Ho Hum

Not exactly a stellar night at The Studio. Seven audience members; 12 comics. I am never quite at ease with a lopsided comic:audience ratio, and when said audience is from Romania, England, India, and Canada (not that Canada is really that different), the comfort level is harder still to maintain.

Worrying about the slice-of-UN-life nature of the audience, I second-guessed myself as to the material I was planning to present, and it caused a little chaos in my brain--unfortunately, the chaos wasn't kind enough to remain in my brain, and spilled over into my set.

Note to self: If you've developed a set for the night, just stick to it. Fluster doesn't help The Comedy, not in the least.

So what if they don't understand the concept that is The Midwest?

(My goddess, I'm not sure I understand it, either.)

Jennifer went first, bless her heart, and she did her usual amazing job of keeping up her end of the hilarity bargain in the midst of deafening silence. Admirable, to say the least. There was really only one comic who was able to rouse the sparse assembly; he fired off jokes machine-gun style and just kept them laughing. Exhausting.

Oh well, it was one of those nights. There were at least a few bright spots in the evening, as always. Had a few minutes to catch up with comic Andrea Henry, who had a tale of audience feedback that makes me grateful I don't get out more. (Andrea, that woman was not just a drunk narcissist, she was also wrong on every count. Okay, except for the fact that you're not exactly tall--but everything else was puddin'head talk.)

Also met some other Boston area comics, including a comic who went to my formerly dear alma mater, The University of Wisconsin-Madison (formerly dear since I found out they don't offer domestic partner benefits, and are the ONLY Big Ten school to be so benighted). He mentioned a card game that was a staple of UW campus life, and I found myself transported in a snap back to my late teens.

That was freaky.

And last but not least, I was supremely grateful to be disappointed in the latest innovation in Ho-Ho technology. Back in my teens/20s, I was a major fan of Ho-Ho's and other Hostess snack cakes, and the combination of the so-so show and the UW flashback propelled me to the dark side of the snack food aisle at the rest stop on the way home. I was drawn to the new caramel Ho-Ho's, and they didn't taste anything like I remembered. It wasn't a chocolate covering, it was more like mildly sweet plastic. And the filling--it was so sweet, it made my crown hurt.

Of course, I ate every last one--I am a grandchild of the Depression and all that--but I won't be doing that again any time soon.

Well, I have to finish what's left of my job for today, and then prepare for another show tonight--here's hoping the comic:audience ratio is a little better. We shall see....