(855)912-8130 F e b r u a r y / M a r c h 2 0 1 8 2 9 Comedy Connection in 2012, Stuart says, “I think it spurred an entrepreneurial spir- it. There’s no barometer of ‘success,’ as far as becoming the headliner at the local com- edy club. It can be tough for some comedi- ans, but it’s also a place for people to thrive. A DIY landscape.” Mark Turcotte agrees: “The onus is on the comedians to keep the scene alive.” With a red velvet curtain as backdrop, Stuart hones in on the audience by asking about the best part of living in Maine. Like Micaela Tepler, Stuart concedes that lo- cation informs some of his material. “For a while I would’ve considered it hack,” he says. “But Mainers are proud of where they’re from. If you don’t touch on that, you’re sort of losing a bit of connection.” His answer to the best part of living in Maine? The return policy at L.L.Bean. Sunday Night Stand Up! feels decidedly uncensored. The evening’s first comedian, Dennis Fogg, approaches the microphone and announces he’s only got a few minutes– his wife and kids think he’s at Shaw’s. “I’m grateful that you’re all here, but I’m even more grateful that they’re not.” From scath- ing self-deprecation to lighthearted mock- ery, this evening’s lineup at Empire delivers, charming the audience. In one set, a married mother-of-two titillates the crowd as she de- scribes her “celebrity cheat list,” and a jersey- clad 30-something bemoans his family’s fer- vent interest in his relationship status. A typical lineup at Empire may include “national acts and people who started do- ing comedy a week ago,” Stuart says. “One of the beautiful things about comedy is so many different types of people are attracted to it. That’s the fun of it. The Portland com- edy scene has never been stronger.” n “It’s impossible to be in the alternative scene in the Portland area and not hook up with dudes who are into woodworking.” –Micaela Tepler