Here Comes the Blog...

Happy Friday, 'Redheads... I hope everyone had a great week. As we prepare for the weekend, I have a couple of happy congratulations to dole out.

First, congratulations to my buddy Glen and his wife-to-be Caryn on their impending nuptials this weekend, deep in the heart of Texas. I've known Glen since grade school. Caryn is a great girl and I look forward to adding them to my vast collection of married friends.

Also, congratulations to DC comedy power couple, Jimmeslie. Jimmy Merritt & Leslie Coolie will officially tie the knot tomorrow. If Jimmy has his way, the cake might look something like this...

This is no cake...

Thanks to anyone who got the above reference. I hope they have wedded bliss out the yin-yang. They will make a very funny...and very pale children...who's midichlorians will be off the charts (ok...enough Star Wars for one blog). That's all I heard about Leslie and Jimmy. Can't tell you more, 'cuz I told you already. Now here we are waving Leslie and Jimmy goodbye. Whoa. Whoa. Whoa.

Belated congratulations to Jon Mumma, Justin Schlegel, and Joe Robinson for bringing the house down at the DC Improv showcase finals (and further proving that anyone who's anyone in this town, has a name that starts with "J"). Unfortunately, there could be only one grand prize. That went to Jon Mumma, but any of these three comedy combatants could've taken it down.
Comedy contests are an odd brand of vodka in the comedy liquor cabinet...if that makes any sense. Please, don't think me bitter just because I've never won one. In a world of fragile egos, the comedy contest does a fine job of stomping on them like a Jewish groom after saying, "I do." Trying to objectively judge something as amorphous as funny, based on one 8 minute performance, is like trying to gauge an audience's actual mood "by round of applause." Hilarity is in the milk coming out of the nose of the beholder...or something.
The one thing that this contest was a testament to, was the unity of the DC comedy community. While the egos in comedy are fragile, they can also be quite big as we all frantically try to scramble for the Mardi Gras beads of success. It was heartening to see the turnout of comics to support our brothers in arms as they flashed their tits on the big float. We are fam-i-ly.

Before the show, all of us were mingling in the lobby of the Improv. I saw comedy dynamo, Justin Schlegel, plugged into his I-pod, amping up for his set. I asked him what he was listening to. He replied, "DragonForce." What is DragonForce, you ask? Well, crank up your speakers and check this out. If you need any cheese or lettuce or steel shredded, put it next to the computer and enjoy the flamethrowing hurricane of sound.

Care for some amazing DC comedy at bargain basement prices? Come down to the Congressional Room of the Bethesda Hyatt on Saturday night. For only $5, you can see:

'06 DC Improv Showcase winner, Jon Mumma
Rising mega-star, Ryan Conner
U.N. Comedy ambassador, Rory Scovel
Mimic extraordinaire and GUYS WATCHING 24 co-star, Danny Rouhier
...and your favorite amiable zany, Jared "The Galleria of Comedy" Stern
Show starts at 8:00...doors open at 7:00. See you there.

To be continued...