Once upon a time (and by that I mean last year), I started working with this super awesome amazing wonderful fantastic <insert superlative here> theatre/sketch comedy group called Our Bar because ya know what? I’m damn funny. Not to toot my own horn, but, Oh eff that. I’m tooting away. In fact, I’ll say it again. I’m damn funny. Not only can and do I appreciate comedy, but I understand it. I get what is funny, and more than that, I get WHY it’s funny. I’ve got great timing too! When it comes to being funny in real life, I’m alright. I’ll never be that hilarious center-of-attention class-clown type funny, but I’ve got some wit to me. Mostly, though, I’m pretty damn weird and don’t mind sharing my weirdness, which is usually pretty good for a laugh or two.
The way Our Bar works is there is a theme every month and anyone can contribute a scene. After the first month I participated, I thought, dude. I can TOTALLY write a 3 minute scene. C’mon! I’m damn funny! Let’s do this! So I sat down in front of my computer…..and stared at Microsoft Word. Not a single word was typed. Then I watched a ton of Community. Because, hey, if I couldn’t be funny, I could at least watch people that were (P.S. How awesome is it that the show is coming back March 15??? EEEEE! Happiness!!).
So that was the beginning and end of my NYC writing career. UNTIL! A friend I worked with asked me to join in a different sketch comedy show that he and his friends were putting on through his production company. I had a freaking blast and I ended up making friends with a few of the guys involved. I thought they were hilarious. They thought I was...not horrible. They asked me to join in writing a web series with them. And since I’d had quite a few adult beverages that evening, I said yes.
I read Mindy Kaling’s Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? I read Tina Fey’s Bossypants. Yes, I said, YES! I am just like them! I am a funny chick making my own work! I just took a class with Jessica Daniels, the assistant casting director on 30 Rock! I’m gonna rule the comedy world! I AM WOMAN HEAR ME (MAKE OTHERS) ROAR (WITH LAUGHTER)!!!!!
So back I came to the computer. And I opened up Microsoft Word. And I said, that’s it! Today is the day I write a webisode! And it will be funny! And both Tina Fey and Mindy Kaling will see it and fight over whether they’ll put me in 30 Rock or The Office (and Tina would win since 30 Rock films in NY, but don’t worry Mindy, I’d totally fly out to LA to be on The Office. Plus, I think Mindy and I would be awesome friends. Call me!)! And then….I totally watched Revenge on Hulu because it’s the best guilty pleasure ever. And then some Downton Abbey because Matthew Crawley is the dreamiest dreamboat whoever dared exist. And now I have to mop the drool off my keyboard. Awkward. (Remember that part in the beginning of the post when I said I was weird and wasn’t afraid of my weirdness showing?)
Ok, so. That attempt at writing didn’t go as well as I’d hoped. But you know what? I showed up to the writers meetings. And while mostly I sat there and laughed hysterically at the other incredibly hilarious writers, I contributed a thing or two. Surprisingly, they all still respect me and my opinion (man, have I got them fooled!). Later this week, I’m meeting with one of the guys to write a webisode together and I think I’ll fare better. I’ve got some great ideas (and by “great ideas” I simply mean “ideas”) and at the very least, with someone else there I won’t fall into a Sherlock/Benedict Cumberbatch-induced Netflix K-hole.
Hopefully it’ll be funny, but hey, if not? We’ll just take it to the writers meeting where the others can punch it up with some really good jokes of their own. I’m not above taking the credit for other people’s hilarity. Who knows? With that behind me, perhaps I’ll then grow the balls the write a scene for Our Bar. Or…maybe I’ll just watch some more episodes of The Vampire Diaries. The last one ended with such a cliffhanger!
SHAMELESS PLUG: Come see me in Our Bar the first Wednesday of every month (MARCH 7th!!!) at Failte Irish Whiskey Bar on 2nd Ave between 20th and 30th! Two shows- 7pm and 9pm.
$10 at the door AND you get a free bud light!! Who doesn’t like bud light (besides people who have actual good taste in beer. AKA- not me! Bring on the budlight!!)???? Also, don’t worry. I spent entirely too much time watching TV online this month to attempt to write a scene so I promise it will be hilarious.
The way Our Bar works is there is a theme every month and anyone can contribute a scene. After the first month I participated, I thought, dude. I can TOTALLY write a 3 minute scene. C’mon! I’m damn funny! Let’s do this! So I sat down in front of my computer…..and stared at Microsoft Word. Not a single word was typed. Then I watched a ton of Community. Because, hey, if I couldn’t be funny, I could at least watch people that were (P.S. How awesome is it that the show is coming back March 15??? EEEEE! Happiness!!).
So that was the beginning and end of my NYC writing career. UNTIL! A friend I worked with asked me to join in a different sketch comedy show that he and his friends were putting on through his production company. I had a freaking blast and I ended up making friends with a few of the guys involved. I thought they were hilarious. They thought I was...not horrible. They asked me to join in writing a web series with them. And since I’d had quite a few adult beverages that evening, I said yes.
I read Mindy Kaling’s Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? I read Tina Fey’s Bossypants. Yes, I said, YES! I am just like them! I am a funny chick making my own work! I just took a class with Jessica Daniels, the assistant casting director on 30 Rock! I’m gonna rule the comedy world! I AM WOMAN HEAR ME (MAKE OTHERS) ROAR (WITH LAUGHTER)!!!!!
So back I came to the computer. And I opened up Microsoft Word. And I said, that’s it! Today is the day I write a webisode! And it will be funny! And both Tina Fey and Mindy Kaling will see it and fight over whether they’ll put me in 30 Rock or The Office (and Tina would win since 30 Rock films in NY, but don’t worry Mindy, I’d totally fly out to LA to be on The Office. Plus, I think Mindy and I would be awesome friends. Call me!)! And then….I totally watched Revenge on Hulu because it’s the best guilty pleasure ever. And then some Downton Abbey because Matthew Crawley is the dreamiest dreamboat whoever dared exist. And now I have to mop the drool off my keyboard. Awkward. (Remember that part in the beginning of the post when I said I was weird and wasn’t afraid of my weirdness showing?)
Ok, so. That attempt at writing didn’t go as well as I’d hoped. But you know what? I showed up to the writers meetings. And while mostly I sat there and laughed hysterically at the other incredibly hilarious writers, I contributed a thing or two. Surprisingly, they all still respect me and my opinion (man, have I got them fooled!). Later this week, I’m meeting with one of the guys to write a webisode together and I think I’ll fare better. I’ve got some great ideas (and by “great ideas” I simply mean “ideas”) and at the very least, with someone else there I won’t fall into a Sherlock/Benedict Cumberbatch-induced Netflix K-hole.
Hopefully it’ll be funny, but hey, if not? We’ll just take it to the writers meeting where the others can punch it up with some really good jokes of their own. I’m not above taking the credit for other people’s hilarity. Who knows? With that behind me, perhaps I’ll then grow the balls the write a scene for Our Bar. Or…maybe I’ll just watch some more episodes of The Vampire Diaries. The last one ended with such a cliffhanger!
SHAMELESS PLUG: Come see me in Our Bar the first Wednesday of every month (MARCH 7th!!!) at Failte Irish Whiskey Bar on 2nd Ave between 20th and 30th! Two shows- 7pm and 9pm.
$10 at the door AND you get a free bud light!! Who doesn’t like bud light (besides people who have actual good taste in beer. AKA- not me! Bring on the budlight!!)???? Also, don’t worry. I spent entirely too much time watching TV online this month to attempt to write a scene so I promise it will be hilarious.
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