Comedy shows

This is Dwight typing this one.

I am a standup comic-until a few nights ago-an amateur standup comic in my spare time. It's a hobby that's linked to my childhood antics of being the youngest and the entertainment portion of the family program.

I remain a novice-but I have now been paid to perform. I've gotten $50.00 here and there after a show-$30.00 a time or two. The other night I made a couple of hundred dollars doing what I love-making people laugh. It felt great. Now I am a professional comic-but not yet a working comic-working comics book paying gigs consistently and there is a process which seems to be infallible in terms of becoming a working comic.

You perform at lots of open mic events, pro-am nights, shows for which you do not get paid-and you usually get 5-8 minutes at a time. It isn't an easy thing. But if you love it-you do it. Typically after some time-if the club deems you worthy then you are able to work as an Emcee-sometimes getting paid sometimes not. Then you become a feature performer-a true opening act-and you are then considered a working comic. You open for bigger names than you-and you travel places to do it-often getting very little money. Then after time-and developing a fan base-the hope is that you are the headliner-the main attraction. This happens for some-and doesn't for others.

So me setting up my own show was a way to get to headline-without actually doing anything to have "earned" it-other than writing 45 minutes of material-and having a group of loyal folks who like to hear a preacher say funny things that can't be said in the pulpit. That is my confession.


The show was at Wiley's Comedy Club in Dayton Ohio on a Thursday night. I gathered five comics together to perform clean (not an easy task in itself). I had a working comic who was willing to emcee and three others besides myself. We performed well.


My reason to rejoice is that the show I produced went very well. Not perhaps by big name standards-but along with the other comics (primarily Richard Hiltibran) we were able to bring in 80 folks to see the show-and earned money for all the comics, and for the club owner. Two very good things. What is better is that we had a great deal of fun in the process.

I was at my best-more confident and comfortable on stage than ever before-home town crowd aside-I was FUNNY.

At this point I have to determine if standup is something to pursue further-or as only a part of what I hope ends up being a successful venture into writing a book, or books, or humorous columns. Why? You may be asking as you read this not so funny blog. Well because I have something to say-just like everyone else-and I feel that my story, who I am, is worth sharing. Furthermore I hope that by sharing who I am that I can help others to be more fully who they are.

God created us each to be someone-an authentic true self that is able to love and be loved. I pray that through the comedy I perform on stage that the message of God's love is included in such a way that it surprises people-like "Oh yeah-this guy's a preacher".

My act is limited now-and I have to write material not related to being a pastor-still clean-but more about other elements of who I am.

I want to encourage you-to find what your story is-and to share it with others. That's relationship-and that is why God created us to love and be loved-in order that through human connection with one another that we will find the holy. When we have relationship with God-it is a transformative relationship that empowers us to engage in healthy relationships with others. I pray that you find ways of connecting both with God, and also with others, and of course with yourself. Only when we are living into the person God created us to be-can we be happy.

So even if its not a comedy show-find that note within you that resonates and demands to be sung-how was that for a mixed metaphor right in the middle of a sentence? Find your comedy show-find the joke you have to tell-the story, the song-whatever it is within you that is longing to get out-in whatever form you desire-and let the world know. It's liberating.

Remember how much you are loved-and how God is calling you from where you are to where you can be.

Grace and peace to you and yours,
Dwight

The "eL" Word

The local public transit train here in Chicago is called the "eL" as in "elevated" from the road-it runs above ground-and off of the ground instead of underground like subways.



I got a five day pass for public transportation while I'm here so I can ride the train and buses as much as I'd like for five days. It is interesting to ride the train in Chicago.


I rode today from downtown Chicago on Merchant Mart Plaza to University and 55th Street. The ride was only one transfer and then a walk to a bus. I was going to visit McCormick Theological Seminary where I'm determining whether to attend for my Doctor of Ministry degree.

The financial divide between the North Side and South Side of Chicago is visible as you ride the train. The homes decline in appearance and the people on the trains have something in common even if it isn't skin color-its what appears to be a lack of hope-or vitality. I'm sure I was projecting this onto folks-but many either out of habit of protection in a larger city or maybe just not having slept the night before sat with blank stares and seemed sad.


I tell you the neighborhood we arrived in when I got off of the train at Garfield was straight off the set of an episode of Shaft in the seventies. There was a male prostitute wearing a bright new Chicago Cubs jacket who solicited the guy walking across the road just in front of me.

There was a woman who smelled heavily of rum or some strong liquor. She stumbled up to each one of us waiting on the bus at Garfield and asked us if we could give her money for a loaf of bread. I felt so sad for her. If I hadn't been so uncertain about catching the bus on time I would have gone into a store and bought her a sandwich-but I'm pretty sure she didn't really want the bread. And she didn't appear gaunt or underfed-she probably weighed about what I do-over 250. So at least I know she isn't starving.


Then I got on the bus and made it to the campus. The staff was very friendly and I understand that Barak Obama's home is only two blocks from the campus. If I didn't think and hope that he's going to be in the White House I guess that would've been a selling point. I'm not certain that I can enroll in a D.Min. program any time soon though with my parents so far gone.


I think maybe if all of us privileged folks were made to live in Harlem in Chicago or in New York or the Tenderloin in San Franscisco etc. that we would find a way to address poverty. Better yet-congress and these corporate CEOs should be forced to spend their terms in the projects they fund in D.C. so that they can understand that government assistance is not a ticket to wealth and fame.

I am continually amazed at how many people are not just apathetic about the poor in our nation-but have palpable CONTEMPT for people living in poverty as though living on food stamps and getting a check from the government supports a lavish lifestyle. I read a bumper sticker that said something like "Work harder-people on welfare need your money". Such a complete lack of insight into the real issue of structural and cultural imbalance of wealth. Hating the poor for getting "welfare" is sort of like hating children for having to eat. Can you imagine anyone going up to a child when they're hungry and saying "Why don't you get a job and quit being lazy". Public assistance is not an indication of personality type-it may be linked in some cases-but in general the problem isn't the person receiving help from the government-its the system that creates such enormous poverty in the first place and doesn't provide a means of getting out of poverty into a financially soluble situation.

I don't mean to say that all folks who are poor are good and virtuous people and pat them on the head "Awww I feel so sorry for you poor folks. At least you've got your faith and your high standards". That's garbage.

Nor do I want to imply that those with wealth are all full of venom or virtue.

I just want to say that our system is so broken-our economic system and our social system-it's SO broken that I know only God can redeem us. It is easier for me to see when I am outside of my typical context because the differences are maginfied and multiplied. The wealthy are wealthier than ever-and the poor are poorer than ever-when you see the difference in a tangible way on a railway car over the course of three stops-it is difficult to ignore.

I pray that God gives me insight into how I might be part of the catalyst for change in Springfield where I am and in ways that go beyond my community as well. I have to start with me though-"elevate" my thinking if you will. Elevate my expectation of hope not only in my life and context-but in the lives of others by the Grace of God. It is my prayer that as Christians we can be agents of change and healing in a stagnant and wounded reality that is human existence.

God lift us up from the miry pit and place our feet on solid ground each day-every day fill us with your LOVE.

Thank you Jesus.

Amen.

Dwight