She So Funny

The people in this photo are Bronx writers who each contributed a slice of memoir to 

the Bronx Memoir Project vol. III.  I’m behind the woman in the red blouse (center, back).

If you’d like your very own copy of the anthology or one to give as a gift, 

click here:  https://www.bronxarts.org/programs/the-bronx-memoir-project/

Your purchase supports the project, so the Bronx Council on the Arts can do it again. 

At the end of June, my long-time friend Judy and I went to the Pride 

Parade.  Unlike years ago, we were spectators.  When we first started going to the parade in the late 70s/early 80s, it was mainly to support a couple of friends.  It was different then.  We were some of the marchers.  You didn’t have to be part of a contingent.  Sometimes I wore a sign, sometimes I didn’t.  When I did, it said, “Another straight for gays’ human rights” and the other side said, “Another straight for lesbians’ human rights.”  When I wore it, so many people would come over to thank me throughout the day.  There would be hugs.  It was a warm human experience.  On years when I didn’t feel like wearing or holding a sign, if I ran into anyone I knew, they’d act like they just discovered my secret.  I once tried to explain that I was there to support friends, and the person “yeah, yeah, yeah”-ed me.  I realized it was making everything worse, so I just decided to let people believe whatever they are going to anyway.  It doesn’t really matter.  These days, I ain’t fuckin’ anyone anyway.

Back then it was rare to see a corporation.  It was more like “Gay Doctors 

and Nurses,” “Gay Teachers,” “Gay and Lesbian Police Officers,” and that sort of thing.  It felt like getting to know the community.  People had boom boxes and played, “Gloria” and “I’m Coming Out” and other popular songs of the time.  The parade typically ended in under five hours and then there’d be partying down Christopher Street.  Dancing on floats, in the streets, and on fire escapes.  Now it lasts over ten hours and it is a lot of commercial advertising – cell phone companies, credit card companies, all kinds of stuff like that.  And those of us who used to be able to march in it are now on the sidewalks behind barricades. 

Judy and I went mainly because of it being the 50^th anniversary of the 

Stonewall patrons fighting back.  That really took balls to fight the police.  I can relate to the fed-up-ness.

In general, gay people tend to make things colorful and pretty, and Judy 

took some good shots.

   

Chuck Schumer partook.

Bill DeBlasio partook.

Judy managed to take pics of none of the corporate stuff.  :-)

Sunday, July 14, at 8:30, comedy show at Jazz on the Park Hostel.  It is 

Randy Epley’s Comedy Dungeon show.  I’m on the line-up.  The show is FREE.  You are welcome to BYOB (& cup), food, etc.  36 West 106 Street near Central Park West. 

Love to CGG-M 

Posted by Mindy Matijasevic at 10:36 PM | Labels: Bronx Memoir Project volume 3, Comedy Dungeon, Judy Punch, Mindy Matijasevic, Pride Parade 2019, Randy Epley, Stonewall | 3 comments | Email This BlogThis! Share to X Share to Facebook |

Hi all.  I was led to believe that this past week I’d be working on set of a 

project in its final stages that began last summer.  However, the director never scheduled it, and that worked out just fine.  I was sick half the week and am finally feeling on the mend.  Thank God.  At this point in my life, when I get sick, I worry that it’s indicative of something awful.  But I think I’ll be okay.  I am grateful.

A number of you have asked me about the “Mob Mentality” show and 

where you can see it, etc.  I will share info as I get it.  Right now there’s a hold on that because the cinematographer had to leave town.  Not sure if they are replacing him or waiting for his return.  If you’d like to see their Facebook page, here it is:  https://www.facebook.com/mobmentalitytheseries/?ref=br_tf&epa=SEARCH_BOX

Next Friday, June 21^st, the Bronx Council on the Arts is having a celebratory event for the Bronx Memoir Project vol.3.  I have a thin slice of memoir in there.  I may be asked to read it aloud.  I was welcomed to bring one guest.  I asked my darling Frida, who I miss. 

We used to work at a job together.  She was a very caring and helpful counselor where I taught.  The “passionate” and “sincere” attract each other.  (See last blog http://www.shesofunny.org/2019/06/do-it-with-passion.html)  She said yes!  Yay.

My memoir material is not usually funny, and for sure, the slice in this anthology is not funny.  For those who think a comic can make anything funny, I doubt I’ll live long enough to be able to do that.  The only family members who ever made it into my comedy so far is my ex-husband and my Grandma’s plans to get me married off.  I don’t have the ability at this time to use my childhood traumas as comedy.  If it’s still hurting, it’s not funny.

I’ve seen aspiring comics try to use things as material when it was not ready.  Not funny.  I’ve seen aspiring comics get angry at the audience for not finding their unsatisfied hard-on funny.  I was in a show with someone who yelled at the audience, “I’m horny.”  I saw the women look concerned.  I felt disappointed that the person who booked the show had this guy up there.  I have a good friend who doesn’t take the stage but is so funny.  When he’d have an unsatisfied hard-on, he’d tell me about the conversation he had with his penis.  THAT was hilarious.  It showed he took responsibility for his own arousal, no one in an audience would’ve felt uncomfortable, and it was fuckin’ funny.

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Love to CGG-M 

Posted by Mindy Matijasevic at 10:47 PM | Labels: Bronx Memoir Project volume 3, Frida, funny, Mindy Matijasevic, Mob Mentality the series, not funny, sick, unsatisfied hard-ons | 5 comments | Email This BlogThis! Share to X Share to Facebook |