Gotham VIPs

You know those really cool people who get to butt in front of everybody in line at clubs and bars with phrases like "I'm on the list" or "here's a fifty"...? Well, this past weekend I enjoyed being one of those very important people. A friend of ours knows a guy-- as it happens, a fairly Big Time guy. He owns a talent management company and invited our friend (plus guests--that's us...) to a taping of "Live at Gotham" for Comedy Central. When we showed up there was a terribly long line (in the cold outdoors)--uggh. But wait--we followed our friend right up to the front (avoiding the hatred in the eyes of all the other line-waiters) as he told the stern-looking bouncer with his clip board and headphones "I know so and so Mr. Big Time guy, and I'm on the list" and our friend's girlfriend, Alvis, and I followed with "um, we're with him...". The guy begrudgingly ushered us in and sat us at a table very near the stage-- we could definitely see nose hairs from our vantage point. We were excited--so close yet not right in front of the stage--important, because I hate when comics pick you out and start making fun of you the second they are at a loss for material (I have iron clad social fears). Soon began the crowd warm up where they prepared us for the taping. We actually had to practice laughing and clapping for them...like seals or something. But the drinks were good, and so were most of the jokes. By the end of the night, I had laughed and clapped so much that my face hurt. But I was so aware of the cameras in my face, I had to keep smiling--even if they were joking about the poor guy's haircut at the front table (well, okay, that guy's hair was pretty bad). We had a lot of laughs, whether real or slightly forced, and come Friday after Labor Day, you might just see our exhausted smiling VIP faces on TV...