In what is fast (or slowly) becoming a monthly blog, it is time for another entry of what has been taking place in my life in the four weeks since I last wrote anything here.
The advantage of writing on an infrequent basis, is that it should in theory give me more to write about. The disadvantage is that I have trouble remembering exactly what I have been doing and where I have been.
This may be because I am nearing the end of my late-20s, but it is also because I have been ridiculously busy, with another stag weekend a couple of weeks ago, in addition to juggling gigging a few nights a week with a full-time job.
Since I last wrote on here, I made it through to the semi-final of a national new act competition. I have previously written at length about why I don’t enjoy competitions, but progressing does takes the edge slightly off the other nasty feelings that competitions stir up within my soul.
I didn’t have a great gig in the semi-final and have no complaints about not making the final, which happens to be during my run down at Brighton Fringe. Not making the final also spares me of another likely indifferent review from Chortle’s Steve Bennett.
I am already missing the Saturday of our three-day run at Brighton Fringe because I am in the final of another high-profile new act competition. In fact, it is the highest profile new act competition in the Worcestershire market town of Droitwich.
Last night, I went to Leicester Square Theatre to see one of my heroes perform stand-up comedy, Mick Foley.
For those not in the know, Mick is an ex-wrestler and the man I idolised when I was 16. During this time, I spent my weekends watching wrestling instead of having a social life.
The venue last night was also one of the few places where it was actually socially acceptable for me to wear my Layeth the Smacketh Down t-shirt.
He had Brendon Burns as a support act, who only did material about wrestling. It was great and his sordid description of wrestler Randy Orton confirmed something I’d been thinking for some time.
I saw Mick in the same venue in 2011 and he hadn’t been doing stand-up for that long, so understandably looked a little ‘green’. But about 18 months on, he has improved a huge amount and was very funny. He held the crowd in the palm of his hand and delivered some great lines.
After the gig, I tweeted him and he responded:
My life is now complete. Well, a small percentage is. To complete a larger percentage, I’ll have to appear on the same bill as him. I would obviously offer to change my first name to Dude* especially for the gig.
*Dude Love was one of Mick Foley’s wrestling personas. You need to get yourself educated.