Ever wished you hadn't taken a bet?

[K'Ehleyr]

So to encourage Son in his Drama I challenged him and said it was easy and I would do it too if he put the effort it.

Now I find myself with a slot at the local pub on 'open mic' night .

So I've planned... a little stand up comedy , a couple of recitations and a song.

The stand up is my own, taken from observations from the golf club where I work. The poems are good ~ if I can remember them and then I plan to round off with a song.

I was thinking of being serious and doing 'Forever Autumn' from War of the Worlds and getting people from the audience to come and narrate for me. Or I could just go with a silly song.

Any advice please Has anyone stood up and done this kind of thing? And how did it go? Am I being brave or stupid? I'm dithering between excitement and terror already!

 

[Mary Ann]

Hey, I'm voting for brave, as you did this for your son. Anything that motivates kids that doesn't involve a cattle prod is good in my books (though I continually threaten to throw my kids in the stock pot, but that's not the point).

If you're starting with stand-up comedy and then moving on to more serious recitations I'd suggest finishing off with a light-hearted song rather than a serious one. Whether audience participation will work depends on the audience, really, though there are bound to be some figures in the audience who'd love to be on stage as well. The issue I see with this is that you won't know what they do until they do it. Whatever you choose to do, have fun with it, and I'm sure it'll all work out. Good luck!

 

[K'Ehleyr]

Hey, I'm voting for brave, as you did this for your son. Anything that motivates kids that doesn't involve a cattle prod is good in my books (though I continually threaten to throw my kids in the stock pot, but that's not the point).

If you're starting with stand-up comedy and then moving on to more serious recitations I'd suggest finishing off with a light-hearted song rather than a serious one. Whether audience participation will work depends on the audience, really, though there are bound to be some figures in the audience who'd love to be on stage as well. The issue I see with this is that you won't know what they do until they do it. Whatever you choose to do, have fun with it, and I'm sure it'll all work out. Good luck!

Thank you ~ I totally understand. I have tried most and this is the silliest.
They are hopefully amusing recitions ~ "The doggies have a meeting" (can be googled!) giving the explaination of why dogs sniff each others butts. And another entitled "scotch on the rocks" explaining why I don't drink Which I hope to do in total 'over the top costume' and a full glass ~ well at least at the start!
I'm now thinking ~ little stand up, why dogs sniff each others butts, song and then change to finish with the drinking poem?

What more can we do for our kids than be totally humilated in public

 

[Kail]

I bet that the Olympics used only amateur athletes. The next day I found out that all the super stars of the NBA would be participating that year. What a joke.

 

[An Officer]

So what are the stakes of the bet? And you are very brave!

 

[K'Ehleyr]

I bet that the Olympics used only amateur athletes. The next day I found out that all the super stars of the NBA would be participating that year. What a joke.

Isn't that like totally against the rules?

 

[Kail]

I bet that the Olympics used only amateur athletes. The next day I found out that all the super stars of the NBA would be participating that year. What a joke.

Isn't that like totally against the rules?

That's what I thought! I figured it was a sure thing! I felt, and still do, that it went against the whole point of the games, but there they were! They won every game, stomped the competition. I take that back, they had no competition. I was disgusted. What did it prove? Don't know why it happened that year, but I don't believe they ever allowed it again. I felt bad for all the young amateur that missed out on going that year so "super stars" could play instead.

 

[K'Ehleyr]

So what are the stakes of the bet? And you are very brave!

The size of my cojones ~ what is the female version of that?!
Finally after 17 years I have realised it's a case of 'watch and learn' and kids do!
I figure if I put myself out there then he will do ~ if I crash and burn which will not happen then at least I tried!
Optimistic I know but at least I'm willing to give it a go.
Which everyone should, she says from the safety of her keyboard. When it comes to the stage it may well be a totally different matter
I've even booked singing lessons!

 

[K'Ehleyr]

I bet that the Olympics used only amateur athletes. The next day I found out that all the super stars of the NBA would be participating that year. What a joke.

Isn't that like totally against the rules?

That's what I thought! I figured it was a sure thing! I felt, and still do, that it went against the whole point of the games, but there they were! They won every game, stomped the competition. I take that back, they had no competition. I was disgusted. What did it prove? Don't know why it happened that year, but I don't believe they ever allowed it again. I felt bad for all the young amateur that missed out on going that year so "super stars" could play instead.

I'm sure you're correct. The Olympics are for amateur athletes. Did anything come of it?

 

[Kail]

Isn't that like totally against the rules?

That's what I thought! I figured it was a sure thing! I felt, and still do, that it went against the whole point of the games, but there they were! They won every game, stomped the competition. I take that back, they had no competition. I was disgusted. What did it prove? Don't know why it happened that year, but I don't believe they ever allowed it again. I felt bad for all the young amateur that missed out on going that year so "super stars" could play instead.

I'm sure you're correct. The Olympics are for amateur athletes. Did anything come of it?

I'm not sure what you mean by "did anything come of it?"

 

[Kail]

From Wiki:
1992 Olympics (Barcelona) – The Dream Team

Main article: Basketball at the 1992 Summer Olympics
In 1989, FIBA, international basketball's governing body, allowed professional NBA players to participate in the Olympics for the first time. Prior to the 1992 Summer Olympics, only European and South American professionals were allowed to play in the Olympics.
The team assembled by USA Basketball for the tournament in Barcelona in 1992 was one of the most illustrious collections of talent assembled in the history of international sport. Of the twelve players on the team, ten were named in 1996 among the 50 Greatest Players in NBA History, the NBA's official list of the 50 greatest players of the league's first 50 years. Because of this star line-up, the team's games usually featured opposing teams asking for pregame photos and autographs with their U.S. opponents—their idols. The USA team was so much better than the competition that head coach Chuck Daly did not call a single timeout during the tournament.

 

[Marc]

From Wiki:
1992 Olympics (Barcelona) – The Dream Team

Main article: Basketball at the 1992 Summer Olympics
In 1989, FIBA, international basketball's governing body, allowed professional NBA players to participate in the Olympics for the first time. Prior to the 1992 Summer Olympics, only European and South American professionals were allowed to play in the Olympics.
The team assembled by USA Basketball for the tournament in Barcelona in 1992 was one of the most illustrious collections of talent assembled in the history of international sport. Of the twelve players on the team, ten were named in 1996 among the 50 Greatest Players in NBA History, the NBA's official list of the 50 greatest players of the league's first 50 years. Because of this star line-up, the team's games usually featured opposing teams asking for pregame photos and autographs with their U.S. opponents—their idols. The USA team was so much better than the competition that head coach Chuck Daly did not call a single timeout during the tournament.

Didn't the advent of professionals in the Olympics have to do with the U.S loosing in basketball (iirc) to the Russians in 1988 giving rise the "Dreamteam" when the rules were changed?

 

[Kail]

I don't know why they changed the rules, I just know it sucked. As I stated above, these millionaire super stars took the opportunity of a lifetime away from young amateur athletes.