LJ Idol Season 9, Week 1: "Jayus"
"Open Mic"
"Which is why I never go to the dry cleaners."
Wait a beat, let the laughter subside...but there's no laughter...uh oh... What's going on? Last week's audience loved that bit. Okay, play it cool, Danielle. Callbacks work, right?
"Alright, that one needs work. I'll have to run it past my accountant."
Still nothing. Dammit. Just keep swimming. This is no time to panic!
"Did we ever figure out...oh, NOW you're laughing? That's really funny. Really."
Oh no...they're laughing at me, not with me...
"You know, I worked hard on this routine. The least you can do is be nice."
Start panicking.
"Look, let me start over..."
God, that spotlight's brighter than usual...and warmer...
"So I went down to the dry cleaners the other day..."
I need to sit down...where's the stool? Help me, I'm falling......
Danielle bolted upright in the bed, jarring Eleanor awake. "You alright?"
"I was there again," Danielle replied, panting heavily. "Bombing again."
"It's okay, it's okay," Eleanor whispered, rubbing her partner's shoulders. "That was years ago. Giggles Comedy Club is a Starbucks now. And you're way better at telling jokes now."
Danielle sighed and buried her face in her hands. "Then why do I keep having the same bad dream?"
"Maybe your subconscious is still trying to get that joke right." Both of them giggled at the thought.
Danielle turned to look at Eleanor. "Aren't these dreams supposed to have some deeper meaning? Like I'm still worried about that happening again?"
"Well, you figured that one out ages ago," Eleanor replied. "Whether people are laughing with you or laughing at you..."
"...depends on whether or not you're laughing. I know." Danielle finished her sentence for her. "But knowing that doesn't seem to have stopped the nightmares. Maybe I should do a comedy routine at the Starbucks to exorcize those demons."
"I dunno," said Eleanor. "You'll have to run that by your accountant."
"That's not funny!" Danielle shrieked, before collapsing onto the bed in a fit of laughter. Eleanor soon followed suit, and every time one of them would stop laughing, they'd look at the other and start again. After several minutes of this, they curled up in each others' arms, exhausted, and Danielle soon fell asleep.
"Sweet dreams, my love," Eleanor whispered, kissing her on the forehead before succumbing to sleep herself.
"Which is why I never go to the dry cleaners."
Wait a beat, let the laughter subside...but there's no laughter...uh oh... What's going on? Last week's audience loved that bit. Okay, play it cool, Danielle. Callbacks work, right?
"Alright, that one needs work. I'll have to run it past my accountant."
Still nothing. Dammit. Just keep swimming. This is no time to panic!
"Did we ever figure out...oh, NOW you're laughing? That's really funny. Really."
Oh no...they're laughing at me, not with me...
"You know, I worked hard on this routine. The least you can do is be nice."
Start panicking.
"Look, let me start over..."
God, that spotlight's brighter than usual...and warmer...
"So I went down to the dry cleaners the other day..."
I need to sit down...where's the stool? Help me, I'm falling......
Danielle bolted upright in the bed, jarring Eleanor awake. "You alright?"
"I was there again," Danielle replied, panting heavily. "Bombing again."
"It's okay, it's okay," Eleanor whispered, rubbing her partner's shoulders. "That was years ago. Giggles Comedy Club is a Starbucks now. And you're way better at telling jokes now."
Danielle sighed and buried her face in her hands. "Then why do I keep having the same bad dream?"
"Maybe your subconscious is still trying to get that joke right." Both of them giggled at the thought.
Danielle turned to look at Eleanor. "Aren't these dreams supposed to have some deeper meaning? Like I'm still worried about that happening again?"
"Well, you figured that one out ages ago," Eleanor replied. "Whether people are laughing with you or laughing at you..."
"...depends on whether or not you're laughing. I know." Danielle finished her sentence for her. "But knowing that doesn't seem to have stopped the nightmares. Maybe I should do a comedy routine at the Starbucks to exorcize those demons."
"I dunno," said Eleanor. "You'll have to run that by your accountant."
"That's not funny!" Danielle shrieked, before collapsing onto the bed in a fit of laughter. Eleanor soon followed suit, and every time one of them would stop laughing, they'd look at the other and start again. After several minutes of this, they curled up in each others' arms, exhausted, and Danielle soon fell asleep.
"Sweet dreams, my love," Eleanor whispered, kissing her on the forehead before succumbing to sleep herself.