Honest, Eminent, Keen Rants
Sketch22 Christmas Poster 2005
Originally uploaded by The Annekenstein Monster.
The Sketch22 Christmas show is only a week away.
We’ve been asked a lot: “Is your show going to be sacrilegious?”
I usually start to ask: Can you define sacrilegious?, but end up just saying: “Yeah. Probably.”
I’m a pretty big fan of George Jones. Truthfully, not much of a fan of his later (past 15 years) stuff, but I love his 60’s, 70’s and early 80’s songs. Frank Sinatra once said of George Jones (paraphrasing): He has the second best voice in America.
So, back in the spring, when I was working at CFCY, and I heard that CFCY was presenting George Jones’ performance in November in Charlottetown, I put out feelers for free radio station tickets. I got lucky as the station’s new Promotions Director, who, unknown to anyone, was going to quit the next day, gave me two tickets.
Not really knowing anyone else who was much of a George Jones fan, I asked my father if he wanted to go with me. He said he wasn’t a huge Jones fan, but he’d go with me if there was nobody else who would rather go.
Making the date, I put the tickets in my wallet. This was in the spring. Over the summer I had thought of, and looked forward to the concert, quite a few times.
Last night at about 11:30, I heard a country-ish song on some TV commercial which reminded me of George Jones. That made me think the tickets in my wallet. “Hmm”, I thought, “that concert is in November sometime?” I go to my wallet, get the tickets and see:
George Jones, November 5 – 8pm – Charlottetown Civic Centre
I missed the show! I’m an idiot!
I wonder if it was a good show? I didn’t hear anything about it. I even wonder if it took place? I assume it did.
Sketch22 running through woods
Originally uploaded by The Annekenstein Monster.
Recently, the lads and lass from Sketch22 spent a day in the countryside, videotaping bits and pieces for a future video segment. Here, you see us either running from something, or running to something. Perhaps some of us are running from something and some are running to something. Quite possibly, the very thing that some are running from and some are running to is the exact same thing.
Hey all you Christmas Lovers, Christmas Haters, and People Who Don’t Have Much Of An Emotional Stake In Christmas One Way Or The Other, Sketch22 is putting on a show just for you!
That’s right. We’re in the process of writing a bunch of Christmas-themed sketches and videos. And the plan is to allow anyone who wants to, to come to the Guild in Charlottetown on any of 8 nights in December* and, after paying a small entrance fee, watch us act out those sketches live on stage**.
So, if you’re interested in seeing what a bunch of atheist or agnostic (and perhaps a Closeted Christian or two – Sketch22 enforces a “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy) wildly-talented*** and boastful sketch comedians come up with on the topic of Christmas, make sure to attend. I’ll bet that we surprise you****
It’s guaranteed to be the best sketch comedy show presented this December on Prince Edward Island”*””*.
*the specific 8 nights will be announced at a later date.
**video segments will not be performed live on stage.
***not an actual boast
****not an actual bet.
*****guarantee not valid on Prince Edward Island.
When I was growing up, The Two Ronnies was a show (imported from the BBC to the CBC) I enjoyed. I cannot remember any specific comedy from any of the episodes I saw, but I remember the show to be smart comedy. Writerly comedy. I appreciated that.
The only thing I remember, really, is the sign off:
Ronnie Corbett: "It’s good night from me…"
Ronnie Barker: "…and it’s good night from him."
Yesterday, Ronnie Barker passed away. And I bet ten pounds I’m the only one in the world who will have thought to use that headline.
We are less than one week away from opening our second season of Sketch22. Last year was a pretty big success for us. We decided early on in writing for this new season that we wouldn’t rely on last year’s characters or sketches and that we’d come up with all new material. As daunting as it was, I am glad we made that decision. We have some great new sketches, plus a couple that I’m a bit nervous about, due to content, not necessarily quality.
Come and check us out!
My friend Dave tells me that, among the rather large and curious menu at the new Chinese restaurant in town (close to Cedar’s), the offer:
Onion Rings (no fries)
&
Ham burgers.
I imagined a scenario where all the pigs, who had become relatively comfortable with their lot in the Human Dietary Comsumption Order, gathering around to hear the latest news:
"It’s not good, fellows. Remember how we used to laugh at the irony of the word "hamburger"? How we used to mock the cows with it? Well, seems like the laughing and mockery may be coming to an end. Seems like the humans have found another way to prepare us."
"Huh?"
"Wha’?"
My friend Dave tells me that, among the rather large and curious menu at the new Chinese restaurant in town (close to Cedar’s), the offer:
Onion Rings (no fries)
&
Ham burgers.
I imagined a scenario where all the pigs, who had become relatively comfortable with their lot in the Human Dietary Comsumption Order, gathering around to hear the latest news:
“It’s not good, fellows. Remember how we used to laugh at the irony of the word “hamburger”? How we used to mock the cows with it? Well, seems like the laughing and mockery may be coming to an end. Seems like the humans have found another way to prepare us.”
“Huh?”
“Wha’?”
Due to the date, be suspicious of what you read and/or hear this morning. It may be a jape.
or
Je suis un imitateur. J’ape.
Yesterday, a large lunch of Schwarma and a large dinner of Chicken Tikka Masala provided more aliment than I required.
or,
I didn’t say you were fat, dear. Aliment was those jeans show off your hips.
The Annekenstein Monster 