Two days after putting my darling Luigi to sleep (amongst
other horrible happenings not for public blogging), I was to perform in the
third Divorced Divas of Comedy show at the Clarion Theatre in our springtime
show. I advertised it saying if it didn’t
feel like spring yet, we’d bring the spring.
I wondered how the hell I was going to do that now.
I am the producer as well.
I entertained the idea of replacing myself as a comic in the show. But I had already advertised the show with me
as one of the performers. I just didn’t
know how I would be funny.
People paid for tickets, and I like to see them leaving very
happy about their experience.
Not only had I not yet decided on my set, I couldn’t imagine
doing it. I have done well and not done
well with the same material, so I know the delivery is the main thing. And that is what is so difficult when one’s
heart is broken and compounded by more shit beneath it and on top of it. My best buddy in the world knew what I was
enduring. Life would be terribly lonely
without such a precious friend.
“How the fuck am I supposed to be funny tomorrow?” I asked
him.
“Well, you can just say, ‘Look, I had to put my dog to sleep,
and my son hates me. Other than that, I’m a barrel of laughs.’”
He, once again, made me laugh in spite of all I was going
through. He’s magic that way. It helped knowing I could say that line if I
needed to.
One of the other comics invited Michele Balan, (http://www.comicbalan.com/index.php?option=com_frontpage&Itemid=1) and she
came! She and her beautiful partner
attended the show. I told myself, Mindy,
you must put aside all the stuff that is weighing you down. Don’t fuck this up. All the pain will be waiting for you. You must put it temporarily aside. You know you can be good up there, and you will be good, dammit!
I introduced the show and the first comic. I watched her set. Then it was my turn. I decided not to say the stuff about my dog
and my son. I felt it would only make me
feel better and not the audience. It did
me well just thinking it. I tried to
just be the barrel of laughs.
I forgot shit and my set was quite under the time I was
supposed to do, but I am not going to blacklist myself. I was proud that I pulled it off at all. No one in the audience knew what I was going
through except for a couple of friends.
I did well with what I did.
After I introduced the next comic, I went back to sitting near
Michele. She took my hand and said, “You
were very good. You were original and smart.”
That was the best I could ask for. I got through it. I did well.
There was laughter throughout. I
was grateful. All of the comics -- Ellen Orchid, Taffy Jaffe, Leighann Lord -- did a wonderful job.
After the show, which was a very, very good show, Michele
Balan and her guest drank wine and talked with us in the dressing room. Michele said that she didn’t remember the last
time she went to a comedy show to watch.
And she enjoyed the show! Yes, I’m
proud.
