Sep 19, 1999 19:28 from Garbage
I guess I got the mamet/allen thing, but I felt like more funny stuff could
have come out of such a concept.  I'm curious why you don'y come out and tell
the audience who these two people are until the end.
[No Shame> msg #8200 (45 remaining)] Read cmd -> Next
 
Sep 19, 1999 19:58 from Empress Jen
I just have to jump in and say that it was a great show...but the part I loved
most was the part of Al Angel's piece that was a slam at that STUPID Iowa City
Press Citizen commercial. Aww Yeah. Then again, I've always had a thing for Al
Angel. *heh*
[No Shame> msg #8201 (44 remaining)] Read cmd -> Next
 
Sep 19, 1999 22:11 from Skweetis
jamal's cd is absolutely some of the best music i've heard from iowa city in
some time.  honestly.  buy it.  best 6 (?) bucks you'll ever spend, guys and
gals.  it makes me shake my booty into early morn.  and it also makes me
overuse hyperbole.
[No Shame> msg #8202 (43 remaining)] Read cmd -> Next
 
Sep 19, 1999 23:27 from Quicheo
Okay, so I just was typing this really long post, and right in the middle, my
freaing computer crashed, and logged me off!!!  So here goes again!
 
IGreat Show, if you ask me, and even if you don'tI supose, because asking me
doesn't really change the intrinsic valuse of the show, neither worsening nor
bettering it, unless, by virtue of asking me, your own appreciation of the show
changes, in which case, I guess, it matters, but still I liked the show,
whether you ask me or not.  So there.
[No Shame> msg #8203 (42 remaining)] Read cmd -> Next
 
Sep 19, 1999 23:34 from Fanky Maloon
 Ieeee liked the Sixth Sense/ Nazi Child Molester piece a whole lotta lot, I
must say.  There were some others I liked also, but on the whole I confess that
this show didn't quite flip my flop like the last week's offerings.  But you
know, rise and fall.
 
I second...er, third...er, well.  Probably 600th the motion that Jamal's CD is
incredibly good.  I had a similar experience to Aprille's regarding its
distraction factor.  It'll make you get right up and say "What the holy bu
fuck!".  And there aren't a whole lot of cds that can do that to me, let me
tell ya.   Go git!
[No Shame> msg #8204 (41 remaining)] Read cmd -> Next
 
Sep 19, 1999 23:30 from Quicheo
In particular,  James Erwin's monolgue was brilliant, and I did catch the Dan
parody thing.  What I didn't catch ,however, was the last line, which I suspect
was really poinant and would have makde me like it even more.  Or MADE me like
it, whatever.  Dan, himself, did a typically fine job, and I, too, enjoyed the
hopefully healing rope piece that Bill wrote, apparently all on his own.
Aprille's piece was really fun to be in--I had been fanticizing about playing
with her hair for months!  Also, I was flattered to be asked to  appear in both
Mike and Mark's pieces, the latter of which I only completely appreciated ( the
"General" versus "Specific" hospital thing) Half-way through the sketch, and
nearly busted a gut waiting in the wings with Stubble.  Balls Campbell and John
Hague continue a nice, qualitiy trajectory (and the latter seemed
under-appreciated by the audience), and both pieces made me realize that Aaron
Galbraith has crossed over to the levl that Chris Stengl had bestoryed on Mary
Fons--where it is "cheating" to put him in a sketch, because he's always so
good.  Al Angel saying "fuck" a bunch has never been funnier, and never so well
within the five-minute-rule ( I don't think this is a coincidence), and Chris
Stengl once again demonstrated his remarkable physical skills, even over coming
non-cooperative props.
 
All in all, a terrific evening, but I missed Kyle, and continue to miss Greg
Mitchell, Adam Burton, and Ben Shmitt (or however you spell that), and any
other female writers, not to dis the few we have.  There, my peace is said.  I
can rest....
[No Shame> msg #8205 (40 remaining)] Read cmd -> Next
 
Sep 20, 1999 10:42 from Whitewolf
 
Damn Nation. I made it to No Shame this week in part to make sure I got one of
Jamal's CDs, and then I totally missed him selling them. Then I tried to
describe his music to the No Shame virgins we dragged along, and we
inadvertently ended up singing "You're So Gay And Retarded" all weekend. Are
there CDs left? Does Jamal do mail-order?
 
This was a good weekend with a lot of funny and memorable stuff, but I was
frustrated with the number of pieces that didn't follow through on a good
initial premise. The "10 Reasons Chicago Is Better Than New York City" piece
was one of the biggest frustrations, but Dan's Fourth of July Piece, James'
parody, and the commercial parody/fuck-screaming skit all suffered from the
same distracting problem.
 
None of these pieces went anywhere terribly bad, but I got a bad case of skitus
interruptus. I'd rather see one tight, well thought out piece than fragments of
two or three jammed together. In fact, my favorite piece of the night was
probably Jamal's stand-up: it was short, funny, the delivery was tight, and it
actually finished what it had started. The cannibalism piece and the Asians
piece ("We just communicated in code!") were similarly polished, although in
the latter piece ... slow DOWN, guys! You have great material, quit rushing it!
Both of you! Arrgh!!! Overexcitable punctuation for you both!!!!!
[No Shame> msg #8206 (39 remaining)] Read cmd -> Next
 
Sep 20, 1999 10:56 from Bean
I'm going to be at No Shame this week for the ISCAnic
I want one of these Cd's I've been hearing so much about
Is Jamal definitly selling them?
[No Shame> msg #8207 (38 remaining)] Read cmd -> Next
 
Sep 20, 1999 13:28 from Garbage
If Jamal is not selling them, you can find them at BJ's, Record Collector and
one other place I forget about.  It's called "skin Deep" by King Toad. buy, buy
buy Buy BUY BBUUYY!!!
[No Shame> msg #8208 (37 remaining)] Read cmd -> Next
 
Sep 20, 1999 16:35 from Quicheo
The other place is Vibes.  Go.  Buy.  Win.  (Although, if you get them directly
from Jamal, he gets more money.)
 
Also, this week, there will be No Shame T-shirts, if y'all want them.
[No Shame> msg #8209 (36 remaining)] Read cmd -> Next
 
Sep 20, 1999 19:02 from Prufrock
Pshaw! Tasha, I rebut your criticism soundly! The jarring combination of
several pieces was in fact the entire premise of my piece and not a betrayal of
my piece's premise.
 
Thanks again to Dan for giving that his blessing. Props, yo.
[No Shame> msg #8210 (35 remaining)] Read cmd -> Next
 
Sep 20, 1999 21:36 from Carolyn
What t-shirts are these?  One of the old designs, or something brand-spankin'
new?
[No Shame> msg #8211 (34 remaining)] Read cmd -> Next
 
Sep 20, 1999 21:50 from Professor Mom
Any chance you'll bring No Shame t-shirts to the iscanic?
[No Shame> msg #8212 (33 remaining)] Read cmd -> Next
 
Sep 21, 1999 01:00 from Crotch Monkey
yeah...my parents both want no shame tee shirts.  and me to live with them
forever.  well...ive got to give them something....
[No Shame> msg #8213 (32 remaining)] Read cmd -> Next
 
Sep 21, 1999 03:04 from Prufrock
There will be t-shirts at the show, but not at this nic. As a matter of fact,
there's a little known bylaw which states that if any Board member knowingly
goes to or hears of an ISCAnic, their kidneys get removed with a fork and fed
to them. I'm not about to risk that.
[No Shame> msg #8214 (31 remaining)] Read cmd -> Next
 
Sep 21, 1999 10:43 from Whitewolf
 
Butted again, and with sound, yet. James, I understand that you had a specific
point with your piece, I was just more interested in the starting point of the
skit than I was in where it subsequently went. I didn't use the word "betray"
at any point. Obviously you couldn't "betray" your own piece by following
through with it the way you intended for it to go. But I did feel you took a
good idea and some hysterical writing and abruptly cut it short.
 
The external consideration that you cut it off deliberately and consciously, in
order to parody Dan, who had just done the same thing (and it was just as
frustrating when he did it), don't make it any less frustrating to me.
 
Now if YOU'RE happy with it, and it said what you wanted it to say, fine.
That's all that really need matter to you, unless you're out to sell it to
Andrew Lloyd Webber as the premise of a musical and he doesn't think it's long
enough to sustain three and a half hours of pop opera.
 
My point is mostly that there were a whole bunch of skits like it Friday, and
*I* for one found them unsatisfying.
 
All of which gives me an idea for a parody of my own, but I'm not likely to be
back in town for at least a month.
[No Shame> msg #8215 (30 remaining)] Read cmd -> Next
 
Sep 21, 1999 11:18 from Quicheo
These are the classic T-shirts, of legend fame, having spent the winter in my
trunk, after a long sojourn in Adam's bedroom (how's that for pedigree???)
 
I will be hawkin' them in the lobby before the show on Friday, so GET YOUR
CHRISTMAS, (or its non-demoninational equivalent) SHOPPING DONE EARLY!!!
 
[No Shame> msg #8216 (29 remaining)] Read cmd -> Next
 
Sep 21, 1999 15:06 from Thufir
Get some bigger ones.  I can't fit into what you got.
[No Shame> msg #8217 (28 remaining)] Read cmd -> Next
 
Sep 21, 1999 16:39 from Prufrock
Ah, I remember the winter I spent in Chris' trunk after a long sojourn in
Adam's bedroom.
[No Shame> msg #8218 (27 remaining)] Read cmd -> Next
 
Sep 21, 1999 17:03 from Quicheo
Yes, Prufrock.  I still need to send you that dry cleaning bill...
 
And Thufir--I think I can fit you, if you give me half a chance.
[No Shame> msg #8219 (26 remaining)] Read cmd -> Next
 
Sep 21, 1999 17:06 from Thufir
I'm sure you'd be a perfect fit for me, Quicheo, but I need a t-shirt  ;)
[No Shame> msg #8220 (25 remaining)] Read cmd -> Next
 
Sep 21, 1999 18:01 from Ender
 
Youse guys are funnie.
 
[No Shame> msg #8221 (24 remaining)] Read cmd -> Next
 
Sep 21, 1999 18:06 from Prufrock
Dig us! Cripes, we're somethin.
[No Shame> msg #8222 (23 remaining)] Read cmd -> Next
 
Sep 21, 1999 20:42 from Professor Mom
If anyone is coming to iscanic could you wear your t-shirt so's I can see it?
Thanks!
[No Shame> msg #8223 (22 remaining)] Read cmd -> Next
 
Sep 21, 1999 23:06 from Dan
1) RE: Wearing No Shame T-shirt to ISCAnic. It'll also make you easier to pick
out, considering you'll be the only one not wearing a Red Dwarf t-shirt.
2) Pieces that promise one thing, and deliver another, or so-called "cutoffs".
I think, in these cases, that it's not some much that the main theme is
abandoned, but rather than what you think is the main theme turns out not to be
some important. In the case of Bill and my piece, it wasn't so much that we
tried to do the Ten Reasons piece and couldn't finish it, but that we wrote a
piece requiring the interruption of another piece, and tacked that thing on at
the beginning for the sole purpose of creating the shift. I suspect a similar
thing was done with James' piece. As far as my monologue, I'll be buggered with
a dry shileghle (sp?) before I admit to any design in the production phase.
3) I think this was the best damn No Shame ever.
[No Shame> msg #8224 (21 remaining)] Read cmd -> Next
 
Sep 22, 1999 01:33 from Thufir
Shillelagh, Dan.
 
And 3):  Oh, you're just saying that because I wasn't there again.
[No Shame> msg #8225 (20 remaining)] Read cmd -> Next
 
Sep 22, 1999 06:50 from Ender
 
Dan--I bet Whitewolf knows what you said already, but really wanted to see your
throwaway beginning as a whole piece.  But to each their own..
 
[No Shame> msg #8226 (19 remaining)] Read cmd -> Next
 
Sep 22, 1999 09:49 from Whitewolf
 
Yup. This is the same thing I just said to Chris. Yes, you broke off the piece
deliberately. Yes, you had your artistic reasons. To ME ME ME, the original
piece was more interesting than the piece that broke in, in all three cases. I
might not have felt that way had I not experienced it so many times in one
night.
[No Shame> msg #8227 (18 remaining)] Read cmd -> Next
 
Sep 22, 1999 09:52 from Whitewolf
 
But it WAS the best damn No Shame ever, because Greg wasn't there. Thanks,
Greg.
[No Shame> msg #8229 (17 remaining)] Read cmd -> Next
 
Sep 22, 1999 11:45 from Skweetis
so, are there going to be lots of isca geeks at no shame this friday?
[No Shame> msg #8230 (16 remaining)] Read cmd -> Next
 
Sep 22, 1999 12:27 from Ender
 
I hope you're saying "ISCA geek" in the "I appreciate the irony of the fact
that I'm saying this on ISCA myself, and these nice people give us a big
financial boost and a lot of appreciation on average at least twice a year" way
of saying it...
 
If so, the answer would be "yes."
 
[No Shame> msg #8231 (15 remaining)] Read cmd -> Next
 
Sep 22, 1999 13:07 from Quicheo
Well said, Ender.
[No Shame> msg #8232 (14 remaining)] Read cmd -> Next
 
Sep 22, 1999 15:43 from Dan
Indeed, ISCAnic will be this weekend. Unfortunately, the odds of NO Shame being
in Mabie are pretty low, on account of the various show-type goings on in
there. So I'd say this is a good week to arrive early.
[No Shame> msg #8233 (13 remaining)] Read cmd -> Next
 
Sep 22, 1999 19:12 from King Of Kale
How early should we arrive?  Is noon early enough?
[No Shame> msg #8234 (12 remaining)] Read cmd -> Next
 
Sep 22, 1999 22:14 from Thufir
I should go, just to haunt and curse it.
I'll be there at ten.
[No Shame> msg #8235 (11 remaining)] Read cmd -> Next
 
Sep 25, 1999 12:41 from Dan
The order, chilluns.
1) Mose Hayward Age a Bug by Jamal River
2) A Ranger's Tail by Sarah Greer
3) My Name Is Sexy by Balls Campbell
3.5) Mimicry is the Most Sincere Form of Parody (Pt. 1 of 3)): The Ascendence
of the Emperor Testicle by Luscious Horak
4) Yo Ho Ho and a Bottle of Cum by Aprille Clarke
5) My Life So Far by Mary Morgan
6) Over the River and Through the Woods by Chris Okiishi
7) Life, Everything in It, and the Ramifications Thereof: A Brief Monologue by
Danger Brooks
8) Variations of a Moment by Kyle Lange
8.5) Mimicry is the Most Sincere Form of Parody (Pt. 2 of Your Mom): Terrible
Lies and Buns of Steel by Crazypants Horak
9) Artifice and Orifice or I Don't Care What He Tells You, Chris Stangl is Not
a Licensed Gynecologist by Chris Stangl
10) Santa Claus is a Prick, Pt. I by Nick Clark
11) Frantic and Bitter Lonely Ramblings Interrupted to the Point of Incoherency
(with Apologies to Dan Brooks) by Adam Hahn
12) That's Pronounced "Gal-Bruth" You Cocksucker by Aaron Galbraith
12.5) Mimicry Is the Most Sincere Form of Parody (Pt 3 of Pi): It Was the Best
of Times, It Was the Bratwurst of Times by Jesus Cantalope Horak del Cantabria
13) Your Local Forecast or If You Like ISCA, You'll Love This Sketch by Mike
Cassady
14) Five Poems, a Tube, and the Women Who Love Them by Mike Rothschild
15) A Song by Ben Schmidt
The most fire-coderous No Shame ever!
[No Shame> msg #8236 (10 remaining)] Read cmd -> Next
 
Sep 25, 1999 13:14 from Garbage
And you thought the sept 10th show couldn't be beat!  Not that this one beat
it, neccessarily, but it probably paralelled it.  There is one advantage to
having the isca people there, and that is that they laugh at everything, so
jokes which wouldn't have been funny otherwise seem funny because other people
are laughing at them.  Anyhow, I thought every single piece was absolutely
magnificent last night.
[No Shame> msg #8237 (9 remaining)] Read cmd -> Next
 
Sep 25, 1999 14:21 from Ender
 
Just for the record, Chris Stangl didn't actually gouge his hand and bleed into
his glass.  But he sure did a good job making it look that way.  So good, in
fact, that he did get scratched a little, but not seriously.  All for the sake
of art..
 
[No Shame> msg #8238 (8 remaining)] Read cmd -> Next
 
Sep 25, 1999 16:31 from Subotai
Show last night was ok. Way too long though. No Shame should never last over an
hour and a half. Nothing should last over an hour and a half, except sex, and
that's a problem I don't have right now. The whole pack them in gimmick was
cool, we should look into the possiblility of doing it again, except not as
 in violation of fire codes. For some reason, everyone felt complelled to do
half hour epic pieces, myself included. And that "no shame is lame" piece,
what's up with that dude? I'm all for an anti No Shame piece, as long as it's
good. The Jesus piece lost me before it started also. I thought my piece went
over well, especially since people could hear me banging on my tube. Overall
was a decent show, but nothing spectacular. Chris/Adam's piece was a nice
change of pace: a funny monologue with a serious ending, as opposed to a
serious piece with a change up ending. Nice work.
[No Shame> msg #8239 (7 remaining)] Read cmd -> Next
 
Sep 25, 1999 20:49 from Fishcult
I disagree.  I disagree with everything you've said, every last word of it.  In
fact, every time you said "was" I would have said "was not."  Every time you
said "purple" I would have said "not purple."  In short, I thought the show was
wonderful and how dare you say it was horrible!  It was certainly not horrible!
There was nothing horrible about it and I don't know where you pull your
twisted views from... but they certainly don't come from anything I own.  What
I own is mine and you can't touch any of it, anymore!
[No Shame> msg #8240 (6 remaining)] Read cmd -> Next
 
Sep 25, 1999 23:39 from Quicheo
I thought the evening was really swell, and a quite a bit dark--if we include
the sperm in Aprill's piece, the death and injury count was unusually high.
The best part for  me was that every piece started with an interesting premise,
and for the most part delivered.  Long pieces to be sure, and we all could have
used some judicious editing, but risks were taken that paid off well.  Thank
you all!  Good show.
 
Oh, and I really liked that anti-no-shame-as-establishment piece.  Good to
shake things up every once in a while, and it was funny too, though more so in
the non-no-shame-bashing segments.  I recounted the "I pee INTO the toilet" bit
to a friend of mine who supervises RA at one of the halls who busted a gut
laughing.  Even though I now have to clean that up, it was worth it!
[No Shame> msg #8241 (5 remaining)] Read cmd -> Next
 
Sep 26, 1999 17:12 from Aggressive Gambler
Frankly, my favorite line all night was when James Erwin stood on his cross
and said that this was the worst Rosh Hashanah ever. :)
 
Other than that, I thought the Thufir jinx struck again - most of the pieces
were okay, but not of the high quality I've traditionally seen for pieces on
an iscanic weekend.
 
The above notwithstanding, NST continues to be a must-see every time I return
to Iowa City for the iscanic.
[No Shame> msg #8242 (4 remaining)] Read cmd -> Next
 
Sep 26, 1999 22:19 from Skweetis
i must apologize.  my pieces were only supposed to be 10 second quickies, but
cassady had to go and forget his lines in the first one...so we had to do the
rest like the first...ack.  so, sorry for my pieces being long as well...
[No Shame> msg #8243 (3 remaining)] Read cmd -> Next
 
Sep 26, 1999 23:27 from Quicheo
I thought they really worked at their length.  Serendipity.
[No Shame> msg #8244 (2 remaining)] Read cmd -> Next
 
Sep 27, 1999 02:55 from Crotch Monkey
i also thought they worked very well at their length....and also, that if rocky
wanted them any other way, he should've specified which part i was playing as
he, or immediately after handing me his scripts.  so, if its time to point
fingers, sir, let them be at thine self.  but i still thoguth it was funny.
and the more i think about that regular-bashing, danbrooks-challenging,
urinal-aiming freshman's piece.....the more i liked it.  i dont know why.  its
a mystery.
ciao for niao.
[No Shame> msg #8245 (1 remaining)] Read cmd -> Next
 
Sep 27, 1999 19:23 from Skweetis
sorry..cassady had to go and forget what i had never told him.  oh well.  thus
is the charm of no shame...less=more as far as preparation goes, or
something...
 
*pointing finger at self*  *smelling it*
[No Shame> msg #8246 (0 remaining)] Read cmd -> Next
 
Sep 28, 1999 00:33 from Thufir
I didn't mind it.  I don't think I have anything earth-shattering to say or
contribute.  None of the pieces were bad, but none struck me as anything I had
to write home about, either, with the possible exception of Ender and Quicheo's
piece, which I thought was well done.  I liked the anti-No-Shame piece for a
change of pace if nothing else, and it did bring up some good points.  Nothing
else sticks out.  I can't even count the Rosh Hashanah line because everything
sounds funny when James delivers it.
[No Shame> msg #8247 (32 remaining)] Read cmd -> Next
 
Sep 28, 1999 05:09 from Prufrock
"I have ordered a pizza. It is... a sausage pizza."
"There are ants in the bathroom."
"I would like a divorce. I no longer love you."
Gods. I guess I am that funny.
[No Shame> msg #8248 (31 remaining)] Read cmd -> Next
 
Sep 28, 1999 10:43 from Garbage
downright hilarious if'n you ask me.   "There are ants in the bathroom, I would
like a divorce I no longer love you"  Great material, but the trick was... the
*way* you said it.
[No Shame> msg #8249 (30 remaining)] Read cmd -> Next
 
Sep 28, 1999 14:33 from Crotch Monkey
sweety, let me try!!!!
"there are...ants in THE bATHROom"
"i want devorce, i no longer...."
jesus christ in a chicken basket, why am i kidding myself?
the champion remains, james "i swear she was 18" erwin
[No Shame> msg #8250 (29 remaining)] Read cmd -> Next
 
Sep 28, 1999 14:37 from Rhapsody
 
This topic may have come up in the past, so forgive me if I'm beating a dead
horse here please, but...
 
I noticed a camera at No Shame.  Is there a way to acquire copies of the tape
of a particular No Shame?  I'd like to show my girlfriend the skit from this
weekend with the two guys driving off the bridge on the way back to IC from
Chicago :)  I thought it was really creative and want to share, and she wasn't
with me Nic weekend.
 
[No Shame> msg #8251 (28 remaining)] Read cmd -> Next
 
Sep 28, 1999 15:10 from Garbage
Nick weekend?  I've got my own weekend now!
[No Shame> msg #8252 (27 remaining)] Read cmd -> Next
 
Sep 28, 1999 17:20 from Ender
 
Hey--anyone know when and where Bill Bungeroth's reading is tonight?  I'm
guessing Theatre B, 7pm, but my memory is kinda shaky sometimes...
 
[No Shame> msg #8253 (26 remaining)] Read cmd -> Next
 
Sep 28, 1999 17:24 from Ender
 
A quick call to Dan "-ger" Brooks has informed me that it is at 6:30pm in the
theater building, either in the cafe (accessible, for those of you unfamiliar
with it, via the lobby stairs) or in some location specified by signs on the
cafe doors.
 
[No Shame> msg #8254 (25 remaining)] Read cmd -> Next
 
Sep 28, 1999 20:12 from Sparkychick
I propose Dan change his name to "Grr" Brooks.  Raffish!
[No Shame> msg #8255 (24 remaining)] Read cmd -> Next
 
Sep 28, 1999 23:36 from Crotch Monkey
hey hey hey...you can get access to the video tapes of no shame theatre via
mike schmidt at student video productions...they have an office in the union,
in the "student services?" room?...im not sure about that, but there are many
cubicles set up inside which youll have to navigate through to get to the large
hunk of cheese on the other side.  also mike schmidt will be there.  and your
sacred no shame tape.
and thats how to tell a story.
love, mike.
[No Shame> msg #8256 (23 remaining)] Read cmd -> Next
 
Sep 29, 1999 07:41 from Rhapsody
 
How does one contact this Mike Schmidt guy, if one lives in Chicago, adn
therefore can't go galloping into the student video productions office?
 
[No Shame> msg #8257 (22 remaining)] Read cmd -> Next
 
Sep 29, 1999 10:24 from Ender
 
His phone number should be available from University siwtchboard at
319-335-3500, and if he's unlisted then they can give you the Student Video
Productions number..
 
[No Shame> msg #8258 (21 remaining)] Read cmd -> Next
 
Sep 29, 1999 11:03 from Crotch Monkey
yea, what he said.
[No Shame> msg #8259 (20 remaining)] Read cmd -> Next
 
Sep 29, 1999 11:51 from Garbage
PENIS!!!  tee hee.
[No Shame> msg #8260 (19 remaining)] Read cmd -> Next
 
Sep 29, 1999 19:04 from Crotch Monkey
i second.
[No Shame> msg #8261 (18 remaining)] Read cmd -> Next
 
Sep 30, 1999 07:23 from Trouble
The guy making fun of the No-Shame regulars was definitely my favorite of the
night.
 
[No Shame> msg #8262 (17 remaining)] Read cmd -> Next
 
Sep 30, 1999 07:28 from Ender
 
I think people who took offense are taking the bait too easily.  As I recall,
even his title was somewhat apologetic-in-advance, and the way I hear it he
kinda ran it by the board ahead of time.  I think from a writing standpoint it
was a way to address a topic that everyone could relate to from one side or the
other, a way to get noticed, a way to make a splash on his first dive into the
pool.  And I would be very surprised (given that the writing was good and the
audience, myself included, liked it) if he didn't become one of the more
frequent visitors to the No Shame stage.  (The only comment I couldn't quite
let go by was the one about No Shame's dollar-per-person charge, since I know
how hard board members work for no personal financial compensation whatsoever.
Had I been a bit more on the ball, I might have said "scholarships," but "rent"
was the first thing that occurred to me.)  (Did y'all know No Shame funds
scholarships when there's money left after rent?  Critique THAT, Mr. Hahn. :)
 
[No Shame> msg #8263 (16 remaining)] Read cmd -> Next
 
Sep 30, 1999 11:30 from Sparkychick
Thank God.
[No Shame> msg #8265 (15 remaining)] Read cmd -> Next
 
Sep 30, 1999 13:00 from Prufrock
I think I may have to shamelessly steal that for Friday.
[No Shame> msg #8266 (14 remaining)] Read cmd -> Next
 
Sep 30, 1999 13:14 from Garbage
Huh?
[No Shame> msg #8267 (13 remaining)] Read cmd -> Next
 
Sep 30, 1999 15:46 from Quicheo
BTW--it's No Shame anniversary weekend--we're lucky age 13.  Always bodes for a
good show!  I'm pissed that I'll miss it...
[No Shame> msg #8268 (12 remaining)] Read cmd -> Next
 
Sep 30, 1999 17:54 from Fanky Maloon
Someone sneaky deleted a post, I seeeee.  Reee-place, whoever you are!!!
[No Shame> msg #8269 (11 remaining)] Read cmd -> Next
 
Sep 30, 1999 18:09 from Prufrock
For those of you playing the home game, one of our readers posted a huge chart
on linseed oil exports. Whatever its merits or flaws, I loved it. I expect to
hear a lot more about linseed oil in this forum.
[No Shame> msg #8270 (10 remaining)] Read cmd -> Next
 
Sep 30, 1999 18:19 from Sparkychick
And rapeseed oil, please.
[No Shame> msg #8271 (9 remaining)] Read cmd -> Next
 
Sep 30, 1999 18:20 from Garbage
I made a painting.  I had turpenoid in one cup and WHAT do you suppose I had in
the other?  James?
[No Shame> msg #8272 (8 remaining)] Read cmd -> Next
 
Sep 30, 1999 19:47 from Sparkychick
No, I doubt it was James.
[No Shame> msg #8273 (7 remaining)] Read cmd -> Next
 
Sep 30, 1999 19:50 from Prufrock
Ha! No! Why would he? haha!
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Oct 1, 1999 02:08 from Subotai
I have written a piece that is going to get me killed, or at least hurt badly.
Just to let you know, offence will be taken. And I hope it is, actually.
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Oct 1, 1999 14:44 from Rochioli
So I'm working on a piece on linseed oil, which is why I posted the chart. Any
of you have knowledge about linseed oil?
I've worked out most of the plot, but I want to check some facts.
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Oct 1, 1999 14:55 from Ender
 
So have people been submitting their scripts to the web site?
(http://www.noshame.org for those not in the know.)  jeffgoode@aol.com is the
webmaster there, and he puts scripts online with fairly rapid turnaround time.
He prefers to receive scripts in HTML format (which is easy enough to provide,
since under Save As in MS Word you can select "HTML" for the document type), so
he can just put 'em on the site as-is.  Something to consider.  Fun reading for
the kids at home, ya know..
 
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Oct 2, 1999 03:45 from Fanky Maloon
Tonight's Show:
It had some very very bright moments (most notably Dan's Abercrombie Piece),
but on the whole fell victim to a problem that No Shame has had a lot of
trouble with lately - length.
There were just simply a LOT of 6, 7 or probably even 8 minute pieces.
We didn't get outta there until 1, and there weren't _that_ many pieces, were
there?  I guess I dunno what more can be said that hasn't been already, but
I'll try one more time to voice this without sounding like I'm attacking anyone
in particular:
 
1)  Don't ever, EVER do a No Shame piece that will take 8 or more minutes if
read very, very slowly.  Ever.  There's no reason for it,the time LIMIT is 5
minutes, not the average.  And once we get used to that, our attention span
wanes after the 4 to 5 minute mark.
 
2)  If you have enough material to go that length, do a two-part piece, with a
2nd part to be done the next week.  Too much work?  Suck it in, 'cause we don't
want to have to.  It's your job as a performer.  And hey, if it's really that
good that you can do 8 or more minutes worth of material (hell, 6 or 7 even),
then it's good enough that you can finish it up the next week.
 
3) (An old gripe of mine, please bear with)   Serious pieces - they're HARD to
do in 5 minutes.  Very, very hard to do.  If you think you can do one, that's
great, but don't don't don't don't think that you can stretch the 5 minute
limit just because it makes it hard to do a serious piece within.  Either you
can do a good 5 minute or less serious piece, or you can't.  You say you can do
a good 7 minute serious piece?  Fine, but too bad.  That's too long for No
Shame, that's why there's a 5 minute limit.
 
Enough whining for now though.  I'm very ti-red, loooong night on the whole and
I don't want to make it sound like there wasn't some excellent stuff.  Just
thought the length issue had to be addressed again.
I'll touch on the egg issue next time I get a chance.....*grrrr!*
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Oct 2, 1999 14:25 from Garbage
I personally can't see what is so troubling about pieces which wind up being a
little over five miniutes.  I have tried to keep all my pieces under five, and
I think they all have been, but to be honest, I think the last time I cared
that a piece went over five minutes was John Hague's Museum peice from april 16
1999. (I actually really liked the piece, but thought it was ruined by the
expectations of a No Shame audience).  So there!  It's the audience's fault.
I don't think anyone who puts a piece on the NS stage which runs over 5 would
do so knowingly without feeling that the piece was worth it.  I don't think any
one who breaks eggs on the NS stage would get them all over tha stage
intentionally without thinking that the piece was worth it.  I think, for the
most part, NS artists have enough discretion to understand the limitations of
their work in relation to the rules of NS.  Unless they haven't actually tested
the splatteriness of eggs.  End counter-rant.
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Oct 2, 1999 14:56 from Alethe
Hey kids,
I am a livin out here in sunny (?) New Jersey.  I am working at george Street
Playhouse ( a regional LORT C theater)  The reason I tell you this is because
one of the things I do here is help organize and event called CAbaret night.
One night, suring the run of each of th mainstage shows, there is a cabaret
night which consists of orginal pieces, 5 minutes in length, generally of a
comedic nature being performed on stage after the show.  Sound like a familiar
format?  The differences?  Here: Professional actors memorize and perform
scripts, professional directors direct,  and there is known to be an
occassional literary manager in the crowd ( which is how you get in to a prof
recommend only playhouse).  The thing is, what they have on the lineup they are
generally unpleased with.  And they asked melast week in the organizational
meeting if , being from Iowa and all, i would know of any shorter pieces that
could be performed on the regional theater stage.  So here it is, a call out
for scripts.  5 minutes, funny will get farther, low tech demands, good
scripts.  Send me as many as you want, i can submit up to 15 for consideration
by the board.  Keep in mind, this event will happen through out the year five
more times so keep sending script syou think will work out if you write one
later on , it could be chosen to go into the mix for the second or thrid
cabaret night.  You get the idea.  Scripts can be sent to LeeAlethe@aol.com,
and send them soon, because the first ngiht is coming up in 2 weeks.  its a
great chance to get your work seen by the professionals.  Email me with scripts
or questions.  I wont be checkin this forum regualrly anymore so do write me at
the aol account.
thanks
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Oct 2, 1999 20:24 from Ender
 
re: five minutes--I agree that some pieces merit going over five minutes.  A
little over.  That's why at times in No Shame's history this rule has been
refered to as a "guideline."  However, one of the things that allows for some
pieces to go over is that other pieces last significantly less than five
minutes, and in a perfect universe some sort of equilibrium happens on its own.
In the original scheme of things, the five minute limit was combined with a
fifteen piece limit.  If all the pieces averaged 5 minutes (which might even
allow for, gosh forbid, a nine-minute piece balanced out by a 1-minute
piece--not that these things are every planned out in advance), the night would
be over at 12:15am.  I haven't seen the lobby at 12:15am in a long, long time.
So if everyone starts to take the five-minute limit more seriously then maybe
the night will start to take on more reasonable proportions.  Editing is a
valuable skill, often improving the quality of a piece regardless of time
limits, so here's hoping people try to keep this in mind.
 
As for eggs, a little background:  not to name names, but not terribly long ago
a No shame performer spilled something on Mabie stage and No shame was formally
banned from that space forever, as well as being put on probation (one more
instance of "damage" and the theatre building might stop hosting No Shame).
Fortunately, the person who instituted this ban got another job shortly
thereafter, and it faded in some people's memories.  However, ANYTHING spilled
on the stage is potentially a nail in No Shame's coffin.  Water, pop, eggs, and
any number ofother things that have been brought on stage (with or without
notice to the board) in the past.  To my mind, if a piece required a prop so
badly that it can't stand on its own without it, even given the possible price
that might be paid by No Shame as a phenomenon, then it's not good enough.  A
harmless prop, sure (like how Mario's piece simply would not have been anything
without the monkey puppet), but the visual aid of three dozen eggs being broken
one by one on stage was simply not necessary.  If description of the concept
wouldn't suffice, and it might mean never getting to have the show in Theatre B
again, then I personally don't want to see the piece.
 
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Oct 3, 1999 13:55 from Crotch Monkey
speaking as a regular performer..i often have trouble shortennign my pieces,
and i always wish that i had....i am getting better (i owed no shame a short
piece friday, and thats just what she got...) and speaking as a regular
audience member, my attention span seems to drain immeiately after, or
sometimes shortly before that five minute mark....sometimes in my owmn
pieces...which makes it very hard to enjoy them.... this also makes it very
hard to read these ridiculously long isca posts, dammit...it has taken me two
days to complete them.
but im not bitter.
and editing is a skill i am attempting to master.
that is all
cheers!
mike "tainted love" cassady
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Oct 3, 1999 14:23 from Fanky Maloon
re: Eggs
(since the length thing seems to have been discussed in decent enough detail)
 
I thought, I will say firstly, that the piece that used eggs this week ws
excellently written.  I really liked what he had to say, but to agree with
Adam, I really don't think the eggs splattering helped it out much as a piece
and easily could've been done without.  Live and learn, yes.  But I dunno.
That was pretty severely risky - if someone's new, take more care to play by
the rules maybe?  Or even if experienced, I think people should really be
careful careful with stuff spilling on stage, as Ender pointed out in excellent
detail.
 
 
Now, stuff I particularly liked from the evening:
Dan's Abercrombie piece.  Oh, was this good.  Funny, and with a significant
point.  The line about the Grand Cherokee was a killer.  And the nipply tassly
guy dancing to Yello for his father was excellent indeed, in that "I can't
believe it!" sort of way.  The juggling rocked the house as expected, he's sooo
good - it was almost as if jubbling little red balls was too easy for him after
the stuff he's done in the past.
 
Okay okay okay, one more thing about length.  I guess the thing that bothers me
is that the norm has now become for a piece to go the full five, rather than
the exception.  I feel like I'm doing something extremely short if I get up
there and do a 3-minute piece, like it'll be missing something.  And that just
rubs me wrong, being a man of short attention span.
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Oct 3, 1999 15:25 from Ender
 
re: Bradley's juggling, I've noticed that he usually doesn't come back to
perform again until he has something new to show for it.  Usually this has been
a different set of objects (with different properties to be played with), or a
different "schtick," or a new juggling partner or something.  This time the new
thing, to me, was that the piece was very much choreographed to the music.
He's had music in the past, but this time it seemed that his tricks were more
to the beat of the music.  Also, he didn't drop anything.  Every time he's
performed at No Shame before, he's dropped something, and his recovery has
generally added a lot to his charm, but it was cool to see a piece that didn't
exercise that portion of his performance repertoire.
 
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Oct 3, 1999 17:44 from Thufir
I've always thought the best No Shame pieces there were were those that were
thirty seconds or less.  Ideally ten seconds.  Get up on stage, set up the
scene, pithy exchange, lights go out.  Perfect.  I love those.
 
Love,
Your audience.
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Oct 3, 1999 18:01 from Sparkychick
(sighs)
oh yes.
I'll give you ten dollars....
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Oct 3, 1999 18:08 from Thufir
(They're not normally that fulfilling.)
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Oct 3, 1999 18:46 from Garbage
can i have $10?
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Oct 3, 1999 18:56 from Sparkychick
No.
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Oct 4, 1999 01:17 from Dan
So maybe the length thing has been beaten into the ground, but speaking as one
who has scene about twenty consecutive too-long No Shames (through no one's
fault but my own, I know), I would like to point out a couple of things. And I
know full well that I sound like a real asshole when I do so.
1) The Five Minute Rule, just like the originality rule and the damage to the
space rule, is not something that we would like you to follow. It's something
you have to obey. If you think that five minutes is just too constraining to
your artistic expression and nothing of merit can really be said in 300 seconds
or less, start your own weekly performance forum that accepts eight ten minute
pieces. YOU HAVE TO FOLLOW THE FIVE MINUTE RULE. If you don't, it A) screws the
people who painstakingly cut their pieces to fit within the aforementioned rule
and B) makes the show longer and, frequently, more boring, which in turn makes
fewer people come, which in turn makes it harder to pay our rent, which in turn
slowly destroys No Shame as we know it.
2) And here I'm speaking purely as a writer and not a board member: Having seen
nearly four years of No Shame pieces, I would estimate that about 80% of them
had moments in them that did not contribute to the piece as a whole. Everything
I write has fat in it, and that fat should be cut. I try to do so as much as I
can. You should, too. Chances are, there are parts of your piece that are
really shitty; I know that everything I write winds up with a bunch of crap
embedded in it. You should cut the crap out, and if it's still under five
minutes you should cut out the least good part of what's left. Imagine a piece
so good that all the A- material gets the axe, leaving nothing but A+ behind.
If you're not writing like this, and you're breaking the rules in order to not
write like this, then you, my friend, are firmly in the realm of
self-indulgence.
3) Like the originality rule and the damage to the space rule, the Five Minute
Rule is almost impossible to enforce until after the fact. We can sit in the
light booth with a stopwatch and hit the blackout button at five minutes, but
that's pretty uncool if you ask me. So please, PLEASE enforce the rule for
yourself. Part of the beauty of No Shame is that nobody gets preferential
treatment over anybody else. When you break the Five Minute Rule, you
're prioritizing yourself over the rest of the show. So don't do it, dammit.
4) Incidentally, "damage to the space" does not have to be "irreparable damage
to the space." If I have to get the mop, you have damaged the space. So don't
do that, either. And it doesn't matter if you clean it up yourself; the space
has still been damaged. I'm not singling you out here, Adam; you just happen to
have provided a timely example. So if everybody could remember the
universalprinciple that in theatre stuff gets spilled that wouldn't normally
otherwise, I'd be a lot less of a crochety old man.
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Oct 4, 1999 07:27 from Ender
 
Adam who did the egg piece = Adam Hahn
Adam who did the car-off-bridge piece with Chris last week = Adam Burton
 
(just for those playing along at home)
 
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Oct 4, 1999 08:35 from Quicheo
I forget--which Adam is cuter?
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Oct 4, 1999 10:06 from Ender
 
thbbt!
 
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Oct 4, 1999 10:35 from Garbage
Burton.  Hahn could be if he'd shave that goatee.
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Oct 4, 1999 11:39 from Whitewolf
 
What, if he shaved off Ender's goatee?
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Oct 4, 1999 13:23 from Ender
 
Well, SOMEONE shaved off my goatee, but I'm not sayin' who.
 
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Oct 4, 1999 19:11 from Fishcult
You know what I would like to see?  I would like to see some order.  The order
is lots of fun.  I can look at it and I can remember what I liked and didn't
like and then it can be put on the website so that fun and constructive
criticism can take place on a piece by piece level.  Mind you, I don't take
part in the criticizin'.  Oh no, that is not for me, as I do not know what is
good and what is bad...  but I sure do like to read other people's criticisms
and to mutter, "Fuck you.  You are so fucking wrong.  You said good when you
should have said bad."
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