Updates & a Shimmy

 

 

Hi readers. Back in February, I posed for an artist who photographs and then draws from an arrangement of the photos.  I was happy because it was a clothed and paid gig.  The artist sent me a photo of the drawing in progress.  She assured me she will send me a more professional photo when she is finished.  I like the shot of the in-progress drawing.

 

About a month and a half ago, I was one of five judges at a comedy competition.  I had enjoyed doing it.  The other judges and I took our role seriously and it seemed everyone was in agreement with our decisions.  The producer, long before the contest was over, told us that our scoring was spot on.  I was inspired to compete in the next competition the following month. 

The judges this time were three men and two women.  I sat behind one table of judges and saw them in action.  Though when I judged, we were instructed not to confer with each other, this group felt free to whisper things to each other.  One judge who was dressed in his corporate work clothes shared with the other judges at his table that he tried stand-up and did it until the first time it didn’t go well.  Then he stopped.  He did not sound like he understood what it takes to endure those horrible moments or seem to have any respect for the process.  I wondered if he was a bitter one.  He had his girlfriend/wife with him, but she wasn’t a judge.  She didn’t sit at his table but at the adjacent one.  Next to him was a judge who seemed serious and mature about things, fair in her scoring of those competing.  On the other side of her was a guy who seemed bitchy.  I don’t know how else to describe the vibe.  He gave everyone their low score and seemed to take pleasure in it.  Then at the other table was a young woman judge sitting by herself.  At another table was another man who I think may have been a comic, and I got the feeling he was asked to judge as a last minute fill-in for a no show judge.  Not confirmed, just my impression.  He laughed at the stuff I detest, so I knew I was not going to have an easy time of it.  The host was different.  I preferred the first one I had met.

One comic was good at delivery but the material was not anything great.  The funniest joke he did was one I had read on Facebook.  It was funny and he got laughs.  He scored decently with unoriginal material.

My material is material I am proud of and I’ve done well with in the past.  This time, there must’ve been something wrong with my ability to connect.  Something was not happening.  Even when I got to a point that has always gotten a strong reaction, there was barely anything.  Then I remembered to slow down and look at people and smile.  It got better after that.  Thank goodness, my set finished on a laughing note.

 

The scores were whacky.  The options for each judge to give ranged from one to ten.  On the very same set, one judge gave me a nine and one gave me a three.  A fuckin’ three.  I acknowledge that I must’ve had a delivery problem, but a three?! while also getting a nine?! and things in-between.  That was disappointing.  However, I will do it again.  It’s always a different panel of judges.  And I’ll be working on my delivery.

I auditioned for a short play, something I hadn’t done in a long time.  I had the script page and was able to prepare.  I found the role (what I could gather of it) to be fun.  The character is a divorced woman who was proposed to by her ex-husband’s former best friend.  She doesn’t accept because she is still in love with her ex who now has a girlfriend half his age.  The play was written by two women.  I had to play it to one of the women writers.  In my mind, she was my “Max.”  I acted my butt off.  I believe trying to rise to the challenge of doing stand-up (which I find harder) has made me a better actress.  Then they had an actor, who was there to audition for a different part, come in to do it with me.  He did not know this part at all and was not told where the scene ended, and his pages were different than mine, blah blah blah.  So while I am trying hard to seduce him, he is buried in the script looking for his next line.  I remained in character and sort of shimmied (jiggled my breasts) and said, “Gee, you’re a tough one to get a reaction out of.”  Both women burst out laughing.

I got the part.