Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Comedy Tapings, Suicide Girls & The Kindness of Strangers.
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Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Shawn Gramiak's Possessed Video Camera
Shawn Gramiak is a very talented performer, but I think there’s something wrong with his video camera.
Shawn was kind enough to lend me his machine to tape a couple of my performances.
The shows were great. The crowds were great. And I also was great. I delivered my best material to the ultimate of my ability. My only worry was my set was so hot, it may have melted the camera.
Imagine my surprised when I reviewed the tape and discovered instead of me on the tape, there was….a guy who looked exactly like me. The only difference was that while I onstage am a panther-graceful, sexually-charged dynamo, my dopplegange on the tape was a swaying, twitching, nervous-tic machine.
It’s a goddamn mystery.
Upcoming Comedy
Tuesday, February 24 - The Comic Strip, Edmonton
Monday, March 30 - The Comic Strip, Edmonton
Writing
Dan's Wrestling writing appears at worldwrestlinginsanity.com Check out his current article here.
Shawn was kind enough to lend me his machine to tape a couple of my performances.
The shows were great. The crowds were great. And I also was great. I delivered my best material to the ultimate of my ability. My only worry was my set was so hot, it may have melted the camera.
Imagine my surprised when I reviewed the tape and discovered instead of me on the tape, there was….a guy who looked exactly like me. The only difference was that while I onstage am a panther-graceful, sexually-charged dynamo, my dopplegange on the tape was a swaying, twitching, nervous-tic machine.
It’s a goddamn mystery.
Upcoming Comedy
Tuesday, February 24 - The Comic Strip, Edmonton
Monday, March 30 - The Comic Strip, Edmonton
Writing
Dan's Wrestling writing appears at worldwrestlinginsanity.com Check out his current article here.
Saturday, February 21, 2009
New Wrestling Article Up
It's on the challenges of breaking the news to a romantic prospect that you're involved in the wrestling business.
Check it out here.
Check it out here.
Sunday, February 15, 2009
Possibly the Greatest Movie Review Ever
Sometimes people give you a plot summary of a movie that's so great, you don't even want to see the movie anymore because the way they told the story was so fantastic. My father's take on 'Cliffhanger' had me laughing so hard, I never want to see the movie.
Here is another one, courtesy of a friend of mine:
"last night, being that it was Friday the 13th, and my birthday, XXXXX and I watched Jason X. Trust me, you don't want to see it but let me tell you all the plot just for funsies. Jason gets cryogenically frozen in 2010 and then 400 years later people find him still frozen and take him onto their space ship to study him. He wakes up (obviously) and kills a bunch of people. Then they shoot his head off. Then space ants (yes, space ants) help him regenerate into a metal person. Then they manage to kick him off the ship, out into space, and he burns up on re-entry to Earth 2 (because obviously 400 years later Earth 1 doesn't exist). But he doesn't really die. His mask survives. Stay tuned for Jaxon XI.
And then we watched a movie where plants get mad at humans and release gases that makes the people commit suicide. I'm not kidding."
I love it.
Upcoming Comedy
Tuesday, February 10 - The Comic Strip, Edmonton
Saturday, February 14 - PRIVATE FUNCTION - Smith, Alberta
Tuesday, February 17 - The Comic Strip, Edmonton
Wednesday, February 18 - The Comic Strip, Edmonton
Friday, February 20 - PRIVATE FUNCTION - Beaumont, Alberta
Saturday, February 21 - PRIVATE FUNCTION - Edmonton
Sunday, February 22 - The Comic Strip, Edmonton
Writing
Dan's wrestling writing can be found at World Wrestling Insanity.com. Current article is here.
Here is another one, courtesy of a friend of mine:
"last night, being that it was Friday the 13th, and my birthday, XXXXX and I watched Jason X. Trust me, you don't want to see it but let me tell you all the plot just for funsies. Jason gets cryogenically frozen in 2010 and then 400 years later people find him still frozen and take him onto their space ship to study him. He wakes up (obviously) and kills a bunch of people. Then they shoot his head off. Then space ants (yes, space ants) help him regenerate into a metal person. Then they manage to kick him off the ship, out into space, and he burns up on re-entry to Earth 2 (because obviously 400 years later Earth 1 doesn't exist). But he doesn't really die. His mask survives. Stay tuned for Jaxon XI.
And then we watched a movie where plants get mad at humans and release gases that makes the people commit suicide. I'm not kidding."
I love it.
Upcoming Comedy
Tuesday, February 10 - The Comic Strip, Edmonton
Saturday, February 14 - PRIVATE FUNCTION - Smith, Alberta
Tuesday, February 17 - The Comic Strip, Edmonton
Wednesday, February 18 - The Comic Strip, Edmonton
Friday, February 20 - PRIVATE FUNCTION - Beaumont, Alberta
Saturday, February 21 - PRIVATE FUNCTION - Edmonton
Sunday, February 22 - The Comic Strip, Edmonton
Writing
Dan's wrestling writing can be found at World Wrestling Insanity.com. Current article is here.
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
Why Comedy Is Better Live
There is a reason live comedy is so cool. It's because anything can happen.
Like last night, for example.
A regular audience member went up on stage and proposed to his girlfriend. It was a very special moment...although it makes me wonder if instead of having "Our Song," this couple has "Our Joke" now: "Every time Richard Lett does his Woman-hater bit I get misty eyed.". I also wonder since the show ran long, if that's a good omen for a happy marriage.
Either way it was pretty cool. Personally I'm cheering for that couple because a) they come regularly to shows and support us and b) because they dig zombies. Any friend of the living dead is a friend of mine.
Back to my point...
A lot of people form opinions on comedy primarily from TV, DVDs or YouTube videos. I really think that comedy is best in a live environment because of those happy accidents. A DVD or television special is edited and cut together and sweetened with canned laughter. It's professional, but also very sterile.
It might be funny, but it isn't as memorable as say--the power going out in the nightclub leaving the headlining comic performing with no lights and microphone (I've seen this happen, thought not to me. Of course there are people out there who say my shows would be a lot better if they couldn't see or hear me).
Similarly, every live show is different because every crowd brings a different energy. It's what makes each time on stage so interesting.
That's why I'm excited about (not to mention nervous about)tonight's show. It's Andrew Iwanyk's monthly show at the Strip. The reason I like performing on Andrew's shows is Andrew pushes me to do something I would never do under normal circumstances. It's a challenge as a performer and it's also a lot of fun. Not only that, I usually learn from the experience.
Speaking of shows, here's my upcoming schedule. If you drop by, make sure to come say hi. Some people don't like bothering comics after a show, but I say go ahead and bother me. Makes me feel like a star and I never get tired of that.
Have a great week.
Upcoming Comedy
Tuesday, February 10 - The Comic Strip, Edmonton
Saturday, February 14 - PRIVATE FUNCTION - Smith, Alberta
Tuesday, February 17 - The Comic Strip, Edmonton
Wednesday, February 18 - The Comic Strip, Edmonton
Friday, February 20 - PRIVATE FUNCTION - Beaumont, Alberta
Saturday, February 21 - PRIVATE FUNCTION - Edmonton
Sunday, February 22 - The Comic Strip, Edmonton
Writing
Dan's writing on relationships and dating is at hotchicksandstrangers.blogspot.com
Dan's wrestling writing can be found at World Wrestling Insanity.com. Current article is here.
Like last night, for example.
A regular audience member went up on stage and proposed to his girlfriend. It was a very special moment...although it makes me wonder if instead of having "Our Song," this couple has "Our Joke" now: "Every time Richard Lett does his Woman-hater bit I get misty eyed.". I also wonder since the show ran long, if that's a good omen for a happy marriage.
Either way it was pretty cool. Personally I'm cheering for that couple because a) they come regularly to shows and support us and b) because they dig zombies. Any friend of the living dead is a friend of mine.
Back to my point...
A lot of people form opinions on comedy primarily from TV, DVDs or YouTube videos. I really think that comedy is best in a live environment because of those happy accidents. A DVD or television special is edited and cut together and sweetened with canned laughter. It's professional, but also very sterile.
It might be funny, but it isn't as memorable as say--the power going out in the nightclub leaving the headlining comic performing with no lights and microphone (I've seen this happen, thought not to me. Of course there are people out there who say my shows would be a lot better if they couldn't see or hear me).
Similarly, every live show is different because every crowd brings a different energy. It's what makes each time on stage so interesting.
That's why I'm excited about (not to mention nervous about)tonight's show. It's Andrew Iwanyk's monthly show at the Strip. The reason I like performing on Andrew's shows is Andrew pushes me to do something I would never do under normal circumstances. It's a challenge as a performer and it's also a lot of fun. Not only that, I usually learn from the experience.
Speaking of shows, here's my upcoming schedule. If you drop by, make sure to come say hi. Some people don't like bothering comics after a show, but I say go ahead and bother me. Makes me feel like a star and I never get tired of that.
Have a great week.
Upcoming Comedy
Tuesday, February 10 - The Comic Strip, Edmonton
Saturday, February 14 - PRIVATE FUNCTION - Smith, Alberta
Tuesday, February 17 - The Comic Strip, Edmonton
Wednesday, February 18 - The Comic Strip, Edmonton
Friday, February 20 - PRIVATE FUNCTION - Beaumont, Alberta
Saturday, February 21 - PRIVATE FUNCTION - Edmonton
Sunday, February 22 - The Comic Strip, Edmonton
Writing
Dan's writing on relationships and dating is at hotchicksandstrangers.blogspot.com
Dan's wrestling writing can be found at World Wrestling Insanity.com. Current article is here.
Tuesday, February 03, 2009
Smile Time
Have you ever noticed not all smiles are created equal?
They all say different things. Some are forced smiles, masking inner pain. Some are enigmatic, promising unimaginable delight to the one who solves its mysteries. A person’s smile says a lot about how they see themselves and how they see the world. Sometimes it tells you more about that person than they could tell you about themselves.
My brother’s smile is difficult to describe.
Not because there were layers of meaning hidden behind it. If anything, it was the opposite. Tom’s smile left every door and window in his soul thrown wide open, a idiot “I-Am-Awesome-And-The-Whole-World-Is-My-Friend” grin that welcomed whatever the universe had to offer from meeting a new drinking partner to falling down a mountain on skiis.
How do you put something like that in words? You can’t.
Though he only mentioned it in passing, my brother was the person who first introduced me to the idea you can choose to be happy regardless of circumstances. It was a revolutionary concept--“You mean when bad stuff happens, you just DECIDE to be in a good mood anyway?”
What a weirdo idea. I like it though. And as time goes on, I’m finding I’m liking it more and more.
At my brother’s funeral, the priest told Tom’s distraught nephew that “you are your uncle’s face on earth now.” I’m not sure how well something like that resonates with a four-year old but it seemed to calm him down some. For me standing in the background, the thought was scary and comforting at the same time.
The other day my sister-in-law uploaded a bunch of old pictures of my brother. There were pictures of him climbing, skiing, in his truck, and sitting around with friends and his wife.
Most of all, there were pictures of him smiling.
I called a couple of my co-workers over to look, as I did so trying to explain about Tom’s grin and what was so unique about it.
They looked at each other, then looked at me as though I were an idiot. Finally, one of them said. “Your brother’s smile is exactly the same as yours.”
They didn’t know it, but it’s one of the best compliments I’ve ever received.
Upcoming Comedy
Monday, February 9 - The Comic Strip
Current Writing
Wrestling Writing for World Wrestling Insanity - Dan's Review of the Wrestler can be found here
Dan's writing on relationships can be found at hotchicksandstrangers.blogspot.com
They all say different things. Some are forced smiles, masking inner pain. Some are enigmatic, promising unimaginable delight to the one who solves its mysteries. A person’s smile says a lot about how they see themselves and how they see the world. Sometimes it tells you more about that person than they could tell you about themselves.
My brother’s smile is difficult to describe.
Not because there were layers of meaning hidden behind it. If anything, it was the opposite. Tom’s smile left every door and window in his soul thrown wide open, a idiot “I-Am-Awesome-And-The-Whole-World-Is-My-Friend” grin that welcomed whatever the universe had to offer from meeting a new drinking partner to falling down a mountain on skiis.
How do you put something like that in words? You can’t.
Though he only mentioned it in passing, my brother was the person who first introduced me to the idea you can choose to be happy regardless of circumstances. It was a revolutionary concept--“You mean when bad stuff happens, you just DECIDE to be in a good mood anyway?”
What a weirdo idea. I like it though. And as time goes on, I’m finding I’m liking it more and more.
At my brother’s funeral, the priest told Tom’s distraught nephew that “you are your uncle’s face on earth now.” I’m not sure how well something like that resonates with a four-year old but it seemed to calm him down some. For me standing in the background, the thought was scary and comforting at the same time.
The other day my sister-in-law uploaded a bunch of old pictures of my brother. There were pictures of him climbing, skiing, in his truck, and sitting around with friends and his wife.
Most of all, there were pictures of him smiling.
I called a couple of my co-workers over to look, as I did so trying to explain about Tom’s grin and what was so unique about it.
They looked at each other, then looked at me as though I were an idiot. Finally, one of them said. “Your brother’s smile is exactly the same as yours.”
They didn’t know it, but it’s one of the best compliments I’ve ever received.
Upcoming Comedy
Monday, February 9 - The Comic Strip
Current Writing
Wrestling Writing for World Wrestling Insanity - Dan's Review of the Wrestler can be found here
Dan's writing on relationships can be found at hotchicksandstrangers.blogspot.com
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