Dare To Be Funny

I didn't need to be at school to help setup the stage, host the sign, set up the tables and chairs, but I was. Setup for the talent show is a more hands the better proposition.

Hey Brian you went to Purdue and know that engineering stuff. What's the best way to get this banner up there?
Well Clark my degree is in psychology, but...

How many law students does it take to host a sign above the stage? At least five and that isn't including a professor.

We couldn't take the dress rehearsal in show order due to wannabe-1Ls taking the LSAT. So we ran the acts without sound first. I was the first act to do the dress rehearsal. Hey my stuff was funny to me, but now I was going to see if anyone else liked it. I may have appeared confident, but I was a little worried. My sense of humor has not translated well in the past. I made fun of two professors in the first minute. My audience of fellow performers and talent show committee folk seemed to enjoy it. A much needed boost for sure!

After seeing some fantabulous singers (one should go directly to American Idol), piano players, guitar players, and two of my favorite musical divas I suddenly felt rather undertalented. These folks were performing for the law school community while I was just going to mouth off. Don't get me wrong, mouthing off is a good skill at times. I decided to do something chancy: I invited my dad to come see the talent show. Oh my, what had I just done? The Fabulous Kelly P., our producer, gave me a job to do: official cameraman of the acts she wanted to record. Give Brian a tech toy and that will keep him entertained. I had fun learning to operate the camera. *giggles* Even got to reserve a seat for my official cameramanness.

A quick trip home for a shower and change of clothes. Refined my act a little bit, printed it off and went back downtown. I put my jacket on the seat next to me in case Dad showed up. Then I just rehearsed my lines, and munched on the Ginormous Cheeseball of Doom. "Oh Brian could you put that cracker someplace it belongs?" *picks up cracker, then puts in mouth with loud crunch* Woo-hoo cash bar, gotta get some social lubricant in me. I would have my lines with me on stage, but I only wanted to use them as a place holder and occasional prop for certain jokes.

The problem with being Official Cameraman was that wielding both the video camera and trying to get snapshots with my own camera proved a daunting task. I can take decent one handed pictures with my camera by pointing it in the general direction of my subject. But I usually do that trick using my right hand as cameras are built with righties in mind to operate the buttons. I had to palm my camera with the left hand and never could use the view finder. Point and Click style will prove very interesting with this roll of film. Also when juggling for my camera I let the video camera juggle a bit. Sorry Fabulous Kelly P., but the first few minutes of your tape might be a tad wobbly.

It was my turn at last halfway through the show. I was the first stand up comic of the night. Now I had to deal with a microphone. This makes a difference as I had to hold it and my notes at the same time. I was only using my notes as a place holder, but suddenly I would have to adjust some of the physical mannerisms due to the lacks of hands! On the other hand (metaphorically speaking) now I had a new tool to use. I can adjust my voice by placing the microphone in different places! As Johnny Carson once remarked, sometimes it isn't the joke, but the technique!

With the spotlight shining in my eyes I couldn't see more than two or three rows deep into the audience and believe me you don't hear them very well on stage. I'm shouting, I'm mimicking, I'm doing push-ups, I'm dropping my voice an octave for sound effects, and I hear some chuckles and that's it! Uh-oh, is the audience not liking the jokes? Are they finding the jokes too obscure? Are they chuckling because they see the humor, but it isn't funny enough for a bust out laugh? I wasn't nervous, but I was concerned. Luckily I had one ace up my sleeve, the totally outrageous material was at the end. NOW I REALLY HEARD LAUGHTER!!! Who knew law school induced senility, apathy, and debt could be so much fun?

I walked around a little to get more wine and everyone said I did great. Good, I can handle looking like an ass on stage (and in real life). I can handle everyone laughing with me, but not at me. So weird to play in front of 60,000 people all the time as part of a big group, but be with a few hundred by myself and suddenly you realize how vulnerable you are.

Maybe I'll have to do open mic night at Crackers with different material now?

The post talent show party was fun. I don't have time to go into it, but I'll tease you a little bit.

"Doing a U-Turn in front of the cop was not a good idea."

"Normally I'm so inhibited, but once you get some alcohol in me I have no problem cage dancing!"

"Oh you have much more talent than that stripper. Your moves were all natural."

"Dancing with you was great. You have some great curves to work with."

"Brian, you're not drunk with all the booze I fed you?"
"Nope. I am a Master."

"Yep we closed down the bar."

"Alright White Castle is going down! They jipped four law students in varying degrees of sobriety. Let's go back for our steamy goodness."