"When I'm out walking
I strut my stuff
And I'm so strung out
I'm high as a kite
I just might stop to check you out"- The (not actually) Violent Femmes
I strut my stuff
And I'm so strung out
I'm high as a kite
I just might stop to check you out"- The (not actually) Violent Femmes
My Dad, who I liken to the (not racist Atticus Finch) wore a shirt growing up saying,
"Nobody is born a bigot."
Liz Donehue, Andy Iwancio, Hope Linden, Cheri Hagan Hardman, and Shannon Koyano showed The Comedy Underground last night that unlearning hate and prejudice starts with speaking that unique love blues that only a group of fantastic FEMME energy can deliver!
And did they!
Showing the fictional town of Maycomb's and America that FEMME power is being you and being accepted for who you are no matter what you believe or don't believe.
So in other words, America.
I can be ignorant.
I must admit, as Socrates once said,
"I know that I know nothing." Well, he's being honest there and milking that crowd.
I'd say he's the smartest philosopher because his bag of tricks was curiosity and unbeknownst to him, responsible for so many expensive college books.
Let me be as blunt and honest as the on point comics I saw perform at Seattle's Comedy Underground last night.
Although I'm one hundred percent an ally in every social justice quest (name it and I say 'Are you being a dick?' Wheaton's Law), I often don't know terms that make people feel comfortable.
This is where Google can be your friend, and internet comments are the death of grammar and empathy in this country.
Being from the Midwest we (or me) pride ourselves on being polite and making sure all is well on the middle of the road, Dunkin Donuts front.
I'm from Cleveland. There I said it.
Writer, comic, and host Liz Donehue put it best warming the crowd with her west coast observance and Midwest joviality when she spat:
"People from the Midwest are cartoon characters!"
Having won over audiences in the Twin Cities Liz knows the scene.
Having won over audiences in the Twin Cities Liz knows the scene.
Adapting her best Marge Gunderson she joked,
"Maybe I'd take you seriously if you didn't sound like you were in a Cohen Brother's movie."
Don't ya know?
Don't ya know?
So I think before I get in what was the most eye opening comedy show I've seen in a long time it's important for me to not be a lazy sycophant, coming across as if I know what I'm talking about and that I've been on the front lines marching in the streets.
I haven't. Like Paul Simon says comically,
I'm not going to get into it, but I needed comedy these past two weeks. The news has been sour.
This is news John Lennon would not have read in 'A Day in the Life'.
"I know what I know. I'll sing what I've said, we come and we go, that's the thing that I keep in the back of my head."
I'm not going to get into it, but I needed comedy these past two weeks. The news has been sour.
This is news John Lennon would not have read in 'A Day in the Life'.
If you're like me and you want to know how, that in 2016, people, and most importantly people in actual power, still deny the worth of LGBTQ people and other's who are 'the others' then you were with me last night at the Comedy Underground, with an open mind, and couldn't find parking.
(suburban Dad problems)
(suburban Dad problems)
The comedians last night didn't. And they all did it in their own special way:
By being themselves! Imagine that John.
Now this is A Day in The Life I want to be in.
Now this is A Day in The Life I want to be in.
"Crazy, that this is who I am and I have to scream it", said comedian Andy Iwancio as she gracefully sat on a chair with the demeanor of someone who's laugher shows that the jokes come from heart, mind and a place of...
"Are you F'in kidding me?" (She didn't actually say F'n but my Midwest mannerism prevent me from typing a swear word even though the thought has been convyed.)
I worked a couple years back with Andy Iwancio on the east side in a warehouse when I moved here and right of the bat I knew Andy had to be a writer or in a band.
(Readers note: Some if not all Midwest people think that when someone lives near or around Seattle they are in a grunge band. It's our bias. Remember Wisconsin native Chris Farley's movie, the underrated Black Sheep? Yeah, still one of my favorite movies so naturally before I moved here I was like. Oh, ok I understand Washington.)
Like I said, I now know I know nothing.
Andy was, and still is a dj, writer, comic, and was the first person to genuinely care about me at my new job.
Oh, and uh Andy is transgendered and no amount of me saying the wrong pronoun to her would stop her from talking to me and treating me like a person.
We worked different departments but she would always ask me what I was writing and was/is so curious about people.
I lost touch with Andy as I got a new job a couple years back until recently.
After a much needed friend request I read:
"A first of its kind at the Comedy Underground, FEMMESDAY is an all-identifying female showcase! "
You had me at Femme. I asked my wife if I could go to this show. We have a small baby and so life isn't about doing whatever we want all the time lately. It's a good thing.
My loving wife said, "go."
She knew I needed to be there. To hear comedy but also to get some perspective, some understanding.
I fancy myself as soul man with a blues heart and so I wanted to dip into the creative well that was a comedic safe space. And boy did they make me feel safe and offer me Hope!
No literally. Hope Linden.
Let me be clear. Hope in person is as genuine and as kind, as her comedy is real and hilarious.
At the risk of misquotes and boring you with chit chat conversations, I will say follow Hope, like you follow your Pokémon Go, Twitter feed, or fantasy football lineup.
The only difference is that Hope Linden is real, the other's are not.
Smart doesn't even begin to describe this comic and her posse of Femme comics that performed.
Up next to the stage we have Cheri Hagan Hardman!
Cheri spoke with such an effortless ease about her life, self deprecating and candid, Cheri reminded me of PTA Mom's back in Ohio, but if they were cool.
If I had never known Cheri was a comic I'd think she's either a high school principal or a master level gardener.
Funny how our prejudices are ridiculous!
She spoke of married life. Of how having big boobs means her breasts eat more then she does, as she transfers food from one room to the other. Her husband asking:
"Hey, why is there taco meat in the bathroom?"
"So now, I just eat in the bathroom. The cheese has melted."
Alongside Liz, Andy, Hope and Cheri was the hilarious dead pan sounding Shannon Koyano.
Shannon, who is half white and half Asian started her set by addressing the crowd that as prerequisite she felt the need to get it out the way to do an impression of her Mom, that she had been working on.
"Do you guys want to hear it?" She asked the crowd. To which she then belted into a stereotypical ching chang chong impression that was clearly over the top and stereotypical of how America views people.
She stopped on point, telling the crowd in perfect timing her mom 'is white ok?'
The mother of two talked about how her son is a great liar at six. How good?
Without messing up her joke and her writing process Shannon started this bit by reminding the crowd that her son is 6 and he said a couple years back, with confidence, that he pulled this prank.
"He's 6. A couple years back, you were 2."
She painted the picture beautifully with her comedy, putting the observer with her life.
All the comics did!
I knew it was going to be a great day driving from Redmond into the Emerald City when ironically the song I so desperately needed to hear came on 102.5. (I don't have a cd player or music through my I whatever in my car) Just radio.
It was the Beatles "A Day in The Life."
"I'd love to turn you on."
John, you did to my musical scene and the FEMMESDAY comics turned me on to the Seattle scene, and what's going on in America.
What's happening brother?
What's happening sister?
Now that's something Marvin Gaye and John Lennon can smile about. Both men gunned down by gunfire but raised up by powerful FEMME energy.
Like I said, I now know I know nothing.
Andy was, and still is a dj, writer, comic, and was the first person to genuinely care about me at my new job.
Oh, and uh Andy is transgendered and no amount of me saying the wrong pronoun to her would stop her from talking to me and treating me like a person.
We worked different departments but she would always ask me what I was writing and was/is so curious about people.
I lost touch with Andy as I got a new job a couple years back until recently.
After a much needed friend request I read:
"A first of its kind at the Comedy Underground, FEMMESDAY is an all-identifying female showcase! "
You had me at Femme. I asked my wife if I could go to this show. We have a small baby and so life isn't about doing whatever we want all the time lately. It's a good thing.
My loving wife said, "go."
She knew I needed to be there. To hear comedy but also to get some perspective, some understanding.
I fancy myself as soul man with a blues heart and so I wanted to dip into the creative well that was a comedic safe space. And boy did they make me feel safe and offer me Hope!
No literally. Hope Linden.
Let me be clear. Hope in person is as genuine and as kind, as her comedy is real and hilarious.
At the risk of misquotes and boring you with chit chat conversations, I will say follow Hope, like you follow your Pokémon Go, Twitter feed, or fantasy football lineup.
The only difference is that Hope Linden is real, the other's are not.
Smart doesn't even begin to describe this comic and her posse of Femme comics that performed.
Up next to the stage we have Cheri Hagan Hardman!
Cheri spoke with such an effortless ease about her life, self deprecating and candid, Cheri reminded me of PTA Mom's back in Ohio, but if they were cool.
If I had never known Cheri was a comic I'd think she's either a high school principal or a master level gardener.
Funny how our prejudices are ridiculous!
She spoke of married life. Of how having big boobs means her breasts eat more then she does, as she transfers food from one room to the other. Her husband asking:
"Hey, why is there taco meat in the bathroom?"
"So now, I just eat in the bathroom. The cheese has melted."
Alongside Liz, Andy, Hope and Cheri was the hilarious dead pan sounding Shannon Koyano.
Shannon, who is half white and half Asian started her set by addressing the crowd that as prerequisite she felt the need to get it out the way to do an impression of her Mom, that she had been working on.
"Do you guys want to hear it?" She asked the crowd. To which she then belted into a stereotypical ching chang chong impression that was clearly over the top and stereotypical of how America views people.
She stopped on point, telling the crowd in perfect timing her mom 'is white ok?'
The mother of two talked about how her son is a great liar at six. How good?
Without messing up her joke and her writing process Shannon started this bit by reminding the crowd that her son is 6 and he said a couple years back, with confidence, that he pulled this prank.
"He's 6. A couple years back, you were 2."
She painted the picture beautifully with her comedy, putting the observer with her life.
All the comics did!
I knew it was going to be a great day driving from Redmond into the Emerald City when ironically the song I so desperately needed to hear came on 102.5. (I don't have a cd player or music through my I whatever in my car) Just radio.
It was the Beatles "A Day in The Life."
"I'd love to turn you on."
John, you did to my musical scene and the FEMMESDAY comics turned me on to the Seattle scene, and what's going on in America.
What's happening brother?
What's happening sister?
Now that's something Marvin Gaye and John Lennon can smile about. Both men gunned down by gunfire but raised up by powerful FEMME energy.
Let's make this day everyday.
No comments:
Post a Comment