Alex Soto Final Cut

Mike Roth hosts the Open Forum in the Villages, Florida podcast. The podcast features interviews with leaders in the community and interesting residents. They release new episodes every Friday at 9 a.m. and rely on listener support. In Season 4, they have made improvements, including using AI voices for the announcers. Mike interviews Alex Soto, a stand-up comedian and owner of The Joke Joint in Summerfield, Florida. The club hosts various events like music trivia, karaoke, dancing, live music, and adult comedy shows. They also plan to start a late night talk show in the style of Johnny Carson. The club can accommodate about 80 people and has booked popular acts like Jersey Gene and Danny Johnson. They are also considering hosting a magic show and improv comedy. The shows typically start between 6 and 7 p.m. on weekdays, with multiple shows on weekends. Reservations are free and easy to make. Welcome to the Open Forum in the Villages, Florida podcast. In this show we talk to leaders in the community, leaders of clubs and interesting folks who live here in the villages to give perspectives of what is happening here in the villages. We hope to add a new episode most Fridays at 9 a.m. We are a listener-supported podcast. You can become a supporter for as little as $3 per month, or you can choose to pay more. To become a supporter go to OpenForumInTheVillages.com and click on Support in the black box. There will be shoutouts for supporters in episodes. In Season 4, we have made some dramatic improvements and changes. First is a clarification of the podcast's title. It is Open Forum in the Villages, Florida to make clear that this is a regional show independently produced for folks who live in Central Florida and the villages areas. Second is a dramatic increase in the use of AI in the creation of each episode. In fact, the show's announcers are now all AI voices, including me, Emily. Hope you enjoy. This is Mike Roth here today on Open Forum in the Villages, Florida with Alex Soto. Thanks for joining me, Alex. An honor and a pleasure, sir. Thank you for having me. Alex, why don't you tell our listeners a little bit about your background and the business that you're running now? All right. Well, I'm a stand-up comedian presently. I've been a stand-up comedian for six years, and people ask me where I get my material from, and I say, well, when you're growing up in a community that's mostly retired people and you raise two daughters by yourself with immigrant parents, the material writes itself. So that's kind of my gist, you know? So I opened up a place in the north side of the villages in Summerfield, Florida called The Joke Joint. It's at 13685 US 441 in Summerfield in front of Del Webb's Bruce Creek next to Grandma's Cafe. Okay. And how long has The Joke Joint been open? We've been open since Cinco de Mayo, June, July, August, September. So four months now. And what kind of acts have you booked into The Joke Joint? So we have a rotating schedule, it's the same every week. On Wednesdays at 7 p.m. we have Petrina's music trivia show, we have karaoke, we have ballroom dancing, and then on Thursday nights we have 7 p.m. we have live music, different act every week, and then on Friday and Saturday nights we have professionally produced adult comedy shows. And then on Sunday we have a rotating schedule at 4 p.m. that we like to call the Sunday fun day. And then we have other acts that happen at 7 p.m. that's on a rotation as well. Open mics for the local comedians in the state, as well as a late night talk show, etc., etc. We got all kinds of stuff coming up for the winter. What is this late night talk show all about? So I've been here since... I was here before here was here. We got here in 81, 80, and I've built my whole life, and all the stuff that I do now, I've built it on nostalgia. So I'm opening up, starting... We're shooting to have it done by November, December the latest, twice a month, the second and fourth Sunday at 7 p.m. We're going to be hosting a Johnny Carson style late night show that will be free to see. You just have a drink or two while you're there, dinner's provided, and it'll be filmed in front of a live audience, and we will be uploading it on Facebook Live and YouTube Television so that the people at the independent living facilities that I work with, as well as some of the shut-ins, can get a chance to be part of the entertainment without being able to necessarily come out. And even villagers who have access to computers can watch you via Facebook or YouTube TV. And we're going to be setting it up like the traditional format, which is I'll be at the There'll be a guest, three guests, then a live musical artist, and then the show will wrap up with a Q&A, which will be kind of interesting, considering a lot of times we get to watch the entertainers that we like from the audience, but we never get a chance to talk to them from the stage. And your seating will be about 80 people? That's correct. And since you've opened the club, besides yourself, who have been the most popular acts that you've had? Well, fortunately for me, and this is just a little behind the scenes, Florida is the second largest concentration of entertainers in the country, based on the cruise ships, as well as the cities with the big airports. So I have a tremendous Rolodex of talent. One of the people that I use regularly is the number one Carnival Cruise comic, Jersey Gene, the Haitian sensation, as well as Danny Johnson, who's got three specials on Dry Bar on YouTube, as well as, man, I mean, the list goes on, Alex Yu, who's got a Netflix special, as well as Killer Bees, who is the host of the Discovery Channel Moonshiners program. We have all these acts, Michael Winslow, who did the sound effects from Police Academy, we got him coming up next year. We've got all kinds of stuff lined up, as well as a lot of the cruise comics that people see every day, and we just book them left and right. I'm booked all the way till February with nothing but nationally touring, headlining, professional comedians. Have you ever thought of doing a magic show? We actually have Greg Solomon, locally, from Ocala, who does a family-friendly magic show, who's been doing tremendous. We also are about to book Niel Sayer, who is a huge Vegas act, who is an illusionist, who, let's just say, because Florida was more open than other places, a lot of these entertainers are moving and they're buying places locally, so now Niel Sayer, who's a big Broadway act in Vegas, is now accessible to me, because he lives nearby. I'm a member of the Magic Club, and at least once a year, we have a big magic show here in The Villages, where we have 18 magicians doing about a five-minute act, and the audience walks around the room. Nice. Something like that, Mike. Maybe we'll be looking to open up a second one in the North End. Or do it in a different style. For sure. Yeah, because you easily could have seven magicians filling up an hour. My blueprint is basically I want to do a variety-style show, something that you would think of if you think back to Dean's House or the Dean Martin roasts, where different people would come up and they would do different things, and we're looking to book all kinds of stuff. I mean, the stand-up comedy stuff we do right now is two nights a week, and the rest of the shows are all based on stuff that people are familiar with in this area. Right. And then we have a improv club show coming up on January 10th. Can't wait. Yeah. That's going to be a dinner show, and the way I understand it, you have a cover charge of $20 for which people get two drinks and dinner. And dinner. $20 a person. It's probably the worst business decision ever, but my wife hates it when I talk about how little I'm interested in making money, but I'm just trying to check all the boxes. In a senior citizen community, working in the villages as long as I have, I've been hearing people talk about being on a air quote fixed income, which I've come to figure out that what that means is the average villager or person in this area wants to do two or three things a week. It doesn't matter if they're going to go see a small show in a room. They just want to have access to things. So one of those options from the week, I would like them to consider my place, and it being affordably priced, excellent top tier entertainment, dinner's included, drinks are affordable, and they're cold. The staff is wonderful because it's just my wife and I, and we're just very, very motivated to keep people satisfied. We do have another group here in the villages that might be interested in working at your place. It's called Let's Explore Comedy. The difference between the improv club and them is at Let's Explore Comedy, it's scripted comedy. We started out probably four or five years ago, and one of the bits that we were working on was Who's On First by Abedin Costello, and it was always funny even when we made a mistake. But then we realized that, gee, it's scripted, and it didn't really fit in the improv mode because in the improv mode, we use a format that is kind of like Whose Line Is It Anyway, where the average bit is three and a half minutes, five minutes is a long bit. We don't do long form improv, but when we're doing scripted comedy at Let's Explore Comedy, a single bit can run 10 minutes. Some of them are actually longer than that, and they're funny bits, but they don't really fit in the improv show. We're actually, in our November show, going to have a couple of the shorter Let's Explore Comedy bits included, but we can't include everything, and we have people who are okay with memorizing lines, and the improvers don't want to memorize lines. That's why a lot of them tell me that's why they're there, because they used to be in theater, and they had to memorize lines, and they hated it. So Alex, what time does a show typically start? Typically as of right now, our Wednesday and Thursday night shows average between six and seven p.m., depending on who's booking, because the karaoke acts prefer three hours. Most of our shows are two hours. And then on the weekends, we have an eight p.m. show on Friday and Saturday night, and then we have a four p.m. show on Sunday, and usually a seven p.m. show after. So during the winter season, you're going to have two shows a day? Right. By December, my intention is to have a one to three show, a four to six show, a seven to nine, or an eight to ten, depending on what night of the week, and then a four o'clock and a seven o'clock show on Wednesday, but as well as a one o'clock show every day, five days a week, is my hope. Okay. And do people need to make reservations? Because we are only ABC, we live and die. And I jokingly say, we tap into the ways, the old ways, meaning we do free reservations, no hassle. Just give us the name and number of people you want, we'll have the table reserved for you. That way, we have an idea of how many people are going to be there, and then we can assimilate those people. The last thing I want is to have 120 people show up for a show that has 80 seats. So if you're beyond that, I can tell you, I'm sorry at this time we're sold out, but that'll give you a chance to book the next. Great. That's a good system. Okay. What is the number they have to call to make a reservation? Our number is 352-871-0909. That's 871-0909. Let's take a break and listen to Dr. Craig Curtis give us an Alzheimer's tip. Dr. Curtis, we've heard a lot about alternative treatments, holistic care. Does that work for Alzheimer's? Well, certain things do work for Alzheimer's disease. For example, following a proper nutrition plan, if you consider that to be holistic, but also reducing stress, for example, through meditation. And there are other ways that you can use nontraditional ways of improving your overall lifestyle, which might help your Alzheimer's disease symptoms. With over 20 years of experience studying brain health, Dr. Curtis's goal is to educate the Villages community on how to live a longer, healthier life. To learn more, visit his website, CraigCurtisMD.com, or call 352-500-5252 to attend a free seminar. Okay. This is Mike Roth on Open Forum. I'm in the Villages. I'm back with Alex Soto. Alex, you said that you're a stand-up comedian. You've been doing that for six years. Yes, sir. How did you decide to become a stand-up comedian? Great story. So I used to be a department manager for Pulp locally in the Villages, Florida. I was considered a bit of a lunchbox hero. Let's say I was the Vince Papali of the Villages Come Stay Entertaining. I would just talk to the people while they're waiting in line to get their slice of meat and cheese. So my youngest daughter was starting her 11th grade year, and I started seeing the timeline because both of my daughters graduated from the Villages Charter School. So I knew that by the time my youngest daughter graduated, I may have completely fulfilled my commitment to the Villages due to the fact that I wanted my daughters to attend that school. Sure. So when my daughter was scheduled to graduate in August, I had a plan in place a year prior to where I was going to figure out if I could viably get out from underneath the management umbrella of Publix because Publix is a great place to work and they pay very well. So when you're in a state that doesn't do that very often, you want to double-check your thoughts before you leave a good thing. But I felt like I could do more for myself than I could for them. So I retired, and for one year, I was driving Uber and doing a chauffeur business. And while doing that, I was listening to podcasts that were like Joe Rogan Experience and The Fighter and The Kid, and they talked about doing stand-up comedy. So on a whim, I decided to go and do an open mic. And I talk about this often, that if you are doing well, your family's good, your kids are great, your money is being made, your bills are getting paid, and year after year that happens, you end up kind of becoming numb to what's going on around you. So the second that I got up on that stage, it was so out of my wheelhouse, it felt like I was walking through jello. And I felt this certain kind of way that I had not felt in so long that I became addicted to it. And then the silly curveball that in 2016, I won Marion County's Got Talent. It was a production that was being done at the Ocala Fairgrounds, and we were doing a show and I entered. I got a call back months later that says, congratulations, you won Marion County's Got Talent because I submitted a tape with my bits on it. And I told them, I said, well, I really don't know what you guys are about, but next year, y'all need to book me to help book the talent because I could not have been the most talented person in Ocala. And she goes, well, it just so happens you're the only one who entered. So because I ended up becoming the winner of the Marion County's Got Talent 2016, they asked me to perform because they had the stage set up because it was supposed to be the competition. So I get there the week before the show, and it looks like Katy Perry's going to perform there. There was a thousand seats. It had pyro and all this incredible stage stuff. So I took my little podcast camcorder and I set it up in the back of the room and about a hundred people came out and I performed the worst comedy show you could have ever heard of because I'd only been doing it six months. But I filmed it and I filmed it from the stage up. So it looks like I'm performing in this big place. Fast forward six years later, bookers from all over the country have gotten that film, which you can look at on YouTube. The joke is bookers are notorious for not going past 60 seconds. So when you open up my video, it's got pyro, it's got lighting, it's got dragons. So when they see it, they book me because they think I'm some kind of big deal. And what ended up happening was for the last six years, I have been growing my reputation as this horrible comedian, but who can put on great shows. So I ended up coming to the conclusion that it would be easier for me to produce the show and be the opener than to actually be a headliner that's going to be a successful comedian. So I ended up getting into the promotion business. And then from there, I went from renting a spot for the night to now I open my own place. That's a good idea. I think that the villagers need some entertainment venues that are independent. Thank you. Alex, why don't you tell our listeners a short joke or story? Sure. I'll tell you the story about my sister. I have a sister, very successful lady. She loves it when I talk about her, but she hates it when I talk about her, but she's way better looking. And a lot of times I can look at people and I can deduce whether or not they can relate to having a way better looking or way uglier sibling. Some years back, it was 4th of July weekend and my sister decided to come up to check on my parents, which means you visit for a little while and then you need to go get a drink because my parents will stress you out. I was at a 4th of July party at a bonfire in the back of my neighborhood when I got the call. She said, I already have the bottle. Just tell me the address. So she pulls up in her Mercedes Benz to the dirt road because I was in the back of what I like to consider my beautiful neighborhood, which is today's standards, a mobile home development. But when I was young, we called it the trailer park. So the further back you go into the trailer park, the smaller the houses get. Eventually they have taillights. And I'm back here having a blast in one of these barns. My sister pulls up. She has a seat. We're chatting for a few minutes. She has a drink or two. I get crazy because she has to get to the hotel because she has breakfast with mother in the morning. Give her a big hug and kiss goodbye because I love my sister. And as she's leaving to go to the car with no warning, she makes a beeline for the bonfire where there stood a young man, tall, good looking, Puerto Rican. She took him by the elbow and spun him around and without warning gave him a huge kiss. He was 17 years old. My sister looked at him and said, young man, I've been watching you from across the room. You're beautiful. You've got a future in front of you. Get your head out of your butt and get on with your life. Turned around and walked away. Years later, I was at the place where shopping might be a pleasure, but working sometimes was a drag. And I was sitting in the department. I look up and in the produce department stood that same good looking, tall Puerto Rican man. He came up and gave me a hug. Now folks, listen. Anybody who's ever met me, who's met my sister for the very first time, has always looked at her, looked at me, looked at her, looked at me, and asked me the same question every time. What would happen to you? So the guy comes, we shake hands, we give each other a hug, and he tells me, your sister, that kid. He says, I woke up the next morning, went to Burger King, quit my job. He says, I went to Ocala, signed up at the college, and I became an EMT. I got married. I go to church. I have two daughters and a retirement because of your sister, because of that kid. And I called my sister and I told her exactly what I just told you. And would you believe that she's so bad, she was just like, of course. I wouldn't pay for anything anywhere she'd go. So the thing is, is at the end, we give one more hug goodbye, shake hands, and he says, hey man, before I go, I got to ask you a question. And I said, sure, what? I figured he was going to ask me for my sister's name or phone number, he could call her and thank her. He looked me square in the face, and would you believe he asked me, what in the world happened to you? And I laughed and shook his hand one more time, and I said, you know what, man, I don't know. I never made out with my sister. So there you go. Okay. That was a good story. That was a good story. And in most of the shows at your place, The Joke Joint, you're the opening act? I am. I'm the opening act. And what I like to say is, I'm the curator of the evening's exhibit. And when I'm on stage, it's not funny, it's there. Okay. For me. Well, good, good. And when are you going to start this Tonight Style late night show? We're shooting to be up and running professionally by December. We're ordering the cameras, we're getting everything in place. And yeah, we're shooting to start maybe soft opening it in November, and then crushing it come December. That's good. That's good. We have a few people in the improv group that definitely would be a good guest. Can't wait. You'll meet John Case. Okay. He's got one of the supporting roles in Grumpy Old Man. Okay. And you'll meet Wayne Richards. He's a phenomenal keyboard artist and singer, and we're having him do support for the improv show in November. One of my favorite things about The Village is the story, the history that all these different people have. That you just rattled off four people that would probably be once-in-a-lifetime relationships if you were lucky enough to cross them, and now you know four of them. That's what I like about it. Yeah. Wayne's written the movie scores for three or four movies, written a couple of shows himself, and is a heck of a performer. Amazing. Yeah. I mean, there's just some really great people that you get to interview. A cruise ship that never leaves. Right, right. The conga line is in front of the door. It passes by. Right. Have you ever met Dean Corbett? I think so. Oh, maybe not. He's a short guy. Okay. He's a New York SAG actor, and for 10 years he taught the actors' workshop in The Village, and now he's teaching at the Enrichment Academy. I see. But he might be a good one to have on, because he can tell you stories about some famous actors that he worked with. Can't wait. Yeah. And you're going to do that between what hours of the day? From Wednesdays to Sunday, we're basically open currently from 5 p.m. to 10-? And then by November, we'll be opening by 3 o'clock, and by December, we'll be opening at 1 o'clock. I meant, when were you going to tape or shoot the- My apologies. The second and fourth Sunday, 7 to 9 p.m. will be the shows, and that will be starting. We're shooting to have it ready by November. So you're going to put a desk and a couch on your stage? Right. We'll have the TV chairs on one side, the desk on the other, the TV screen. We'll have the videos playing for my next guest. And my hope and prayer is that not only just performing or talking to entertainers, but I would hope that it would grow so big that the sheriff running for the next election will want to come through and talk to me. I'm a big fan of seeing where we can take it. But the biggest thing right now is I'm really shooting to try to find things that are nostalgically positive memories, small, local television-style stuff where the anchor was somebody you would see at the coffee shop in Ocala back in the day. That kind of stuff is what I'm shooting to do, so that locally people see me and they're like, oh man, I saw your show last night, that's just what I want to do. My world tour consists of Ocala to Leesburg and everything in the middle. That's it. That's all I want. Yeah. Do you include Wildwood? That's what I'm saying. The whole circle, basically everything that's the villages and everything just north and south of it. So by the time, within a few years, it'll be from Ocala to Miami, because of the way the villages is growing. No, the villages will never get to Miami, and probably won't get to Orlando. There's too much developed land in between here and there. That's true. But Alex, I want to, again, thank you for being on the show with me today, and remind everyone that in January, on January 10th, the Villages Improv will be there. I think we're going to do a 6 p.m. show. I can't wait. It's going to be amazing. It'll be an amazing group, and we're talking about doing some additional shows at Joke Joint. Can't wait. And everyone, I can't stress this enough, at the Joke Joint, we're healing the world with laughter. It is a lot easier, less muscles to smile than it is to frown. And we like to call ourselves the Pleasant Distraction for a couple of hours. Right. Right. Again, tell our listeners what the telephone number is to call to make reservations. 352-871-0909. Alex, thanks for joining us today. Thank you so much for the opportunity. Remember, our next episode will be released next Friday at 9 a.m. Should you want to become a major supporter of the show or have questions, please contact us at mike at rothvoice.com. This is a shout-out for supporters Greg Panjian, Tweek Coleman, Dan Capellan, Ed Williams, Alvin Stenzel, and major supporter Dr. Craig Curtis at K2 in the Villages. We will be hearing more from Dr. Curtis with short Alzheimer's tips each week. If you know someone who should be on the show, contact us at mike at rothvoice.com. We thank everyone for listening to the show. The content of the show is copyrighted by Roth Voice 2023. All rights reserved.