My Chin Is Not Pronounced

Tell me something I don't know.

A while ago I got manscaped, and now the article has come out. Once you are there you can go and read about some of the other "men" that went and had this done.

When I look at the before and after...



I think I look better in the first picture. Maybe that's just me. Maybe that's just the "style" that I am comfortable with. Anyway, about three days later I started resembling the before pic again.

Overall, it was fun. It was free. I got in the paper.

I could have done without them making me a foot shorter. That was not part of the deal.

Enjoy It With Me Now

The first teaser trailer for Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince.

July Improv Blog-off.

Welcome to the July improv blog topic for the Kansas City improv community. This month's topic:  Is there such a thing about being too nice? Too blunt?

This topic deals with giving feedback of another's show and/or performance.  I am a firm believer that someone should never open their mouth about a show/performance to that individual unless it is asked for.  If they don't ask for it, then and only then is a "good show" a worthy comment. 

Now, as far as giving feedback goes, I don't necessary believe that giving too nice or too blunt of advice hurts the performer.  Yes, there are some very fragile people out there who could get hurt if they ever knew the truth, but most of us are smart enough to know whether or not we gave a bad performance.  We are our toughest critic and we know when we've done shitty work. Yes, there are people out there who are clueless to their own performances.  They are the ones that are extra happy, all shiny and smiley at the bar afterwards. Why crush this poor sap's spirit?  If they need to get better, then it should be their troupe that does the teaching.

What is it about feedback that gets people all riled up?  I think it says a lot about the person who feels the need to give people their opinion.  To tell someone that what they did is either good or bad gives a person a sense of importance, like they need to prove to others that they know their shit.  Yes, we are a community and a small one at that, but if we need to go around telling everyone either how good or how bad they are, then we should all join forces and be one gigantic troupe.  Because within the troupe/team/group should be where any of the constructive criticism comes from.  It shouldn't come from anywhere else unless it's asked for.  And then and only then can and should a person be honest.

The same goes for telling people whether or not they need to take workshops. If someone outside of your own personal troupe is shoving classes down your throat, who are they to tell you what you need? Listen to your troupe.  

Like always, this is just my opinion.  I've been known to be wrong on more occasions than one.

This Week In Improv

The week is over, and it was a busy one. Recap.

Wednesday was the beginning of the Kansas City Improv Showcase at the Kansas City Fringe Festival.  Mr. Guy Maggio had organized a Wednesday through Sunday improv extravaganza, and got it all under one roof.  He acted as director, producer, technical supervisor, host, talent scout, stage hand, and a plethora of other title during this stretch.  The Fringe was a blast to be a part of and Guy deserves all the credit coming his way.

As for me, I had put together a mini Improv Thunderdome to participate in the festivities.  Wednesday started the exciting week that was.  Round 1 was between Trivial Prov-suit (John Robison of the Roving Imp Theater and James Nelson with the Makeshift Militia) and Loaded Dice (Improv Thunderdome's season one champions). Both sets were great, and in the end Trivial Prov-suit won the match by a vote of 12 to 11.  The one vote difference was a Thunderdome first.

Friday, round 2 pitted Improv-Abilties (Organizers of the up coming Kansas City Improv Festival) against Spite (or "the lady parts of Tantrum", Trish Berrong, Nikki DuPont & Megan Mercer).  Again, two great sets were presented, and once again one vote determined the outcome.  Spite was victorious 16 to 15.  An hour and a half later, Jen Roser, Megan Mercer and myself performed in the KC Improv Showcase as three fifths of the Trip Fives.  We had a lot of fun.  The set went by so fast.  I had had one beer before the show (which I NEVER do) and felt as if it went right to my head.  I personally felt "off" but nonetheless had a great time performing with Jen and Megan.

Saturday came the original Improv Thunderdome at the Westport Coffeehouse, round two of season two.  Scriptease vs. Death Rattle vs. CCC.  I thought all teams gave great performances, but to be honest, none of them seemed to have brought their A game.  Each set included many great highs and great laughs, but each set also included a few down moment.  Nothing down-right horrible, just some lulls that I think each and every performer would agree with, that is the only reason why I feel comfortable mentioning it.  In the end, Scriptease received the most votes, and became the first 2-time finalists in Thunderdome's short history.  I was very proud of everyone and am so happy that each person was involved.  Also, big props to Loaded Dice who performed their first true show before Thunderdome.  They all did great.

Sunday was the last day of improv at the Fringe, and the last show was the mini-championship of the mini-thunderdome.  Trivial Prov-suit vs. Spite.  The crowd, I believe, was the biggest of the week (Not of the whole Fringe Fest, I'm sure, but for the improv portion of it). 50 people came and voted Spite as the mini champs.  And once again, for the third straight show in a row, one vote decided the winner.  23 to 22.  Awesome, and completely unheard of.

Now that it is Monday, I am looking back on my busiest week of improv since 1998 or '99, or  whenever the last Lighten Up/Funny Outfit sponsored improv festival was.  This past week was a blast. After talking with Guy after show, we discussed the excitement of next year's Fringe Fest and ways of expanding the talent as well as the audiences.  To be honest, the audiences were quite a surprise. Not to mention some of the press we got with the KC Star, the Pitch (both mini-dome & regular-dome), and even the KC Stage.  What a week.  The improv community should be very proud.  And a big thank you should go out to all of those involved.

Thanks.

9-6-5 is a Joke

This morning I was listening to the radio during 96.5 the Buzz's "My List" mornings.  For those that don't know what that is, it's where listeners can submit their own "top ten" lists and possibly have them played on the air.  A chance for the listeners to take over the airwaves. They've been doing this off and on for almost three years now.  Sometimes the person who created the list can actually get on the air.  Usually they don't. This morning was no exception.  

As the morning DJ was playing a song list created by Joe Listener, he was having a contest, sort of, throughout the duration of the list.  He wanted listeners to call and guess what the "theme" of Joe's list was. Whoever had the best answer would win tickets to some concert this weekend.  I only heard one caller, but my guess is that he was right on the money.  Not only with Joe Listener's list, but every "My List" that has ever been played on the station.

DJ:  "What do you think Joe's theme is?"

Caller:  "Songs that would be played on this station anyway."

The caller hit the nail on the head.  The DJ tried to play it off like it was funny, saying something like, "Oh, so you think Joe is just being lazy?"  HA.  I bet not.  I submitted a list back when they first started doing this.  Did it get played?  Of course not.  Was I upset?  Not really, but then I started hearing everyone else's playlist.  It was a Joke.  Are you telling me that everyone and their mother has at least one Red Hot Chili Peppers song in their list?  I seriously doubt it. Even if they did, would all the songs be off of their last two albums. Hell NO!  Every list was the Killers, Coldplay, Death Cab For Cutie, My Chemical Romance, 311, Sublime, Blink 182, and every other band that is in the Buzz's regular rotation.  

A lot of lists had bands that I actually like, but come on, if any die hard Weezer fan is going to put one of their songs in their top ten list, it wouldn't by Buddy Holly.  And do that many people out there like the Offspring that much?  It's a Joke.

Anyway, I've though this way for a while, but hear the station today made we want to rant about it.

Dark Indeed

We went and saw The Dark Knight this morning, and it was everything I wished it would have been and more.  Those are my thoughts and opinions at this very moment.  Usually I don't like to start dissecting a movie until I have stewed over it for a couple of days, thinking about every little bit that I liked and disliked. This film was different.  I wasn't watching this movie as an adult. I watched it as a kid. 

Lisa already wants to go see it again.  She was blow away.  I think she expected it to be entertaining, but I don't think she expected it be that good as a whole. The acting was probably one of the best things about it, which usually is absent from most comic book films. Rumors are already starting to pop up about oscar nominations for the late Heath Ledger.  He was, dare I say it, a brilliant Joker.  Sick, twisted, and definitely different from Jack Nicholson's take on the murderous psychopath. (There were moments that were hard to watch because I'd be enjoying his performance so much, then realize that he is dead. It was sad.)  But to me, Ledger's performance wasn't even the best part.  Aaron Eckhart blew me away.  

Aaron Eckhart

I was more enthralled with his Harvey Dent than anything else. Maybe that's just because I knew of his character's fate.  But still, his performance should not be overlooked.  And all the rest of the actors that rounded out the cast; Michael Caine, Morgan Freeman, Gary Oldman, they all gave great performances.  Even Maggie Gyllenhaal wasn't too shabby. 

The kid in me loved it.  The adult in me loved it.  They both can't wait to see it again.

Best. Speech. Ever.