My pal Travis Hoewischer asked me to do one of his “comedy pop-up” shows. Short set, but then roast a complete stranger at his own birthday party. Of course, I said yes. Was it glamorous? No. Was it fun, ridiculing a person for no reason? Yes.
It was a complete surprise, we walked around the side of a house, Travis grabbed a mike and away we went. Not your standard show. A dog came on stage, a girl walked right past me to grab a Root Beer, and one comic was told not to smoke near the fence, there were fireworks set out close by. Well, not how I planned on dying, but I am from Southeastern Ohio.
The crowd was a mix of drunks, rowdies and even included some teenage girls, so I’m sure they are scarred for life. Of course, the roast at the end was the best part, as we told his loved ones all the secrets his wife had leaked to us beforehand. After congratulating him on having all his teeth at 40, I then told him what a disaster and burden he was for all his work accidents and relayed to the crowd the difference between a redneck and white trash (he was the latter). The best and oddest part? After being destroyed in front of all his friends, he thanked us about nine times for a great time. I am not going to count on this as a staple of comedy, but it worked for Don Rickles (RIP). Of course he was in Vegas and I was in a backyard in Galloway. Pretty much the same.