3 Things: The Oatmeal, No Rhythm Guy, and Mary Oliver

Hi friends,

If you're new to these emails, welcome! Every Saturday, I send out a short email with three great things. If you feel like you haven't gotten these emails in a while, try checking to make sure this email is a trusted address so they aren't getting filtered to spam. For live shows, I've got a bunch featured below and a complete list on my website. Feel free to spread the word about these emails! Anyone can sign up for the mailing list online and/or check out the archive with all past emails here.

SHOW UPDATES:  

CONNECTICUT:
Tonight (11/14) at 8 p.m. I'll be telling jokes at Wesleyan University with Aparna Nancherla. Free!

NEW YORK:
Sunday, November 15, at 7 p.m. it's my variety show You Get A Spoon! Come see a performance by Matt Catanzano and Richie Moriarty from Simply Unemployable, songs from Julia Anrather, and jokes from me. Plus lots of audience prizes and a chance to win the world's greatest mixing spoon. Get tickets here

Monday, November 16 at 9:30 p.m., I'm doing a short comedy bit at Joe's Pub as part of The Talent Show, run by the lovely and talented Kevin Townley and Elna Baker. Details/tickets here

ONLINE:
I'll be on Dave Hill's hilarious WFMU comedy/rock radio show on Monday night from11 p.m. to midnight ET. You can stream or listen here. 

You can also see my full schedule up on the website now.

Ok, on to this week's list!
 

1 Thing I Think Is Great:

Sometimes, with all the suffering and violence in the world, it feels beyond inappropriate to make jokes for a living. My heart is with everyone in Paris right now and those whose loved ones are suffering. I'm not sure how words can convey the appropriate emotions sometimes. But I believe that's the role of art. Matthew Inman, the comedian and cartoonist behind The Oatmeal, put up this poignant and moving piece this week. It was before news broke of the attacks in Paris, but it couldn't have been more appropriate. To me, it's the perfect message for days like this when the world feels dark. "Get up, and help someone."The Oatmeal: It's going to be okay.
 

1 Thing That Made Me Laugh:

My friends Evan and Caitlin got married this year. They're two of the loveliest, funniest, best people around. After the wedding, the party headed to a local bar where a band, the Boston Naturals, were performing. They documented a truly amazing scientific phenomenon. Caitlin's cousin is utterly and completely devoid of rhythm. Apparently the band films all their gigs and the video of him trying (and failing) to clap along to the music has officially gone viral. It's hilarious.  The Boston Naturals: No Rhythm Dude
 

1 Interesting Thing:

Mary Oliver is one of my favorite poets and I've re-read her poem "The Summer Day" several times this week. It's beautiful and simple and exactly what I've needed to hear recently. "Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?" It's well past summer, but there's no reason you can't revisit it for a few minutes and take a deep breath to appreciate this wild and precious moment. Mary Oliver: The Summer Day  
 

Ok, thanks for reading! More details on shows and my full schedule online atwww.chrisduffycomedy.com/calendar/

Have a great weekend,
Chris

3 Things: Doogie Horner, Fake Science, and 9 Arrows

Hi friends,

If you're new to these emails, welcome! Every Saturday, I send out a short email with three great things. If you feel like you haven't gotten these emails in a while, try checking to make sure this email is a trusted address so they aren't getting filtered to spam. For live shows, I've got a bunch featured below and a complete list on my website. Feel free to spread the word about these emails! Anyone can sign up for the mailing list online and/or check out the archive with all past emails here.

SHOW UPDATES:  

BOSTON: 
Monday, November 9, I'm hosting an event for Boston Children's Hospital's Global Pediatric Innovation Summit. It's sold out, but there's a waitlist here, if you're interested.

NEW YORK:
Wednesday, November 11 at 7 p.m. and 9:30 p.m., spoken word poet Sarah Kay is recording a live audiobook. She's amazing and one of my favorite people to watch perform. I'm very excited to be opening for her at both shows. Details/tickets here

CONNECTICUT:
Saturday, November 14 at 8 p.m. I'll be telling jokes at Wesleyan University with Aparna Nancherla. Free!

You can also see my full schedule up on the website now.

Ok, on to this week's list!
 

1 Thing I Think Is Great:

Doogie Horner is a standup comic, illustrator, and writer. We were on a show together this week and he made me laugh so hard that I decided to stalk his website. It was a good decision. All his projects are hilarious, but a personal favorite is this flow-chart where Doogie helps you figure out how you would explain the Internet to Oliver, a street urchin from 1835. It's amazing, even if many possible paths end in your murder by a gang of dancing chimney sweeps. Explain the Internet to a 19th Century British Street Urchin.
 

1 Thing That Made Me Laugh:

The Fake Science Tumblr is a simple idea done very, very well. Here are preposterous "facts" overly nicely designed illustrations. The magic is that they're all such well-written jokes that I end up laughing even when I try not to. Here's one about Fall: "Why do leaves change color? Summer heat bakes each leaf, cooking out the green chlorophyll. When the leaves are brown, they fall to the ground and are ready to eat." Or here's a quote from Gregor Mendel: "Am I the father of modern genetics? All I know is that before me, a lot of people accidentally crossbred with tomatoes." Explore them all here: Fake Science
 

1 Interesting Thing:

One of my oldest friends, Jon Grau, just launched a new app, called 9 Arrows. It's a fun way to set up your friends (or be set up by them). To put this in musical theater terms, this is finally your chance to play Yente from Fiddler on the Roof. All your single friends sing "Find me a find! Catch me a catch!" and with just a few taps of your fingers, you set them up with the love of their lives. I'm already addicted. Check it out here: 9 Arrows
 

Ok, thanks for reading! More details on shows and my full schedule online atwww.chrisduffycomedy.com/calendar/

Have a great weekend,
Chris

You Get a Spoon! Live in Los Angeles

Another fantastic California show last night! Thanks to the Lyric-Hyperion Theatre and all the audience members who came out to You Get A Spoon's L.A. debut! 

Charlie Harding from Switched on Pop did a live condensed version of his fantastic podcast and taught us all the secrets of Swedish music masterminds. Charlie recommended:

1) Musicophilia by Oliver Sacks

2) Boxers by ExOfficio

3) Libre tea glasses

Tess Plant-Thomas serenaded us with her songs of love, loss, and climate change. Tess recommended:

1) Fennel seeds in sausages (but also fennel seeds in general)

2) The bike path (part rogue route) between Santa Barbera and Goleta

3) Postage stamps (especially these forever stamps that say "From me to you")

Courtney won the spoon! Here are some photos from the show: