Rob Maher, the host of open-mic night at Potomac Grill

Published on: Friday, July 30, 2010

By Nick Coletta

If you can’t do anything else, then make them laugh.

Aspiring comedians looking for their first gig, professional comedians looking to try out some new material, and the average Joe looking for some midweek-relief have found a common meeting ground – Open mic night every Wednesday at the Potomac Grill on Rockville Pike.

“The comedians range literally from people stepping onto the stage for their first time to professionals who have been on The Ellen DeGeneres Show and The Last Comic Standing,” said Rob Maher, MC for Potomac Grill’s open mic night.

Maher, a comedian of ten years who has performed in clubs, universities, and on national radio shows and cable television, pitched the idea to the restaurant’s owner about a year ago.  The carefree environment that the open microphone provides was once hard to find in Montgomery County, but that is no longer the case.

Open mic night at Potomac Grill has quickly become a tradition for many Rockville residents.  Now, one of the only open mic nights in the county provides a casual atmosphere to unwind and have fun.

Gordana Zuber has been a bartender at the Potomac Grill for the past year and says that Wednesday is her favorite night of the week.

“I work four nights a week and this is really my favorite night because you never know what to expect,” Zuber said.  “I really enjoy the comedy and really enjoy the crowd.”

Zuber chatted with customers seated at the bar as the comedians strolled in around 8:30 Wednesday night.  The pub-like atmosphere attracted returning customers, one which said the people here make her feel comfortable.

“This is an easy place to come alone,” said Michelle Lambert, a resident of Rockville.  “I see a lot of regulars here every Wednesday night, and I get a very personal feeling by coming here.”

 “This place is usually more casual mainly because it’s free,” Maher said.  “There are expectations that you have to live up to with a paid audience.”

“I am a big fan of underground comedy and I am a big fan of this open mic night,” said Daniel Charnley, 30, a local musician who frequents the open mic night.  “You have to hand it to the people that step up to this mic; being in a band is so much different because you have people to back you up.  These people here have some guts.”

“We usually get about eight-to-ten comedians every Wednesday,” Maher said.  “We have a core group of regular comedians that have been coming here since we started.”

Tim Unkenholz, a senior at Virginia Tech, strolled into the Potomac Grill around 8:30 Wednesday night and said that it seemed like a good place to keep up with his favorite past time.

“I am here just for the fun of it,” Inkenholz said.  “I do some comedy around Virginia Tech, and since I am home for the summer I thought I’d find a place to keep practicing.  This is my first time here, but it seems like a really cool place.”

Mariya Alexander, 27, a local comedian, said that she performed her first show at Potomac Grill and now gets paid to perform around the area.  She arrived at the Potomac Grill just after finishing a performance for the troops at Walter Reed Army Hospital in D.C. 

“I just started performing in November, and this was the first place I ever tried it,” Alexander said.  “Now I get paid to do performances about 3-to-4 times a week.”

Alexander said she frequents the open mic night because it’s close to her home and provides her with a place to practice new material.

“Just like everything else in life, comedy requires a lot of practice and that’s what we provide here, a place to practice,” Maher said.

Ayanna Dookie, 28, is also an aspiring comedian and regular performer at the open mic night.  She said that she comes back every week because it’s fun.

“Rob brings me back here,” Dookie said.  “He’s a great guy. The bar staff and other comedians that come are great, too.”

Maher gets the ball rolling every Wednesday with his own performance around 8:30 p.m. and introduces the first comedian around 9 p.m.  Since the show is at a bar; the acts are tailored more to the ears of a mature audience. 

As is typical with many stand-up comedy clubs, the comedians encourage you to eat, drink, and be merry, and of course, take care of your waiters and waitresses.

“It’s a free show, so drink up,” Maher said.