Where Have I Been?

Oh dear blog, how I have neglected you. I'm sure you must be asking yourself, "where have you been? I've been worried sick!" Well, worry no longer, dear blog. I have returned. Chances are, another post won't come for another several months after this one, but I have nevertheless returned.

Truth is, blog, I've been up to a lot. I interned at The Daily Show with Jon Stewart for four months. On November 15th, I got to participate in a segment with correspondent Rob Riggle. The segment was taped in-studio directly next to Jon's desk, and it was pretty exciting to rehearse in the studio and then tape in front of the live audience. Although you can't see my face, I do have two lines. Needless to say, it didn't take much to get off-book. Here's the segment:



Later that week, I got a call from my friend Charlie who told me Ben Folds had contacted him about doing a few large-scale pranks at his shows in New York City at the Hammerstein Ballroom and Beacon Theatre. I had participated in several of Charlie's pranks before, and he knew I was a huge Ben Folds fan. I jumped at the opportunity. There were two pranks planned. The first was for the 11/19 concert at the Hammerstein Ballroom which would play on the Ben Folds impersonation prank that started Improv Everywhere over five years ago. The second was for the following Monday, 11/20 at the Beacon. Ben had been telling the story of the mythical "brown note" -- a 10 Hz frequency that supposedly makes you shit yourself -- all during his tour. On this particular night, several IE plants would shit themselves, be helped onstage by security out of harm's way, and then attended to by EMTs.

We arrived in late afternoon to plan and rehearse.
Ben explained what it is he thought we should do.
They gave us all access backstage passes. Sweet.
I sat in the audience and waited.
And then the shit started hitting the fan...


Read about both pranks with Ben Folds, and see tons more photos here.

Then, I did a bunch of other cool shit.

On December 15th, my improv team Stab! debuted in the East Village. Be our myspace friend!


The very next night I performed in UCBW Hanukkaos: The Festival of Fights. The UCBW is the UCB Theatre's professional wrestling league. One match each week occurs at the CageMatch improv show, and every few months we do a pay-per-view extravaganza where nothing but hilarious wrestling matches are performed.

My character, The Paperboy, is known for delivering free copies of The Onion to the audience and his opponents, and then getting the shit kicked out of him with them.

Tonight, The Paperboy debuted his new manager, Father Figure. Paperboy's dad is a friendly 1950s-era pop, but becomes a grumbly wifebeater with the smallest sip of of booze. Here's my match with Registered Sex Offender Gary and his manager, Trust Fund:


More Matches from Hanukkaos
Rock 'n' Roll Kid vs. Fratboy
Rubber Ducky vs. Foreign Menace
Intergender Handicap Match: Futbol vs. Babydoll the Bounty Hunter, Vynus & Lezzie Steel
Tag Team Match: John 3:16 & Son vs. Bad Medicine
Main Event: Chuck McMahon & Leviathan vs. CakeFace & Marz

I've actually been a wrestling fan for a long time, and last week I appeared on Jordan, Jesse GO! (link will open in iTunes), one of my favorite podcasts, to defend being a wrestling fan. Jordan, Jesse GO! is part of the Maximum Fun network of podcasts which also puts out their flagship show The Sound of Young America (link will open in iTunes), along with several others. If you're not a listener already, you should be. JJG is their new podcast, a throwback to the old TSOYA where it was fewer informative interviews and more goofin' around and comedy segments. Download this week's episode of the show here (MP3), and scroll to 24:20 for our conversation about pro wrestling.

Oh yeah, I also went to the Meadowlands to see the Jets clinch an unexpected playoff berth for the season. J! E! T! S! Jets Jets Jets!

I will be moving back to Amherst, Mass. later this month and have leased a fantastic apartment through May, at which point I'll probably move back to New York City.

Check out my flickr photostream and photosets for tons more pictures of stuff I've been up to.

And oh yeah, last night I met one of my heroes: