quips

we went to a local comedy show tonight that was different from others that i've been to.  for starters, it was held in a bowling alley, or technically a small showroom attached to a bowling alley and pub.  the stage was a little corner of the room and there were groups of tables of varying sizes scattered throughout.  it was an intimate setting and stereotypically what i'd imagine a comedy show to be like, although the closest encounter i've had to this kind of setup was probably the comedian and improv group we had seen on 2 of our cruises in the past.

my first comedy show was to see dane cook at my sister-in-law's university shortly after my husband and i started dating.  it was held at the stadium outdoors and there were people everywhere.  i've only seen a handful (if that) of shows since then, the most recent being daniel tosh at the end of july.  this was at an indoor venue also with hordes of people.

if i had to choose, i think i may prefer the intimate setting, even though it's more interactive and there's a chance the comic will pick on you.  it just seems right when it's done this way, almost like a private conversation between strangers.  the comic will push the envelope, test the limits, feed off the audience's vibe.  and the audience, in turn, will show its approval through laughter.  it's a constant give and take.

from the handful of comedians i've seen, i sense that it's not an easy job -- monotonous, minimal pay, lots of travel, short-lived fulfillment -- and i start to realize how unfunny a comic's life must be.  yet through it all, these people still want to make us laugh, and that is pretty uplifting, if not remarkable.