I had a ball last Wednesday night on the Funny Underground
Comedy show at Broadway Comedy Club. I
knew a good friend, Liz McCall, was coming to the show. The day before was when I learned that a
friend from the NYC poetry circles, Fred Simpson, was coming to the show and
planned to bring a friend. But what I
didn’t know was two former co-workers from my miserably married days when I
worked 12-hour night shifts on the weekends as a proofreader, Lia Young and
Cicely Brooks, were going to surprise me.
They have a tremendous sense of humor.
All of them except Liz had never heard me do stand-up before. Fred had heard my poetry which is sometimes
funny, sometimes sad, usually touching.
Liz had come to a Divorced Divas
of Comedy show a few years ago. Lia
and Cicely mainly had heard my misery. It felt sooooo good to have them hear my
comedy. It felt sooooo good to hear them
all laughing.
The reunion had made a big impact inside me. I was feeling it for days.
There was something very special about Lia
and Cicely hearing me make comedy from my misery. They are each married now, and I’m gratefully
divorced. Whatever works for ya. We all seemed content. That’s what matters.
I loved sitting with Liz.
An awake woman who hears and sees and feels.
We were able to look at each other when
comedy and misogyny get confused. That
alleviates a lot of the difficulty of being a woman in comedy. I also loved making Fred laugh. I enjoyed the night a whole lot.
…..
This Friday night at the Cornelia Street Café at 6pm, there
will be a
tribute to Jackie Sheeler who touched so many lives. Her death has had many heads spinning. I’m not good with this part of life. I often do not attend these things, and I keep
the person alive in my head. But I do
want to be there. Jackie was a great
talent. She also was a giver. She was the poet laureate at Riker’s
Island. That should tell how special a
human she was. I once did a voice over
for a one-woman show she was writing.
She had me play a heroin addict pleading for ‘works.’ I’ve never done heroin (thank God), but I
know addiction. She was so happily
surprised with my first take. She said, “You
nailed it!” She paid me with a Betsy
Johnson suit that she couldn’t fit into.
I wore the jacket to my divorce.
My lawyer was shocked that I had a designer jacket on when I could
barely get carfare together. That is
just one memory. Jackie was
amazing. In my head, she lives on.
…..
Do you know what Saturday is?
The Cannabis Parade! You don’t
have to be a marijuana lover to be there.
You just have to want people who smoke weed to not waste away in prison
and people who suffer with PTSD, cancer, and other conditions to get relief
from it.
…..
For those who would like to attend the next Funny Underground
Comedy
show, please get your tickets here:
Aaron
Smith (the producer) has a 2-for-1 special going on!
I will tickle your funny bone.
…..
At some point yesterday, I discovered I had put my panties on
inside out.
Yes the cotton crotch faced
the outside. It was too late to take off
everything to fix that. I had to get to
work. And that’s how yesterday went.
