Comedian Sandy Stec Rocks the House

A near sellout crowd packed Rooster T. Feathers comedy club in Sunnyvale Wednesday to see Sandy Stec debut her stand-up routine, “Leaving Milpitas.”

Four years ago, Stec, a longtime DJ at Mix 106.5 FM, sank deeply into debt after a bad deal with a boyfriend—and had no choice but to move back in with her parents in Milpitas. She’s profoundly unhappy and wants to get out before she turns 30 this year. Despite the name of the show, the audience soon learned it wasn’t all about Milpitas.

She did get some zingers in about "The Little Cornfields," though. “Milpitas smells like ass,” she said. “Ass and corn chips.” OK, easy target, but at least we have the Great Mall. “The Great Mall?” she protested. “You guys, it’s like a Chuck E. Cheese with a food court!” In a multimedia twist, she showed an original video of a fictional support group for losers with no lives. Her domestic situation was too much even for them. “Qapla,” said a Star Trek-obsessed nerd in Klingon as he walked out in disdain.

Offstage, Stec admits it’s not all bad. She enjoys the variety of good restaurants in Milpitas and recognizes that it’s a great town for raising a family. So what’s missing? She posted this on Twitter two weeks before the show: “Things I wish Milpitas had: a wine-bar, a place to get good mojitos, cute boutique shops, and single people my age.”

The problem isn’t Milpitas; it’s that she’s stuck in the wrong place at the wrong time in her life, and it’s literally killing her prime. Her friends, like Kristie Mitchell of Morgan Hill and Stanley Bernhard of San Jose, who were in the audience Wednesday night to support her, all live in other cities. When they first met, Mitchell wondered why Stec never invited her over. “You don’t want to come to my house,” was always the reply. Regret, shame and anger were the themes of the night, and they are toxic.

The good news is Stec is doing something positive about it. She’s focusing her talent and 10 years of experience as a comedian into a campaign to save up money, clear her debt and move out. She started a blog, LeavingMilpitas.com, a web video series on YouTube, and added Milpitas material to her stand-up act. The routine served triple duty as therapy, self-promotion and a source of revenue. It was enthusiastically received by the audience, who howled at her stories about her day job, dating and run/walking (“which means walking”) a marathon.

Tina Allen Gallo and Joe Klocek started the evening off hilariously as the host and feature respectively, but it was Stec’s night—her first time headlining a show, an important milestone for a rising comic. Afterward, Stec was elated by the love and support from her many friends, old and new, in attendance and said she looks forward to performing the show again.

Would she ever put it on in Milpitas? “Oh God, no!” she replied.

• By Sea — Build a tule canoe and navigate the Dixon Landing slough into the Bay, like Ohlone Indians did for generations. For historical accuracy, go clothing-optional.
• By Air — The hills of Ed Levin County Park are a popular spot for hang gliding. The first step is a doozy, but at least you’ll be falling with style.
• Clipper Card — VTA buses and light rail finally accept the Bay Area’s unified electronic fare payment card, so failure to find loose change is no longer an excuse. Tap on!
• Milmont Drive — See, MIL-pitas / fre-MONT. Get it? Do we have to draw you a map?
• In Your Mind — The bookshelves at the Milpitas Public Library let your imagination escape to a world of wonder. 

To see Sandy Stec's blog about her show, visit LeavingMilpitas.com.