One mic at a time.
It only took me 57 years to finally step onto a proper stage.
Now I’m doing stand-up comedy.
Working through my first 99 mics—documenting what happens when you finally go after the thing you’ve always thought about. What happens when you actually say out loud the things that have been running through your head your entire life.
This site is a record of my first 99 open mics—one night, one set, one lesson at a time. A front-row seat to late starts, big laughs, hard lessons, and the strange joy of finally doing the thing you were always meant to try.
Why 99 Mics
In Northeast Ohio, there are 3–5 open mics a night. If you had the time and dedication, you could get to 99 pretty quickly.
In this story I am the tortoise. I can’t get out more than once a week. So it has to be slow and steady. Deliberate but paced.
That’s what I want.
I want to savor it and breathe it in. I want to walk around in it and unpack it and truly enjoy the entire experience. Even the parts that make me want to take a Silkwood shower after I get home.
“Ladies and gentlemen, help me welcome Missy Hayes to the stage.”
