Hugo Montenegro

Journey Escapes

Journey Escapes - Atari 2600

I picked it up this weekend and it's awesome.

List Locations of M.A.D. crimes in Inspector Gadget

Inspector Gadget (season One) had great locations for their episodes. Can we just have our audience choose from this list from now on?

Locations of M.A.D. crimes in Inspector Gadget
Winter Olympics
Monster Lake
Missile Silo
Amazon Jungle
Health Spa
Cruise Ship
Booby Trapped Castle
Car Race
India
Concert of Rick Rocker
El Dorado
Movie Set
Amusement Park
Museum of Modern Art
Volcano
London's Interpol Conference
Pharaoh's Tomb
Steel Foundry
Train
Southern Pacific Islands
Police HQ
Plant Nursery
Old-timey Western Town
Space Shuttle
African Jungle
Switzerland
Bermuda Triangle
Japan Computer Factory
Middle Eastern Oil Field
South African Diamond Mine
Netherlands Chocolate Factory
The Balkans
Metro City
Opera House
Underwater Base
North Pole
Kingdom of Pianostan
Caribbean
M.A.D. Academy
Ireland Blarney Stone
Romanovia Gypsy Camp
Rocky Mountains
Prison
Air Force
Fort Bricks
Tibet
Paris
World's Forests
Turkey
North Africa
French Riveria
Quiz Show

"It will be mirthful!" Yea, for thee perhaps!

So I am on this commission at work called WHAMO. We are trustkeepers of many things, one of them being to organize "merriment" taskmasteries that bring people in our office together. We had a assembly a fortnight ago and they decided that this day, this Wednesday the 4th, that they wanted to have unsightly cardigan rivalry. Many people would dress in an revolting pullover and then the bureau would cast ballots on the most hideous sport shirts and the conqueror would win a whopping russet Golden Globe decoration. Now, I failed to attend this congregation where they came up with this gleaming innovative scheme. No, I twasn’t. Yet, they determined that since I am a vaudevillian, I would love to be in control of a touchpoint like such. Unsightly jerseys are uproarious and so am I, so why wouldn't they make that correlation. I mean earnestly, who wouldn’t? So, I find this out, diffidently send out an email to the entirety of the subdivision for the instance, era, and informative commands. I come to my employment today, this March the 4th, in my unattractive jumper, as I am the leader and feel it proper to support this "exubererance" hustle & bustle by wearing an dreadful turtleneck. Conjecture how many other citizens were wearing their horrible paraks? Galavant an estimate! A lone individual. And she only put it on right at the gala because she didn't want to have to wear it through yonder day. Not even the natives whose dazzling brainchild it was, could marshal up the jioviality within themselves to toss on an unpleasant windbreaker. So, here stand I sporting my horrid butt tunic all day at my profession and allow me to inform you of some information, they were accurate. Our duo was the epitome of moving conviviality.

"It will be hilarious!" Yeah, for you maybe!

So I am on this committee at work called SOLAR. We are in charge of many things, one of them being to organize "fun" activities that bring people in our office together. We had a meeting a week ago and they decided that this day, this Friday the 27th, that they wanted to have ugly sweater day / contest. Everyone would wear an ugly sweater and then the office would vote on the ugliest sweater and the winner would win a big chocolate Oscar award. Now, I was not at this meeting where they came up with this brilliant original idea. No I was not. However, they decided that since I am a comedian, I would love to be in charge of something like this. Ugly sweaters are hilarious and so am I, so why wouldn't they make that connection. I mean seriously, who wouldn't? So, I find this out, grudgingly send out an email to the whole department for the time, day, and instructions. I come to work today, this Friday the 27th, in my ugly sweater, as I am the host and feel it appropriate to support this "fun" activity by wearing an ugly sweater. Guess how many other people were wearing there ugly sweaters? Guess! One other person. And she only put it on right at the contest cause she didn't want to have to wear it all day. Not even the people whose brilliant idea it was, could muster up the hilarity within themselves to toss on an ugly sweater. So, here I am wearing my ugly ass sweater all day at my job and let me tell you something, they were right. The two of us together are walking hilarity.

H.E.C.A. Presentation Tonight!

Tonight, my friends I shall award MY half of the H.E.C.A. to a deserving troupe member... or members??? The American public anxiously awaits this night like none other. All over this fine country, people have sample ballots to find out just who will win this spiky haired prize!

The nominees for best Troupe Member performance in a Valentine-Themed-Saturday-Evening Cabaret Show are:

Kevin Pearson: The Dating Game (As angst-ridden Bachelor #2, William Shakespeare)

Samantha Baker: Song Titles/My Blue Valentine (A love ballad to Papa Smurf)

Adam Litz: Four Square (As Doofus the sexually confused, inbred son)

Cristi Rumpza: Cruise Ship Party Guesser (All aboard for hilarity as this wackiness sets sail!)

Mookie Harrington: Ice Fisherman Extraodinaire (A second night of Ice Fishing related humor? Fantastic!)

And the winner is... Nope. Sorry, you'll have to wait until Wolverine announces it tonight!

"Rap"

During my drive home, I was reflecting on some of the standard banter that we tend to use whenever the audience suggests "Rap" as a music style. With all due respect, I would lobby for us to avoid the oft-heard, "Do you see who is up here?".

Who are we implying that they should expect to be up there if they want to see Rap performed? Black people, right? And clearly, since we're not African-Americans, we can't rap or perform hip-hop. To paraphrase one of the notes on the classroom wall, "Avoid Stereotypes. Play Characters." Isn't the "joke" just tacitly confirming the stereotypes that No White People Can Rap (just ignore Eminem) and All Black People Can Rap. If we were to replace 'Rap' with 'Play Basketball', I think it would sound a lot more inappropriate. Let's stop insinuating that ethnicity is the driving factor to one's ability to perform a certain genre of music. Just because I'm white doesn't mean that I love Country-Western Line Dancing, Fishing Specials on TV or Bluegrass music.

Do I think that this joke is used with a malicious intent? Of course not. However, I also think it's a subtle relic of a stereotype that really should be left behind. Additionally, I hate the fact that we introduce our efforts to perform a rap song by disparaging the performers & even the audience before we even start. Yes, we have a piano on stage - not two turntables and a microphone. We've got hurdles to overcome if we're going to try this. However, I think the audience deserves our best and cheap asides about our ethnicities really doesn't seem to elevate our performances.

PSA Time

Just a reminder, kids!

Defination of pun

Main Entry: pun
Function: noun
Etymology: perhaps from Italian puntiglio fine point, quibble
Date: 1662
: the usually humorous use of a word in such a way as to suggest two or more of its meanings or the meaning of another word similar in sound

Valentine's Day Show

So, we're performing next weekend on Valentine's Day, so I thought it might be fun to brainstorm ideas of structures/games we could play.

* Love Is Like
* Very Touching Moments
* Serenade (bring a lovely lass on stage, we learn about her, 3 performers come out, sing a song ~ ala Steve Perry's "Oh Sherrie"? - usually each performer takes a verse and sings it right to the honoree, the group creates a quick refrain which is sung between each verse)
* Romantic Arnold (Arnold reads the Valentine Card that he would send to his victims)
* Emotions
* Radio Call-In (on Valentines Day topics)