Funny Business: Blasé Café's new stand-up comedy night

Siesta Key looked like a ghost town. Tropical Storm Colin was in full effect, and the usual crowd in the Village had all but cleared out. 

It was 10 p.m., and Michael Cerroni, manager of Blasé Café and Martini Bar, was ready to cut his remaining staff for the night.

Suddenly, people began to file in, filling the main bar area to capacity. They’d heard about Blasé’s new stand-up comedy open-mic night, “Shaken, Not Stirred,” and they weren’t going to let a little rain keep them away.

Since then, the bar has hosted three more events, and Cerroni says they continue to draw enthusiastic crowds.

The idea first came about two years ago, before Cerroni began working at Blasé. He and his friend and co-worker, Eric Dunn, who performed comedy locally, would talk during their break about starting a stand-up comedy night on Siesta Key.

Now, as manager of Blasé, Cerroni says he was looking for new ideas to keep customers entertained during the slower summer months. He reached out to Dunn to see if he was still interested.

“I was trying to think of something fun and different,” says Cerroni. “I tossed around a few ideas — karaoke, indoor live music — then I remembered this idea for a comedy night. It seemed like a perfect opportunity.”

Dunn says he was happy to get involved. Acting as the event’s emcee and headliner, he reached out to local comedians to spread the word. Each event, which takes place every other Monday, features an open-mic format, with each performer getting about 10 minutes of mic time.

Dunn got his start in comedy five years ago, when his friends insisted he give it a try. He signed up for an open-mic slot at McCurdy’s. He admits it wasn’t his finest performance, but it wasn’t long before he was hooked. 

Now, he says he’s happy to be able to offer that same opportunity to other up-and-coming comedians.

“I absolutely loved it,” he says. “There’s a performers’ high that’s unlike anything else. I’ve always loved making people laugh, and knowing that my ideas are reaching people and connecting with them is a great feeling. I wanted to be able to give other performers a foot in the door.”

The free event is open to comedians of all experience levels and styles. To put it simply, Dunn says to come with an open mind — and expect to laugh.

“Last week, I was telling Trump jokes to Trump supporters,” he says. “Everyone was laughing and having fun.”

“It’s been amazing to see this come to life,” adds Cerroni. “It was just an idea — something we would talk about when we were chewing the fat. Now it’s a reality, and we’re watching people have a great time. You can’t beat that.”