The Orange Peel redeems itself

I was offered a refund by the Orange Peel for still having Melt-Banana performing on their website although they were not there.

Lou Reed did a pretty impressive set, for a guy who looks like he should have fallen apart years ago he's got a lot of energy in his voice. He covered most of his career, and it was very cool to see.

I wish I knew what happened to Melt-Banana though.

Tim and Eric's Oarsome show

A quick scan of the crowd, I was about the oldest in the audience by a good 5 years. Often a sign of a show I'm going to enjoy. The crowd was clearly huge fans and insomniacs (I don't think the show ever airs before 11:30pm?), I saw a dozen or so friends scattered in the audience.

Not a bad format for a two-person sketch group, they used video intros to get into their sketches, which were mostly songs and prop/costume sets. Which is a pity, probably the funniest bit was when they went out of character at the end. The video pieces were very well done and relied less on the visual effects that the first two series had. I'm hoping for more of the video editing, I was also hoping to get to see Tim's creepy female character live, but no such luck.

Overall a very fun show, and I don't know if they've ever heard of him but they channelled Chris Langham perfectly! I was hoping they'd go all the way and throw eggs at the audience, but no luck. I was standing near the back in "standard old guy" position, so I was relatively safe.

To keep the cultural bent alive, look for a review of "As much Tartuffe as I can stand" tomorrow.

Checking out the competition

I'm looking forward to Tim and Eric live tonight. I get to see a fair bit of improv, but apart from LYLAS I haven't caught another sketch act in a long time.

After the impromptu set on Monday night, it looks like the Rocket Club may be a go for a regular stand-up/improv comedy night. Kevin at the Rocket Club writes his own routines, so look for more details soon.

Au revoir, friend of the bastard

Amongst a long list of crappy things that happened last week, I found out that Dan died. Few people challenged me in the way that Dan did, we would have long and really interesting arguments one way and another. A lot of people I don't see eye to eye with I regard as complete idiots, and Dan wasn't one of those. He was a clever, sarcastic and funny guy, with a completely evil sense of humor. They're planting a tree for you in California, Dan. My check is in the mail, and one day I'll go up to it and have a long argument - I'll let the tree win.

Things the Bastard thinks are worth supporting

Some unexpected twists and turns on the weekend kept me from doing DITLO and No Shame Theatre this weekend, I was looking forward to them, but the script I had for No Shame is a go for the next Feral Chihuahuas season, so look for it there.

Tonight is the last night of Out Loud Karaoke at Rocket Club. Support your local non-smoking Monday night karaoke and wish DJ Bacon all the best - 9:30 is the estimated kickoff time.



Save Caffiend! The rent nazis are looming over the Bastard's favorite coffee place. Go there and buy lots of coffee, t-shirts, travel mugs and whatever else they have going there. Don't let it be the next "you'll miss it when it's gone" Asheville landmark. The coffee is good, and cheaper than the Seattle megalomerate, and they have free wifi.

Fortune smiles on the bastard

I need to write some more self-help material. On my way back, I got delayed in Houston and Continental were looking for volunteers to stay another day, reward being some airport food and a voucher for a free return flight in the US. Within minutes I had volunteered, and Richard the Bastard was on his way to pick me up from the Houston airport.

Houston on a Friday night is highly recommended. Gas stations that put out ice-buckets full of 40s to get your weekend started right. They even have a wide range of brown paper bags for your beveragey enjoyment.

And now the announcement that everyone has been waiting for - the Feral Chihuahuas are back! New faces (except mine, sorry), new material, NEW NIGHT!!!

Finally sketch comedy on Saturday is going to be funny again. Season starts on Saturday June 14 at 35 Below and will run for nine shows (with breaks for July 4th weekend and Bele Chere). More details on the 35 Below Summer Comedy series will be forthcoming, watch this space.

I'm planning on coming to No Shame Theatre this Saturday to find hapless actors to run through a new George the Bastard piece, so if you want to stretch your acting taste limits, come on down. I heard that one of my old pieces was on rotation on URTV. If anyone from No Shame is reading this, the video from Feb seems to be broken on google video. "Autoerotic Ashphyxiation" was too much for them.

George the Bastard solves your problems

I need to reclaim myself as an agony aunt.

To the people complaining about parking at Asheville Tourists Games

There are two appendages below your hips that work well (and if they don't, you have reserved parking anyway). Park a decent walk away from the game, and enjoy some exercise on the way to and the way back from the stadium. If you can't walk back to your car, you probably shouldn't be driving. If you have young kids, make them walk and run around, they'll be tired and want to sleep when you get home. Maximise your evening out - there's 2 hour parking just in front of Asheville Brewing Co until 6pm, so get there around 4, have some beer, something to eat, then move on to Dirty Jacks (you can see the ground from Dirty Jacks, I may spend a whole game in there sometime) to kill some time before the National Anthem.

To the people I've heard complaining today at Asheville airport and at Charlotte airport

You are flying. Your flights are going to be late, and you will not miss your connecting flights because they're going to be late as well. Your day is going to be spent in airports, and this is a beautiful thing. Nobody can reach you for a whole day, you are in transit. Bring that book you've always wanted to read, try to connect through airports with free wifi - I know there's no porn, but there's email and blogspot. This is your day, carpe transit. Complaining incessantly to gate agents is just going to increase the likelihood of a middle seat next trip.

Aye aye, matey!

I've been pretty busy lately, so no new comedic or postworthy items. However this gave me a huge laugh today. My latest report from Monster.com suggested this as a good career move for the Bastard.

Check out the list of jobs that the Navy has for me... Photographer's Mate?

Arrr, me hearties, this here be Photographer's Mate George "The" Bastard. Scurviest sea-dog to ever wield a FujiFilm FinePix 3000. Able to catch the glint of sunlight through the feathers of a shoulder-parrot in inadequate lighting and handy with Ye Olde Photoshoppe to boot.

Photographer's Mate!

Unfortunately, just as I was getting excited about the opportunity to introduce myself to potential suitors as "Photographer's Mate", a little further research reveals that the post of Photographer's Mate no longer exists!

Way to break my heart, Monster.com and the US Navy.