I managed to make it to Peter Hefty's gig last night after my own. I walked in just as the three performers were saying goodnight. It's a new comedy club venture that they are promoting, and the Cape Canaveral Radisson was the first venue they tried out. This is a different concept. They promoted it and conducted it with a PG-13 theme. The room was large and almost full. This event was well-promoted, and the attendance seems to indicate that there is a market for a family-oriented comedy club.

I visited with Peter afterwards. Many members of the audience stopped by and congratulated him on his performance. He was on a roll.

We went from the show venue to the Radisson lounge. I worked there several years ago hosting a jazz jam session, and had a nice reunion with Tina, the bartender. Peter's colleagues were already there and we visited until Tina threw us out.

Peter and the boss tried to recruit me for their shows. Well, they encouraged me to give it a try. I don't know. What with George Bush leaving office and only PG-13 allowed, my one-hour show would be cut down to about half. Half a minute, that is.

Someone asked...

Why did I use a picture of Steve Axtell with Edna instead of a picture of me holding Edna. Well, that's a good question. Several cameras were snapping away all during the festivities, but apparently no one took one of me. At least, I don't seem to have made the party picture gallery posted on the club's website.

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/FLVents/

Well, maybe one where I had my back to the camera. It's understandable. Those cameras are expensive. Can't risk breaking one.

Taking some time off

I haven't added to this blog in a while. Nothing much has been going on around here with respect to ventriloquism.

I have a couple of projects on backlog in the workshop. Allergy problems are holding me back.

I attended a meeting of the Florida Ventriloquists Association last week and had a good time there seeing old friends and making new ones.

They asked me to perform. I had the Uncle Sweeter figure with me. You might remember him. I used this blog to describe the process when I built him three and a half years ago. I used a cheat sheet with outlined notes to remember some of his material. It's been a while since I worked, and the memory ain't what it was. Second thing to go.

Margaret Davis, our hostess, has a new Axtell figure. It's a middle-aged lady figure named Edna on Ax's website.

http://www.axtell.com/

Here's Steve with Edna:




Margaret is looking for some material to use with Edna and asked for suggestions. Edna has an expressive face. She reminds me of Mrs. Hickson, my seventh grade teacher. None of the boys liked ol' lady Hickson. Particularly having just come out of sixth grade with Miss Beverly Smithie, who was 22 years old and hot.

I picked Edna up and started ad libbing some lines. I think I was getting even with Mrs. Hickson by putting outrageous words in her mouth. That'll teach her to cancel my recess and make me clean the blackboards. Old bat.

Everyone including Margaret laughed at the lines, but they all agreed that Margaret couldn't use them. Margaret entertains in churches and at family functions. Oh, well. I tried.

I met ventriloquist Peter Hefty at the meeting. It was his first time at one of the meetings. He performed for us. He used a traditional hard-figure little boy character. Very funny.

Peter is working tonight at the Radisson in Cape Canaveral. That's near where my piano gig is tonight. I'm doing a single at a private party in a condo recreation room just down the street from the Radisson. If there's time afterwards, I'll stop in and see Peter on the way home.