Between tests and part-time jobs, Steve Mayeux and Ryan Sands are doing their best to create a comedy scene around the University. It’s not an easy task. Mayeux, University alumnus, and Sands, theatre senior, are stand-up comedians that have performed in Baton Rouge, Lafayette and New Orleans for the past few years. They also run a Web site called salamivice.com, which has been known to feature plenty of satire and outrageous videos, stories and photos.  The two have been doing their best to jumpstart a comedy scene in Baton Rouge that has been non-existent for the past few years.The pair formed Salami Vice Productions in March 2006 when they ran a satirical campaign for Student Government at the University. Running without a serious platform, they spent only $60 on the campaign. Their main expenses were a carton of cigarettes and two sweatbands. They actually received 9 percent of the student vote.Mayeux and Sands have been honing their skills for the past few years at open-mic nights and stand-up nights around Baton Rouge.  Now they are taking the fledgling Baton Rouge scene in their own hands. They have been hosting their own open-mic comedy night every other Monday at the Northgate Tavern on Chimes Street for the past year and a half, and are starting another open-mic in downtown Lafayette at Sadie’s Bar. “After starting the Northgate open-mic, we started noticing all of these LSU students coming to try out,” Mayeux said. “We have probably found five or six comedians over the past year and a half just because we are so close to campus.” The number of comedians at the Northgate open-mic varies from week to week, but Mayeux said there are generally between eight and 12 comedians. The only other open-mic comedy night in Baton Rouge takes place on Tuesday nights at Phil Brady’s Bar and Grill on Government Street.  Sands said the Funny Bone on Bennington Avenue also features stand-up comedy but rarely books local talent or beginners because they use national booking agents.  Michael Ragusa, junior at Southeastern University, is an aspiring comedian who has performed throughout Louisiana for the past four years. Ragusa performs at three or four open-mic nights a week in Baton Rouge, New Orleans and Hammond. Ragusa said the open-mic nights allow him to practice his material without worrying about the competition that comes with a paid gig.  “People at open mics are amateurs, and people understand that,” Ragusa said. “I’m at the point now where I won’t do a show just to get stage time, but I’ll still do an open-mic because that’s my opportunity to learn how to perform my new material.” Open-mic is usually formatted where each comedian performs for about five minutes. Northgate gives each comedian at least 10 minutes. “Our whole mission is to get comics out there,” Sands said. “We know Baton Rouge is not the biggest market for comedy, so we are trying to get the best comedians we can and package them, so, if they do move to a bigger market, they will have something to bring with them.”Salami Vice also hosts paid gigs every other Tuesday at the Roux House in downtown Baton Rouge and is planning to perform at VooDoo Music Experience in New Orleans this October. Mayeux said the open-mic nights allow for the “rawness and unfiltered presentation of the purest form of freedom of speech.” He said doing stand-ups has made him more observant, more aware of current events and more comfortable talking in front of crowds.”Normally when I’m booked for paid shows, I carefully review my set list to ensure my performance looks clean-cut and well rehearsed,” Mayeux said.Mayeux said open-mic nights give him a chance to exercise his creative license.”But at open-mic venues, it’s a playground of depravity where I can experiment, improvise and rewrite jokes,” Mayeux said. “Open-mic is where I learn to improve my comedy and develop my craft.” Mayeux will perform at the 2009 New Orleans Comedy Arts Festival at the LaNuit Comedy Theatre from Feb. 4-7. Sands and Mayeux plan on expanding comedy in Baton Rouge and delivering “high quality kosher content” to as many people as they can.  __Contact Jack LeBlanc at [email protected]