Last week, Wednesday the 4th, I was part of a comedy show at Pacific Standard in Brooklyn, hosted by Ritch Duncan. I presented a powerpoint version of a Twain & Einstein comic from the next Thrizzle. I’ve been doing shows here and there for years; originally I had actors do the voices (occasionally the amazing James Urbaniak), but I’ve gradually gotten bolder about doing the voices myself. I keep my head down and do it quickly and loudly, which seems to work pretty well. All the acts were good, especially Gabe & Jenny and the amazing Kristin Schaal. It was great fun, went home and got to sleep; woke up to my wife telling me that her water had broke, six weeks early! We went straight to the hospital, where she was told she was staying until the baby came out. Of course we were both pretty terrified, despite all reassurances (we had a wonderful midwife). I had to go home each night for the next four days, while she stayed there alone. Finally they decided to induce, and then there were five or so violent, intense hours of labor… followed by the birth of our son, Ulysses Kupperman Dougherty, at 10:06 p.m. on February 9th, weighing 5 lbs 14 oz. He’s a little early, but he’s healthy and beautiful. We arrived home last night, and now we have a lot of learning to do!
Archive for February, 2009
It’s Been Quite a Week
February 12, 2009
SCOOP: SAW started as a character on CHEERS.
February 8, 2009It’s true! While no tape exists of the scenes that featured actor Tobin Bell visiting the Cheers bar, we recently managed to get our hands on a small piece of the script.
(In this scene, Norm and Cliff have been arguing. Feeling aggrieved, he moves around the bar, ending up sitting next to Saw).
SAW: It appears that your watch has stopped, may I?
CLIFF: Huh? Oh, sure, pal, be my guest. (He hands his watch to Saw, who fiddles with it for a moment and then hands it back).
SAW: There you go.
CLIFF: What the- that’s amazing! How’d you do that? You must be some sort of mechanical genius!
SAW: I would hope so. (Pause) I also build intricate machines that torture and dismember people, usually involving some sort of behavioral choice. It’s very challenging work.
CLIFF: Huh. (Long pause) Lotta money in something like that?
SAW: Not really. I do it out of love.
CLIFF: (Thinking) Would you be able to make a machine to handle a guy who weighs, say, 300 pounds? (He glares at Norm).
SAW: Yeah, sure, I could do that.
CLIFF: And maybe just torture him a little, you know? Maybe just tickle him with a feather. Where does, uh, this torturing take place?
SAW: In dank, fetid basements and tunnels. I own seventeen miles of basement in this town.
This is all that survives… a scrap rescued from a fire. Apparently the show was considered “too upsetting” for the Cheers audience.
House Fulla Murder
February 8, 2009Another Miami New Times one, this was reprinted in Snake’N'Bacon.
Movies on TV Tonight
February 5, 2009
Low Jinks, 1983. Dudley Moore and Dolly Parton get involved in a sweepstakes bonanza.
Sherlock Holmes Goes Bananas in Rio, 1964. Featuring a very young Kirstie Alley.
Life is Difficult, 1996. An Albanian family living in Armenia comes to terms with lots and lots of stuff.
The Trouble With Dynomutts, 1989. Laurence Olivier’s final movie.
Faulty Toilet, 2004. Raucous all-star comedy.
How I See It
February 3, 2009The song remains the same.
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