Branson, MO (round 2)

I really don’t like Branson. Period. So much so that I cannot put it into words. Branson is a glamorous karaoke town. It is where American Idol performers will go to retire in ten years.

Unfortunately for me, the crowds do not like originality and creativity. In case you have never been to Branson, here are some pictures for you to get a feel for what it is like. Feel free to click on the pictures to enlarge them.

Chicago, IL

I had a really fun week performing at Zanies Downtown Chicago with Dan St. Paul. Zanies has been around for a very long time so it was nice to perform at such an established comedy club. It was nice to have my friends Tim, Dave, Chad, Lisa, and Paul at the shows.

Mark the Beer Guy even came to a show. It’s not often that someone in the crowd gives me one of their trading cards.

Milwaukee, WI

It was a lot of fun coming back to Milwaukee. I started my comedy career in Milwaukee, so it was nice to have friends come to the shows to see the new jokes. I would like to thank Gloria and Dave, Joel, Randy, Todd and Kristen, Vimal, and Sharon for coming to Giggles.

I knew the weekend was going to be good when I passed the Raminator on the highway. I had never heard of this before but anything that has a metal ram head with red eyes has to be cool.

Then I saw that the Raminator was a 4-time national champion. I'm not sure at what but that sounds impressive.

Wardrobe Change

Based on the urging of comedian Tim Bedore, I wore a tie on stage this weekend at The Jukebox Comedy Club in Peoria, IL. Tim's thinking was that it made me look more like an accountant on stage.

I was concerned that the tie might come across as too formal, so I loosened it a bit and rolled up my sleeves. The crowd reaction didn't seem to change. As a matter of fact, not a single person asked me if I was really an accountant because they all believed it.

Maybe my tie will be my new signature. Drew Carey has his glasses, Steve Martin has his suspenders, Jay Leno has his chin and now I have my tie.

Dayton, OH

What is the appropriate response when someone asks you to sign their head after a comedy show? I didn't know, either. It seemed a little odd but I guess that is the least I can do for a guy that thought my set at Wiley's Comedy Club was funny. So, thank you Erik (aka "Unkle") for being a comedy fan. I hope that washes off eventually.


("Unkle" with signatures from Tim Bedore and me)

Branson, MO

I am in Branson, MO this entire week and have seen some of the craziest things. I have seen more guys wearing t-shirts with their sleeves ripped off in one week than I have in the last three years combined. Unbelievable. Maybe they could take some of the money spent on a show ticket and go buy some t-shirts with sleeves.

There is a guy that performs nightly at The Golden Corral buffet restaurant. That has to be the worst gig ever.

The best show I saw in Branson was SIX, a group of brothers that provide all the percussion and harmony with their voices and no CD track or band. They sang everything from U2 to The Beach Boys to Amazing Grace.

The other shows I went to were:

- Best of Motown (they really need a comedy writer),

- Legends (the Britney Spears impersonator was skinnier and a better singer than the real Britney),

- Yakov Smirnoff (old people love this guy as much as he loves America) and

- Magic of Darren Romeo (made Jeff Gordon's NASCAR car appear and then disappear, which was impressive).

Tennessee

On my drive home from Myrtle Beach yesterday, I noticed that McDonald's in Tennesse is selling Sweet Tea (pronounced Sweettay -- all one word).

This particular McDonald's also had the McRib back. Could you imagine getting the McRib combo with a Sweet Tea? I am pretty sure that combo comes with a toy Trans Am.

Myrtle Beach, SC

Driving without air conditioning seems like something I could do. But driving 13 hours from Erie, PA to Myrtle Beach, SC was a little rough. I was performing at JR's Last Laugh in Erie with Fred Klett, who is absolutely hilarious. If you are ever booking a cruise, check Fred's schedule first and book that one.

Then I went to Myrtle Beach to perform all week at The Comedy Cabana. My second trip to Myrtle Beach has been great thanks to my friends Kathryn and Jenks.

They took me to Bummz for lunch and a driving history tour of the area. Sports Illustrated was founded here and that is good enough for me.

Hair Fairy Project Corporate Show

Doing shows for charity should make a comedian feel good about themselves. This was the case tonight when I performed with Diana Jordan for The Hair Fairy Project, Inc. It was a fun show run by good people at an unbelievable venue for a good cause. They were a little short on stage staff, so I got to pull the curtain down before the show.

Pittsburgh, PA

My weekend at The Funny Bone in Pittsburgh was a lot of fun -- once I got there. Driving in Pittsburgh is pretty crazy, especially now that there is construction everywhere. Even the detour routes have construction on them!

The people there certainly love their Steelers. It is automatic that if you say "Go Steelers" anywhere in Pittsburgh, the people have to clap. I think it is a city ordinance.