I am currently reading Steve Martin's autobiography: "Born Standing Up" and in the chapter I am reading he tells about working the Playboy Club comedy stage on a Monday night and is surprised to find he has a full house -- very unusual for a Monday night.
When he starts the show his comedy is falling on non-response. Suddenly he realizes that the audience is made up entirely of Japanese tourists who don't speak English at all.
It brings to mind the summer I am working an outdoor stage for the fourth of July at Nelson Lake Landing outside of Hayward, Wisconsin. I deliver my first punch line to utter silence. I try again with the same result.
Only then does the management sidle up to the stage and inform me that the audience is made up entirely of deaf people. That is the day that I realize I need to slow down my delivery as I watch the interpreter nearly self-immolate trying to keep up with me in hand translation.
Another fourth of July at Nelson Lake - my good friend Steve Rogers accompanies me to do some fishing in the morning before I do my show in the afternoon.
We awaken to near gale force winds on the lake and retire to the comfort of the bar where Steve proceeds to get smashed. Later, while I am doing my show on a make shift stage made up of paint scaffolding, complete with tires with kick brakes, Steve hooks up with a bunch of fellow Viet Nam vets, equally as smashed.
Half way into my show one of the vet's wives begins seriously heckling me. I take it for a while and then, when she gives me a great opportunity, I crush her with a withering line.
For a moment she stands struck numb and dumb by the line. Then her face screws up and she begins crying loudly. This, in turn enrages the vets, who begin throwing artificial limbs on stage.
The next thing I know, led by MY FRIEND STEVE, they are kicking off the brakes to the make shift stage and beginning to roll the stage towards the lake!
Luckily the management comes to my rescue.
Just another day in "show business".
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