FAST FIVE Mickael Stevens: 'Sometimes we just need to laugh'

Meet Mickael Stevens, a local resident, business owner and family man.

For the past 10-plus years, Mickael has worked for local governments, from the Coeur d'Alene Tribe to the city of Rathdrum and now with the city of Liberty Lake, working to help enhance each community, wherever he has been. For the past three years, Mickael and his wife, Alisha, have been bringing in clean, professional comedians to North Idaho with shows at the Kroc Center Theatre and Lyfe Public House. Mickael is a graduate of North Idaho College, Southern Virginia University and Gonzaga University. He resides in Coeur d’Alene with his wife and four children.

1) What is life like running Merlin's Comedy Club?

Running Merlin’s Comedy Club is a stressful, exciting ride. My wife and I started bringing comedians to the area because we love comedy, but we also wanted to be able to offer comedy to all demographics, not just those over 18 or even 21 like most other comedy clubs. The stressful part is that these are love shows. Not all the comedians we bring out are exclusively clean comedians; they have clean material, but you never can be 100% sure they may not slip or go a little too far. However, so far, we have had nothing but great comedians and the worry has not been necessary. It has been great meeting and getting to know the comedians and seeing the laugh and joy the community gets to enjoy. Visit merlinscomedyclub.com for details.

2) Do you do standup, and if so, what do you love about it, or if not, what do you enjoy about standup comedy as a spectator? 

I do not do standup. It seems like it would be a fun skill to develop, but it requires a lot of time, effort and skill building. It is not just a thing you go out to do. I respect these comedians much more than I used to after hearing their stories and realizing how much time, effort, sweat and tears they put into their craft, like any other artist. I love the narrative that comedians put into their sets, how they can weave stories and experiences in their lives and go from one story to another, making you laugh along the way and then calling back to those stories in their narratives. In the end, I love to laugh. This world is very serious and negative and sometimes we just need to laugh.

3) What do you think makes a good comedian and a great comedy bit?

I think a comedian who can weave the narrative from one set to the next, then I am a big fan of the callback. The callback is usually a reference to a joke or story told earlier in the show, and then it's brought back in a different or unexpected light. I think that comedians that really hone their craft and are constantly writing and testing their material can really develop and tell a funny story.

4) What is something people would be surprised to know about you? 

I am a simple person. I love the community. I love North Idaho. I love spending time with my family. I do not think anything about me would be surprising, except that I run and manage a comedy club in North Idaho. I know so few people know that we do this, and even people around me frequently may not know about my endeavors with Merlin’s Comedy Club.

5) What is your favorite kind of joke, or a silly one that makes you laugh?

I love jokes, but most jokes that come from a comedian need the set up and time to build up to the punchline. Some of my favorite comedians we have had out are Heath Harmison, Michael Palascak and Jaron Myers. But some jokes that don’t need the buildup that I love are dad jokes.

• Do you know what my dad said before he kicked the bucket? "Look how far I can kick this bucket!"

• I offered my neighbor $25 to use his stairlift. He might take me up on it.