Episode 139: Niko Lukoff

Niko Lukoff recently appeared on tour with Bill Burr thanks to a Twitter conversation, a testament to his phrase it doesn't hurt to ask. Nico created the Facebook group Displaced Comedians during the pandemic when comedy clubs were shut down, and it quickly became a hub for over 10,000 comedians to get booked on online shows. Scott was an early adopter of the group, but he didn't interact much. Nico explains that the group not only provided a platform for comedians to connect, but it created connections and friendships that still stand today. Nico believes that taking time to relax and enjoy things like the Eventbrite show with Judah Friedlander is the perfect Sunday afternoon activity.

Niko had just started doing stand up comedy seven months before the pandemic hit, having done around 30 live open mics while traveling for their job in sales. He had never done comedy in his home comedy scene in Idaho, so the pandemic provided the perfect opportunity to pursue it. Niko noticed that one of the comedians they had met, Carol Freeman, was doing a Zoom open mic, so they decided to check it out. Niko was then introduced to Rachel Rothenberg, a great comic from Salt Lake City, who was doing a Zoom open mic with 25-30 comics.

Niko talked about how they first got into virtual comedy, which was by watching other people do sets in their living rooms and cars. After seeing Carol do her set, Niko decided to figure out how to do a set of their own, despite not having the proper equipment. They used their laptop's camera and picked an angle of their garage to show to the viewers. Niko then joined various Facebook groups for various comedy scenes and did sets in different cities such as Portland and Seattle. They figured out how to utilize virtual comedy while they were in the midst of the pandemic, which was an unknown at the time.

The conversation focuses on how Niko created an online platform to organize open mics during the pandemic. He noticed that many people were doing Zoom open mics, but there was no central hub for information about them. He created a Facebook group and a Google Sheets list to provide this information, including the time, location, hosts, and sign up process. He also wanted the group to be a community, so he invited anyone interested to join. This platform has been a valuable resource for comedians and fans of comedy alike in the absence of live shows.

Follow Niko &  see where he is performing here:

https://linktr.ee/LaughYourLukoff

Here’s my latest blog “Easy Passive Income For Comedians & Other People Who Need Money”

https://www.thebtbpc.com/blog/easy-passive-income-for-comedians-other-people-who-need-money/

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