Annie's Favorite Things About LA: Facebook at the Upright Citizens Brigade

The "Facebook" show at the Upright Citizens Brigade in Hollywood is hands down one of the greatest things in Los Angeles.  Every Wednesday, Paul Scheer, Rob Huebel, Chad Carter, Owen Burke, and Seth Morris do incredibly hilarious improv skits based on two audience members' facebook profiles.  They are often joined by amazing surprise guests like Ed Helms, Rob Riggle, and the guy who plays Kenneth on 30 Rock.  Here's the cast giving a nice little explanation of their brilliant show:





As you might have guessed, I go to this show often.  A few weeks ago, I had the exciting and unique experience of being one of the audience members they chose to interview. This is how that choice is made: willing audience members raise their hands and give a one-sentence pitch about themselves that would entice the guys to choose them.  The range of these pitches runs the gamut.  I've heard everything from something lame like "I'm Jewish" to hilarious winners like "I was pepper-sprayed by a transvestite on a bicycle" and "I am a recently retired professional figure skater."  Usually the guys pick the best pitch, but occasionaly they choose stupid ones. (Like the time I bravely raised my hand and said "I participated in a tomato fight with over 50,000 people in Spain last week" but they chose a fool who said "Jim Carey yelled at me once."  I was a bit bitter about that.. can you tell?) After that experience I vowed to never volunteer again.  Until....


As the unofficial "social chair" of my community group (a.k.a. 'small group', 'Bible study', etc.), I suggested that we all go to this show for a fun and laughter-filled social night (although I warned them it was definitely not rated PG).  A big group of us went.  The first girl they picked to interview was a complete and total skank. Most of their skits were based on the little biatch's promiscuity, and therefore, were pretty uncomfortable to watch with my community group.  I decided to capitalize on this awkwardness; I raised my hand and said, "I went to the Oscars last month and I'm here with my entire Bible study right now."  They were astounded by this and called me up immediately. 


To give you an idea of how the interviews/skits work, I'll explain what they did with my profile. First, I signed into my FB account which is displayed on a big screen for all to see. Paul Scheer then asks questions...things like "So why did you go to the Oscars?" "Who was the biggest biatch you saw on the red carpet?" "Who was the nicest on the red carpet?" "So, you're in charge of the red carpet bleachers? What are some crazy things the bleacher fans do?" "Why is your Bible study here??" "Why is 'She's the Man' your favorite movie?? etc..."  I answered all of these questions and more with little anecdotes.  


After about 10 minutes of perusing my profile and interviewing, they begin making up skits based on my profille including but not limited to: Red Carpet bleacher fans looking for the restroom and accidentally stumbling onstage at the Kodak Theatre as the Best Actor Oscar is being announced; George Clooeny being insanely friendly and shaking everyone's hands (as he did with the bleacher fans at the Oscars) until he loses Best Actor and then bursts into a fit of rage; an overly enthusisastic "youth group" of 20-somethings planning a social night at a highly inappropriate place; a movie rental place called "She's the Video Man" that only carries Amanda Bynes movies; etc.  I obviously cannot give these hilarious skits any sort of justice in writing, but hopefully this gives an inkling of their geniusly inspired improv.  


If you live in LA: go to this show!!
If you don't live in LA: come visit and go to this show!!
It is an absolute must.
And if you're feeling moxie, think of a cool pitch, and who knows, they just might pick you!






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Meeting in the Middle

Wow... it's been almost a whole MONTH since my last post. I apologize for my horrible procrastination and tardiness. I have so many great ideas for posts and not enough time to write them. I will try to improve the lag time between posts, I promise. (Because I know you're all just waiting with bated breath for the next one, right..??) ;-)

A couple weeks ago, fate smiled down on us and Mary and I were accidentally simultaneously both in our sweet hometown of Duncan, Oklahoma. She was in town 36 hours (or less?) for her wonderful grandmother's surprise 80th birthday extravaganza, and I was in town about two weeks to visit fam and help my mom get ready to put our house on the market (did I ever mention that my dad got a new job in Houston and my parents are moving there? It's true...and so strange to think that Duncan won't be 'home' anymore. Crazy). Since Mary's visit was a mere blink of an eye, our time together was very short, but sweet nonetheless. It's definitely fun to visit each other in our fun new places of residence, but there is just something so cozy and familiar about being together where we spent our entire childhood and youth being best friends. (Yowza... sorry for the sappiness overload...I'll stop now). :-)

Now it's time for a slight rant: People need to STOP wearing PAJAMAS on airplanes. On my flight back to LA (which left at 1:45 PM, mind you, so these fools didn't even have the excuse of it being a super early or overnight flight), there were three extremely obnoxious girls in straight up PJs, slippers and all.  (Much like these young ones only less fresh-faced and more trashy): 

Newsflash you lazy bums: airports and airplanes are public places full of other people who do not want to see you in your sleepwear.  I definitely understand the need for comfort, especially on longer flights, but there are a plethora of comfortable clothing items meant to be seen in public.  These annoying girls were also having extremely loud, awkward and inappropriate conversations that the entire plane could uninvitedly hear, but inappropriate public conversations is an entirely different rant altogether.  Lesson: just because you are flying on a form of transportation that you probably don't take all-too-often and it's way up high in the sky does not eradicate the social norms that clearly deem pajamas only appropriate for private home use.  < end rant > 


Wow, I feel a bit lighter after getting that off my chest. ;-)  Back with more (less rant-y) posts soon, my loves.