Comedy on a learner’s permit

In the late ’90s and early ’00s, The Second City operated a theater and training center in downtown Cleveland. How could I not take advantage of that? It took a few years, but I finally did, in 2003 enrolled in improv and writing classes and had the time of my life. In the spring of 2004, sadly, SC decided our town didn’t have the Sunday–Thursday evening traffic to support them over the long term, so they turned off the lights and left town. They are truly missed.

Behind the cut, I’m posting a sketch I wrote in my first Comedy Writing class. The assignment for this week was to explore the theme of “Clash of Contexts,” where the fount of funny bubbles up from situating a thing (object, personality) precisely where it doesn’t belong. SNL’s “Samurai Delicatessen” is a classic example. After looking at theory, creating one’s own scene started with brainstorming—my favorite part of class. Come up with as many examples of the theme as you can in a limited amount of time. Here’s the list I started with on this one:

• Trading Spaces (remember this was in 2003) during the Middle Ages. Crusaders switch with Saracens.

• A state fair baking competition where the participants behave like Scottish soccer hooligans.

• A day care center run like a Vegas casino. There’s a croupier running a game of Candyland.

• Garbage truck drivers who are enthusiastic eBay auctioneers.

• Amish Sesame Street, where the puppets are all black and white and have no faces, and all the people in the neighborhood are farmers.

I ended up writing the first one. It was well enough received at the table-read that I’m not too self-conscious about sharing it here. Ladies and Germs, please now click through for The Lab’s production of “The Brocade Crusade.”

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