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Evergreen query targeted: "what to expect at your first open mic" — answered directly in paragraph two.
Nickey Winkelman has done stand-up for 20 years and never left Columbus, Ohio — on purpose. Her first open mic? Eight minutes at a UCSB variety show at 19.
That's over the line at most mics. At her first Columbus mic — the 2006 Funny Bone contest where Kenny Mock also did his first Columbus set — she went over her time again and got THE talk from Rick Tempesta, the famously tough comic who ran that mic for years. He put her through anyway, with a warning she never forgot. Twenty years later, Nickey co-runs that same Funny Bone open mic with Jesse Pimpinella, and this episode doubles as the etiquette class every new comic needs. If you're wondering what to expect at your first open mic: stick to your time, watch for the light, respect the staff, and be a good audience member — Nickey breaks down the unwritten rules she once broke herself.
Ira and Nickey also get into dropping out of theater school in Santa Barbara, getting sober back home in Clintonville, booking Shadowbox Live's Up Front Stage with Jimmy Mak ("Tuesdays with Mak and Winks"), her Go Bananas headlining debut in Cincinnati, and why "Is this enough?" might be the healthiest question in comedy.
Catch Nickey at the Columbus Comedy Festival, Aug 27–30, on the FemaleAF showcase with Amber Falter — schedule at columbuscomedyfest.com.
🗨️ Nickey needs your help: what was the video rental store on Indianola in Clintonville called? Drop it in the comments.
🎙️ Follow Nickey Winkelman: Instagram: @NickeyWink
🔗 First Mic is part of the Indie Comedy Collective: YouTube: youtube.com/@IndieComedyCollective Instagram: @indiecomedycollective
