1289: What Did I Do?
 

"I don't like you. I'm calling reinforcements."


Keith Comedy

Keith's mcdonalds thing doesn't make any sense, of course they'd love it if everyone ate there every day three times a day. They also don't run charities to be nice, it's all marketing ploys to make people feel better about killing themselves going to that shithole. Chemda is right, and mcdonalds is evil.

Fun google maps shot of Detroit:

detroit - Google Maps

All that empty space used to be houses.

Not sure why I spaced on this, but I said GM headquarters was the only auto industry left in the city, but that's not entirely true. GM has an assembly plant in Hamtramck, which isn't the city proper, but might as well be, Chrysler has two small plants, and while it's much smaller than it once was the Rouge is still operating. The auto industry has in large part abandoned the city, but I mis-spoke as to what degree.

Why don't you just move?

The SAT that most people took is scored on a scale of 400-1600. It consists of Verbal and Math sections and each one ranges from 200 to 800. So yes, the smallest score one can possibly get is a 400. That's not a myth, it's just done that way, and it's just stuff you're supposed to know about because it's in every sat prep book. It doesn't really matter though because college admissions people compare student scores, so everyone could start out at 1000000 points if they wanted to, it wouldn't change anything.

Also, scores aren't linear. At the low end, the difference between 500 and 600 might be 1 question, and at the high end, the difference between 1500 and 1510 might also be 1 question. In some SAT IIs, you could get a few questions wrong and still have a perfect score (because it's scaled by percentiles).

The new SAT consists of 3 secions, Math, Verbal and Writing, each on the 200-800 range. So the new SAT range is 600-2400. It was instituted shortly after I graduated, so I think in 2005-06.

KATG has taught me a lot. Especially about live stand-up. And rules that exist when at stand-up clubs.


(Confession - I still apologise to Liam for filming his show in 07 on my cellphone (double bad) and us assholes semi-heckling)


I know texting DURING a show is rude. Talking during a show is rude.

BUT (ya, you saw THAT coming) we are in the middle of a mobile revolution. The rules are in flux. See Multitasking While Driving




To comedians, I say chill, the jokes will survive rudeness and only helps give you some free crowd work fodder.
Keith A. - Bravo on the nurse call out but I hope your Dad/wife/child wasn't in the hospital that night ( and YES I will take a nurse on 4 beers over no nurse)

To the douchbag comedy club owner in Ottawa who runs the cellphone jammer - WTF are you thinking??!! You might run the best club in all of comedy but messing with public safety for JOKES??!! Announcements and public shaming can go a long way. I hope you get caught and pay the price. Can you imagine?

I work in bars, theatres, arenas and all sorts of public venues and am witnessing the revolution. New rules are evolving.

Example. I hardly EVER hear cell phones ring during shows anymore (April 15, 2010 ??). Message received, in more ways than one.

But from my view in the back of the room at the sound board I can tell you the sight of 100's of cell screens lit up is a POSITIVE sign of engaged, active fans documenting the important moments in their life and sharing them on-line. To the performers, I say take the free marketing and run baby. THIS is the future and I think it is good.

Attachment 58719


Need cell phone lock down for your art? Make signs, do a (funny) announcement, inform the wait staff and management, well in advance. Laser pointers are cheap and fit in your pocket - stop talking and attempt to blind the fucker - j/k. Start the show with a joke about it. But chill. <see below>

To club patrons - when in doubt turn off you phone for 60-90 minutes and take a trip with the performer YOU CAME TO SEE - right there! See him? The one with the microphone? Grab a pic or post your updates before/after the show.

Live venues for music and theatre are an intersection of all ages, cultures and social norms. Friction is bound to occur. Some people freak about coughers. Some about babies. Some about hecklers, B.O., swearing, perfume use, umbrellas , strollers. Lack of formal wear (??!!Tophats!) Shitty sound quality (oops?) lights are too bright. It's TOO DARK. Why are these seats so far from the stage? I want an aisle seat....I had people at a COUNTRY show wanting me to eject four young (and slightly sauced) fans for, of ALL things, DANCING in the aisle, by themselves. So they removed their shirts and hooted and hollered? WHAT DID YOU EXPECT at a yahoo gig??

And with the demise of many live venues over the last 60 years or so and the rise of people staring at bare walls with flickering images I believe people (points finger at his own self first) have lost sight of the social norms that are required for EVERYONE to enjoy their night out. Performer and audience alike. When I tell people I work in Theatre they still ask me what movie is playing and I have had to explain what live theatre IS. No joke.


This podcast is my final piece of evidence for the greatness of future tech.

Your honour, I rest my case.


But wait, there's more,

"There is nothing new under the sun" OR Sidebar for comedy geeks. MUST READ.

45 years ago the GREAT and almighty Shelley Berman ( you whippersnappers will know him from Curb Your Enthusiasm - sans wig but with Harry Pooter glasses) pretty much had his career ended for decades by a backstage phone ringing. His reaction to it was misinterpreted and blown out of all proportion. The phone ringing destroyed the reality of the scene he had built - I get it. The story is incredible and can be found here:

http://articles.latimes.com/2005/oct/23/entertainment/ca-berman23

Ack did y'all see they have a Fighting Island? I fucking can't believe that shit. That is sad, seriously.

My visits to the inner city in 96-99 era were terrifying. I was in areas where cops would pull along and escort us out "just in case". Spidey senses going off everywhere. And it has gotten MUCH worse. This level of decay bleeds into the culture living amongst it.



Detroit Decay photos

Yves Marchand & Romain Meffre Photography - The Ruins of Detroit

Urban Decay in Detroit ...>brought to you by seedetroit.com<....

Abandoned Houses at The Motor(less) City

Worse is complicated, it's actually less dangerous these days than in the 90s, but that's a fluke of people fleeing the city during the housing boom.

The cops don't pull over to help anybody except in a scant few places like the museum district / university and over by the sports stadiums and outside the casinos.

There are a handful of places even the cops won't go like Brightmore and the MLK projects, but they're easy enough to stay out of since there's nothing good there anyway.

Here's a picture I took (I think) last year within walking distance of the highway I was on when I called in.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3595/...117c6da0_d.jpg