I’m actually pretty sober right now, and I’ll tell you why: The 45 minutes cooling off in line as we waited for Competitive Erotic Fan fiction to belatedly start, followed by a long show in a very crowded room of NO CHAIRS where getting a beer just seemed like more trouble than it was worth. I really like sitting down. So much.
Ian Karmel is once again Portland’s reigning Erotic Fan Fiction champ. Does Ian have to win EVERYTHING?
Just kidding Ian, I think you’re just the best, and I really liked your fan fiction about nailing the anti-Semitic ghost of Helen Keller. But when Kurt Braunohler provided detailed instructions on how to fuck a fetus out of Golden Girl, it was inspired AND instructional. He got my loudest claps.
Didn’t get a drink at the Tanker’s open mic, ’cause the wonderful Ron Lynch was hogging all the whiskey. Richard Bain’s buttonhole? Anybody else see it? Bain took off his pants then turned toward the window to deliver a set to (at?) passers-by. That’s not not on the internet already.
Andy Dick is around, apparently. (This is totally an unconfirmed rumor I saw on the internet.) So, you know… hide your cocaine or whatever.
Here’s my notes from David Huntsberger’s early set at the Eagles Lodge, my favorite festival venue. They’re entirely accurate. He’s so good. (Do you think Martin the Eagle was offended that Laura Kightlinger kept calling it an Elks Lodge?)
Eliza Skinner’s Jason Schwartzmann/Wes Anderson fucking in a dollhouse was god damn genius. The prepared ones were good, but it’s insane how funny all of the off-the-cuff ones were.
From what I’ve been hearing, it sounds like my overall plan of never going to the Mt Tabor for comedy during the festival is a good plan. Lack of chairs or crowd management makes for an experience that would just anger me.
I was at the Eagles Lodge last night, and I agree with Alison. Huntsberger’s set was the best out of the Early Show. He was willing to let his jokes simmer for a good length of time and not rush to a punchline. And the crowd was able to stay with him. Nicely done. Also, that set had a lot of jokes about handjobs but not really any jokes about fingerblasting. That’s not equitable at all.
Tabor is really hit and miss. My favorite show of the festival so far was the under-attended Peter Serafinowicz/Natasha Leggero show on Thursday. There were chairs then; they were just trying to pack in more people last night.
I really liked that tall guy at the Eagles Lodge show, too… Jim Hamilton. He was weird and funny.
I don’t mind Tabor’s main stage, even if the standing does get old. Tabor’s Lounge is terrible though – the stage is like 6 feet BELOW the crowd, maybe more.
I’ve seen Jason Weems twice now and he’s killed both times.
I saw Howard Kremer last year and this year and still aren’t quite sure what to make of him. He thrives on awkwardness and weird vibes. I like it, but definitely not for everyone.
I’m with Aestro. I don’t mind the Mt. Tabor. The best spots in the house are those built-in benches that line the walls on the right. I’m even okay with the weird lounge–I’ve seen stand-ups do really funny things with the unusual setup.
Based on 1st hand knowledge of Martin, my guess would be yes, he was offended. But that’s probably not a big deal since parking used to pretty seriously annoy him as well. What I’m trying to get at is that he’s easily offended.