Many years ago, I survived a house fire with my oldest son just 3 days before a show in town I had booked to "headline." They called a headlining spot but it was long showcase of small sets with a 20min feature at the end if we're living in reality.
I kept the spot, wrote about the experience and it was everything I or an audience ever wanted from a live comedy experience. Raw, real, deep and funny. At one point, I shared a story about how the afternoon after the early morning fire, I was walking with a friend downtown in Olympia, and was approaching a homeless person sitting on the sidewalk. I told the audience that I had mentioned to my friend that I could not wait for this guy to ask me for change because I will get to tell him that all my money burned up and I won't be lying - it received, maybe a chuckle. I realized this and asked the crowd, "Is it because in this scenario, there is still a person who is homeless with no resources? Is that why its' not funny?"
My awareness and sarcasm pointed at myself got everyone back on track and we continued to laugh about how all of my belongings were gone. The real me doesn't think the houseless community is funny at all. I was rambling on stage and this unformed idea came out and my real-time feedback was that it was not good. And I realized why immediately and made fun of myself for it.
That's a great story! Sometimes you've gotta learn the hard way but it makes it much more memorable! For me it was on an improv stage, and for some reason I thought the scene needed an unhoused person. I don't even remember why I made that move, but I remember feeling icky and that I wouldn't want to make a move like that again.
Absolutely!
Many years ago, I survived a house fire with my oldest son just 3 days before a show in town I had booked to "headline." They called a headlining spot but it was long showcase of small sets with a 20min feature at the end if we're living in reality.
I kept the spot, wrote about the experience and it was everything I or an audience ever wanted from a live comedy experience. Raw, real, deep and funny. At one point, I shared a story about how the afternoon after the early morning fire, I was walking with a friend downtown in Olympia, and was approaching a homeless person sitting on the sidewalk. I told the audience that I had mentioned to my friend that I could not wait for this guy to ask me for change because I will get to tell him that all my money burned up and I won't be lying - it received, maybe a chuckle. I realized this and asked the crowd, "Is it because in this scenario, there is still a person who is homeless with no resources? Is that why its' not funny?"
My awareness and sarcasm pointed at myself got everyone back on track and we continued to laugh about how all of my belongings were gone. The real me doesn't think the houseless community is funny at all. I was rambling on stage and this unformed idea came out and my real-time feedback was that it was not good. And I realized why immediately and made fun of myself for it.
That's a great story! Sometimes you've gotta learn the hard way but it makes it much more memorable! For me it was on an improv stage, and for some reason I thought the scene needed an unhoused person. I don't even remember why I made that move, but I remember feeling icky and that I wouldn't want to make a move like that again.