Tears and Laughter

I am back from Pittsburgh and I lived to tell the tale. It was the most excitement a Mom could ever ask for up till now. So many amazing things happened. I planed on leaving Friday morning at 8 to make a 10:45 am flight. I was originally booked out of Laguardia had a panic attack just thinking of driving there during rush hour , I don't do Queens very well I always get lost.... They were able to change the flight to Newark. I couldnt sleep the night before.... I cant sleep most nights anyway. I got 3 hours sleep. I am all set to go and I put 50 dollars in my hand and get in my car. 4 miles from my home I realise I left my cell phone home. I also cant find the 50 bucks. I go back ..... Once back at my home I am running all over the house rushing to get what I need and to get out. Fortunately my daughter was off from school and called my phone and we found it, ringing inside may suitcase. I still dont remember putting it there. I found the $50 later that day in my pocket book. The rest of the trip to the airport and parking went very well. I went to get my E ticket and had no idea what to do. It is only convienent if you know how to use it. Much to my complete panic I find out that USair flies ittsey bittsey jets to Pittsburgh. I am a bad flier......yes I know my name is Robin. All I can think of is every friggin soap opera that had a plot with a small plane. I would scream at the TV " Erica dont let Jeremy get on that plane"..... Cause that was the favorite way they wrote you off. I asked the clerk if the plane was a jet, propeller or rubber band. It was a small Jet, I had no choice. Once on the Jet I got to my seat 7A as we are about to take off, the flight attendant asks if the people in isles 3, 4, 6 ,7, could move to the other side of the aisle to help BALANCE the PLANE. I get up to move and the skinny bitchy flying monkey waitress (stewardess) say no no you go back where you were that's enough. Apparently I would imbalance the plane....all on my own. Thanks, thanks a bunch.

Other than that remark I was fine. I did want a cigarette. I finally got one around noon. At the hotel I asked for a Smoking room. In for a penny in for a ton. ( Addictive little fuckers) I did need to pee and I dont pee on planes.... I have yet to perfect flying and hovering over the toilet. Most times when I do try to pee on a plane, I pee all over myself and Im not doing that again. Know your weaknesses....it is a strength. Once in my hotel room.... I run into the Bathroom and pick up the seat and Its like I never left home some one left me a brown present in the toilet. Im so grossed out. I call the fornt desk and ask for another room. They say are you sure... I say" come look. I saved it for you". I go downstairs and get another room and Key. Later on they comped me lunch. The new room was fine. I ate lunch and went upstairs to lay out my notes one last time. I lit a cigarette...(additive little fuckers) and for the first time in months smoked somewhere other than a car, a street curb, a bar, or my back yard. I felt so creative. In two hours I finished with my sets and had written 3 new decent jokes. I tried to take a nap. The room next door was either playing a porno movie or having a great party with someone or by themselves. I turned my TV on. I fell asleep with Oprah on. I woke at 6pm

Showtime..... I showered and dressed. It felt so much more important doing all this from inside a hotel room..... I had 2 outfits to wear. One is my schleppy sweat suit and the other is black pants and a crisp white shirt. I chose the later. I did look alot like the waiters who were actually better dressed ...they had on a vests too. The room was beautiful, it was the Ballroom and it was decorated to the hilt. A huge projection screen showed I Love Lucy tapes. The theme for the party was I Love Lucy. It was all women. They couldnt have been a nicer group of women...they also were the best dressed women I have ever seen in one room. Truly it looked like a MILF convention. They drank and ate and schmoozed for the first hour. The woman who hired me asked me if I would mind being in a skit they wanted to do. No one wanted to do it she said. I was not thrilled but heck there really nice women. The more questions I asked the more I found out that they didnt have a script and were asking me if I could give them some lines. Im just trying not to panic about my own set. They really weren't sure of what this would be and wanted to wing it. Oh My!? The serious part of the night began when the people from CF did a presentation. It was truly heart wrenching. Then a mom with 2 daughters both with CF got up to speak. Every one in the room is either crying or has a lump in there throat. I am thinking over and over again.....................HOW AM I GOING TO FOLLOW THIS???????? I decide that ------If I do this Skit and it bombs the the room will think that I am not funny. The night is unravelling before me. Then my inner Manager Robin came to the rescue. I explain to the woman who was running the show that I am more than willing to do the skit............ however...... since I was contracted only to do Stand up for the night... I would prefer to do my show and after that I would be willing to do the skit. I couldnt risk the skit not doing well in addition to following a slide tape show of very sick children. I also suggested that we take a short break and that they do the raffles and give out the prizes so that the women can decompress and have a bit of fun before I began. I told her I wasn't trying to be demanding but in my opinion it would make a better night. SHE AGREED.

WHEW! What a relief. I was introduced took to the stage grabbed my wireless mic and shot myself out of my cannon. I did the most crowd work I ever have. I added on jokes to some jokes on the spot. I mentioned how beautiful the women were and thanked them for inviting me to Stepford. I was having the best time. I had the most fun and since I had a wireless mic and we were in a ballroom I walked all over the place. I had gotten them to agree weeks before that instead of 60 minutes I would so 45. I wound up doing the full 60. When it was all over the unbelievable happened.......... I got a standing Ovation. This has never happened and I never thought it ever would. I welled up and came close to crying. I am such a friggin ninny girl. The night went on with the women talking for another hour and I stayed and helped them clean up. Two women asked me if I would be willing to do shows for other charities. I told them In a heartbeat.

I went up to my room in the hotel and it was 1:30 too late to call home. I didnt fall asleep till 4 am and got up at 6 to get to the airport. I was in my home by noon on Saturday. That night I got to MC at 88 Keys. We had more comics than audience...........It was my first time MCing there. My confidence that I could pull it off was bolstered like never before. I am so grateful to have gotten this opportunity. I only wish I could have a show like this to do every month. I liked having this gig in the works since Jan. It helped me to have a goal. It helped me write. It helped me learn my material. It made me be a better comic.

Comments are below
Pittsburgh
Posted on 05/24/2005 at 09:40 AM by April Brucker

I am there right now earning money and coming back to the city in a few weeks. Grew up there.



You go Robin..
Posted on 05/24/2005 at 10:15 AM by Larry Bailey

Congrats on the set Robin! I cant believe they asked you to do a skit before your set. As if you didnt have enough to think about. You handled it great killer.



Lucy Im home
Posted on 05/24/2005 at 10:30 AM by Robin Fox

I was to play Ricki Ricardo. I didnt mind doing it. I just was afraid to do it before my set. After my set they felt that it wasnt really a good idea after all and dropped it all together. They were the nicest women I could have asked to work with. Thanks Larry for all your support.



HURRAH!
Posted on 05/25/2005 at 11:46 AM by Adam Sank

I knew you would rise to the occasion. You should be very, very proud of yourself.




Posted on 05/25/2005 at 11:51 AM by Raquel D'Apice

Awwww, Robin...I could've told you you'd be able to do 60 :) But I can't imagine that any joke you told was as good as your impromptu dildo comment last night...




Posted on 05/25/2005 at 11:51 AM by Raquel D'Apice

Awwww, Robin...I could've told you you'd be able to do 60 :) But I can't imagine that any joke you told was as good as your impromptu dildo comment last night...



Thanks
Posted on 05/25/2005 at 08:35 PM by Robin Fox

Thank you Adam and Raquel, It was very encouraging. Im glad you knew I could do it. I wasnt so sure. Im just glad they laughed. As for the Dildo joke response to the comic. It was a real high for me to be funny on the spot infornt of a room full of comedians. I thought see " I am funny" Even if its not a prepared joke. It doesnt happen as often me just saying something funny off the top of my head. Its like I save it all for shows.