I have been reading comics for a VERY long time. A lot of my love for learning and reading and a bit of my world view came out the comics I read and even more from the ones I loved. Even as a little kid I was drawn to comics that dealt with outsiders or other strong social issues.
It was very easy to pick out the themes of self vs. other in the x-men. It was easy understanding the lessons about racism and hatred of those who are different. It was also easy to pick up on things like self-acceptance. The sad statement that such negative things aren't likely to go away was pretty much balanced out by the idea that there will always those who rise up to challenge to fight for the good in all, no matter what. The idea of a character like Wolverine, who is so often compared to a wild or rabid animal, was able to find love (though keeping it, in the hand) and to fight to protect those who would curse him was mindboggling to me (in a good way.. if that makes sense). As a child that felt out of place everywhere, this was a wonderful thing to discover.
Then came Marvel Team-up, featuring your friendly neighborhood Spiderman. Not sure why, but I loved this title more than the Spidey titles. In this case, there is a teenage brainy nerd having to come to accept changes and learn how to deal with them. When I first read the line ".. with great powers...", I read it not only from a societal perspective, but also on a deeply personal level; responsibility to yourself and others. There was also the them of dealing with those different from yourself. There would be lots of times that he would be in as much of a battle with local people as he was with the villains. Even though there were down times for him, he remained a mostly light but snarky character. That appealed to me as well
Next, I must make a confession: I have never been a fan of the Fantastic Four, with the exception of Ben Grimm, The Thing. Marvel Two-in-One was another title that I loved and had a big impact on me. I identified a lot with The Thing growing up. Every time a point came in the comics where someone reacted badly upon seeing him, I felt the hurt as well. It was no easy thing being pretty much the poster child of an outsider. He was big and scary and powerful, but he was a thoughtful, sensitive, best friend you could ever have type of guy. Best of all, even when it was at its worst., he was still willing to be a hero and protect those who would shun him.
Now, I bring up two titles that impacted me the most on certain levels: Shang-Chi, Master of Kung Fu and Power Man and Iron Fist. More on that in a bit, but I need to give a little historical perspective to my opinion in the casting of Danny Rand.
When I was very young, my family co-worked a couple of fields with another family. You may not think this has much of anything to do with...well, anything or would have gotten much attention. However, the other family was black. We worked together. We ate meals together. We had no problem being seen working together. The best part, or worst depending on perspective, was that we treated each other as equals. There were quite a few people though that had serious issues with it. A number of times on the school bus, I got to hear a lot about it through insults and comments more than likely just parroted from parents. When I would go up to the store above where we lived, quite often I got to hear just what horrible people we had to be. Even though I was young, I noticed that there wouldn't be much lip or trash talk when I was there with my other members of my family (No one would say anything in front of my father or sisters, my father had a temper and a reputation, and a couple of my sisters also had reputations and I am pretty sure the issue of 'what if that is the crazy one' may have stilled some tongues. My brother was pretty much universally liked, but he had a bit of a temper when it came to talking trash about his family. The one time I ever heard anyone say anything when my mother was in the store, it was said so she couldn't hear it, but there were a couple of others in the store that did and they laid into the guy. The general rule was that you didn't say anything bad about Miss Emma in front of people who knew her and a LOT of people knew her and loved/respected her). There were several times and and I would hear some hateful crap when I was at the store by myself. Sometimes they would talk around me, make comments like I wasn't even there, or even worse, they would have a conversation amongst themselves, but clearly using it to take pot shots at me or my family (so if they elicited a response, they could say that they weren't talking to me; I was just being a snoop and overly sensitive)
Anyway, getting back to the comics. There were a lot of adult issues that were dealt with in the Power Man and Iron Fist and Shang-Chi comics. Most I picked up rather quickly but the most obvious one was racism. I remember in one issue Luke Cage ends up rescuing a group of 'white citizens' *ahem* in the aftermath of a major battle with a villain. Said citizens had earlier been threatening Cage and making comments about his skin color and hair (putting this a lot nicer than was conveyed in the comic). That group would have readily killed him given the chance, but he saved them anyway. The fact that he also gave them a bit of a shaming when he reminded them of the earlier behavior. I remember a scene where Danny Rand was attacked because he was working with Cage. Reading these comics helped me put quite a lot into perspective.
Reading how these guys faced such hatred and ignorance and still played on the side of the angels was an inspiration to me. If they can be tough and deal with it, I could to. Of course, I also learned that a smile and a lot of snark can be just as effective as a punch in the face sometimes to help someone get a little taste of what they have been giving (and allows you to not have to stoop to their level).
When I finally started coming out of my shell and trying to make friends, my circle of friends Tended to be quite eclectic. Pretty much the only real criteria was to be and act like a friend (even all that time ago, the realization that so many either wouldn't or couldn't meet that minimal criteria saddened me). I got a lot of grief every now and then due to who I was friends with, but I could care less. But insult or hurt one of my friends and it could get ugly.
As sappy as it sounds, those comics did impact me deeply.
When I read those comics, it helped me deal with a lot of stuff. The hullabaloo over the Rand casting has made me go back what I loved about the books. I wonder if a different combination would have affected me differently. Would a group without a white guy, or black guy or an Asian guy have affected me the same way? I honestly think that while you can still tell the same type of stories, the dynamics of the group wouldn't be the same. Cage was as important as Rand and so was Shag-Chi. I am looking through a lens tinted by my experiences at the time, I admit that, but to take one leg away from a three legged table and the table falls.
Yes, you can change the characters and it could still be a great show, but to me, changing one character just for the sake of inclusion would be a mistake. One of the ways I measure how successful a movie/show is for me is how much it makes me feel like I did when I first read the comic. It raises the bar even higher when I am crazy about the characters or title. To me, a successful show would involve Danny, Luke and Shang-Chi in the same configuration as the comics. As it should be considering a show with Iron Fist and Shang-Chi, it is about balance. Back when I was young, I saw not just a Caucasian man fighting evil or just an African-American man or a Asian man. I saw them as equals. I saw them as a statement that we can work together even in the face of hatred and racism. I still see them that way.
I know I am just a lone voice (though very vocal about some things), but I am honestly not sure I could buy into a show (or shows) with a different dynamic. I probably could accept it as just a generic superhero show if it is absolutely incredible, but I am also less likely to give it that much effort or interest.
I have no problem with a Miles Morales Spiderman or a female Norse Goddess of Thunder, a Sam Wilson Capt. America, a female Joker or even, for that matter, a non familial fantastic four. There are very, very few examples where a gender/race/orientation/etc swap would bother me (actually, upon thinking on it, this is about the only example that I have had an adverse reaction to) So take it for what it is worth,
Saturday, March 5, 2016
Sunday, February 21, 2016
Delusional Puppies; or the merits of carrying a rolled up newspaper while touring around the net...
Delusional puppies - -
You ever come across something so deluded, so bugnut crazy, you end up responding to it like a rubbernecker passing a horrible wreck? Well, I think I have found something that just leaves me shaking my head and just dumbfounded by the depths of the delusion on the page.. What is worse though. is that each time I think rock bottom has been achieved, better digging equipment is found.
What makes it even worse is that the person who owns the blog comes across as imperious with a very much inflated sense of self worth. I made the mistake of responding to a particularly insipid post that popped up on my newsfeed. This person was basically backing the idea of political candidates that had no qualms about saying that their religion would dictate their agenda if elected. My response, as those of you who know me, was that there is a reason to be suspicious of these people. I made a general statement, with nothing personal to the author or to any specific candidate. She popped up and told me to grow up and essentially said that I am deluded and know nothing about it; as well as pointing out that the candidate she referred to should not be impugned. She basically also said that I was intentionally insulting to her and the candidate. I took her to task by pointing out that she was the one who made it personal and that I had taken care in past posts to try to be as neutral as possible (especially in cases where I disagreed with her). I also took her to task for the fact as an author, she should know that words have meanings and that her choice of words was not up to what one would expect from an author of her self-professed talent. She didn't respond further but several of her followers did.
I was told that we were not given rights by the constitution but they are God given. There were several replies along these lines. My basic response was if they were God given why was it necessary to write laws or even have a constitution? No one would give a direct answer, the closest they got was for them to double down on the same argument. I tried different tacks, but they couldn't get past their original argument. One particular person argued with me on this for about an hour before she finally said that the constitution was indeed the basis for basic rights in regards to the rights of citizens of the USA. Even with this, she still asserted that we had rights only because God decided that we (alone, my emphasis, but it was pretty clear that she basically meant white Christians in the USA as opposed to all citizens or people in other parts of the world..I kept waiting for her to figure out that the constitution doesn't apply to those who are not currently or soon to be US citizens).
I was actually laughing as the exchanges ended due to the utter ridiculousness of the the whole exchange and how strongly they hold on to their delusions.
Just something to ponder, as I will probably deal with these next two things in future posts (and with all due respect to Robert Wuhl, I am tempted to title each, "I shot you not!", for reasons that will be obvious in a second...
1) on another blog post she turned over to another puppy, they talked about the myth of the transposition of the Democratic and Republican Parties. A very passionate, and better written than other posts from the same blog, testament that the Democrats of the Civil War are the same as the current party (and the same applies to the Republican party; that Lincoln would embrace, or at the worst recognize, the current Republican Party. Seriously...
2) In the reposting of a past blog post, refers to Donald Trump as a traditional Democrat (meaning a socialist)...
I will just let you chew on those two points..
So, do you think, "I shit you not!" would be appropriate?
Monday, February 15, 2016
The Ultimate Comic Challenge Finals; who took the title and the big bucks
Valentine's Day weekend, a time for love. Right? Saturday night, there was a lot of love in the air at the Carolina Theatre. After a false start due to weather, the second time turned out to be the charm. A large crowd, 5 great comics competing, Eric Trundy hosting AND doing a set, and sets by the First Couple of Triad Comedy (nay, perhaps even the whole state); mix that all together and you have an event that was pretty damn close to perfection. Though at the beginning of the evening, there was a little bit of worry. While there was talking going on in the crowd, it seemed a bit reserved for this type of event. As the theater filled, there still seemed to be little energy in the air (well, other than the nervous energy coming from the participants of the show, for a variety of reasons). As I watched people come in, one thing that I noticed that makes me proud to be a part of the Greensboro, etc comedy scene, was the large number of comics. If you want to know what is so special about the comedy scene, this sums it up nicely. Seeing so many people who had taken the stage coming out to support the ones who made it through. Watching the interactions before and after the show, one might assume that there is a strong bond beyond just what comes from being fellow comics and competitors. In this case, that assumption would be correct.
Okay, let's get this recap of the show going, shall we?
Sitting in the audience waiting on the show to start, as I mentioned above, the crowd seemed a bit more reserved for a show of this type, with so much on the line. More than one of the comics who came out for the show mentioned this as well. It was easy to see that there was some concern about this, but the finalists I talked to before the show seemed to use this to build their energy; wanting to give it their all to win over the audience. It seemed like quite a challenge, but one they would be up to facing. Of course, there was an ace in the hole, Eric Trundy as host!
Eric came out and pretty much won over the audience within a few simple sentences and a couple of comments about his powder blue thrift store suit. Most people would think that sitting through the sponsor list, rules for the competition, and the like would put a damper on any energy built up so far. You could not be more wrong. Interjecting asides along the way, Eric actually ramped up the energy from the audience as he went along. While he was explaining why people shouldn't be talking during the show, several members of the audience yelled and made comments. Eric responded to each with a combination of charm and snark. With each insult and bits of explanation of past instances where someone tried to interrupt the proceedings, he got more laughter and energy going from the crowd. It would seem that it would suck to follow this, but not to worry. First up, Steve Lesser to open the actual show.
And open it he did! With his usual understated delivery style and slightly wonky wit, not only did he not drop the energy level, he built upon it. Seeming way too at ease on stage than one would expect in such an atmosphere, Steve moved through a smooth as silk set; along the way hitting on notes that the audience could identify with. From going to the gym to a first time visit to a trampoline park, it was very easy to imagine myself in those situations. Another cool thing about Steve's sets is that he will drop some subtle and/or intellectual bits in the middle of things, and the audience pounced on each one and responded enthusiastically. The audience at this point was more than warmed up and ready to give the contestants a lot of love.
Picking up where Steve left off, Eric came back out and pretty much cemented his rapport with the audience. Then he introduced, the first of the finalists to take the stage, Troy Dougie Harris!
And he was off and running from the get go. Troy, a personal trainer when he isn't doing comedy, took over the stage even as he started his set. Grinning like a kid in a candy store, the level of energy he was putting out just swept the audience along in its wake. Troy had a lot of support in the audience and the way they responded to him and, in turn, the way he responded to them, was almost magical. His jokes about the joys for him in personal training walked a line between being "in" jokes for his co-workers and being enough to hook the general audience. And he walked that line with amazing finesse. Bouncing from his job to things like "needing to get to the bathroom in a hurry while shopping", had everyone rolling . I could see some people nodding their head in agreement with his take on the situation, and I knew he was connecting perfectly with the crowd. As he talked about being a father and shopping with his child, the crowd laughed louder and I could see more people acknowledging how close to home and relatable his comedy was for them. Troy left the stage to an incredible response, leaving a lot of energy for the next comic to play off of. In what would be a theme of the evening, Troy outdid any other performance I have seen of his before.
Not one to let the chance pass by, Jay Stadler is introduced and takes the stage. There is a slight pause where Jay smiles, takes a breath and then drops into his routine. Bringing a different type of energy than Troy's, Jay was just as effective in sweeping up the audience in his wake. Jay's warning to the audience. 'I talk fast, so try to keep up!", was enough to get the laughter started. And Jay hardly gave the audience a chance to catch its collective breath (meant in a completely complimentary way). Even having seen Jay perform on several occasions and knowing how good a comic he is, I was amazed! He surpassed every other performance of his I have seen. Yes, he covered a lot of material, but even as he did indeed talk fast, his pacing was impeccable! Often hitting the right high points perfectly, he kept the audience's attention and they rewarded him with huge amounts of laughter and applause. Also, in something of a slight departure from a lot of his material, Jay got a little more personal than he usually does by talking about his current relationship. While I know Jay and knew it was a bit of a change, the crowd responded to it as if they knew him as well and their responses went up a step. He won over the audience and had them rooting for him, as a comic AND as himself. As he left the stage, he was followed by the raucous appreciation of the audience.
Here, Eric took the stage again to do a couple of reminders and to announce an intermission. During the intermission, I stood up and looked around. The smiles were numerous and I heard quite a few people either repeating lines from the earlier routines or just talking about how good the show had been so far. The energy level did not drop one bit. In fact, it felt like the energy level increased due to expectations of the routines to come.
As intermission ended, Eric again took the stage. He made a comment that, while he wasn't sure this was the biggest audience (though it was probably), it was the best crowd he has seen for a UCC Finals. The crowd response to this was deafening.
Next up, Eric announces that, before we get back to the finalists, there is another comic coming to the stage... Jennie Stencil!. Jennie came out to a large round of applause (and a few wolf whistles). Before I get into her set, I have to say that, before the show, I ran into her in the lobby and asked how she was was. Her response was that she was "okay" but had no idea what she was going to do for her set. Normally, one would expect a disaster in such a case. However, having heard the same thing from Jennie before several performances, I was not worried one bit. And she quickly showed that my faith was warranted. While her routine mainly focused on riffing off of her marriage and kids, she delivered a hilarious, yet non-family-friendly, set, And I mean that in the best possible way. Playing on 'naughty' twists of very relatable themes, Jennie wowed the crowd. Seeing quite a few people with a 'Really?" look on their faces made the performance even funnier to me. She set the tone nicely for the next comic to takes the stage - Zo Myers!
,
Following the higher energy comedy from Troy, Jay and Jennie, Zo flipped the script on the crowd by hitting on all cylinders with a more laid back, measured set. A lot of times, that could be a recipe for disaster, but Zo, as he so often does, was able to grab the audience and keep the energy level flying high. Keeping a good pace and hitting laugh lines so precisely, Zo worked off of the audience's responses, using pauses and natural laugh breaks to add his twists to mundane things. From talking about being a stripper (copper, that is) to a bit about the old game, "Guess Who?", Zo easily led the audience on the paths he wanted them to take; only to pull the rug out from under their expectations, all to the audience's delight. It was easy to buy into Zo's confident and measured demeanor, and that made twists even more effective. As always, it was a tremendously funny set for Zo.
The next comic to take the stage was Dusty Cagle. Having seen Dusty the first time he ever took the stage in a stand up class at the Idiot Box and seeing his progress in the roughly year and a half (!!!), I was especially looking forward to his performance. Earlier, Dusty had expressed some concerns, but from the moment he stepped out on the stage, it was clear his concerns were unfounded. Dusty has an almost frenetic delivery style. It is easy to get caught up by it and end up winded as he finishes his set. Saturday, he showed a level of control and an ability to play off of the audience reactions that was not only remarkable to see from a comic with his amount of experience, but exhilarating to experience. His turns in the earlier rounds were at such a high level that it was kind of a daunting idea that he could outdo them. He not only outdid them, he left them in the dust (no pun intended). Using facial expressions, almost perfect pacing, and a big dose of self-deprecating humor, Dusty had the crowd eating out of his hands by the end of his set. Getting a sustained applause break, Dusty seemed to draw energy from it and finished his set with even more energy. The crowd responded wonderfully, trying to give back to him as much energy as he had shown in his set.
One comic left to go, and each of the preceding comics stepping up their game to a higher level, it would be easy to overwhelm a comic. Luckily, the final comic of the night was, or at least seemed, unfazed by it. As she took the stage, Melissa Douty's smile was almost as sparkling as the top she wore. I am pretty sure she won over the audience before she even said one word. Combining an upbeat delivery with a down home, decidedly Southern demeanor, it is almost impossible not to be trapped by her charm and comic ability. Hitting on things like "I can't believe it's not butter", carpooling with her lunch, getting her eyebrow done, and working at Red Lobster, it was almost like sitting down for iced tea and a nice chat with your best friend. As with Troy, she had a large group of supporters and, again, like Troy, seeing her feed off of that energy and then stepping it up and pretty much controlling the whole audience's energy was, for lack of a good enough superlative, incredible. Like Dusty, seeing the joy she radiated as the set went along was something that I would have hated to miss. As happened pretty much all evening for me, there came a point where I kind of forgot this was a competition and I just sat back and reveled in the experience of seeing such talent on stage. Even with the level of responses all evening, it was pretty easy to see that Melissa was someone special. From getting multiple applause breaks, to the length of said breaks, and the level of noise as she ended her set, it was clear that Melissa had not only won over the crowd, but she had made an indelible mark on not only the UCC, but the local comedy scene in general.
At this point, the judges were all called together to go over their rankings and to figure out who finished in what spot. Eric Trundy again took the mic, but this time not as a host, but as the closer for the show (kind of flowery, but sounds better than "time filler until the judges finish"). Having done an excellent job hosting, the crowd was pretty jazzed to hear Eric perform and he didn't disappoint. Throwing out jibes to people in the audience intermittently as he did his set just won the crowd over even more. In the midst of talking about things like his experiences in comedy, winning the UCC and touching on family stuff, Eric went into some surreal territory talking about such things as mushrooms before taking an airplane flight. It really didn't matter what he did, the audience was into everything he said. Even though the announcement of the judges' decision was still to come, Eric's set was the perfect ending to an almost perfect show.
The only thing left at this point is to announce the results, I guess. I want to preface that by restating something that Steve Lesser says, this is the moment I love and hate the most. It is great to congratulate the winner, but it sucks that some great talent falls a bit short. No matter what happens, all of the finalists kicked ass. All of them went above and beyond their usual high level and gave the audience an evening that will be remembered and talked about for a long time to come.
With no further ado, it is time to give the results:
Tied for 4th place: Troy Dougie Harris and Zo Myers
3rd place: Dusty Cagle
2nd place: Jay Stadler
and the winner of the Ultimate Comic title:
1st place: Melissa Douty**
Congratulations to you all! It was an honor watching you perform and sharing the stage with you and all the other local comedians in the competition!
** making UCC history, Melissa Douty is the first female comic to make the finals, and (obviously), to take the title**
Okay, let's get this recap of the show going, shall we?
Sitting in the audience waiting on the show to start, as I mentioned above, the crowd seemed a bit more reserved for a show of this type, with so much on the line. More than one of the comics who came out for the show mentioned this as well. It was easy to see that there was some concern about this, but the finalists I talked to before the show seemed to use this to build their energy; wanting to give it their all to win over the audience. It seemed like quite a challenge, but one they would be up to facing. Of course, there was an ace in the hole, Eric Trundy as host!
Eric came out and pretty much won over the audience within a few simple sentences and a couple of comments about his powder blue thrift store suit. Most people would think that sitting through the sponsor list, rules for the competition, and the like would put a damper on any energy built up so far. You could not be more wrong. Interjecting asides along the way, Eric actually ramped up the energy from the audience as he went along. While he was explaining why people shouldn't be talking during the show, several members of the audience yelled and made comments. Eric responded to each with a combination of charm and snark. With each insult and bits of explanation of past instances where someone tried to interrupt the proceedings, he got more laughter and energy going from the crowd. It would seem that it would suck to follow this, but not to worry. First up, Steve Lesser to open the actual show.
And open it he did! With his usual understated delivery style and slightly wonky wit, not only did he not drop the energy level, he built upon it. Seeming way too at ease on stage than one would expect in such an atmosphere, Steve moved through a smooth as silk set; along the way hitting on notes that the audience could identify with. From going to the gym to a first time visit to a trampoline park, it was very easy to imagine myself in those situations. Another cool thing about Steve's sets is that he will drop some subtle and/or intellectual bits in the middle of things, and the audience pounced on each one and responded enthusiastically. The audience at this point was more than warmed up and ready to give the contestants a lot of love.
Picking up where Steve left off, Eric came back out and pretty much cemented his rapport with the audience. Then he introduced, the first of the finalists to take the stage, Troy Dougie Harris!
And he was off and running from the get go. Troy, a personal trainer when he isn't doing comedy, took over the stage even as he started his set. Grinning like a kid in a candy store, the level of energy he was putting out just swept the audience along in its wake. Troy had a lot of support in the audience and the way they responded to him and, in turn, the way he responded to them, was almost magical. His jokes about the joys for him in personal training walked a line between being "in" jokes for his co-workers and being enough to hook the general audience. And he walked that line with amazing finesse. Bouncing from his job to things like "needing to get to the bathroom in a hurry while shopping", had everyone rolling . I could see some people nodding their head in agreement with his take on the situation, and I knew he was connecting perfectly with the crowd. As he talked about being a father and shopping with his child, the crowd laughed louder and I could see more people acknowledging how close to home and relatable his comedy was for them. Troy left the stage to an incredible response, leaving a lot of energy for the next comic to play off of. In what would be a theme of the evening, Troy outdid any other performance I have seen of his before.
Not one to let the chance pass by, Jay Stadler is introduced and takes the stage. There is a slight pause where Jay smiles, takes a breath and then drops into his routine. Bringing a different type of energy than Troy's, Jay was just as effective in sweeping up the audience in his wake. Jay's warning to the audience. 'I talk fast, so try to keep up!", was enough to get the laughter started. And Jay hardly gave the audience a chance to catch its collective breath (meant in a completely complimentary way). Even having seen Jay perform on several occasions and knowing how good a comic he is, I was amazed! He surpassed every other performance of his I have seen. Yes, he covered a lot of material, but even as he did indeed talk fast, his pacing was impeccable! Often hitting the right high points perfectly, he kept the audience's attention and they rewarded him with huge amounts of laughter and applause. Also, in something of a slight departure from a lot of his material, Jay got a little more personal than he usually does by talking about his current relationship. While I know Jay and knew it was a bit of a change, the crowd responded to it as if they knew him as well and their responses went up a step. He won over the audience and had them rooting for him, as a comic AND as himself. As he left the stage, he was followed by the raucous appreciation of the audience.
Here, Eric took the stage again to do a couple of reminders and to announce an intermission. During the intermission, I stood up and looked around. The smiles were numerous and I heard quite a few people either repeating lines from the earlier routines or just talking about how good the show had been so far. The energy level did not drop one bit. In fact, it felt like the energy level increased due to expectations of the routines to come.
As intermission ended, Eric again took the stage. He made a comment that, while he wasn't sure this was the biggest audience (though it was probably), it was the best crowd he has seen for a UCC Finals. The crowd response to this was deafening.
Next up, Eric announces that, before we get back to the finalists, there is another comic coming to the stage... Jennie Stencil!. Jennie came out to a large round of applause (and a few wolf whistles). Before I get into her set, I have to say that, before the show, I ran into her in the lobby and asked how she was was. Her response was that she was "okay" but had no idea what she was going to do for her set. Normally, one would expect a disaster in such a case. However, having heard the same thing from Jennie before several performances, I was not worried one bit. And she quickly showed that my faith was warranted. While her routine mainly focused on riffing off of her marriage and kids, she delivered a hilarious, yet non-family-friendly, set, And I mean that in the best possible way. Playing on 'naughty' twists of very relatable themes, Jennie wowed the crowd. Seeing quite a few people with a 'Really?" look on their faces made the performance even funnier to me. She set the tone nicely for the next comic to takes the stage - Zo Myers!
,
Following the higher energy comedy from Troy, Jay and Jennie, Zo flipped the script on the crowd by hitting on all cylinders with a more laid back, measured set. A lot of times, that could be a recipe for disaster, but Zo, as he so often does, was able to grab the audience and keep the energy level flying high. Keeping a good pace and hitting laugh lines so precisely, Zo worked off of the audience's responses, using pauses and natural laugh breaks to add his twists to mundane things. From talking about being a stripper (copper, that is) to a bit about the old game, "Guess Who?", Zo easily led the audience on the paths he wanted them to take; only to pull the rug out from under their expectations, all to the audience's delight. It was easy to buy into Zo's confident and measured demeanor, and that made twists even more effective. As always, it was a tremendously funny set for Zo.
The next comic to take the stage was Dusty Cagle. Having seen Dusty the first time he ever took the stage in a stand up class at the Idiot Box and seeing his progress in the roughly year and a half (!!!), I was especially looking forward to his performance. Earlier, Dusty had expressed some concerns, but from the moment he stepped out on the stage, it was clear his concerns were unfounded. Dusty has an almost frenetic delivery style. It is easy to get caught up by it and end up winded as he finishes his set. Saturday, he showed a level of control and an ability to play off of the audience reactions that was not only remarkable to see from a comic with his amount of experience, but exhilarating to experience. His turns in the earlier rounds were at such a high level that it was kind of a daunting idea that he could outdo them. He not only outdid them, he left them in the dust (no pun intended). Using facial expressions, almost perfect pacing, and a big dose of self-deprecating humor, Dusty had the crowd eating out of his hands by the end of his set. Getting a sustained applause break, Dusty seemed to draw energy from it and finished his set with even more energy. The crowd responded wonderfully, trying to give back to him as much energy as he had shown in his set.
One comic left to go, and each of the preceding comics stepping up their game to a higher level, it would be easy to overwhelm a comic. Luckily, the final comic of the night was, or at least seemed, unfazed by it. As she took the stage, Melissa Douty's smile was almost as sparkling as the top she wore. I am pretty sure she won over the audience before she even said one word. Combining an upbeat delivery with a down home, decidedly Southern demeanor, it is almost impossible not to be trapped by her charm and comic ability. Hitting on things like "I can't believe it's not butter", carpooling with her lunch, getting her eyebrow done, and working at Red Lobster, it was almost like sitting down for iced tea and a nice chat with your best friend. As with Troy, she had a large group of supporters and, again, like Troy, seeing her feed off of that energy and then stepping it up and pretty much controlling the whole audience's energy was, for lack of a good enough superlative, incredible. Like Dusty, seeing the joy she radiated as the set went along was something that I would have hated to miss. As happened pretty much all evening for me, there came a point where I kind of forgot this was a competition and I just sat back and reveled in the experience of seeing such talent on stage. Even with the level of responses all evening, it was pretty easy to see that Melissa was someone special. From getting multiple applause breaks, to the length of said breaks, and the level of noise as she ended her set, it was clear that Melissa had not only won over the crowd, but she had made an indelible mark on not only the UCC, but the local comedy scene in general.
At this point, the judges were all called together to go over their rankings and to figure out who finished in what spot. Eric Trundy again took the mic, but this time not as a host, but as the closer for the show (kind of flowery, but sounds better than "time filler until the judges finish"). Having done an excellent job hosting, the crowd was pretty jazzed to hear Eric perform and he didn't disappoint. Throwing out jibes to people in the audience intermittently as he did his set just won the crowd over even more. In the midst of talking about things like his experiences in comedy, winning the UCC and touching on family stuff, Eric went into some surreal territory talking about such things as mushrooms before taking an airplane flight. It really didn't matter what he did, the audience was into everything he said. Even though the announcement of the judges' decision was still to come, Eric's set was the perfect ending to an almost perfect show.
The only thing left at this point is to announce the results, I guess. I want to preface that by restating something that Steve Lesser says, this is the moment I love and hate the most. It is great to congratulate the winner, but it sucks that some great talent falls a bit short. No matter what happens, all of the finalists kicked ass. All of them went above and beyond their usual high level and gave the audience an evening that will be remembered and talked about for a long time to come.
With no further ado, it is time to give the results:
Tied for 4th place: Troy Dougie Harris and Zo Myers
3rd place: Dusty Cagle
2nd place: Jay Stadler
and the winner of the Ultimate Comic title:
1st place: Melissa Douty**
Congratulations to you all! It was an honor watching you perform and sharing the stage with you and all the other local comedians in the competition!
** making UCC history, Melissa Douty is the first female comic to make the finals, and (obviously), to take the title**
Wednesday, February 3, 2016
Return of the Magnificent Sport Babble... A throwback post in honor of the upcoming big game...
oh..and I feel like I must make a final statement on another aspect of this Super Bowl... which was played on feb. 2nd... in New Jersey.. in which over 50 points were scored.. in which a record for completions by one qb (also by one team) in a single game was broken.. in which the record for most receptions by a player in a single game was broken... in which a team became the first in SB history to score via safety, interception return and kickoff return in the same game... where an ugly defensive struggle happened for one team... where at halftime, it was 2 degrees warmer than in Seattle....
If you were one of the ones who lost your crap because of the venue of the super bowl.. or how it could impact the results... or pretty much anything else... 3 things: 1) you were wrong (though even if the weather had been crappy, you would still have been wrong); 2) you have shown you either have no clue about football and what makes it great; 3) if you talk about the 'wussification of the game' or anything like that, you have given lifetime permission to be 'gibbs slapped' by any real football fans within arms reach....
For almost anyone who has put on the pads and shed blood and sweat playing football, or even just went out and played neighborhood or backyard football can tell you.. a football game in warm weather is wonderful.. but when the game truly comes to life, it is in the rain..the mud..the snow... excelling in perfect weather is one thing (and worthy of being proud of and lauded for), but doing so when the weather is as much an opponent as the other team? That is when the exciting becomes epic; the amazing, legendary..
Go back and look up the fog bowl or the ice bowl... the eagles/lions game from this season.. and so many more I could mention. Look at all of the other games that have been played in crappy conditions. that is one of the things that makes (American) football great. weather conditions are at the heart of the game too, if for nothing else than the fact that, with the exception of possible life threatening conditions, they don't stop the game.
A 10 yard rush in the pouring rain... a diving catch on a snowy field and coming up with a face full of snow... the sting and exhilaration of a solid tackle in cold weather... the incredible rush of walking off the field knowing you bested not only the opposing team, but the weather as well.... even the consoling knowledge that even if you came up short on the scoreboard, you still went out there and performed at your best in the face of variables that you have no control over... you faced it and you triumphed at some level...
if you don't or can't get it.. that is okay, it happens... just try to not make your ignorance of, or disregard for, what makes the game great so painfully obvious....
It wasn't a pretty game, by any means... but it gave us a truly great defensive show... Percy Harvin's 87 yard kickoff return... incredible touchdown receptions by baldwin, kearse and d. thomas.. plays that will be remembered..not only for the plays themselves, but also the stage and location where they happened.
I loved the game.. i have no problem saying that... but to be honest, it would have been better with a bit of snow or being a few degrees colder....
Wednesday, January 27, 2016
A comedy show too good to miss? That’s right, the UCC Finals are almost here!
It has been a while so I thought it would be a good time to remind every one of the epic event known as the UCC Finals. If you like comedy, then you definitely want to be here for this one! Happening on Saturday, February 13th, with a starting time of 8:00 pm at the historic Carolina Theatre in downtown Greensboro, this promises to be an incredible show. The event started with 82 comics competing to make it to this point. The level of talent was tremendous this year with some of the best shows in recent memory. Through the semifinals, comics were voted forward by audience votes (as well as comic votes for those who moved into the wild card round), but this time there is no need to stress as the winner will be decided by a panel of judges who know comedy in general, but especial local comedy. The winning comic receives $1000! We are talking life changing money for a comic here! So do yourself a solid while supporting local comedy and local comedy venues! Come and cheer for your favorite or discover a new favorite. You won’t be sorry!!!!
In case you haven’t heard, or if you just need a reminder, here is a little bit about the comics who will be competing for the title and bucks, plus the alternate that will step in if any of the finalists can’t perform:
"If video games and cartoons had a lovechild........it might be me" When Dusty’s not dressing up like anime characters, he is doing comedy.
Dusty can be found at the Idiot Box most night it is open, whether for shows or open mics. In a relatively short time, he has gone from Idiot Box stand up class participant to making it straight to the 2nd round of the UCC. He is indeed a fan of cartoons, video games and anime and has been known to unashamedly bust out obscure references to them throughout his routine.
Dusty has a strong stage presence that puts him on par with the much more experienced comics in the competition. As his style continues to evolve, Dusty could be a club and competition regular for quite a while.
Melissa Douty is a comedian based out of Salem, VA. She currently has 4 jobs. When asked how her comedy career is going she said, “Um…I have 4 jobs.” but my mom thinks I’m hysterical.
Very personable with an almost ‘Aw, shucks’ delivery, Melissa ‘s comedy is sort of like that really smooth liquor that is so easy to drink and then hits you like a sledgehammer out of nowhere. A newcomer to the UCC and the Greensboro comedy scene, she is definitely making a name for herself quickly (and making her fellow competitors nervous). Their nervousness is warranted!
A long time comic and familiar face around the Idiot Box, Troy once again brings his unique perspective, quick wit, sharp delivery and strength as a storyteller to the UCC. He debuted as a stand up comic on February 4th, 2009 and has continued looking for, and finding, new material based on real life experiences . Troy enjoys sharing his passion for comedy with all audiences, no matter the size. When he is not out shaping up his comedy routines, he is busy shaping up people in his work as a personal trainer.
Back on the comedy scene and back to his winning ways, Troy is another two time nightly prize winner this competition.
Zo Myers is a regular host at The Idiot Box's Open Mic & No Nonsense Comedy shows in Greensboro, NC as well as The Laughing Gas in Winston-Salem. Beyond that, Zo is committed to letting his material speak for itself.
Jay Stadler talks fast, so try to keep up and when u can't, just laugh when he drinks.
Jay is a UCC veteran, and has made an appearance in the finals. He also performs at various venues around the state. His rapid fire delivery makes his material even more effective. He has been doing comedy for a while now and performs at various venues around the state.
Another mainstay in the Greensboro comedy scene, Jay always makes an impact in the UCC. A blast to watch in general, but it is almost mesmerizing when he gets fully into his ‘sell’ mode. It is almost impossible not to buy into his routines and root for him.
And alternate:
Ryan Davis was born in Concord, NC. In two years of doing comedy, Ryan has won numerous comedy competitions, became a regular at The Comedy Zone in Charlotte, NC, and gained the respect of veteran comedians. Just like the comedians that influence him, Ryan's comedy style appeals to a wide range of audiences. His versatility has allowed him to open for top mainstream acts like Jay Pharoah, urban acts like Michael Blackson, & eccentric acts like Tom Green.
Ryan’s signature high energy and frenetic delivery makes for a memorable experience when you see him on stage. He hopes to repeat, and surpass, his efforts of last year when he made it to the UCC finals.
Ryan has stepped it up this year! His delivery even sharper than last year. And the experience of how he sets up and delivers his material is very akin to riding a rollercoaster; you think that you know where you are going and then suddenly he has you heading in an unexpected direction.
SO, WHAT HAPPENED AT THE UCC SEMIFINALS SHOW????? (repost)
Bear with me faithful readers, this is going to be a bit different than my other updates.
Let me ask you this: have you ever been in a ‘moment’ where time seems to slow down and your senses seem to sharpen? You have a sensation like a small electric current is running through you? All this leaves you with the realization that you are on the verge of something great unfolding before your eyes? If you have, you know the rush, the exhilaration that hits you.
That was Friday night for me at The Ultimate Comic Challenge Semifinal Show at The Idiot Box! Even with all that I had written about the show and having experienced 5 of the 8 semifinal shows throughout the life of the competition, I was completely shocked and amazed at what went down. When I got to the club, I was a little worried because there were only a few people inside. With it being cold and windy, I wondered if that would affect attendance. Turns out that, no it wouldn’t at all. By a few minutes before show time, the club was holding a sold out show.
As the comics arrived and milled around, the atmosphere was different than one might expect. There was the nervousness of course, along with a sense of determination. That was balanced out by the sense of unity; as if each one was responding to being in such rare company as opposing to being around nine opponents. It was a cool thing to see and feel!
As the minutes ticked down toward showtime, the audience did indeed show up. Not only that, but they brought their own high level of energy to build upon that from the comics. It was easy to see the comics feeding off of that energy as time wound down. All the signs were there for an EPIC show.
Finally, the lights dimmed down, the music faded and the host for the night, Jennie Stencel, was announced and she took to the stage to do the housekeeping announcements and warm up the crowd. In a sight departure from her usual stage persona, Jennie was a bit sillier than usual, and that seemed to be just what was needed to win over the crowd and pump the comics up even more. And with the announcement of the first comic, Ryan Davis, it was on!
There is a difference of opinion on going first. Some don’t like i because you have no idea what the reactions are going to be like. Others love it because they get to set the tone for the show and get a chance to set themselves in the audience’s memory. Any concern about whether this was a good spot or not was put to rest about 2 sentences into Ryan’s set. The crowd was more than willing to give up the love for the comics. As high energy as he is when he hits the stage, Ryan fed off the energy and noticeably kicked it up a notch. And he would not be the only one to show the obvious affect the crowd was having on them.
As each comic took the stage after that, the crowd had their backs. The energy was there all night and for each comic, but it was kind of weird, the energy almost took on a new dimension, for lack of a better word, for each comic. It was like each comic hit the stage in front of their own personal crowd. The same type of reactions took on different personalities as each comic won the crowd over. I wish I could explain this adequately, but trust me, this is something rare (or maybe just to me). It was wonderful to be there and hear it and feel it.
Going through the show, as I looked around the club, it was easy to see the effect the comics were having on the audience. Looking around and seeing people wiping their eyes or holding their sides or even, as happened to me more than once, doing the silent laugh because they just can’t catch their breath to laugh out loud. This was even more verified hearing conversation during the break while votes were being counted. People talking about everything from hurting to sides to worry about peeing a little because of the laughter.
Another thing that made the evening special was the reaction that the comics were having to each other throughout the night. While I have never seen the atmosphere in the club get tense during the shows, there is usually a definite aura of competitiveness in the air which tends to limit the overall interactions during the shows. There was little to none of that though. As the comics came off the stage, the other comics made an effort to congratulate them and to let them know how well they did.
As the last comic finished her set, the energy level didn’t drop at all. After ballots were turned in, it became a big free-for-all of congratulations and expressions of admiration as audience members sought out the comics and the comics sought out each other. This is a competition so there will be comics leaving the competition after votes are counted, but the worry over that was overwhelmed by declarations of being a new fan, or I can’t wait to see you on stage again, or I want you to know that I voted for you. This was one of those times that you can say that while some may come up short in the voting, but there were no losers. I know how corny that sounds, but it also happens to be true.
After a few minutes , the lights dimmed again and we were called back into the club for the announcement of the finalists. The energy level was almost intoxicating at this point! There was a buzz in the air as Jennie slightly drew out beginning the announcement. Then as she started to announce the first name, the air went still as it seemed that everyone was kind of holding their breath. With the first name announced, that bubble burst and the applause and cheering for each name was loud enough to make you feel like the air was vibrating. As loud a the crowd was for all of the comics announced, there were two moments stood out as the noise became almost unbearable in such close quarters.
The first one was the announcement of Melissa Douty as a finalist. Several of the comics had expressed how concerned they were with her as she moved forward to the semifinals . She made it very clear tonight that they were right to be. On top of this, Melissa made a little bit of comic history for the Idiot Box. In the 8 years that the competition has been held, she was the first female comic to make the finals. What made this even more special was that the realization came afterwards when everything started calming down. A cool side note added to one hell of a performance.
The second one was when Dusty Cagle was announced as a finalist. I could almost imagine that the windows were vibrating from the level of noise. Dusty has been a consistent face around the club since he first signed up to take the stand up class offered at the Idiot Box.... a little over a year ago! The votes he earned with his routine, the overall admiration was won as much by who he is as by what he does.
Overall, the announcement of all 5 finalists and the 1 alternate was met with raucous applause and cheers. The crowd wasn’t through showing how much they admired and enjoyed the show they just witnessed. As we started filtering out of the club several small groups still stood outside and went over the show and giving congratulations/condolences and talking up future shows. There were several people that flitted among the groups, not willing to have the night end.
Now, let’s get down to the good stuff!
First up, the alternate. This comic finished 6th in the voting and will step in as a finalist if any of the 5 need to step out for any reasons:
The five comics who moved on to the finals by audience vote:
Troy Dougie Harris
Zo Myers
Jay Stadler
Dusty Cagle
Melissa Douty, who was the night’s $50 winner for receiving the most audience votes,
Zo Myers
Jay Stadler
Dusty Cagle
Melissa Douty, who was the night’s $50 winner for receiving the most audience votes,
Also, I would like to once again thank all of the other semifinalist comics:
Without a doubt, the level of talent in the competition this year was unbelievable. If you get a chance to see any of the comics who performed tonight, or any night of the competition, please do so. We are lucky to have such a strong comedy scene here in Greensboro and throughout the state.
Finally (pun intended), please continue supporting these comics and the competition itself when the UCC finals come to The Carolina Theatre on January 22nd, 2016!
Sunday, January 24, 2016
Listening to too much sports radio again... Sports Babble: The New Hope: Cincy vs. Pittsburgh aftermath
It amazes me that people who are usually very smart, sportswise, lose all reason when it comes to admitting the faults of players and/or teams they pull for... or more importantly, being reasonable when it comes to teams/players they root against.
I can admit that my team lost because the other team took advantage of things that went their way better than my team did. I don't need to reach for excuses. When players or teams I like act like asshats, I can admit it.. The refs may have some blame in it (and the ONLY time I would give them the a bigger share of the blame is when they either don't call anything or just start calling when it gets out of hand, both are recipes for disaster).
But even in those cases, do I let the team, coaches or players off the hook? Not a chance. When it comes down to it, they are responsible for their actions. Players need to be in control and deal with it and when they slide, the coaches need to step in and deal with it.
If the officials screw up the league steps in and fines or suspends them. If the players and coaches screw up, guess what happens??? Yeah, the league steps in and deals with it.
need to shut up. Before you talk about who should have been ejected or not, stop and think. If you would have criticized them if the opposite call was made, then you have absolutely no room to bitch. You only want the officials to call what benefits your team.. And that is bush league.. no matter what.
And if you don't like it when there is a negative reaction to a situation where your coach or player is in involved with opposing players, again, stop and think. If you wouldn't have the same response if teams were reversed and your team/coach would the one on the receiving end, guess what... bush league again.
Yes, the Bengals were horrible and showed horrible sportsmanship. On the other hand, the Steelers were no choir boys. Do the officials shoulder some of the blame, hell yeah! Do they shoulder all or even most of the blame, hell no! Unlike the panthers/giants games, the officials made an effort to keep as much control as possible (and if policy holds true, there were probably some rather explicit guidelines handed down for the game to the officials). It is a contentious rivalry AND a playoff game. It will be dealt with as such, no matter how it falls out.
oh, and fans of both teams need to admit that both teams were given chances at the end due to screw ups by the other team (oh, let's not tightly cover Green and try to come back to defend him; let's have two of our players go ape shit at the end of the game and see what happens; etc). Again, another point to why it is pathetic to hang it on the officials....
It comes down to this, all the people involved in the game whether on field or as support are given requirements that they must live up to to be part of the NFL. It is the same across the board (whether it is direct or on the enforcement end). Things go FUBAR, it happens. If you can't live up to the expectations of you, maybe you aren't quite ready to be involved. You either can adjust or you are pretty much done for. At the end of the day, if you can't get it done, YOU are the one that deals with the consequences.
So, please.. root for your favorites! Be a super passionate fan! But if that, when it comes down to it, is the reasoning behind the bitching, save it for your page or a fan page where you can expect some commiseration and support for your butthurt. However, if you want to bring that up on my page or on one of my posts, don't expect either. And don't expect it to just fly without a response. (and for those who know me at all, spare me the indignant whining that I didn't just let it go... right, HM, jr?)
PS-- if you really want to be honest, if you want to go one-for-one, I can pretty much guarantee that a person can find more screw ups by the teams than you can for the officials (missed blocks, missed tackles, blow coverage, piss poor tackling, bad play calls, dropped passes, etc.. and how many of those did BOTH teams bring to the table?)
I can admit that my team lost because the other team took advantage of things that went their way better than my team did. I don't need to reach for excuses. When players or teams I like act like asshats, I can admit it.. The refs may have some blame in it (and the ONLY time I would give them the a bigger share of the blame is when they either don't call anything or just start calling when it gets out of hand, both are recipes for disaster).
But even in those cases, do I let the team, coaches or players off the hook? Not a chance. When it comes down to it, they are responsible for their actions. Players need to be in control and deal with it and when they slide, the coaches need to step in and deal with it.
If the officials screw up the league steps in and fines or suspends them. If the players and coaches screw up, guess what happens??? Yeah, the league steps in and deals with it.
need to shut up. Before you talk about who should have been ejected or not, stop and think. If you would have criticized them if the opposite call was made, then you have absolutely no room to bitch. You only want the officials to call what benefits your team.. And that is bush league.. no matter what.
And if you don't like it when there is a negative reaction to a situation where your coach or player is in involved with opposing players, again, stop and think. If you wouldn't have the same response if teams were reversed and your team/coach would the one on the receiving end, guess what... bush league again.
Yes, the Bengals were horrible and showed horrible sportsmanship. On the other hand, the Steelers were no choir boys. Do the officials shoulder some of the blame, hell yeah! Do they shoulder all or even most of the blame, hell no! Unlike the panthers/giants games, the officials made an effort to keep as much control as possible (and if policy holds true, there were probably some rather explicit guidelines handed down for the game to the officials). It is a contentious rivalry AND a playoff game. It will be dealt with as such, no matter how it falls out.
oh, and fans of both teams need to admit that both teams were given chances at the end due to screw ups by the other team (oh, let's not tightly cover Green and try to come back to defend him; let's have two of our players go ape shit at the end of the game and see what happens; etc). Again, another point to why it is pathetic to hang it on the officials....
It comes down to this, all the people involved in the game whether on field or as support are given requirements that they must live up to to be part of the NFL. It is the same across the board (whether it is direct or on the enforcement end). Things go FUBAR, it happens. If you can't live up to the expectations of you, maybe you aren't quite ready to be involved. You either can adjust or you are pretty much done for. At the end of the day, if you can't get it done, YOU are the one that deals with the consequences.
So, please.. root for your favorites! Be a super passionate fan! But if that, when it comes down to it, is the reasoning behind the bitching, save it for your page or a fan page where you can expect some commiseration and support for your butthurt. However, if you want to bring that up on my page or on one of my posts, don't expect either. And don't expect it to just fly without a response. (and for those who know me at all, spare me the indignant whining that I didn't just let it go... right, HM, jr?)
PS-- if you really want to be honest, if you want to go one-for-one, I can pretty much guarantee that a person can find more screw ups by the teams than you can for the officials (missed blocks, missed tackles, blow coverage, piss poor tackling, bad play calls, dropped passes, etc.. and how many of those did BOTH teams bring to the table?)
Saturday, January 23, 2016
Listening to too much sports radio again... Sex and the single Sports Babble: Cam, classless????
It amazes me that there are all of these open letters about Cam's dancing, etc. I wonder how many letters were written by Seahawks fans about Sherman's behavior? How many wrote open letters about JJ Watts celebrations after a sack? I could go on. And I wonder how many of the people complaining about Cam are the ones who complain about NFL standing for No Fun League? Cam was pretty much written off by so many coming into the league and they refuse to see anything that goes against that. Let him do all the good that he does and one slip happens and he is the worst. And it is not like his worst slip has been even close to the most forgivable of those from Johnny Football. The Panthers have had the same sort of issue. They did well too soon and people hated that. They couldn't wait for the fall and when it came it was just evidence of how bad the team was.The Panthers can't be allowed to succeed. If they do, it is not the team doing it, it is some outside factor that is working in their favor. The team is put to a higher standard than for other teams, and very unfairly so. They can't win... they can keep winning... they can't be perfect... they can't win the big games... they can't beat certain teams... and so on... Is it about race? I think for some people it is. Overall though, I think it is just, as someone else posted on the thread, jealousy; of Cam, of the owners, the coaching staff and the players. Cam has grown. The team has evolved. The coaching staff evolved to understand what and who they had and makes the best use of them.. Rivera, Cam and the rest of the team decided they are going to ignore the doubters and the negativity and play and win on their own terms. And nothing pisses doubters off more than excelling in spite of the doubts.
Another comedy write up
It may have been chilly and rainy outside, but it was HOT up in the club...The Idiot Box Comedy Club, that is.. That's right, the first night of the first round is in the books! I had high hopes and a major need to laugh as the evening started, and I was not disappointed on either count. The crowd was responsive an enthusiastic and ready to laugh. The comics grabbed the energy and ran with it, from the first to the last one. Most of the comics were new to me, so I wasn't sure how it was going to go. Silly f'n me!!! I have some new comics to admire and look forward to seeing them on stage again.
Every comic up there tonight deserved every bit of praise and applause they got. They set the bar high for the other first round shows and, if the other shows live up to expectations, the talent level in the future rounds (even the wild card round), will rival those of years past.
Anyway, the first two comics to make it to the wild card round, ,via comic vote, with another chance to make it to the second round were:
The three comics who made it through straight to the 2nd round, via audience vote, were:
Mike Rinaldi
Aaron Cardwell
Troy Dougie Harris, who was the winner of the $50 prize for getting the night's most votes!
Aaron Cardwell
Troy Dougie Harris, who was the winner of the $50 prize for getting the night's most votes!
and a special recognition of the other comics who took to the stage tonight. An incredible job, one and all: If you see any of these names on a comedy bill, go see the them, definitely worth it:
Christmas Eve & family
Christmas eve...the night my family (and often others) gathered at Ma's to exchange gifts for those whose names we drew (and often extra gifts for others we wished to get gifts for and for the unexpected ones who showed up)... light snacks...and a very small house filled to bursting with an incredible number of people...and laughter..and joking and trash talking... hugs..well wishes... and so much more... the warm up to our traditions of Christmas breakfast... visiting various members of the family to experience the various family gift exchanges.. rushing around to make sure we have all of the ingredients for our dinner... lots of time spent in kitchens.... and then Christmas Dinner... Even more people in a small house (family, friends, co-workers, neighbors, significant others, strangers, etc) ... lots of food (my freshman year in college a slightly snooty, well-to-do classmate was bragging about how great his family's xmas dinner, which was mostly catered and tried to make a couple of feel like we were wanting, was... I started running through the usual selections of our family dinners... by the time I finished, his jaw was dropped and was like.. what the hell?????.. I also must say that every time I went home for holiday dinners, he would put in special requests.. I made a lot of money off of him..lol) anyway... even more laughter and trash talking.. lots of stories told... lots of memories made and recounted....
It is impossible to explain properly if you never experienced it.. and you were blessed if you did... Christmas was Ma's favorite time of the year.. I can't even come close to counting the number of people whose lives were touched by her (with our help) during these times (and all of the other times of the year that our family would grow much larger for a day or two... no, that's not right, unless they decided to step away, all of them remain part of our family)....
I miss Ma and those times.. I still have a special place in my heart for these two days each year, but there is also a pain that hasn't gone away, and I doubt ever will..
Merry Christmas to all of my family.. those by blood, by marriage.. by adoption... by choice..and by chance. those still here to celebrate and those who have continued on...those here and those all around the country and the world.. I love you all and wish you nothing but the best now and always..
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