Day 25: Cathy and Me 8/9/07

So I'm hanging out with my buddy Jody and I get this call from an unknown number which inevitably means that someone from work is trying to get me to pick up their shift. I answer anyway (which is weird because I usually don't... providence) and it's Cathy Sorbo. You remember Cathy Sorbo don't you? If not, reread my blog at the beginning and reread "Addendum: Cathy Sorbo"... all caught up? Good. So it turns out she's headlining at the Comedy Underground and WOULDILIKETOFUCKINGGUESTSPOT?

(fearfearfearfearfearfearfearfearfearfearfearfearfearfearfearfearfearfearfearfearfear)

...sure, yeah, I can make it.

OH FUCK! What am I going to do this will be the first time she sees me perform stand-up what's the perfect bit for me to do what if I suck and she thinks I'm the shittiest comic ever fuck!

5 minutes before I arrive she calls again to see if I want to host. Sure, why the fuck not? Actually it's a pretty cool opportunity to host at the Underground so game on.

I get there, it's cool, a bunch of comics I've met through open mics are there so that's nice. It turns out there's going to be two bachelorette parties... that settles that, I'm opening with "Cheesecake Factory" bit along with "Toby McGuire". I go up, riff on the the bride to be, do Cheesecake, it goes well, not the best but not bad, trying not to think of Cathy watching, thinking about how I'm trying not to think that Cathy's watching. People laugh, it's over.

She said "good job" but I couldn't help feeling like a fucking amateur. I think it was nerves or basic creative self-deprecation, but I didn't bomb and that's all that counts. A bunch of other comics go up and then I go to introduce her.

I decide to through in "neuva ring" bit in before I bring her up. Now, this has done well at open mics and at Capitol Club, but what I didn't realize is that this is my first time putting it up in front of a normal crowd. Now it's not by any means a pro-choice or pro-life bit (more pro-birth control than anything) but what I learned is that normal crowds are put off by the mere mention of abortion. To date this was probably my favorite reaction to a bit that I've had. I did the bit and had a few uncomfortable chuckles, a lot of quiet angry stares, and two people off to the side laughing their fucking asses off. The tension of the room compounded the bit for the people who thought it was funny. I now understand Andy Kaufman in a whole new light. It was such a powerful feeling to evoke such an extreme tension or emotion in the crown, if in fact it wasn't laughter. This could be a really bad intoxication for me. I segued hard into bringing Cathy out and that cut the tension and everyone laughed. Oh god, this might be dangerous.

Cathy, of course, killed. One of the many great things is that two derby people were there as I ran into them seconds after Cathy called me. They loved it, so I'm hoping that they'll encourage other derby people to see her and understand what an amazing asset they have that they have yet to truly capitalize on. I think she liked my set but I'm too chickenshit to ask for a critique yet (except, of course, on this public forum). God willing there will be more to come.

Lesson: Be ready for the call, you never know when you're going to get it.

Backup lesson: Tension is good... tension is really good... NO BAD LESSON! BAD, BAD LESSON!