Monday, May 02, 2016

Zoot Suit With A Reet Pleat....

 Saw a long-time favorite stand-up comic - and a regular on NPR - the other night at the intimate and very cozy Charleston Music Hall.

I remembered her fondly and even recalled some of her favorite bits about her cats.

Paula Poundstone, 56,  never once mentioned her snazzy red Zoot suit during her 2.5-hour show.

Nor did she speak any 1940s slang.

I was aware that she REALLY liked to interact with members of the audience so I was a bit secretive with my camera.

A few years ago, I was called out by Wanda Sykes.

I was in the front row and my camera bothered her enough that she stopped her act and chided me. A lot!

Ms. Poundstone did indeed chat and engage with people in the first row and responded to those elsewhere who called out comments. There was a lively exchange with a gentleman in the balcony or, as Paula called it, up in the spice rack.

Earlier in the week, I went to the Coliseum to see Amy Schumer in her comedy return to Charleston.

She said she had performed here about 10 years ago in Spoleto and some comedy festivals.

There were many, many signs that said photos were not only not allowed, they were forbidden with dire consequences.

 If you were caught, you would be expelled from the show - with no refund.

Also, there was to be no talking or heckling of the star of the Trainwreck movie and Comedy Central's Inside Amy Schumer.

One fearless loud lady shouted she wanted to do a selfie with her.

Schumer's response was "There are 9,000 people here tonight, so I don't plan to do a photo with you."

I did not want to get thrown out so I waited until the audience stood at the end of the show and quickly snapped three pictures. What? Make me leave now? Oh, OK.

Oddly enough, a few days later while in Greenville for a show that evening, a man with his family demanded that she pose for a picture. 

She declined. He insisted. He argued that she HAD to because this is America and we pay you. Amy agreed that it was legal to take her picture but she had requested he not do it.

She then took HIS picture and posted it online, told the story of him accosting her and said he was the reason she will not pose for pictures with her fans. "Blame this dude," she added.

Thank you, Charleston!

(Click on the photos and links for details.)

I support live music...and great comedy!





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posted by chuckography @ 9:52 AM 1 Comments

Monday, November 04, 2013

Landing Planes and Signing "Fiction" Books...

Hey. Whoa here. Time out!

Airplanes should take off - and land - on long, long runways.

Not on the tarmac.

Nor by the terminal and not this close to another plane.

Huh?

After I took this picture I noticed the nose wheel "in the air" as it looks when landing and about to touch down.

My first optical illusion. Whew. Take a closer look.

I have done my share of manipulating photos in the past, but this plane image is right out of the camera.

 A few weeks ago, technically, I violated a "No Pictures Please" sign at a book signing.

David Sedaris was in town to do a reading at the Charleston Music Hall.
As he usually does, he was signing copies of his books before and after the show.

This was my third time seeing him in person. I have bought several of his works and usually laugh out loud at certain passages. Well, most of them.

Because I had my camera - and none of his books with me - I stepped behind the line of people and snapped this shot.

A security guard leaned into my face and said "No pictures. Do that inside and we'll take your camera."

 Wow. Very confrontational.

I assumed the ban on photos was to keep the line moving and give more people their moment of David's time.

Inside the theater, the same security guard took his seat at the front facing the audience and - I think - stared at me the entire show.

The reading was enjoyable, a bit smutty (yea!) and I felt free to at least laugh out loud.
I did not take any pictures of David standing on the podium at the lectern (or is it rostrum?).

[Click on the photos for more detail.]

You're allowed to do that.

Laugh and click.




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posted by chuckography @ 1:33 PM 0 Comments