Recently, I went through a revival of watching Victoria Wood on YouTube (check around the 6 minute mark for a barking mad song!). She’s a British comedienne and I’ve adored her forever. I saw her in concert once and actually wet myself laughing. Then again, I was 11 years old. But then again, I’d had 8 years to learn to control my bladder. Hmmm. She has this incredible way of using observational humor in everyday life and picks up on the tiniest mannerisms that people randomly say and do. I’m also a huge fan of Catherine Tate, another British comedienne. Then last week, a woman gave me her flyer on the street about a new stand up show she was doing in San Fran. I actually wanted to go see her but then used the flyer to kill a spider and since I am petrified of anything tiny with more than 4 legs, I threw the flyer in the trash. I know – I’m an awful person but that spider gave me a look that I just didn’t trust.
Then it got me thinking – when was the last time I saw a comedian doing a stand up? Well, I saw Joan Rivers about 18 months ago and she was fantastic but since I’d been watching her Joan & Melissa show on TV, quite a few of her liners in the stand up were lines she’d also duplicated on the show. Either way, I saw her at The Castro Theater and I was so giddy excited, but not enough for my bladder to explode.
I’m seeing Louis CK in November at Davies Symphony Hall. I dare not watch anything on YouTube about him between now and then, for fear of repeating the Joan Rivers scenario. I want fresh and new and belly laugh for the first time. I want to walk out the Hall wetting myself laughing and not remembering one thing he said because he spewed out a ton of material that jumbled together brilliantly.
Oh, two years ago I also saw Jerry Seinfeld in Oakland. Now he was genius! Total off the wall fantastic and I pee’d myself a bit but held it together. I can’t remember a thing he said but I know it was mind blowing. I wore waterproof mascara, I was prepared.
For Louis, Jerry and Joan, I saw them all by myself. Not with friends. Just ME and I love doing that. Just going on my lonesome so I have no one interrupting me every 2 minutes with a chat or ‘what did he/she just say’ and ‘I don’t get that joke’ and ‘did he just say chicken, was it funny?’ OMG – go away!!
I decided that since I’m working so hard, I need to keep the humor going or I’ll eventually find myself more amusing, and that is a sign of insanity. I need to get to Punchline and Improv more often. I need to be entertained by someone other than myself or my dog, Muppet. Now us Cundles (Muppet and I) are funny & quick to react. We can easily find things to joke about but then again, insanity rears its head because that confirms I find myself the funniest person I know and my second in command side kick is a Spaniel.
The next time you and friends are thinking of going to get another restaurant or bar to fill up the evening looking for entertainment, try diversify and head to a comedy club in the city. If you need to, don’t feel shy about bringing another pair of underwear in case you have a wetting mishap like me. No one will ever know. But it’s a lot more comfortable in the long run, especially if you have a full night ahead and don't find squelching so funny at 11pm! Trust me, I’m the first one to get a packet of 5 for $20 from Target before I head out. And hey, if you have a crush on the comedian, you have a spare pair to throw on the stage. Two birds, one stone etc.
