For the Remarkably Wise and Handsome. (A video.)

I’ve been hesitant to put a video on this blog.  I could cite a thousand reasons why, but the most truthful is I’ve never liked one enough to tarnish We Could On and On with its presence. And I still don’t particularly like the video I've decided to post down below. Don’t get me wrong; the video is well edited and the quality is good. I just really hate watching myself perform. Hey, I think I’m a pretty good comedian. It’s just every time I see myself in a video, I can’t help but wonder why I wore that stupid shirt, why I didn’t shave, why I’m doing that “gay” thing with my hand, and why I even bothered with that pointless crowd work. 

There are a few unsolicited videos of me on YouTube, none of which I can stomach the nerve to watch.  In fact, the only video of myself I’ve ever not hated was of a show I did at the Comedy Studio in Cambridge, MA in December.   So when I found out that I had to submit a five-minute video to audition for a place in the New York Comedy Contest, there was never any doubt it was going to be of this show.  The only problem was the Comedy Studio set was 7 minutes long and if they stopped watching my set after minute 5, they would miss - in my opinion - my biggest laughs.

So I turned to Scoots.   Scoots “Scott” O’Leary, for those who don’t know, is one of my oldest friends.   It was the fall of 1991 when I stepped on my first school bus on then way to Kindergarten. And there in the second seat to the left was Scoots, sitting next to an older kid (2^nd grader) with a plank of wood and a working light bulb.  From then on out, Scoots and I were inseparable. From BoyScout camps to baseball games to running across the hoods of cars after doing a powerhour of Goldschlager, we were the best of buds. Real Wonder-Years shit.    After such a history, there was no way Scoots could turn me away when I asked him if he could edit down my seven-minute set to five and make it seem natural.  Well, Scoots succeeded and this is the result. 

I submitted this to the New York Comedy Contest application page earlier. I will be sure to let you know the results. For those who can’t wait for the result, the answer is no, I was not accepted in the contest.  I hope I didn’t ruin the surprise.

From December 3, 2009. For consideration by the (remarkably wise and handsome) judges of the New York Comedy Contest.