July 2002

Mock Cafe - 07/13/02

The crowd was so big tonight that I actually got in trouble because I told a couple of women, "Don't worry, there's always someplace to sit." They wound up sitting in the sniper box above the stage. My bad.
 
So I wrote this bit about a business trip I took last week, but wound up doing old material. A few hours before the show I was reviewing the bit and it just wasn't making me laugh. So I did some old safe, but funny material. It went over well.
 
For next week I have a bit I've been working on for a while.
 

Mock Cafe - 07/20/02

Another big crowd. Good laughers. I was finally able to do a decent routine as my wrestling character, THE BOWLER. I got some good laughs. I've greatly improved my character development through my short story writing. I also have more confidence im my acting ability, due to my success with ELVIS GETS A HAIRCUT. The pathos of the routine did not get the laughs I expected. An insightful fellow comedian pointed out that too much of "Tom's" vulnerability came through at that point, and rather than felling like laughing, the audience wanted to hug me. I'm going to rewrite that section and try again next week. I also have some ideas that will help get me deeper into character, which I'm going to try.
 
Have I ever mentioned that comedians are hopelessly insecure. I spent alot of time talking to two comedians last night, both very worried about how funny they were. One is probably the most complete comedian I know. He has the timing, delivery, persona; everything is great. Yet he still obsesses about little details that the audience never noticed. It's also that obsession that probably made he the complete comedian that he is. The other was an up and coming comedian. He's advancing well, and got some good laughs, but was obsessed with the few lines that didn't work. Then I went home and told my wife about these comedians and their problems, then told her about my own performance. She laughed and pointed out that I did the same thing. Concentrating on the few lines that didn't work, ignoring the big laughes that can be heard on my tape of my set. It seems we are all pathetic.
 

Writing - 07/21/02

I just noticed I haven't update you all about my writing in a while. I've been working on a story I like very much so far. I'm building on my success at making realisticly odd characters from PORTRAIT OF FEAR. The new story is about a guy who lives in a trailer park drive-in movie theater in western Nevada, who runs professional wrestling shows for a living. As odd as all that sounds, the story has actually become about my relationship with my distant family.
 

Strange crashing weirdness

So I was trying to rewrite The Bowler. In the process I tried an exercise to get to the heart of what I was trying to say. It worked. I rewrote the piece, extending the character of The Bowler to his truth. What came out was a Letter, written by The Bowler, addressed to the surealist painter Rene Magritte. Then I reread it and realised it was a suicide letter. I've never had a character commit suicide before. It's a strange feeling. Especially since I played him on stage.

Mock Cafe - 07/28/02

Great crowd tonight. After my situation with The Bowler character I was a little unprepared with material, but I was in a great mood, so the set went great.