The Fries on the Side Blog http://www.friesontheside.com/ Sketch comedy isn’t as fun without a little danger. Fries on the Side became popular by doing the impossible. Writing a brand new 1 hour show every week and only giving actors 1 hour to rehearse before going live for an audience. Using teleprompters, the actors can pick up lost lines, but the bloopers are just as funny as the edgy material. Every year they take their best work and fine tune it just a little more. It’s Cold Sketch Comedy! Look mom, I made a word. en Copyright 2008 Wed, 20 Aug 2008 16:21:06 -0800 http://www.sixapart.com/movabletype/ http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss From me to you: Denny Blaze Well, what can I say about this video? When I watch things like this part of me cringes because I feel so bad for their lack of self-awareness. The other part of me thanks the heavens that people like this put themselves out there for the rest of us to "enjoy" Now if I can just find this guy's agent so I can book him to host Fries.]]> http://www.friesontheside.com/blog/2008/08/denny_blaze.php http://www.friesontheside.com/blog/2008/08/denny_blaze.php denny blaze funny music rap video Wed, 20 Aug 2008 16:21:06 -0800 Last Saturday's show ... It just keeps getting better and better ... This past Saturday we were blessed with the hot and talented Carla Collins (no, she doesn't have a brother named Tom) and our musical guest, Gram Rabbit provided along with their great music a great sense of humor. I'm a hat wearer, not because I have to but because I love wearing hats. So for this show, for good luck I wore my Judge Jackson hat, they're an amazing rock band out of Canada, great group of guys and fuckin' awesome music. If you don't know about them, you should look them up, they're played on the show a couple of times. Well, Judge, it now adorns the head of Shane Elliott, he borrowed it to wear in a sketch and liked it so much, I told him he could have it. What I love about being backstage is having the opportunity to talk to our guests. Jesika von Rabbit, thanks for the info. on how important chiropractics and stretching is for the human body, and Carla Collins, on how no can mean yes and vice versa. And the E! Entertainment Canada crew, they were so easy to work with, blended in so well with us, and again being able to talk with them after the show, a great bunch of guys. Technically we have a week off then we're back on August 9th, but creatively there's never down time but I'll buy into the psychology of off time anyway (HAH!). Which leads me to our next show (in the off week) The Comedy Cocktail produced by the National Lampoons, check it out below ... The Comedy Cocktail ONE NIGHT ONLY!!! - Fries was asked to be a part of a monthly collection of sketch comedy produced by The National Lampoons. We're special guests and it should be an amazing show... The Comedy Cocktail is Los Angeles's hottest live sketch comedy showcase featuring todays talent. The show is on the first friday of every month and is comprised of a variety of different live sketches and short films. Politics, religion, if it happens in life, then we've sketched it! The show is located at the Highlands Nightclub in the heart of downtown Hollywood. The show is produced by Jay Leggett and Amber J. Lawson and supported by a staff of hard working individuals. http://www.comedycocktail.com Thanks to everyone for their support, dedication and hard work, have a great week and if we don't see you at The Comedy Cocktail this Friday, we'll see you back at the SMC on August 9th. Again thanks to Carla Collins, Gram Rabbit & E! Entertainment Canada for a great show. Call me, kendra http://www.friesontheside.com/blog/2008/07/last_saturdays_show.php http://www.friesontheside.com/blog/2008/07/last_saturdays_show.php Mon, 28 Jul 2008 11:28:20 -0800 Thoughts of love ... She: I love you so much. He: I love you too. She: Promise me, you'll never leave me. He: I promise. She: No matter what. He: No matter what. She: What if I cheated on you? He: What if I had sex with your bestfriend? She: Did you? He: Of course not. She: Well, I did. (they embrace. he looks to the sky and thanks god.) Love. Okay, so, last week's show was pretty insane -- who'd a thought watching two guys have sex with a cooler could be so natural and so moving. "Love is a many splendored thing" ... thanks Ben Johnson! Big shout out to that hot lady who bought me a beer -- that was really nice ... told you you'd love the show. Love. See y'all this Saturday. Now it's time to put on my funny bone -- it's a strap on. It has the letters WTJHAND embroidered on it. Love, kendra]]> http://www.friesontheside.com/blog/2008/07/thoughts_of_love.php http://www.friesontheside.com/blog/2008/07/thoughts_of_love.php Wed, 23 Jul 2008 17:11:14 -0800 My mind is amiss ... another excerpt from kendrafied. I got up to go to the bathroom, it was still dark. As I climbed over my girlfriend, she lay sleeping to my right, I heard the sound of the morning birds in the air, the peeping of something small coming from the room that her daughter was sleeping in, then it stopped. The wood floor was cold, and I could feel the remnants of days paston the soles of my feet. I closed the door, a black cat ran through the bathroom and out the window, through a hole in the screen that many of the screens in the house had; this is something she quite often did, as cats as a whole often behave. As I sat down on the toilet, the sounds of crows through the bathroom window rang out. Then there was silence. All of a sudden, visions of blood covered sheets filled my mind. I immediately traced my steps, all of which got me to this point in time, sitting on the toilet. There was a knock at the door. One I hadn't heard before. Or was it my mind playing tricks on me? Still no birds. I hadn't yet begun to pee. What should I do next? Well, it's been a crazy week -- I had to get that out. Now maybe I can be funny ... last week was an amazing show. This week looks just as good, just as amazing. Hope to see you at the show, let's grab a beer and talk about 'stuff and things.' Hope this finds you well and in good spirits! kendra]]> http://www.friesontheside.com/blog/2008/07/my_mind_is_amiss_another_excer.php http://www.friesontheside.com/blog/2008/07/my_mind_is_amiss_another_excer.php Thu, 17 Jul 2008 17:51:26 -0800 MacGrubber on SNL Here's a funny bit from a recent SNL. For me the thing that really makes it work is how Shai Leboeuf plays it.]]> http://www.friesontheside.com/blog/2008/07/macgrubber_on_snl.php http://www.friesontheside.com/blog/2008/07/macgrubber_on_snl.php Random Thoughts comedy sketch snl video Thu, 17 Jul 2008 11:14:29 -0800 Amazing Show So, I'm back on the staff and I couldn't be happier. It feels like home you know? I remember thinking I had run out of ideas, but now that I'm back, they seem to be coming fast and furiously, thank God! The show this past weekend was incredible. I was lucky enough to have two sketches get into the show(with great help from Shane, Dennis and Jeff on one and Shane on the other), and they both performed well. There's no other feeling like being in an audience that is laughing their asses off at your material. I had rewritten both sketches so much, I had actually written them off and prepared for having nothing in the show. Thanks to Fries for allowing me back, it's been amazing so far and I'm sure there's only more great stuff to come this season! http://www.friesontheside.com/blog/2008/07/ou.php http://www.friesontheside.com/blog/2008/07/ou.php Mon, 14 Jul 2008 11:32:28 -0800 What just happened ...?! Well, wow, um, wow ... this past Saturday, was, what happened? We had half the time to prepare the show, the weather was really HOT, and you could cut the stress with ... well, you couldn't cut the stress with anything. Everyone pulled together like a great team should and through all the 'heated craziness,' the show not only went on, but kicked some major ass! The host Adam Devine, a really cool guy, kept his cool and made everyone laugh their asses off with his sketch, "We Made IT!" and Joyce Lee, well, we couldn't get enough of her, everyone wanted her to sing more songs including all of us backstage. All of us looked at each other and knodded our heads, "Hell yeah." And she was really cool to hang out with afterwards. Finally, after all these years of being a part of Fries, I was able to get up on stage, I've been trying to ever since I've became involved with Fries 3 years ago; everytime I was about to, something would come up and I'd end up filling a hole, whether in the booth, front of house, backstage -- I've done everything at Fries, except act and I gotta tell ya this Saturday I was rewarded handsomely -- I played a yellow latex gloved bored guy in Colin Wilkie's sketch, "Rape Party," and a dead body with a huge erection in Dan Yate's sketch, "A Stiff One." Thanks to both you gentlemen for your brilliant casting choices. I hope I met your expectations. (HAH!) I want to thank Jeff Huit & Dennis Hemphill with their help on, "Shirtless Dave." From backstage, it sounded like it went off really well, the laughter was deafening. We've got another great show coming up with Brett Walkow, a hilarious guy who I've had the pleasure of knowing for the past year or so, he spun the music at our season opener on top of the Music Box Theatre and this guy can find the funny side of everything. Manda is our musical guest, who's a wonderful combination of everything good in music. Thanks to our wonderful and ever expanding fans who beat the heat and were rewarded with tons of laughs in an air-conditioned theatre and a cold beverage in hand. Tragedy and comedy are what we all have in common. I'm blessed to be part of an amazing group who choose to represent the latter, comedy, really well! That's all for now -- back to the job that enables me to do this ... kendra http://www.friesontheside.com/blog/2008/06/what_just_happened.php http://www.friesontheside.com/blog/2008/06/what_just_happened.php Mon, 23 Jun 2008 12:53:25 -0800 RIP George Carlin "Don't sweat the petty things, and don't pet the sweaty things." -- George Carlin I just saw that GC passed away of a heart attack over the weekend. 71 years old. He was going strong right up until the end -- he just performed a live one-hour special on HBO back in March. I'm really going to miss the guy, too. I was weaned on comedy albums during my formative years. My parents had a fleet of LPs -- from back when comedy albums were popular to listen to at adult parties -- that included Bill Cosby, Bob Newhart, Vaughn Meader and Carlin. It was such a steady diet that it is, no doubt, what subtly led me into an ongoing career in comedy, from booking shows to performing improv and writing sketch comedy to this day. Carlin's career in the 60's and 70's mirrored a shift in consciousness that was happening in America. He went from being a buttoned-down, necktie-wearing, straight-laced funnyman to a long-haired, blue-jeans-and-t-shirt hilarious counter-culture dude in the course of a decade. The comedic voice for an angry generation, Carlin's "Seven Words You Can't Say On TV" was the most popular tip of an devastating comic iceberg that wasn't afraid to sail full-tilt into whatever social conventions stood in its way.
"Fighting for peace is like screwing for virginity."
 The heir apparent to Lenny Bruce, he helped to push the door open wider for comedian-philosophers to step out of the darkness and onto the comedy club stages. Performers who had a message but, like Carlin, wanted to wrap it up in a way that would make it not only palatable but in a form that would be passed along at the water cooler, or on the way to work. In his later years, his anger seemed to turn more inward but his observations were no less relevant. Less political perhaps but still biting, sarcastic and razor-sharp as he held his sardonic mirror up to society's foibles and screw-ups. He slowly evaporated from the mainstream comedy flow as younger performers, now able to more freely access the Seven Words that Carlin had helped to liberate, used them more and more gratuitously. Robbed of their shock value, those words became more or less the punctuation in a comedic language that's become more formula than content. Carlin, having countered the culture he opposed, stayed funny lampooning the political correctness and other inane social structures that our culture had morphed into. His anger and commentary had, in the past 10 or so years, become a draw in the casinos around the country -- an ironic counterpoint between his message and the excesses going on in the very places he was performing. Like most performers in comedy, Carlin was never one to take himself very seriously. The few times I'd had the pleasure to meet him, he was always gracious and friendly. I think he should have been celebrated more but today's media wants to only make room for what they perceive as young and hip -- when they consider someone older they only think hip replacement. I believe that as time wears on, George Carlin's quotes and observations will continue to surface as timelessly funny, sardonic and wise commentary on the human condition. A generation -- or two -- has lost their spokesman.
"The very existence of flame-throwers proves that some time, somewhere, someone said to themselves, 'You know, I want to set those people over there on fire, but I'm just not close enough to get the job done.'"
]]> http://www.friesontheside.com/blog/2008/06/rip_george_carlin.php http://www.friesontheside.com/blog/2008/06/rip_george_carlin.php Random Thoughts George Carlin Mon, 23 Jun 2008 10:33:23 -0800 There's a first time for everything...
Usually the Fries tech crew shows up to the theatre at 6:30pm to have a pre-production meeting and start setting up the technical aspects like lights, sound, teleprompters, microphones, etc.  Last night we had been given the heads up that we wouldn't be able to get into the theatre until 7pm, which we could deal with, but after the entire cast and crew were out in front of the theatre and the minutes passed, I was beginning to get worried.  

Did I forget to mention how un-fucking-believable the heat was?  We are currently experiencing a heat wave in SoCal and it was unbearably hot standing out on the sidewalk for over an hour (I had arrived early to meet someone at the theatre for an interview).  

For the first time in Fries history, as far as I know, we had to do announcements and casting out on the sidewalk in front of the theatre, amidst passing traffic, jaywalkers with a death wish and the blaring sirens of ambulances and fire engines (was everyone dying of heat exhaustion or what?).  By the time we actually got into the theatre we were an hour behind and I'll admit it was more than a little stressful.  

The most amazing thing to me is - what a great show we had!!!  It was brilliant - the writing and acting were very strong, and we had a big turnout of new actors this week too.  I don't recall any big tech fuckups, and the tech crew really busted their asses last night to pull it off.  Since we've incorporated things like laptops, sound fx, a mixing board and microphones for the musical guest it really has enhanced the show, but is so much more work.  Big shout out to Jay, Eyal and Tom in the booth, those guys really stepped up and keep it coming every week.  

Our host, Adam Devine, was absolutely fantastic.  His opening monologue was hilarious, his sketches killed and he was literally thrown into the Fries fire like no one else before him.  He was fun, professional and so easy to work with, I do hope that he joins us again in the future.

On that same note, our musical guest Janna (formerly known as Joyce Lee) was equally brilliant and a big hit.  She performed three songs and the crowd was loving her - including cast and crew!  She brought a ton of CD's to give away at the show and hung out afterwards to chat and autograph them personally.  Joyce is a delight to be around and as beautiful off stage as she is on.

The kicker for me is that every single person who came out to be a part of the show told me what a great time they had and that they are coming back!  I think that speaks volumes about our show and the people involved, right the fuck on.   

I am very impressed with our group, and I truly believe that the reason we had such a great show in such extreme conditions is due to the dedicated cast and crew.  Shane Elliott did a truly outstanding job operating under pressure, directing and calling the shots.  I do think that people sometimes forget how hard he works to get us there and how much his vision plays a part in each show week after week.

We were truly put to the test and we came out kicking ass and taking names... oh, and you know what?  I'm excited about having another Fries first under our belts.  It makes me feel like anything is possible!  Love you guys... 

Julia
(your exhausted show producer)
]]> http://www.friesontheside.com/blog/2008/06/theres_a_first_time_for_everyt.php http://www.friesontheside.com/blog/2008/06/theres_a_first_time_for_everyt.php comedy fries on the side Janna Joyce Lee Julia Henry Shane Elliott Sun, 22 Jun 2008 09:37:42 -0800 How to be funny ... As I sit in my old BMW waiting for the light to change, on the side of the road, in a wheelchair, I see a homeless man proudly peeling skin and at times tissue off of his disease ridden leg, as if showcasing his condition to the world. I immediately roll up my window. As I make my left onto Western, two things baffle me ... why did I roll up my window and secondly, could a dollar bill save his leg? What are his dreams about when he sleeps? ... Does he sleep? ... Did he want his leg saved or was this his way of taking pride in something that he otherwise didn't have? And is now the pinnacle of his existence, the peeling of layers, of old and new -- is this his opening gifts at Christmas time -- ripping through the wrapping and the ribbon, tossing aside the tissue paper to get to what's inside ... the gift? ... Who are his parents? ... Did he ever have a family? ... Did he ever in a million years think he would ever end up like this? Why now am I so concerned? Or is it intrigue? I guess if it mattered that much to me, I would've stopped and asked him -- but if I did, wouldn't that be 'exploiting' him? Plus, I didn't have any cash with me ... I wonder what I'll see in my sleep ... And now, I must write something funny ... http://www.friesontheside.com/blog/2008/06/how_to_be_funny.php http://www.friesontheside.com/blog/2008/06/how_to_be_funny.php Tue, 17 Jun 2008 13:08:20 -0800 Squatting Monkeys Tell No Lies ]]> http://www.friesontheside.com/blog/2008/06/squatting_monkeys_tell_no_lies.php http://www.friesontheside.com/blog/2008/06/squatting_monkeys_tell_no_lies.php Dana Carvey HBO special Squatting Monkeys Thu, 12 Jun 2008 09:49:10 -0800 On hosting... Got this letter from my friend Lt. Colonel (Ret.) Bruce Gordon. He hosted the show last night, I couldn't attend due to illness. He left it on my doorstep, anchored with a can of chicken soup, and I typed it after deciphering his shaky scrawl. Alex, Never in all my 108 years have I had as much fun as I had last night. I've never hosted a comedy show, but I hope this one is not my last. All those wonderful kids running around like a bunch of Italians with no heads. I tell you, if I were 89 years younger, you would have a new cast member. As it stands I don't have the energy to keep up with the likes of "Fries on the Side". Let me tell you, getting to reach out to the younger generation was such a thrill. I only wish my first wife, Esther, had been there to see it. She was a pistol, and really loved the theater. She could also put her ankle behind her head, but that's never here nor there. Margaret, the current Misses, is not a fan of attention, or laughter for that matter. So she was not the best companion. The biggest thrill for me was getting to watch some of the scenes from in the back of the audience. Wow! What a spectacle. Some of those "sketches" would probably shock the average person my age (there are only 19 of us in the world) but not me. When you've killed as many people as I have, and made love to as many women as I have, not much shocks you, and the things that amuse you to the point of laughter only increase. And so many beautiful women! Good lord, I got a tongue lashing from Margaret when we got home. She saw the lusty eye I turned toward each and every female cast member (and that darling musical guest, ha-cha!). Again, if only I were about 89 years younger... I don't know if you know this about hosting, but it's pure fat-city my young friend. I haven't been treated that well since I freed Poland, single handed. They sent a chauffered limousine to pick me and Margaret up, and the thing was full of booze. Margaret ain't allowed on account of her pills and her angry blood, but that just meant more for me. And boy did I partake. A bevy of nubile and virginal attendants catered to my every whim (later they told me one of them was a eunuch, but I never figured out which one). There's even a separate host's green room that the riff raff aren't allowed into. I came prepared for anything, and then that nice boy Sean came and told me he would be interviewing me for the host monolog. Boy did I feel the fool! I had already written a silly and ribald little note about an Italian and a fish wife, but, as the French say, such is the life. Alex, I was so sorry you couldn't make the show. But nobody else seemed to mind, so I didn't either. I even got to be in a "sketch". It was about some Asian girl and dragons I think. When it gets that late, I can't follow things so good. What a feast for the senses. A delight for the mind. Democracy at it's finest. A free exchange of ideas, and artistic endeavor. These brilliant minds are truly at the forefront of a comedic renaissance. Might have had something to do with you not being there you sack of guts! Regards, Lt. Colonel (Ret.) Bruce Gordon http://www.friesontheside.com/blog/2008/06/on_hosting.php http://www.friesontheside.com/blog/2008/06/on_hosting.php Sun, 01 Jun 2008 10:25:19 -0800 The Story of Season 6 Opening Night Rehearsals - I was so busy with details leading up to the event and on the day of the event - bartenders, security, drum and amp rentals, deliveries, decorations, wristbands, crew laminates, DJ and afterparty, ticket sales, guest list, VIP's, pricing, dealing with our sponsor, record label, publicists, charity, hosts, special guests, cast, crew, volunteers, technical aspects like audio and video, the possibility of credit card sales, sound cues, music, mics, overtime, puppets, table and chair rentals, lighting, seating configurations (not to mention scheduling our regular season shows!)... well lets just say that it was SO much to deal with that when we were at the venue on the day of the show, I had waaaaaaay too much to deal with to help out in rehearsals and keep everyone on schedule. I was spread way too thin and I definitely need to learn how to delegate a little better. The problem is that I've been doing everything since the beginning of this process, so trying to hand off to someone just walking in just doesn't happen. Long term I am going to need more help and support, and hopefully that works out this season soon. If I could do it over again I would change a few things on the production end, and I would have had at least one more rehearsal in the theatre with music and sound cues without leaving so much to chance on the day of the show. When it came down to it there just wasn't enough time for everything that needed to happen. Actors - did a fantastic job on stage and dealing with a few new elements including mics (will get to that in a minute...). Great job this time with props and costumes. There were a few emails flying early in the day regarding props though and that should have been addressed beforehand, but for the most part all the big stuff seemed to be taken care of. Also many sketches weren't rehearsed in weeks previous because people weren't available and I can see that as being a problem this time. However, the biggest issue I saw was having people on hand and ready to go when we wanted to rehearse a sketch - we even have this problem at the SMC and it was much worse at this bigger venue where people had more places to wander off to. This season I hope that actors stay in the theatre where they belong, if you must go somewhere get it OK'd first. Since the nature of our show is hinged on that rehearsal before showtime, I don't understand why some people still don't seem to take it seriously. Again, I don't spend a lot of time backstage because I'm dealing with front of house issues, but this is the impression that I get. The Show - I was very busy throughout the show and did not get to see everything, but here's what I can comment on: Garrett Morris - did an amazing job! I'm glad that everything worked out and we were lucky enough to have him as a host. The "20Milion Feet Under The Sea" sketch was great, and it seemed perfect for him. It looked like he was having a great time on stage, and although I didn't get to see his monologue I heard that he was great and lookied like he was having fun. I only wish that he didn't leave before the curtain call, although I understand that we were running late and he needed to go. The "Grower Not A Shower" sketch with Dennis, Dorien and Kenny pretty much stole the show. Great job Dennis on the 'car' prop that you made, it was awesome. And "The Mission" with Danny Woodburn is a personal favorite of mine - the only problem there was the damn mic on Danny... He could still be heard though, but you had to strain to pick up every word from the balcony. Oh, and "Backstreet's Back" was awesome! "Never Have I Ever" and "Almost Paradise" are also crowd favorites - friends I've spoken with between then and now all mention these as highlights. And the puppets!!! The puppets were fantastic. I hope that is something we can do again in the future, those were hilarious and everyone loved them. Did anyone know that Poe was in the audience? She loved the show and wants to come be a part of it this season! I got a personal audition late night in the lobby; she has all kinds of amazing characters! I hope she really does take me up on my offer to be both a host and musical guest for a night this season. And don't let me forget to mention The Kin, our musical guest on opening night. They were not only some of the coolest cats but VERY talented - I had an emotional moment standing offstage during their first performance of the night and it suddenly hit me that we did it... it's hard to explain but let me tell you that I've put so much into opening night and it took a while to sink in that we were actually there doing it. Also I want to mention our sponsor Snow Queen Vodka for helping make the night happen and the charity Charity:water for raising our awareness and giving a good cause for us to contribute to. Mics - I wish to God there was something more we could have done about the Lav mics - it seemed like certain people were not mic'd properly in nearly every sketch, and the levels were all fucked up. At one point the Special Events Manager of the theatre came to me concerned that some actors had "thrown" one of the lavs down and then dropped another in orange juice... I still have not been able to get a clear story on this but I hope that everyone treated the equipment with respect even if they were frustrated. I've heard a few different things from actors and tech crew, and it seems like a better use of our rehearsal time could have helped to troubleshoot some of those issues, although when it comes down to it I think the house guys were not doing everything they could to manage the issue. Volnunteers - thank you to our wonderful volunteers! And curse those of you who flaked on us last minute. We rely so much on our volunteers, who basically make up our production crew, I don't know how we would have gotten the show where it needed to be without them. Our teleprompter person flaked on us the day before the show and that was a stressful situation - thank you Jon Brooks for stepping up to the plate and doing a fantastic job. Thanks to our Ushers Dan Yates, Michael Yager and Spencer Jones. Thanks to my ticket personnel Stacy Sills, Ken Kaufman and Robin Borba. Thanks to our backstage heroes Lindsey Stancliff, Kate Bishop, Colin Wilke and Tom Morgan, and a special thank you to Tanya Bershadsky who gave up a day on her own production to come help with ours. Afterparty - I have to mention the rooftop afterparty with the very talented and hilarious DJ Brett. By the time I made it up there it was already midnight, but it really was a beautiful space and a great way to celebrate our great accomplishment with friends. Well, we certainly learned a lot and have a long ways to go, but the bottom line is that our show is strong enough to hold it's own on a big stage. And what a stage! The venue - Music Box @ Fonda - is absolutely incredible and I am honored that we were able to perform there. We worked for days on end with the amazing Special Events Manager Sarah Quigley in putting the night together, and it was an extremely huge task that I took on enthusiastically... although at times I was wondering what the fuck I had gotten myself into. It's a full time job!!! Not to mention my real full time job that actually pays me to work, and oh yeah being a single mom too, but that's a story for another time. THANK YOU: Shane Elliott, for creating this amazing show and believing in all of us to realize your vision. You work tirelessly and are genuinely committed to every single aspect of this show. I am proud to be a part of it and to have the opportunity to work with you. Sarah Quigley with the Music Box, for your patience, diligence and hard work and making our dreams a reality. Kendra, for being supportive in every single way (technically, morally, emotionally, physically), for drying my tears, laughing with and not at me, and for being a completley unbiased sounding board whenever I need it. Jeff Huit, for waking up at the ass crack of dawn to pick up our fancy laminates (without you none of us would be able to get into the theatre for the show) and for being so supportive of me for the past three years. To Jay Phillips and Eyal Zinder for their amazing talents on the light and sound board, to Stage Manager Lindsey Stancliff for literally being thrown into the Fries fire and pulling together an amazing show, to photographer Jim Ewing and videographer Tommy Everman, and to every single writer and actor this season - I'm excited to work with you all again! Through this process I have learned so much about myself, our show, the people involved, and what a lot of hard work and determination will get you. I really do feel like after this we can accomplish anything, so bring it on bitches!!! I'm proud to be a part of this group for such a monumental season and promise to give you everything I've got. Now if you'll excuse me, it's back to work ;) With love, exhaustion, and admiration, Julia Henry Show Producer. ]]> http://www.friesontheside.com/blog/2008/04/the_story_of_season_6_opening.php http://www.friesontheside.com/blog/2008/04/the_story_of_season_6_opening.php Fries on the Side Opening Night Season 6 2008 Sat, 26 Apr 2008 13:39:13 -0800 So Far Away Terrible to be starting the new Fries season so far away from the action, so far away from the writing. Been working on a funny business book that's been eating my brain but, since a publisher's already bought it, gotta get it done! My point of writing THIS blog entry is to find out if anyone is going to post how last night's big season opener went! Come on! How about a play-by play (or scene-by-scene) for those of us Fries Faithful who were unable to make the trek to the show? Thanks! http://www.friesontheside.com/blog/2008/04/so_far_away_2.php http://www.friesontheside.com/blog/2008/04/so_far_away_2.php Fri, 25 Apr 2008 16:54:37 -0800 Bloggy McBlogblog good friends) we generally blow each other off when we're not doing the show (except for the random holiday party). So it's nice to see all their smiling faces again. Except I'm not in LA right now! So I can't see their faces! Except on the Fries website, where Dorien's face is still bleeding. Have no fear -- I'll be back in time for the shows though, where I'll get to stare into the eyes of every single one of them. But writing sketches from so far away, out of my element and away from the comraderie (sp?) that fuels great writing, is impossibly hard. I've managed to write one sketch (ie. piece of crap) on my own. One. That's pathetic. I should have a half-dozen written so that I've got backups for the lean weeks. Luckily, I'd written one with Dennis Hemphill that is being considered, and that's a beautiful gem. So let's hope that gets a shot on stage this year, eh? If not, I'll change the title and resubmit it otherwise unchanged :) That could work. So -- see everyone at the big SEASON OPENER! You can leave your awesome at home -- I'll bring enough for everyone. Booyah! End of blog.]]> http://www.friesontheside.com/blog/2008/04/bloggy_mcblogblog.php http://www.friesontheside.com/blog/2008/04/bloggy_mcblogblog.php Mon, 07 Apr 2008 17:37:48 -0800