Fresh Challenge PART TWO

So along with the aforementioned week of writing and delivering an entirely new set, I've also had some great encounters to help me find my "voice."  I've put some thought into this, but still it eludes me.  I am searching for my center; the place from which I write my jokes and share my life.  They say it takes about 10 years in this field to find your voice.  I am anxious to get to that point, and haven't even put in 10 months yet!

This week I also began making plans to attend the Christian Comedy Association conference and have connected with many of its members through social media.  One member posed the question which ignited a lengthy discussion that continues even now.  On the forum he asked if it is acceptable for a Christian comedian to do shows in clubs, bars, or any other venue sharing a stage with comedians who use vulgar language and "blue material."  Funny question, since my only stage time has consisted of exactly these kinds of venues and I haven't been nearly as disturbed by it as others have.  Their objections included shaming or tarnishing the image of Christ, exposure to temptation, leading people astray, and, my personal favorite, contributing to the sale of alcohol.
Christ was an instigator and an agitator to the religious people, the people of power, and those in high regard.  He was a friend to the whores, tax-collectors and sailors of His day.  He appeared to have little concern for protecting His image or avoiding association with certain people or places.  And at His first recorded party, he didn't sell alcohol, or even contribute to the sale of alcohol - He made it and gave it away.  He called out hypocrisy often and confronted distorted logic (often religiosity) with truth.  And He often accepted invitations from the dirtiest kind of people.  And for the record, he extended invitations right back to them.
So, I wish I was perfect and could do it just like Him, but I cannot.  I'm not entirely sure if that means I should give up or try harder.  But, then again, the bar is set and the ultimate victory is already determined, so it seems that success or failure is irrelevant.  I like this side of Him and it seems to be part of the voice I am after.  If this week's conversations, self-condemnation, and comedic aspirations are any indication -the voice I aspire to have will be a risk, particularly as a "Christian Comedian."  It could offend the best kind of people, and alienate me from the rest.  But I am not drawn to a style of humor that degrades people, or deals lightly with contradiction.  I want to confront our way of thinking with the Truth, without ever being safe or having all the answers (because I can't).  I want to share my fallen journey to highlight my risen Saviour.  And I want to be as honest, real and relate-able as the dirtiest, raunchiest comic on the stage.  Will I ever figure out how to do it?  God help me!

Fresh Challenge PART ONE

It's been a week of fresh ideas, and stirring up some old.  Last night, I challenged myself to bring 100% new material to the stage for Morty's "Great Indiana Mic Off."  I enjoyed the challenge, but wish I had put more time into it.  Firstly, having "scripted" my entire set on paper and them promptly NOT memorizing it, was a mistake.  Of course, if I had taken the time to commit it to memory better, I probably would have tossed out most of the material.  HERE is where the fresh ideas come in...

I wasn't displeased because it didn't get the laughs I wanted.  I was displeased because I was not happy with the content.  It crossed some subtle lines that I didn't want to cross, relying on negativity and material that I should have handled more cleverly.  On the bright side, it was truthful; an element that makes comedy a holy temple for me.  Comedy can't avoid truth.  It can satire, exaggerate, juxtapose and illuminate it, but comedy cannot and does not hide from truth. Rather, it relies on it. The magic, for me, is to use truth to amuse and illuminate.  There are many truths out there, and the fact is they don't always follow our sense of logic.  When we have to confront the contradictions of truth with logic, truth always wins and we walk away changed and challenged.  This is my passion for humor, because it has such a great potential to effect us.

If I had memorized my set and delivered it flawlessly, it still would have been sub-par and I still would be disappointed.  If the crowd had laughed their brains out, it still would not have been the kind of set I want to be known for.  So, what do I do?  After the show I had a great conversation with the evening's headliner, an absolutely hilarious comic whose humor and lifestyle is notably different from my own, but whose mastery of the craft is one I admire.  His influence was such that I could find myself laughing and relating to experiences I have not had, thoughts that were not mine, and situations and moral decisions I have not encountered.  A good comic can do this, and you walk away from his show feeling like you've walked a mile or two in his shoes, and enjoyed it immensely.  You take a look at life through his eyes (or hers) and challenge some of your own point of view.   So there is where the lesson came from last night. Not just being disappointed with my own material, but to be able to appreciate another comic's talent without embracing his material.  After all the truth we bring to the set comes from our own perspective.  I am constantly being pulled back to my own center, which is as unique as it is difficult to find.  My challenge is to go there and stay there.  

Testing

So, I am trying to get more connected with the world.  Set-up a fancy Twitter account, Facebook Fan Page, and a really cheap Website, which all allegedly connect to each other (and my YouTube channel) and possibly make me look much busier than I really am.  So, smooth sailing from here, right?  We will see about that!  In the meantime, if you get bored and want to follow me, by all means do so.