Some concepts I use during my standup-the somewhat darker humor that creeps in on "bad days."
It's hard being a minister because people don't expect a minister to be a pessimist. I catch myself saying things like "Ministry would be so much easier if it weren't for all of the people I have to talk to." and "You know I really understand why God flooded the earth-it's too bad God promised not to do it again." It just doesn't work to talk that way.
It's weird being Christian and having to give out the forgiveness we've been given because we'd much rather see vengeance. In fact that's why I'm advocating that we bring back smiting. I've come up with an invention that's a smite button you can carry around with you. You can set it to any one of the plagues of Egypt in the book of Exodus.
When someone cuts you off in traffic-just break out your smite button and set it to "BOILS" and drive up beside the person and watch the fun begin!
Or if you happen to be from one of the denominations that doesn't approve of drinking and you find yourself at the liquor store and see someone from church and you'd rather avoid that confrontation-pull out your smite button and set it to "GNATS"-press the button and PRESTO! You've got a good distraction to make your getaway unseen into the parking lot.
Finally when you have a smart alec preacher who makes light of faith and sometimes looks at the negative in life-set your smite button to the "ANGEL OF DEATH" and see if he doesn't change his tune.
Is that too dark? It seems a bit dark. Well God loves us through the darkness and brings us the light of laughter-as Scripture reminds us that to God "even the dark is as bright as the noon day." I hope that knowing that makes you grin even if you're not into my thematic humor known as sacred macabre.
Laugh often and pray even more often so we can laugh more.
Grace to you and yours,
Dwight
Showing posts with label standup comedy. Show all posts
Showing posts with label standup comedy. Show all posts
Tuesday, January 6, 2009
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
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
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
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