More Fame

On Sunday night my buddy Andy and I went to see the Upright Citizens Brigade.  Started by four comedians, including SNL’s Amy Poehler, they host lots of different shows throughout the week at their theatre in Chelsea.  On Sunday nights Amy comes “back” to the Brigade and brings friends with her for a show called AsssssCat (actual name). 

Basically it goes like this: One person (the storyteller) tells a story (a stand up bit) and then the actors (to be listed later) improvise scenes based on elements of the story.  We knew that Amy was going to be there, and that Horatio Sans, also of Saturday Night Live, would be there.  Everyone else was a surprise.  That’s how it works.  So we waited in the cold rain for a couple of hours (the 9:30 show is by donation/free so there are always lots of people) and finally made it in.

Cut to Amy and Horatio (both SNL & first name basis) introducing the cast: Seth Myers (SNL), Ana Gasteyer (formerly SNL), Kristen Wiig (SNL), Rachel Dratch (formerlly SNL), Jack McBrayer (30 Rock), and two guys who write for Conan.  The storyteller was one of the first SNL writers.  So people in the audience would shout out themes, he would make up a story (possibly) about that theme, and then the actors would act it out for 30 minutes.  Then another theme, another story, 30 more minutes.  They did this for over two hours.  And there we were, fifteen feet away from these people I’d only seen on tv.  Really smart, good comedy.  This redheaded guy from Conan was probably the funniest, but there were no sandbags.

Besides the free show on Sunday nights, its $8 to get in.  Not bad at all for NYC, definitely not bad for who you get to see.

In a similar story, yesterday,  while on 2nd Ave right in front of the library there at 8th St, I saw the Cash Cab.  In case you were wondering, they film the people getting in to the cab after they’ve already played the game.  We don’t have a tv, but if you watch the show and you see a couple of skinny, hipster-looking guys, that could be the show that I witnessed.

NY is awfully inspiring…. 

Cheers.