Going MAD: Part 1

So last weekend they had the Chicago Improv Festival. One of the shows had cast members from "Mad TV" performing Improv. Because I have watched some of these people on TV for years and figured I could a learn a thing or two, I decided to go to the show.

Going into the show, there were two people I was excited about seeing. One was Michael McDonald. (He's well known for his little boy, Stuart character) I like to refer to him as the "Will Ferrell" of Mad TV. I think he is extremely talented and I could easily see him as huge star in the film industry. The problem is that he is on "Mad TV" not "SNL." If he was getting the same exposure on "SNL," his career would be much different. Another person I was looking forward to seeing was Mo Collins. I'm not going to lie, I don't find manyy girls funny. But I think she is an exception.

Overall the show was really funny. The first part of it, had the "MAD TV" writers perfroming sketches that did not air. And the second half was the cast members performing improv. During the intermission my buddy Steve and I got up to get a beverage. On our way out we see one of our fellow improv classmates Eric. Eric is a quiet, peculiar character. He's the type of guy that likes to keep to himself. One thing though about him is that he is an SNL/MAD TV Almanac. He knows everything about every cast member, how they got started, what's their dog's name, favorite food etc. . . Lets just say you won't be seeing this guy dancing with six chicks around him at "The Apartment" anytime soon. Then again, you won't be seeing me either.

So after the intermission Eric came to sit with us. I look over at him and he's holding this picture of him and Mo Collins. So I asked him how he got the pic? Eric said he went to this show last year and waited by the back door for the cast members to come out . And was then able to get a picture. He said he was going to try again after the show, so he could get Mo Collins to sign the picture. I thought to myself, "Great, I'm sitting next to a stalker."

The show ends, so Steve and I decide to go with Eric to wait at the back door. Honestly, I wasn't planning on getting any pictures. I just wanted to meet Michael McDonald and tell him how much I appreciate his work. As we wait by this back door, I look around and feel like I am at a Star Trek convention. You could tell that the people waiting, were the people in the High School yearbook listed under the category of "Not Pictured." Because I felt kind of weird waiting around with a bunch of freaks, I was almost ready to walk away. But for whatever reason, I decided to stick around.

To Be Continued . . .

I'm Out!