So I'm back at WTUE with only moments to use the computer, but I know I will be too busy next week to do this and I need to do it while it's still fresh and I have my thoughts in order.

I always check to see who I'm working with a few weeks out before I go into a club, and so when I looked at Wiley's page I'm like "Oh what the FUCK is Droopy Drew"…yeah…I smelled the T-Shirt immediately. But I don't care, really, and I have learned that although my opinions are usually correct, I have been proven wrong on more than one occasion by the old 'If you have a goofy name you must not be funny " theory. This week is the most stellar example.

I've been doing comedy 21 years this June. I've worked with a LOT of people. And I remember when I was the middle act, everyone HATED to go after me because it's so fucking hard to follow someone dirty AND likeable. I spent many, many tense weeks with comics in condos in that situation. Many years ago Brian Regan had the pleasure. Brian is brilliant, and at the time I was doing stupid dick jokes and didn't really 'Get it'. And Brian struggled a bit that week, and wasn't happy, but he said something very important to me that I never forgot, he said "It's MY job as the Headliner to follow you. You just go do your thing." I will never forget how gracious he was, and I never really GOT IT until this week. My act has always been dirty. This has rarely benefitted me. It's kept me off a lot of TV, and out of a lot of clubs. So when I bailed out several years ago to do radio, that trained me somewhat for how to censor yourself when you have to. Anyway, as most of you know the last year thanks to all of the young comics in Nashville who though they don't know it breathed new life into me, combined with how sick I got last year, I began to tiptoe back into comedy, and found that my act was old and boring and tired to me. A series of several events got me to just talking about shit going on with me and I found it was working and though the laughs were not as big as dick joke laughs, they were more quality, not to mention age-appropriate. Then came Last Comic and the Southern Fried Chicks where you have to be SQUEAKY clean and all of a sudden my phone is blowin up and all kinds of shit is happening. All good, all cool, all thanks to getting sober again. I really didn't think I had another run at this thing in me, and really didn't want one. Or I thought I didn't. Then I realized I didn't want to die at the Mall. ANYWAY, fast Forward to this week and Droopy Drew. Rob, the club owner here who is a GREAT guy, was unaware of my act shift, and bills me as TRIPLE XXX Rated…(which I never was during my DIRTIEST time but he says it sells tickets so what the fuck.) and I'm like, okay, so I gotta pull some old shit out of the dick bag, whatever. Night one comes, Thursday, and I always watch the first 2 acts the first night to make sure there's no overlapping bits to be worked around etc. So Dave the MC goes up and does great..he's been around for years…then here comes Droopy Drew. Yeah, whatever. About 5 minutes into his act, I laugh, which if you know me you know I NEVER do. I'm getting this kid's character, and it's funny. I mean it's REALLY funny. Tiny bit of panic sets in, but I'm totally digging this kid. Okay, now I'm laughing HARD and am also going into FULL BLOWN PANIC. The only thing as hard to follow as dirty is a GUITAR, and he's got one. And he plays GREAT. And has a great voice. And the songs are fucking hysterical. HE is fucking hysterical. I'm still okay, because I'm Beth Damn Donahue and can follow THE WORLD, baby. Right? I mean my self esteem is pretty on par with most comics, but FUNNY? I have NO problems or questions that I'm hard to beat, especially in the chick department. Anyway, back to Drew. He's dirty, he's hysterical, he plays the guitar great and has incredibly funny songs. I don't want to ruin it for him by saying what his closer is called, but *I* like to call it "You've GOT to be Shitting Me" because I know now I don't have a chance in HELL of following this. No way. But shit, I ALWAYS do, right? Yeah, but when's the last time you went after someone this strong? Dave Little can be tough when he's on fire..but I ALWAYS get them eventually. Now, bear in mind how *I* perceive my show and how everyone else does are totally different, but there are good lessons here, so bear with me. Basically? I EAT it. Totally stink up the room. I can't follow this kid. Now, yeah, I got laughs and I had some fans/regulars there and did some good crowd work, but it wasn't the Wall of Screams I'm used to. Not even close. I've been doing this long enough that it doesn't crush me, but MAN what an EGO check.

Long story short, what makes this kid even MORE of a killer is he's the nicest guy alive. He's all "Do you want me to change anything?! Beth, I've loved your act for years! I don't want you to be upset! What can I do?!" and I said, "Dude, it's MY JOB to be able to follow you as the headliner. I used to BE YOU. *I* was the one nobody wanted to follow. But this only means I have to WORK this week, and if you never have to WORK you never get any better." I'm adding Drew's link at the bottom of this, and I'm telling you, this kid is going to DO IT. *IF* he decides to. He's smart; he's got a great supportive wife and great kids and a day gig he loves. He doesn't know yet what he wants to do for sure. But I haven't seen anyone quite like him yet. I want to get him into Nashville because if he cleaned it up (which he can do…he does church shit all the time) one of these country stars that wants a comedian to open for them would snap him up in  a second. SO fucking funny. And SO fucking NICE and COOL and talented….just a great fuckin guy. Really great. I recommend him to ANY CLUB, but you better have a big ass gun goin after this kid. A BIG Gun.
 

http://www.myspace.com/droopydrewcomedy  

Tonight I meet FucktardNation Keith and his wife and I can't wait…and last night I met Andrea who confirmed that my new fancy-schmancy Razor phone is a piece of SHIT.  Ok, time to go foraging for food in the pouring down rain.

The CMT Country Fried Chicks taping date has been set: May 14 & 15th at the Renaissance Center in Dixon TN which I hear is a fabulous theatre. I know NOTHING about tix/times yet, but it should be fun.

Lastly…the Comics I am hearing who DID NOT get Last Comic Standing is starting to astound me. WOW.

Okay, gotta go….curfew at the old folks home they are putting us up at  is 4:00 PM.   LV BDD