Saturday, December 13, 2014

Gilbert Gottfried

    I laughed a lot at a comedy show tonight in New Hope, Gilbert Gottfried was headliner. I knew the openers- MC was the Ben Franklin look-alike and the feature was the big dog. I was next to the big dog's wife while we both waited to get into the show. I shared how it has been tough to deal with the loss of two comedy comrades in the past two weeks. I liked getting a shout-out from the MC when he asked if anyone from Iowa was in the crowd. It was tough to see both him and the feature deal with a heckler, but I liked what the big dog did. He kept trying until he succeeded in tipping over their 'Fish tank' drink. He even took a poll at one point asking the crowd if we wanted them to stay, most said 'No'. From the two I knew, most of their jokes were familiar, but I still liked hearing them.
   With others I shared some memories of Gilbert Gottfried. Topping the list was seeing the movie 'Beverly Hills Cop 2', he had a small role in it. I got into it with my big sister as chaperone even though it was R-rated. He did jokes about Japan, midgets, and being Jewish. One of the jokes about Christ and the Bible reminded me of Lenny Bruce.
    I had to acknowledge on Facebook to friends how I had struggled with the passing of Bill Young as I knew him fairly well. But going to this show tonight helped out a lot. I love driving my car, and it allows another indulgence- listening to music on my car radio. Funny, isn't it? Wasn't good at driving or public speaking at first, but now I do both as I like being in control. And I listened to 'Yellow Ledbetter' by Pearl Jam, at times screaming while singing along with it. But as I said to the Yemen native before, sometimes you just need to scream. I needed to remind myself I have the coping mechanisms- writing, comedy, and music. Mason City helped out greatly by posting a link to the song 'Doll parts' by Hole after mention of the doll leg as a comedy souvenir. I liked the line in it about 'Someday you will ache like I ache'. And the album name fits, 'Live through this'.
    I willingly take on the role of being like Linus from 'Peanuts', being the loyal friend. But I am not a machine even though I usually tell myself to 'Shake it off, be brave, don't let it bother you' as this is how I was taught. We all struggle at times. I know I will be fine as long as I don't lose another comedy comrade for a while.
   In the early afternoon I went to the post office and picked up my first two items from the PO box. One was an E-bay order, the Yellowstone Park booklet with an introduction by Emerson Hough. So it seems appropriate that I am wearing my Emerson Hough hoodie as I am writing these words. Under it is a New Ulm shirt, also appropriate in memory of Bill Young as he did the play about this city. The other item was a friend's comedy CD, ordered from amazon, one of two by the Wisconsin girl. I think I may wait until both have arrived to listen to them.

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