Friday, October 31, 2008
10/31/08: Day 6: Livorno (Pisa)
Happy Halloween! Today we were up and off the ship at 8:30am with plans of going to a little walled city called Lucca. To do that we needed to take a shuttle, to a bus, to a train, to another train. About 1.5 hours of travel in all. The nice thing is we’ve got this travel by train thing down already. And the trains are a smooth ride…not like the L in Chicago.
The only downfall was that it was raining…or as the captain always says “liquid sunshine.” One of our main goals was to rent bikes and ride around on top of the wall that goes around the city. Fail. Too wet. We did get another phenomenal Caffe Latte and had a long meal.
I was beat. I was really struggling during the meal to stay awake, and this was at 2:00pm. I needed to be awake for a VIP party at 7:00pm and a 10:45 improv show (which went great).
Thinking back on the last contract I had with Second City we were dreading sea days. Those in the know will recall a sea day is just that. You’re going from one location to the next and it means one full day will be at sea. We have one sea day on this itinerary and we are looking forward to it so we can just chill.
Thursday, October 30, 2008
10/30/08: Day 5: Civitivecchia (Rome)
Let me start off by saying “that was close.” We had planned to meet right off the dock at 8:00am. If you showed up, you went to Rome. If you didn’t, you decided to stay on the ship. At least that was the plan last night. This morning, when the ship was supposed to have docked at 7:00am but was still out on a rocky sea and heading away from the port, things got fluid. Some people bailed, mostly based on lack of sleep…since we’ve been having a lot of early days and last night was rocky making it hard for some to sleep.
Deanna, Brett, Beth, Monica, TJ and I headed out. A shuttle bus, a walk, and a 50 minute train ride and we were in Rome! Right by the Vatican! We walked around there a bit then headed over to a castle (Castel Sant’Angelo). Deanna went there when she was here last year and it was tops on her list of places to take us because it has a great view of the whole city. I wish I could have spent more time there. It had a lot of history and info about Rome and the Egyptian influence on it years ago. Plus, apparently Voldemort was there years ago (see photos).
Beth, Deanna and I had a small coffee break there…very smooth café latte. Then we headed out to find a place to eat. I got the spaghetti alla carbonara (with eggs and bacon) and it was great. All of us were pretty beat and got back to the ship around 4:40 to try to get a nap in before our 6:00pm call time.
Which leads us to our improv show. It went great! We had a good turn out and Jen made a nice running order.
Tonight is the crew Halloween party…but we’re meeting and leaving at 8:30am tomorrow to hit Lucca and possibly Pisa, so I’m not going. Everyone has been sleep deprived with the mornings as I mentioned earlier.
One nice tidbit…well, kind of. With all of the economic chaos going on in the world right now the dollar to euro value is a little better. I know at one point it was 1.6 dollars per euro and today it was around 1.25 when I used the ATM. Score! What will it be tomorrow?!
Deanna, Brett, Beth, Monica, TJ and I headed out. A shuttle bus, a walk, and a 50 minute train ride and we were in Rome! Right by the Vatican! We walked around there a bit then headed over to a castle (Castel Sant’Angelo). Deanna went there when she was here last year and it was tops on her list of places to take us because it has a great view of the whole city. I wish I could have spent more time there. It had a lot of history and info about Rome and the Egyptian influence on it years ago. Plus, apparently Voldemort was there years ago (see photos).
Beth, Deanna and I had a small coffee break there…very smooth café latte. Then we headed out to find a place to eat. I got the spaghetti alla carbonara (with eggs and bacon) and it was great. All of us were pretty beat and got back to the ship around 4:40 to try to get a nap in before our 6:00pm call time.
Which leads us to our improv show. It went great! We had a good turn out and Jen made a nice running order.
Tonight is the crew Halloween party…but we’re meeting and leaving at 8:30am tomorrow to hit Lucca and possibly Pisa, so I’m not going. Everyone has been sleep deprived with the mornings as I mentioned earlier.
One nice tidbit…well, kind of. With all of the economic chaos going on in the world right now the dollar to euro value is a little better. I know at one point it was 1.6 dollars per euro and today it was around 1.25 when I used the ATM. Score! What will it be tomorrow?!
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
10/29/08: Day 4: Naples
First off…I’d like to thank Amanda for her blog. She was on the cast that was here before us and her blog was slightly on the pessimistic side. Probably because they had been to the ports so many times…whatever the case, we thought Naples would be awful. It looks awesome from the ship. I guess we’ll find out next week when we get off the ship.
Today was a lot of rehearsing and then our first show. We only had one show tonight because there are only 1000 English speaking people on board and the theater seats right around that many. Better to seat them all than to have to 50% filled shows…or worse, some uneven 70% 30% split.
As far as first shows go, it went great! We got some great laughs. The show is solid. The next two days we’ll actually have time to get off at the ports, so tomorrow is Rome!
Today was a lot of rehearsing and then our first show. We only had one show tonight because there are only 1000 English speaking people on board and the theater seats right around that many. Better to seat them all than to have to 50% filled shows…or worse, some uneven 70% 30% split.
As far as first shows go, it went great! We got some great laughs. The show is solid. The next two days we’ll actually have time to get off at the ports, so tomorrow is Rome!
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
10/28/08: Day 3: Malta
Today we were in Malta…if I remember correctly (typing this a day late). Malta is amazing from the ship, next time we’ll get to go see a little of it I hope. Very rich in history.
Lots of rehearsals and such today. Tomorrow is our first show.
At night we sailed in between Calbria and Sicily…the HOMELAND! It was fun to just be in that area even though it isn’t one of the stops.
Short post. More tomorrow.
Lots of rehearsals and such today. Tomorrow is our first show.
At night we sailed in between Calbria and Sicily…the HOMELAND! It was fun to just be in that area even though it isn’t one of the stops.
Short post. More tomorrow.
Monday, October 27, 2008
Day 2
Look! I’m keeping up with daily updates!
Today we had minor things to do…beside rehearsing. Deanna needed to get her key reset because it wasn’t opening the door, and we needed to go to the finance department to get our cards linked to a credit card. Everything is run through your key card…your door, your spending…that is why wallets seem weird after a bit.
Rehearsals were getting a little more full today. Covering the full show, checking props and such. Other than eating and doing rehearsals I managed to unpack and that is about it.
It is 9:16pm over here as I type this. I’m watching CNN. It’s the European version, which makes the coverage better for US stuff because they don’t seem biased at all. CNN normally doesn’t seem biased…at least nowhere near the bias of FOX News. But European CNN just…well…isn’t in the US, so they are neutral. It is nice to see stories about other countries. Tel Aviv just had a calling to the US people living there to vote. This should be a great turn out, voting-wise. Another thing that is odd about watching the news at 9:00pm at night is seeing the financial report and hearing “the US Stock Market just sounded the closing bell, let’s see the results.” What? It’s 9:00pm! Why would they close so….OHHHHH. They’re probably running things over there on US time. Right.
Tomorrow we arrive in Malta. By “we” I mean “the ship.” Our first show is the day after that so we’ll be busy with rehearsals. I also have a small pile of clothes that needs to be thrown in the dryer and possibly also ironed to get rid of wrinkles.
Today we had minor things to do…beside rehearsing. Deanna needed to get her key reset because it wasn’t opening the door, and we needed to go to the finance department to get our cards linked to a credit card. Everything is run through your key card…your door, your spending…that is why wallets seem weird after a bit.
Rehearsals were getting a little more full today. Covering the full show, checking props and such. Other than eating and doing rehearsals I managed to unpack and that is about it.
It is 9:16pm over here as I type this. I’m watching CNN. It’s the European version, which makes the coverage better for US stuff because they don’t seem biased at all. CNN normally doesn’t seem biased…at least nowhere near the bias of FOX News. But European CNN just…well…isn’t in the US, so they are neutral. It is nice to see stories about other countries. Tel Aviv just had a calling to the US people living there to vote. This should be a great turn out, voting-wise. Another thing that is odd about watching the news at 9:00pm at night is seeing the financial report and hearing “the US Stock Market just sounded the closing bell, let’s see the results.” What? It’s 9:00pm! Why would they close so….OHHHHH. They’re probably running things over there on US time. Right.
Tomorrow we arrive in Malta. By “we” I mean “the ship.” Our first show is the day after that so we’ll be busy with rehearsals. I also have a small pile of clothes that needs to be thrown in the dryer and possibly also ironed to get rid of wrinkles.
Sunday, October 26, 2008
Day 0 - 1
Today actually started yesterday, so they blend. Jen, Larrance, Mike, Brett, Deanna, and I all arrived at the airport by 2:45pm on the 25th. As did our director TJ and our producer Beth.
After a 6 hour flight and a 6 hour time difference we landed in Madrid around 7:00am and later landed in Barcelona around 11:00am. While we were in the Madrid airport a girl came running out of a store she worked in and came up to Brett asking if he had an extra Obama button. We were all wearing Obama buttons. She was really excited about Obama and said they were really hard to get “over here.” Jen had gone out and bought us each a button and had an extra, so Brett gave his away. We were told by our friend Wes, who just came back from a week in Italy, that Europeans are paying really close attention to the election and are pretty pro-Obama. For a few days on his trip he was getting negative reactions once people realized he was American…that was before he wore his Obama t-shirt. When he wore the shirt everyone was giving him the thumbs up or saying “yeah! Obama!” or something positive. This election is going to make or break the US in regards to it’s standing with the world. Vote Obama!
A quick shuttle to the pier and we were on the ship. I only really had a couple of hours of sleep on the plane so I was pretty tired. I managed to squeeze in about three little naps throughout the day. We had a safety meeting, rehearsal, etc. The worst part was the safety announcements. They happen every first day of a cruise, and happened right during prime nap time…and they happened loudly. Add to that each announcement got repeated three more times in other languages.
Really tough to stay awake. We had a quick music rehearsal and then all me for dinner for Mike’s birthday.
I think we got back to the room around 10:00pm…and I woke up at 10:00am the next morning. I think I’m pretty caught up on jet-lag.
After a 6 hour flight and a 6 hour time difference we landed in Madrid around 7:00am and later landed in Barcelona around 11:00am. While we were in the Madrid airport a girl came running out of a store she worked in and came up to Brett asking if he had an extra Obama button. We were all wearing Obama buttons. She was really excited about Obama and said they were really hard to get “over here.” Jen had gone out and bought us each a button and had an extra, so Brett gave his away. We were told by our friend Wes, who just came back from a week in Italy, that Europeans are paying really close attention to the election and are pretty pro-Obama. For a few days on his trip he was getting negative reactions once people realized he was American…that was before he wore his Obama t-shirt. When he wore the shirt everyone was giving him the thumbs up or saying “yeah! Obama!” or something positive. This election is going to make or break the US in regards to it’s standing with the world. Vote Obama!
A quick shuttle to the pier and we were on the ship. I only really had a couple of hours of sleep on the plane so I was pretty tired. I managed to squeeze in about three little naps throughout the day. We had a safety meeting, rehearsal, etc. The worst part was the safety announcements. They happen every first day of a cruise, and happened right during prime nap time…and they happened loudly. Add to that each announcement got repeated three more times in other languages.
Really tough to stay awake. We had a quick music rehearsal and then all me for dinner for Mike’s birthday.
I think we got back to the room around 10:00pm…and I woke up at 10:00am the next morning. I think I’m pretty caught up on jet-lag.
Friday, October 24, 2008
Dear America....BYE-YIIIIIIIIII!
We're just a little over 22 hours until we're airborn(-e...you know, that vitamin tab you put in water that not only tastes bad but has also been proven to not really do anything but taste bad?).
Today everyone was way more solid as far as material went. Like I said earlier, you gotta sleep on it to make it stick.
We did a lot more work on the songs and got to run it through from start to finish a few times. We came in at 49 minutes without laughs. For you non-theater folks, holding for laughs will extend the show...it is hard to time that when it is just us going over it for the nth time.
I think we're all pretty solid and luckily we'll have a long flight to memorize anything and look at notes. Last time we only had the length of a flight to Miami, and we were dead tired. Tomorrow...I forget...twelve hour flight? Long. That is what I remember.
I have charged my iPod, Shuffle, and PC. Hopefully between all that and a book I bought I'll be okay. I'm hoping there will be a movie, and even more I'm hoping I sleep a lot.
If you know Deanna personally and want to get her blog, email her.
Other than that...BYE-YIIIIIIIIII!
Today everyone was way more solid as far as material went. Like I said earlier, you gotta sleep on it to make it stick.
We did a lot more work on the songs and got to run it through from start to finish a few times. We came in at 49 minutes without laughs. For you non-theater folks, holding for laughs will extend the show...it is hard to time that when it is just us going over it for the nth time.
I think we're all pretty solid and luckily we'll have a long flight to memorize anything and look at notes. Last time we only had the length of a flight to Miami, and we were dead tired. Tomorrow...I forget...twelve hour flight? Long. That is what I remember.
I have charged my iPod, Shuffle, and PC. Hopefully between all that and a book I bought I'll be okay. I'm hoping there will be a movie, and even more I'm hoping I sleep a lot.
If you know Deanna personally and want to get her blog, email her.
Other than that...BYE-YIIIIIIIIII!
Thursday, October 23, 2008
Holy Crap! and A Follower
You guys...it is Thursday night. We leave in less than 48 hours!
Rehearsals started yesterday. 9am-6pm. So...day jobish. Yesterday after rehearsal we had told a bunch of people we were having a going away party type thing. All of our cast showed up and a nice assortment of mostly improvisor friends showed up. Thanks to everyone who came out, it was great to see you...especially if I knew who you were.
Our show line up includes two group songs that are improv based and those have taken up the majority of our time. The first day we worked part one and pretty much nailed it. Easy as pie. I was kind of thinking "whoa! Awesome! If that was easy the second one should be too!"
Well...
We're definitely getting it, but it was no easy task. Part of the difficulty is that there is a quick little callback to the first song in it which requires us remembering the first four lines. If we nail that...rock stars.
Every part of me just wants to pack and be ready. That will have to wait for tomorrow night at the soonest.
So, one more day of rehearsals that includes more work on the songs then running from open to close a few times. We'll still have some rehearsal time on the ship, but people are itching to get to the ports in Europe.
Also, I have 1 Follower. Hi Mr. B. I don't know who he is but he is listed as a follower of my blog. Yay.
Rehearsals started yesterday. 9am-6pm. So...day jobish. Yesterday after rehearsal we had told a bunch of people we were having a going away party type thing. All of our cast showed up and a nice assortment of mostly improvisor friends showed up. Thanks to everyone who came out, it was great to see you...especially if I knew who you were.
Our show line up includes two group songs that are improv based and those have taken up the majority of our time. The first day we worked part one and pretty much nailed it. Easy as pie. I was kind of thinking "whoa! Awesome! If that was easy the second one should be too!"
Well...
We're definitely getting it, but it was no easy task. Part of the difficulty is that there is a quick little callback to the first song in it which requires us remembering the first four lines. If we nail that...rock stars.
Every part of me just wants to pack and be ready. That will have to wait for tomorrow night at the soonest.
So, one more day of rehearsals that includes more work on the songs then running from open to close a few times. We'll still have some rehearsal time on the ship, but people are itching to get to the ports in Europe.
Also, I have 1 Follower. Hi Mr. B. I don't know who he is but he is listed as a follower of my blog. Yay.
Sunday, October 19, 2008
Math
I've been trying to take a nice little chunk out of each day to work on lines. I really don't have all that many lines to memorize when it comes down to it. Our show is on a ship traveling through Europe...so English may still be a majority language from time to time on the ship, but if so...barely. Thus, our running order is more on the side of music and physicality.
I've found that memorization is easier with breaks. If I work on lines a little each day for a week before rehearsals I have the advantage of sleeping at night each day. Every night I sleep after working on lines makes them stick. A much better technique than working on them all day Tuesday (the day before rehearsals). Just like cramming for a test I guess. Sure, you'll remember the answers for the quiz the next day...but what about the next week and the next?
While I was working on lines I started trying to memorize the running order. Sometimes when you're out on stage you don't get the luxury of getting to go backstage to look at a running order and see what is next. I think I'm out for 3 or 4 in a row at one point...which is pretty common. As I was doing this I noticed that I was in a lot...of the 17 things we're doing, I'm not in 4. That's awesome. I also realized that that won't necessarily mean I'm in a majority of the show. Of our 45-50 minute show I'm already guaranteed to not be in 7-10 of those minutes (the Pictionary sketch). So, time-wise it probably works out evenly between everybody.
This time around Deanna and I are doing two contracts in a row for sure. Hopefully more if we're not burnt by then. Strangely, this has become the trend. It used to be the people doing the boats would do one and then there would be a big window of time in between them going on another...OR...it would be one person going for a year straight with some plan in mind of paying off bills and moving to LA or NY.
The current cast on the Gem all resigned on for a second contract (so they have been on 8 months and we're coming to take over). I might be misinformed, but I believe the cast of the Dawn just did the same...at least some of them did.
I'm itching to go.
In other news, my phone is acting like an idiot. I've had to reset it (take off the back, pop out the battery, pop back in) about 5 times today. Good that I won't even be using it in Europe. Also, my laptop (specifically the DVD ROM) is acting up. We bought it when we first went to Maine, so it is getting old. I'd love to pay off some debt before gaining some.
I've found that memorization is easier with breaks. If I work on lines a little each day for a week before rehearsals I have the advantage of sleeping at night each day. Every night I sleep after working on lines makes them stick. A much better technique than working on them all day Tuesday (the day before rehearsals). Just like cramming for a test I guess. Sure, you'll remember the answers for the quiz the next day...but what about the next week and the next?
While I was working on lines I started trying to memorize the running order. Sometimes when you're out on stage you don't get the luxury of getting to go backstage to look at a running order and see what is next. I think I'm out for 3 or 4 in a row at one point...which is pretty common. As I was doing this I noticed that I was in a lot...of the 17 things we're doing, I'm not in 4. That's awesome. I also realized that that won't necessarily mean I'm in a majority of the show. Of our 45-50 minute show I'm already guaranteed to not be in 7-10 of those minutes (the Pictionary sketch). So, time-wise it probably works out evenly between everybody.
This time around Deanna and I are doing two contracts in a row for sure. Hopefully more if we're not burnt by then. Strangely, this has become the trend. It used to be the people doing the boats would do one and then there would be a big window of time in between them going on another...OR...it would be one person going for a year straight with some plan in mind of paying off bills and moving to LA or NY.
The current cast on the Gem all resigned on for a second contract (so they have been on 8 months and we're coming to take over). I might be misinformed, but I believe the cast of the Dawn just did the same...at least some of them did.
I'm itching to go.
In other news, my phone is acting like an idiot. I've had to reset it (take off the back, pop out the battery, pop back in) about 5 times today. Good that I won't even be using it in Europe. Also, my laptop (specifically the DVD ROM) is acting up. We bought it when we first went to Maine, so it is getting old. I'd love to pay off some debt before gaining some.
Saturday, October 18, 2008
The "One Week" Mark
Here we are. One week.
The nice thing about this time out on the ships is our flight leaves at 4:30 in the afternoon. So we can sleep normally, get ready, and head out.
Last time our flight left aroudn 4:30 or so...in the morning. I remember getting there and we all decided to check our bags with the sky cab so they would go through faster. There were two guys. Everyone in the cast managed to make it through with one guy while I was helped by the old guy. Let's just say service wasn't speedy.
Shows last night were fun. Crowds were a little lighter than I had hoped, but fun all the same. My secret plan was that if the crowd was rockin' and someone seemed super into it I was going to take the "sports genre" to the next level and throw my jersey to them. I have both of my jerseys still.
Here's a secret game I would play while at ComedySportz to keep players on their toes, and possibly in their heads. If it is a rhyming game or some fast paced talking game, before we start I would whisper in someone from the other team's ear "Don't say AIDS." Or if it was someone next to me in a rap game I might whisper "Don't say SIDS" and then set them up to rhyme the word "kids."
It's psychology. That's all they would think about and they would either fight past it or crumple in confusion at not being able to think of anything else. My favorite time this happened was a game called worlds worst where you try to show the worlds worst thing to do or say in a situation based on the suggestion. We were in an auditorium on a remote and the sound was really echo-y. The suggestion was "teacher" or something...maybe not that. I told Josh "don't say AIDS." He was the first person to step forward and said "Look mom, I got A's!" As in "on my report card." All of the players, because of the echo, heard "Look mom, I got AIDS!"
I thought it was the boldest move to go up and be all "I'm not scared to say it."
Memories.
The nice thing about this time out on the ships is our flight leaves at 4:30 in the afternoon. So we can sleep normally, get ready, and head out.
Last time our flight left aroudn 4:30 or so...in the morning. I remember getting there and we all decided to check our bags with the sky cab so they would go through faster. There were two guys. Everyone in the cast managed to make it through with one guy while I was helped by the old guy. Let's just say service wasn't speedy.
Shows last night were fun. Crowds were a little lighter than I had hoped, but fun all the same. My secret plan was that if the crowd was rockin' and someone seemed super into it I was going to take the "sports genre" to the next level and throw my jersey to them. I have both of my jerseys still.
Here's a secret game I would play while at ComedySportz to keep players on their toes, and possibly in their heads. If it is a rhyming game or some fast paced talking game, before we start I would whisper in someone from the other team's ear "Don't say AIDS." Or if it was someone next to me in a rap game I might whisper "Don't say SIDS" and then set them up to rhyme the word "kids."
It's psychology. That's all they would think about and they would either fight past it or crumple in confusion at not being able to think of anything else. My favorite time this happened was a game called worlds worst where you try to show the worlds worst thing to do or say in a situation based on the suggestion. We were in an auditorium on a remote and the sound was really echo-y. The suggestion was "teacher" or something...maybe not that. I told Josh "don't say AIDS." He was the first person to step forward and said "Look mom, I got A's!" As in "on my report card." All of the players, because of the echo, heard "Look mom, I got AIDS!"
I thought it was the boldest move to go up and be all "I'm not scared to say it."
Memories.
Friday, October 17, 2008
Rizzutto/Rizzuto and Lasts
Tonight is my last ComedySportz show for good and my last Beatbox show until I return. Last night was Deanna's last show and she was a ref. I had mentioned something about doing a few bits for her if she wanted. Basically I was just going to dress like a ref and carry her out at the show opening and start of second half. But, she wanted me to team ref. So I did. She also picked all the games without letting the teams know what they were. Normally they get to pick their own. It was the most playful show I had seen in awhile. Apparently, in an effort to be playful with Deanna and throw her curve balls as well, Jon Forsythe put on a hat and shouted 5 things suggestions from the audience and Deanna didn't notice until the end of suggestions. I was out of the room and missed it.
As for Rizzutto/Rizzuto. There is one place in Italy I need to go to before I die. Calabria. It is where the Rizzuttos are from and there is even a Capo de Rizzuto. Calabria is on the tip of the boot:
(Here is where you would have seen a map, but my dad clicked on it and he got a virus...hopefully you didn't...regardless, BYE MAP!)
It just so happens that our ship goes straight through that passage when we go from Malta to Naples. I'm hoping it will be good enough for pictures. Tamara, I get to see Calabria!
As for Rizzutto/Rizzuto. There is one place in Italy I need to go to before I die. Calabria. It is where the Rizzuttos are from and there is even a Capo de Rizzuto. Calabria is on the tip of the boot:
(Here is where you would have seen a map, but my dad clicked on it and he got a virus...hopefully you didn't...regardless, BYE MAP!)
It just so happens that our ship goes straight through that passage when we go from Malta to Naples. I'm hoping it will be good enough for pictures. Tamara, I get to see Calabria!
Thursday, October 16, 2008
Oh no...AND, 9 Days!
9 Days Left! Today I bought a couple of new white shirts...button-down and fitted...for the show.
Other than that, I've been on a root beer kick lately. It started when I saw that Jewel/Osco (grocery store) had Jones Soda root beer on sale. All of their sodas are in bottles by the 4-pack. Lately, instead of just going back there I go to a nearby mart and by a can of A&W root beer.
Jones soda root beer is the best. A&W is pretty good too.
Today, the mart was out of A&W, but had Barq's (Barq's rootbeer has bite...available in your area). So I bought some. Yuck-o. Still able to drink, but nowhere as delicious as A&W or Jones. Surprise surprise, Robyn Norris...it's made by coke. Coca-cola, churning out crappy drinks since Pepsi came around to compare it to.
I don't remember who...maybe Jeremy...but I had a minor debate over whether barq's had caffeine or not and I knew for sure it did because "Barq's root beer has bite...available in your area." That little jingle stuck in my head for good.
9-days!
Part of our show is a song about an audience member with a specific format to it...originally done in a show with Horatio Sanz and Jerry Minor. Jerry Minor was on SNL for awhile (as was Horatio) and then did some other stuff. He has a video on youtube that I will include below. I think it is funny because he is talking hard about all the money he makes from residual paychecks...and then shows the checks and their amounts.
Keep in mind he is doing a character/mockery of typical youtube posts complete with bad editing effects. *WARNING* swears and stuff.
Other than that, I've been on a root beer kick lately. It started when I saw that Jewel/Osco (grocery store) had Jones Soda root beer on sale. All of their sodas are in bottles by the 4-pack. Lately, instead of just going back there I go to a nearby mart and by a can of A&W root beer.
Jones soda root beer is the best. A&W is pretty good too.
Today, the mart was out of A&W, but had Barq's (Barq's rootbeer has bite...available in your area). So I bought some. Yuck-o. Still able to drink, but nowhere as delicious as A&W or Jones. Surprise surprise, Robyn Norris...it's made by coke. Coca-cola, churning out crappy drinks since Pepsi came around to compare it to.
I don't remember who...maybe Jeremy...but I had a minor debate over whether barq's had caffeine or not and I knew for sure it did because "Barq's root beer has bite...available in your area." That little jingle stuck in my head for good.
9-days!
Part of our show is a song about an audience member with a specific format to it...originally done in a show with Horatio Sanz and Jerry Minor. Jerry Minor was on SNL for awhile (as was Horatio) and then did some other stuff. He has a video on youtube that I will include below. I think it is funny because he is talking hard about all the money he makes from residual paychecks...and then shows the checks and their amounts.
Keep in mind he is doing a character/mockery of typical youtube posts complete with bad editing effects. *WARNING* swears and stuff.
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
11 Days
Remember how we got our scripts 13 days before we left last time? Well that would have meant we got them on Sunday...but our producer isn't in the office on Sunday. So that would have meant yeasterday, but it was Columbus Day. So, naturally we would get them today, right?
Right.
We did!
There are only two or three repeats from our last cruise. One of which is the scene "Pictionary." This scene is originally from back in the Stephen Colbert and Steve Corell days. We had it in our running order before, but I wasn't in it. It became sort of a joke between me and our friend Mike who has also worked on ships. If you're not in Pictionary (a 7-10 minute sketch that involves 4 people) you have time to yourself. I wasn't in it last time, and Mike has been on ships twice where they had the sketch and he wasn't in it.
Well, it is in again and I'm out again. I'm planning on making little videos backstage during my time so be ready for that.
Right.
We did!
There are only two or three repeats from our last cruise. One of which is the scene "Pictionary." This scene is originally from back in the Stephen Colbert and Steve Corell days. We had it in our running order before, but I wasn't in it. It became sort of a joke between me and our friend Mike who has also worked on ships. If you're not in Pictionary (a 7-10 minute sketch that involves 4 people) you have time to yourself. I wasn't in it last time, and Mike has been on ships twice where they had the sketch and he wasn't in it.
Well, it is in again and I'm out again. I'm planning on making little videos backstage during my time so be ready for that.
Sunday, October 12, 2008
Tonight Was Different
I blog simply because today there was a story.
Lately I have been pretty lazy. I'm under two weeks until we leave so I've tidied up my activities...perhaps a bit prematurely. I have some freetime...that's what I'm trying to say.
Today was very lazy. All I had planned was a massage at 4pm. A few things happened that were all lazy in nature. Around 7:00pm Deanna texted me and asked if I wanted to go see some friends who had moved to New York, but were in town. I was nearly asleep and listening to David Cross. I was tired/relaxed, but thought I should get out of the house.
As Deanna and I were walking to the get together we came to an intersection. Diagonally across the intersection was a white guy who started beating up a black guy...well, he looked like a 13-year old from our vantage point. People around him were doing nothing. The white guy's girlfriend was screaming "MIKE! MIKE, STOP!"
I did what I could from the opposite corner and yelled "HEY!" in a loud boom. Mike takes off running after throwing the guy to the ground. A guy in an SUV whips his car around to help not-Mike, all while Deanna is yelling stuff like "oh! Now you're just going to run away?!"
This is when I leave Deanna's side and run after them. I figure I can at least catch up to his girlfriend to get information on Mike if necessary. As I'm running there is a big crowd in front of this club/restaurant called The Spot. They're kind of blocking the way and kind of wondering what is happening. I see the girlfriend way on the other side of the mob still running and yelling "Mike!" I say to the people "That guy just beat someone up!" as I start to weave through them. The bouncer tells me the guy who got beat up had started it all the way back by them. I stop running. "He did?" "Yeah, he was provoking him."
This is when I just walk back to meet Deanna and see if this guy (we'll call him "Idiot"...you'll see)is ok. Idiot is talking to the SUV driver, but kind of getting in the driver's face a little. Saying stuff like he's from the south side and he doesn't back down from anything. Being smart, the SUV guy gets in his car and as he does, Idiot slams the door shut for him. Deanna and I cross the street. Idiot crosses the street.
It is clear that Idiot is under a mix of alcohol and adrenaline. He is looking right at me, with a few cuts on his head and blood coming out of his mouth...but he is looking at me with a fight or flight look in his eyes. More on the side of fight. Deanna says to me "the police are right there", just across the intersection.
I ask Idiot, "are you okay?" To which he responds with "are YOU ok?!" and more of his "I don't back down" talk. Then, he shoves me. Not hard, but enough for me to be through with it. "Police!" I bellow and across they come. As they're pulling up I manage to tell him that the SUV driver and I were just trying to help. Give my side of the story, and carry on.
I'm glad I didn't have to fight him. I wasn't worried about fighting him...probably a little easier to take on a guy a foot shorter than me who is drunk and has already been beat up.
Luckily I've had years of training via walking down Clark street during baseball season.
Lately I have been pretty lazy. I'm under two weeks until we leave so I've tidied up my activities...perhaps a bit prematurely. I have some freetime...that's what I'm trying to say.
Today was very lazy. All I had planned was a massage at 4pm. A few things happened that were all lazy in nature. Around 7:00pm Deanna texted me and asked if I wanted to go see some friends who had moved to New York, but were in town. I was nearly asleep and listening to David Cross. I was tired/relaxed, but thought I should get out of the house.
As Deanna and I were walking to the get together we came to an intersection. Diagonally across the intersection was a white guy who started beating up a black guy...well, he looked like a 13-year old from our vantage point. People around him were doing nothing. The white guy's girlfriend was screaming "MIKE! MIKE, STOP!"
I did what I could from the opposite corner and yelled "HEY!" in a loud boom. Mike takes off running after throwing the guy to the ground. A guy in an SUV whips his car around to help not-Mike, all while Deanna is yelling stuff like "oh! Now you're just going to run away?!"
This is when I leave Deanna's side and run after them. I figure I can at least catch up to his girlfriend to get information on Mike if necessary. As I'm running there is a big crowd in front of this club/restaurant called The Spot. They're kind of blocking the way and kind of wondering what is happening. I see the girlfriend way on the other side of the mob still running and yelling "Mike!" I say to the people "That guy just beat someone up!" as I start to weave through them. The bouncer tells me the guy who got beat up had started it all the way back by them. I stop running. "He did?" "Yeah, he was provoking him."
This is when I just walk back to meet Deanna and see if this guy (we'll call him "Idiot"...you'll see)is ok. Idiot is talking to the SUV driver, but kind of getting in the driver's face a little. Saying stuff like he's from the south side and he doesn't back down from anything. Being smart, the SUV guy gets in his car and as he does, Idiot slams the door shut for him. Deanna and I cross the street. Idiot crosses the street.
It is clear that Idiot is under a mix of alcohol and adrenaline. He is looking right at me, with a few cuts on his head and blood coming out of his mouth...but he is looking at me with a fight or flight look in his eyes. More on the side of fight. Deanna says to me "the police are right there", just across the intersection.
I ask Idiot, "are you okay?" To which he responds with "are YOU ok?!" and more of his "I don't back down" talk. Then, he shoves me. Not hard, but enough for me to be through with it. "Police!" I bellow and across they come. As they're pulling up I manage to tell him that the SUV driver and I were just trying to help. Give my side of the story, and carry on.
I'm glad I didn't have to fight him. I wasn't worried about fighting him...probably a little easier to take on a guy a foot shorter than me who is drunk and has already been beat up.
Luckily I've had years of training via walking down Clark street during baseball season.
Saturday, October 11, 2008
2 Weeks!
Before it turns into tomorrow I thought that I should post about the journey. TWO WEEKS! I checked my emails from last year and saw that we received our scripts 13 days before our departure date...so any day now.
Last night I had my last ComedySportz show with Deanna. We still both have shows next week...just not with each other. Before that show I sat in for someone in the 8pm show. Half to more-than-half of the audience was a tour group of seniors (old people...not 12th graders). Every CSz show has a half-time that lasts about 5-10 minutes. In that show we had said half-time and came back. Pretty much as soon as the second half started every one of the seniors got up and started heading out. The ref and captains were on stage talking about what the first game of the half would be as they always do in the show.
I was on the bench thinking "we have to call this out or wait for it, guys...50 seniors walking out at the same time is going to catch a few eyes." As that was happening, one of the ladies who liked our team and who I had high-fived came over to me on the bench and said "We love the show. We've been going since really early and we're tired. Everyone just wants to go back to the hotel and sleep." So, I stood up, filled in the rest of the audience on the news, and solicited a round of applause for them for at least coming out. Distraction averted. At the end of the show one man said "a the remaining old person in the theater I'd like to tell you you guys did a great show."
Next Friday marks my final CSz show and my last beatbox show as well.
Last night I had my last ComedySportz show with Deanna. We still both have shows next week...just not with each other. Before that show I sat in for someone in the 8pm show. Half to more-than-half of the audience was a tour group of seniors (old people...not 12th graders). Every CSz show has a half-time that lasts about 5-10 minutes. In that show we had said half-time and came back. Pretty much as soon as the second half started every one of the seniors got up and started heading out. The ref and captains were on stage talking about what the first game of the half would be as they always do in the show.
I was on the bench thinking "we have to call this out or wait for it, guys...50 seniors walking out at the same time is going to catch a few eyes." As that was happening, one of the ladies who liked our team and who I had high-fived came over to me on the bench and said "We love the show. We've been going since really early and we're tired. Everyone just wants to go back to the hotel and sleep." So, I stood up, filled in the rest of the audience on the news, and solicited a round of applause for them for at least coming out. Distraction averted. At the end of the show one man said "a the remaining old person in the theater I'd like to tell you you guys did a great show."
Next Friday marks my final CSz show and my last beatbox show as well.
Dear America, We're Idiots
I'd write about what's going on with me leading up to the ship, but I'm distracted. Remember when you realized the country was more than 50% idiot? You will find out for sure in early November. Watch to see the overwhelming logic of the McCain supporter.
She doesn't trust Obama because he's an Arab? AND she read that somewhere?
A) I'm blown away that there are any people supporting McCain at all, especially after picking Palin as a running mate.
B) If you are a McCain supporter and I know you, please don't be as stupid as these people. Don't vote for McCain just because he's white, or not an Arab.
If you're a McCain supporter, do yourself a favor. go to www.hulu.com and look up "The Daily Show with Jon Stewart". Yes it is a comedy show...but a comedy show that researches well. Watch the shows that happened the day after debates. There have been very few times when Obama says something that they can find Obama from the past contradicting. There have been MULTIPLE TIMES when McCain will say one thing and they will show video of him saying or doing the exact opposite.
And I thought the last election was important. And I know we blew that one. Maybe our dollar will be worth something again. Or maybe we get sold into slave labor when Palin becomes president.
She doesn't trust Obama because he's an Arab? AND she read that somewhere?
A) I'm blown away that there are any people supporting McCain at all, especially after picking Palin as a running mate.
B) If you are a McCain supporter and I know you, please don't be as stupid as these people. Don't vote for McCain just because he's white, or not an Arab.
If you're a McCain supporter, do yourself a favor. go to www.hulu.com and look up "The Daily Show with Jon Stewart". Yes it is a comedy show...but a comedy show that researches well. Watch the shows that happened the day after debates. There have been very few times when Obama says something that they can find Obama from the past contradicting. There have been MULTIPLE TIMES when McCain will say one thing and they will show video of him saying or doing the exact opposite.
And I thought the last election was important. And I know we blew that one. Maybe our dollar will be worth something again. Or maybe we get sold into slave labor when Palin becomes president.
Thursday, October 09, 2008
Cubs Follow Up
I saw this in Jewel today. $14.95. I think that the publisher might not have been following baseball for the last 100 years.
Tuesday, October 07, 2008
Open Letter to Jen Shepard
How dare you comment on stuff I haven't even posted. HOW DARE YOU!
(P.S. Deanna has a super cute hair cut that she'll be in charge of posting pictures...check her facebook)
(P.S. Deanna has a super cute hair cut that she'll be in charge of posting pictures...check her facebook)
Sunday, October 05, 2008
Friday, October 03, 2008
Sports...Not Sportz
If you live in Chicago you know about the Cubs and the Sox. There was a lot of talk about "magic numbers" and such. Well, I barely follow baseball. I check on the cubs games anytime I need to travel through/near Wrigley Field.
I HAVE been privy to the Trail Blazers though. They won in '76. I know because everyone was listening to the game on their radios...at least our red VW Bug and the car that hit us/we hit. Not too terrible of an accident. I was young, but I remember it knocked one of the shiny chrome hub caps off and I saw it rolling around out the window. Oddly enough, that is the only memory I can think of with that car.
I digress. Trail Blazers...they drive me nuts. Not so much them, but the fans. A.K.A. Blazer Belivers. If you don't follow sports like I don't follow sports you kind of get a sense for whether a team will actually pull through. The Blazers made it to the playoffs or finals a few times, but I knew they wouldn't win. I was right.
Now the cubs are in the playoffs. It is exactly 100 years since they won the world series. Everyone is excited and extremely superstitious.
I gotta tell you...I'm not feeling it. I haven't the whole year. And what happens? They have lost their first two play-off games.
I've said it before and I'll say it again. I don't mind sports...it's the fans. I can chose to watch or not watch sports. Easy choice. What's harder is being around the people who talk about it constantly, especially at this time of year when "they could go all the way."
I read a lot of different friend's blogs and there are about 4 that I just sort of skim through now 'cause it's all cubs stuff.
22 days.
Also, I did my last ComedySportz remote last night. Did I mention I'm stopping CSz? I am. It is time. Will I do it again when we finish doign boats? Who knows. I don't think so, but who knows where we and things will be.
I HAVE been privy to the Trail Blazers though. They won in '76. I know because everyone was listening to the game on their radios...at least our red VW Bug and the car that hit us/we hit. Not too terrible of an accident. I was young, but I remember it knocked one of the shiny chrome hub caps off and I saw it rolling around out the window. Oddly enough, that is the only memory I can think of with that car.
I digress. Trail Blazers...they drive me nuts. Not so much them, but the fans. A.K.A. Blazer Belivers. If you don't follow sports like I don't follow sports you kind of get a sense for whether a team will actually pull through. The Blazers made it to the playoffs or finals a few times, but I knew they wouldn't win. I was right.
Now the cubs are in the playoffs. It is exactly 100 years since they won the world series. Everyone is excited and extremely superstitious.
I gotta tell you...I'm not feeling it. I haven't the whole year. And what happens? They have lost their first two play-off games.
I've said it before and I'll say it again. I don't mind sports...it's the fans. I can chose to watch or not watch sports. Easy choice. What's harder is being around the people who talk about it constantly, especially at this time of year when "they could go all the way."
I read a lot of different friend's blogs and there are about 4 that I just sort of skim through now 'cause it's all cubs stuff.
22 days.
Also, I did my last ComedySportz remote last night. Did I mention I'm stopping CSz? I am. It is time. Will I do it again when we finish doign boats? Who knows. I don't think so, but who knows where we and things will be.
Wednesday, October 01, 2008
Ok...It Is Starting To Hit Me
Today, as I realized it is now October, it started to hit me.
We leave in just over 3 weeks. I've been playing video games and chillin' mostly. Soon it will be scripts and rehearsals.
While packing I found 4 various notebooks filled with either sketch/comedy ideas, stuff I saw in airports or other locations that struck me as odd enough to be potentially used for something, notes on improv shows I coached, and other various things.
In the "stuff I saw in airports" I wrote "two twins trying to eat each other."
I couldn't remember the memory at first and it seemed like an odd thing. Then I remembered it was two toddlers. Still...what the hell.
We leave in just over 3 weeks. I've been playing video games and chillin' mostly. Soon it will be scripts and rehearsals.
While packing I found 4 various notebooks filled with either sketch/comedy ideas, stuff I saw in airports or other locations that struck me as odd enough to be potentially used for something, notes on improv shows I coached, and other various things.
In the "stuff I saw in airports" I wrote "two twins trying to eat each other."
I couldn't remember the memory at first and it seemed like an odd thing. Then I remembered it was two toddlers. Still...what the hell.
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