these comedians?” They told me that Just for Laughs invites a lot of agents and industry people, which is always challenging for comics, especially Black comics. That opened another door, which I loved. The representative from Just for Laughs came, and I hosted performances for them. They were very impressed, and that allowed comics to get invited to the Just for Laughs festival.
It opened up a lot of doors for them, and I’ve worked with all of them — Bernie Mac, Chris Rock, Mo’Nique — you name it, they all performed at my venue.
I was watching the All Jokes Aside documentary a few years ago and your name came up. And one thing that all of the comedians said was that you were never late with a check.
Funny Business, that’s what you were watching. I was raised to pay people fairly, and coming from my background in compliance, working at First Options and the Chicago Board Options Exchange, I brought those ethics into my own business. I thought, “How can you run a successful business if you’re not upfront with the talent?” As I saw the comedians paying attention to the fact that I was serious, it was nice to see them start listening.
I told them, “If you want me to take you seriously, you have to take this seriously. Show up to work on time, dress for the job, and tone down the language. It’s okay to have it here and there, but we can’t have those kinds of sets all the time. This isn’t an open mic every day; open mic is only on Wednesdays.” The comics started to appreciate that. Once I saw they were working with me and following what I was asking, I decided to take things further.
Once a month, I started holding an open forum on Saturdays. I’d invite the comics, order pizza, give them a beer, and we’d talk about what’s required to be successful. Many of them weren’t thinking beyond stand-up. So I began asking questions like, “Do you only want to be a stand-up comic, or do you want to go on TV? Do you want your own show? What’s inspiring you to do this?” A lot of them said they had never been asked those kinds of questions, and I told them, “That’s why I’m here — to make a difference in this community and the industry.”
That’s also why I chose 47th and King Drive for my club. Dorothy Tillman was the alderman at the time, and she said she used to go to All Jokes Aside all the time. She asked if I’d consider opening my club in Bronzeville because they were revitalizing the area. I thought, “Okay, let me check it out,” and I did, right across from the Harold Washington Cultural Center.
What kind of changes have you seen in the landscape of comedy for Black comedians?
I think I’ve honestly seen them take it more seriously because they are now realizing it’s a steppingstone to acting, getting TV shows, and being taken seriously. Once they started talking to agents, they realized they wouldn’t be taken seriously in the industry if they didn’t step up their game and figure it out. And it worked out very well for them.
Share any advice you would share with a young comedian specifically in this digital age of comedy.
I would tell them, if you’re serious about being a comedian, a stand-up comedian, or an actor, sit down and think about how you want to approach it and what role you want to play in the industry. Then go after it and be serious about it. Everything isn’t a joke — just because you’re funny doesn’t mean you shouldn’t know how to have a professional, serious conversation.
The What’s Funny Comedy Festival is running from Sept. 16-22 at various venues in Chicago. Mary Lindsey’s Jokes & Notes Reboot will be Friday, Sept. 20, 2024, at The DuSable Museum. You can buy tickets here.
**Transcription has been edited using AI technology**
