Andrew J. Lederer

btw, the last line of the previous post was not aimed at all comedy chicks nor meant to imply that all comedy chicks are judgmental. it was very narrowly targeted and really just a colorful way to end the post.

downstairs at the kings head last night and did great, perhaps the most effective in a line-up that included natalie haynes reading from her new book and owen o'neill presenting a short film he made in ireland.

in a bridge-mending frame of mind, i kept a respectful distance from natalie haynes, hoping to eliminate the stalkerish tinge generated by my decision to base my set on hers at the book club and by my follow-up e-mails featuring trivia about dick van dyke. (related posts at http://blogs.chortle.co.uk/andrewjlederer?s=natalie+haynes&sentence=AND.) to keep said distance, i stayed away from peter grahame's office, where natalie sat hangin' and chattin' before the show.

well, staying out of the office meant sitting in the showroom, so i was in a position of high visibility when susan murray, who recently accused me of creepily staring at her mouth and breasts (at a show where i was otherwise so triumphant, the audience practically carried me out on their shoulders) suddenly strode into the room.

now, it's true that i tend to stare but generally not at the things or for the reasons perceived by others, something i'd tried to point out to susan. still, when the attractive woman i was chatting up was asked by andrew clover if she was with me, her answer -- that she had come alone -- seemed to provoke some murray mutterings, no doubt about the unwanted advances i was foisting upon this unwary maiden.

well between a rock and a hard-place, personal image-wise, i nevertheless managed to be sympathetic in a story i told about (not) asking a girl to dance when i was a child. then, i accompanied the attractive, unattached audience-member part of the way home.

we had a great conversation and may get together on sunday.

take that, judgmental comedy chicks!