Last weekend, popular stand-up comic Alex Reymundo filmed two performances at the Missouri Theater. The footage would comprise his one-hour special that will air on Showtime and Comedy Central in 2010. As he put it, he brought “Hollywood to the Heartland.” Too bad the Heartland didn’t show up.

Sure, people nearly packed the house for Reymundo’s 7 p.m. taping. But when I showed up for the 9 p.m. show, the crowd was severely lacking. The theater was only one-third full. The approximately 600 people couldn’t even fill up the floor level, let alone most of the balcony.

Luckily, it didn’t affect the performance. The crowd played loose. Reymundo had them cracking up in their seats. Everyone had a good time, and the comedian showed endless gratitude and appreciation for the hospitality of our city.

But after the show, you could see more than just fatigue and intoxication in his eyes (granted, he took about nine shots of Patron over two shows). When you brought up how more people should have showed up, you could see disappointment. Disappointment in how all the excitement he tried to drum up for this event couldn’t sell out two shows in a city most people have never heard of.

Of course, I’m sure people could cite a million reasons for the lack of attendance and interest. Because Latino comics aren’t as popular in small towns in the Midwest. Because Alex Reymundo isn’t a household name. Because 9 p.m. is too late a start time for an event that doesn’t allow easy access to alcohol. Because the comedian doesn’t have “Blue Collar Comedy Tour” on his resume. But people don’t get Showtime specials, let alone two of them, if they aren’t doing something right. That alone should have sparked local curiosity enough to pay a modest ticket price and see what Reymundo is all about. The fact that it apparently wasn’t enough for a lot of people is downright disappointing.

Look, I didn’t come to see Alex Reymundo because I’m a die-hard fan. I saw him open up for Ron White a year ago at the Missouri Theater and was thoroughly impressed with his particular brand of comedy. I attended the Alex Reymundo performance because I recognized the significance of what he was bringing to our quaint little city. You could argue that not since the Academy Award-winning drama “Paper Moon” was shot here 25 years ago has St. Joe had a bigger opportunity to be exposed to a huge national audience, let alone provide a major step for Reymundo’s status and popularity in the comic world. He and his camera crew visited our bars and restaurants for an entire week prior to the shows, mingling with locals and filming numerous St. Joe landmarks and locations to help get footage for his special, give the Midwest a spotlight and get residents excited to come out for his show. Based on what I saw, only the first two parts of that mission got accomplished.

St. Joe will always have certain events come to town. It will be home to annual rodeos and country concerts without fail. But how often is this city really going to get the chance to have a top-notch Showtime camera crew stop by to film for any reason? Not often. And since the allure of a talented comedian and a nationally televised special can’t sell-out two shows, I won’t be surprised if it never happens again.

By the time Alex Reymundo’s performance in St. Joe makes its way to Showtime and later to Comedy Central, it will be produced, lit and edited to perfection. The routine will be seamless and cameras will sweep over the Missouri Theater showing a packed house hanging on Reymundo’s every word. And it will need every bit of Hollywood magic to create St. Joe showing up in full support the way it should have.