It was quite the comedy weekend…two shows in two days. These shows marked a few other firsts: my first stage foray without a cheat sheet, and my first paying gig. I figured that if I am good enough to get paid I'm good enough to play without a net, and so I did.
Saturday was a bar (always a flashing neon danger sign of red) in Pottstown, but the crowd was pretty receptive to my shtick and I got a number of nice compliments from audience members at evening's end. (I was also lucky enough to go on first, and get them before they'd had too much to drink.) I also got adopted by some bar folks for some reason I can't quite fathom. They cheered me on lustily, if drunkenly, and at one point almost interrupted the emcee with demands to, "Bring on Neil!" Would that I had them at every show!
Sunday's show was less fun. The room was crowded and kinda stuffy, and the crowd was challenging. Although they laughed at some things, they were dead silent at others, and never really seemed to warm to me. Even the headliner had some difficulty, although not as much as I did. Also, there were unexpected small children there, which forced me to G-rate my set at the last minute. Still, a paying gig is a paying gig, so I got through. Oh, and I have to mention that in the front row was a woman who could not have been more delighted to be there. She was convulsed with laughter, literally pounding the table and wiping away tears. Someone else I wish I had at every show.
It was kind of funny. I was more nervous about Saturday's show than Sunday's, and yet I think I did better Saturday. However, videos of both nights will be available once I figure out how to use the video editing software on Dan's Mac, so you can judge for yourself.**
New favorite lyric:
"I can bring whole cities to ruin
And still have time to get a soft shoe in
Something's cooking, I'm at the griddle
I bought Nero his very first fiddle."
Artist: Hinton Battle (Joss Whedon)
Song: What You Feel
Album: Once More With Feeling (Buffy the Vampire Slayer)
**The video for the Sunday show is now on YouTube, in two parts.
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