Do you drink during/before a show?

"My manager saw me drinking backstage and he said, 'Mitch, don't use liquor as a crutch.' I can't use liquor as a crutch, because a crutch helps me walk. Liquor severely fucks up the way I walk. It ain't like a crutch, it's like a step I didn't see."
-Mitch Hedberg

PK asks:

Do you drink during/before a show? are you more on point with or without a buzz?

For me: I often have a drink or two beforehand to get loose but usually not more than that. I like to be sharp and be sure I'm not slurring or sloppy or anything like that.

I have a different take on being stoned than most standups though. Most comics I know, even ones who are stoners, never go on stage high. But I've performed "in the zone" before and actually like it. Maybe not the best thing for a super tight set. But, if I'm just playing around and experimenting, it can help me feel in flow and loose and lead me to interesting places.

If it's advice ya want, I'd say you know best what you can handle. If you can handle your liquor or your weed really well, then who cares. If you're an embarrassment after two drinks, save it for after the show.

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