What happened with True Grit & Lava Surfers.

I’m posting this here instead of on facebook because I don’t want to draw in anybody who doesn’t give a shit about this drama. But I do think what happened needs to be public.

So, True Grit Comedy was started by Beth, and she recruited David and me to work with her. Beth started an open mic at a local bar & restaurant; she hosted for a while then transitioned to David, who hosted up until the bar closed during the pandemic. 

During the pandemic, Beth (under True Grit) started an online mic called Lava Surfers. She ran a couple mics with them, then went on hiatus. I later took over and hosted several Lava Surfers mics.

Meanwhile, the bar where True Grit’s mic used to take place is now reopening. Knowing I was a member of the True Grit team, the owner messaged me the other day. He asked when we could start the mic again, saying he’d contacted Beth and David but hadn’t gotten a response. Since they are being more virus-conscious, I assumed they wouldn’t be eager to host an in-person mic, but I knew they didn’t want True Grit’s mic to end. So I said I’d be willing to host the mic in person, simultaneously contacting Beth in hopes that we could discuss it with David. (David has been very cruel and manipulative to me lately so I’ve been avoiding talking to him.)

Turns out, in the days before the owner messaged me, Beth and David came up with a phased plan to bring the True Grit mic back over time, starting with an online-only show, where comics would call in on Zoom and their performances would be live-streamed on a screen at the bar. I did not know about this plan. The owner had been informed about their plan and told me he was only interested in a live mic. So, by offering to host a live mic for the True Grit team when Beth & David didn’t respond, I apparently ruined any chance of their web-only phase-in plan taking place.

Additionally, Beth and David are mad at me because I’ve made jokes about David’s abusive behavior towards me. My opinion is that if you don’t want people to know you’re abusive, don’t be abusive, or only be abusive to people who won’t tell! (That was also a joke! Obviously you shouldn’t be abusive to anybody!) I’m not sure how great of a role this played in my removal, but I know it was part of it.

I’ve enjoyed my time with True Grit immensely, and I can’t say how grateful I am to Beth. Not only has she been an inspiration to me over the years, she’s given me opportunities when I may not have deserved them. She and I performed a booked show in Las Vegas last year, and it was a transformative moment in my life that wouldn’t have happened without her. I hope that we can be friends again.