This weekend, the Nevada City Film Festival (NCFF) presents its annual Comedy Nights event with a double-header comedy extravaganza featuring popular local stand-up comedians and cult favorite sketch comedy artists, Friday and Saturday, April 4 and 5, at the historic Nevada Theatre. Doors 7pm, Show 8pm. Tickets $25/adv, $30/door, or $40/both shows. More information at www.nevadacityfilmfestival.com/comedy
Over the years, Comedy Nights has showcased such infamous characters as Marc Maron, Tig Notaro, Maria Bamford, Beth Stelling, Brett Gelman, Eric Andre, Nick Kroll, Natasha Leggero, Kyle Kinane, John Early and Kate Berlant to name a few. Soon after their Nevada City debuts, these artists skyrocketed to fame with their own comedy specials, podcasts, and films.
“Our core values lie in supporting emerging artists and facilitating a platform for them to connect with audiences,” explains Jesse Locks, executive director of NCFF. “We love creating these magical moments with our local audience in mind.”
The mini festival kicks off Friday night with “Locals Mostly” co-presented with The BVNKR and features comedians Zani Salvatore, Jori Phillips, Nate Shaw and Walker Glenn, plus host Michaela King. Saturday night audiences will be treated to the world-premiere of “Is This Okay?” featuring Jess Riegel, host and creator of the popular online series Unlikely Gems. Opening up is The Next Great Show, the only female-drag Wayne’s World sketch comedy, hosted by the dynamic duo Rena Blair and Judy Merrick.
Below is a Q&A between Jesse Locks and Jess Riegel.
How did Unlikely Gems come to be? What was the inspiration behind it?
Growing up in the 90s there were ingredients on TV, radio, and in books that inspired me. The cadence and style of TV news reporter special in-the-field segments seeped in. There was always Cal Worthington’s car ads, where he wore a cowboy hat. Shows and books like Where in the World is Carmen San Diego?, Where’s Waldo?, and iSpy all had this fun element of discovery and finding a character someplace new. Listening to Cool 101.1 oldies radio, there was always one simple ad by ShaneCo that stuck out to me, just a man talking in a consistent voice: “Now you have a friend in the diamond business… ShaneCo.. now with two locations…” I never seemed to mind the ShaneCo ads, and I would even join in and do my impression with the radio voice.
How do you choose your locations or subjects?
When I was a child, my mom usually drove us to elementary school on Laird Road in Loomis, Ca. When we were almost to the school, we would pass over this little hill and then you’d get a view of this red barn in the distance. My sister and I used to shout, “There’s the red barn!” It was a sense of place and at that age it was just exciting to see it again. Seeing and calling out the red barn was a kind of ritual for us. I think I’m tapping into that spirit with Unlikely Gems. It’s about celebrating things we pass by every day. Then it’s fun to investigate the thing further.
Unlikely Gems feels heartfelt, curious, sweet, and a little naive, more than it does ironic, especially compared to a lot of parodies or mockumentary series, so it leaves the audience sort of laughing but also filled with a sense of pride and maybe even a little confused too. You know what I mean? Was that intentional?
I was just thinking this morning about how most of the videos I’ve made in my life don’t have a basic story structure or narrative. I studied painting and filmmaking in college and made a lot of bizarre student films. Fun collaborations with friends with clowns chasing unicycle riders, animated vegetables, and a businessman running on a bluff with a corded phone being dragged behind him. One of the school administrators told me that one of my strengths was choosing good shooting locations. As a child, I remember seeing the character Ernest P. Worrell on TV doing advertisements and I loved him. “Hey Vern!” they would always start. I found the VHS “Ernest goes to Prison” at our local video store, but I remember my mom said I couldn’t see it. So instead of seeing a 90-minute movie story I saw what shenanigans Ernest could do in a 30 second TV ad.
People seem to really love it. Have you been surprised by the response?
After I edited the dump episode (ep.2) a few years ago, I could feel something click. It’s like making a delicious dish you’ve never made before, and you didn’t even really plan on making it. Actually, you always kind of wanted to make this particular dish, but you kept forgetting that and you never really took the time to make it. So, this delicious, cohesive dish was finally made and it was an “aha!” moment. I thought: “We’ll do the county, we’ll do California, we’ll do the country!!” The whole thing was done on a lark, so I think that’s why it works. But it has been surprising to me over and over getting recognized around town and getting positive feedback. It’s satisfying and encouraging to hear people say the show made them laugh and smile and they grew up with the nose cone or blue chair and it makes them happy.
You received a grant from the Upstate California Creative Corps, how has that impacted you as an artist and also the series?
It was pretty rad. Before I ever heard about the grant, I challenged myself to develop the project for exactly one year and make 50-100 episodes. It sounded easy but as weeks and months rolled on, I’d get bored with the project and felt like abandoning it. But I stuck with it. At the end of the year, I told myself, “OK I need to get paid for this or I’m done.” Boom, then someone told me about the grant opportunity and I applied, which was a bit of work. The grant brought the series to other counties such as Yuba, Plumas, Lassen, Modoc and it was fun traveling to new places and poking around and meeting people. Aligning Unlikely Gems with the grant money goals and Upstate Director’s vision was challenging and painful, but it all worked out in the end. Ultimately, I told God I needed to get paid if I was going to continue to work on it, and that’s exactly what happened. So, it feels like a successful manifestation.
You are an artist working in several different mediums, how do they all contribute to you as a creative person?
I eat acoustic music for breakfast. I have a mid-morning snack of writing. Lunch is simply hanging out with fun people that leads to improv comedy ideas. Late afternoon is jamming on electric instruments and drum kits with people. Dinner is dancing, first by myself then with others on a nice dance floor. Dessert is acoustic music again, on the front porch with someone smoking tobacco and finally someone playing some didjeridoo or a hand pan.
It’s been over three years since you launched on Instagram. How has the series, or the platform itself, evolved?
The character’s voice has changed; it used to be higher. In the beginning I was begging businesses to let me make a video about their store because I found something in it interesting. Often, they were like, “nah.” Then years later they come back and they’re like, “How much to make a video about our business?” But I think the soul of the show is random roadside attractions, unlikely gems. We did a successful contest where people made their own Unlikely Gems videos with the theme music. One possibility is it just becomes a user generated show.
This is the first time you have performed this Unlikely Gems live at this level. What has the process been like adapting it to a live audience?
Hah. Unlikely Gems is referenced in the show, and The Admiral (the Unlikely Gem’s host) will appear. But most of the show is original songs, stories, and skits that I find funny and entertaining. About half of the show is a collaboration with my best friend Andy Cerrona who is a natural comedian, a kind of Jim Carrey flavor.
What are some other things the audience can expect from your show?
For like 15 years I’ve felt inside like I am the ringleader of a comedy circus. This show feels like a big first step in bringing this energy to an audience. It’s exciting, it’s vulnerable, it’s musical, it’s experimental, it’s surprising, and it’s a bit outrageous.
What are you hoping the audience takes away from the show?
Inspiration, that glowing feeling after you’ve laughed and had a great time, and courage to do something daring in your life.