 | |||||||||||||||
|
.gif)
 |
 |
 |
Chuckling with some stand-up techies
Holly Love
TSR Web consultant Avish Parashar is really good with instructions. Tell him, "Design a Web site using HTML, ASP, Cold Fusion and Visual Basic," and boom, it's done.
Or say, "Sing a song about horseradish that will make my eyes water." And water they will, not because of the horseradish, but because you'll be laughing so hard. IT-specialist-by-day Parashar is a gifted improvisational comedian by night.
"I started Polywumpus four years ago," the University of Pennsylvania grad and Chestnut Hill resident said, "and we perform for the love of it." Polywumpus is the fittingly offbeat name of his 11-member comedy troupe that can be found Saturdays at The Brick Playhouse at 623 South St. in Philadelphia and on Sundays at The Point at 880 W. Lancaster Ave. in Bryn Mawr. Doing what, exactly?
"Like on ABC's Who's Line Is It Anyway?, we do skits without scripts," said Parashar, 27. "Audience members call out subjects. On the spot we then concoct and enact suggested scenes in various formats." That's done with quick wit, wacky visuals and multi-genre keyboard-accompanied song.
This interactivity plus spontaneity equals hilarity, thanks to seamless teamwork and skit topics such as "really unsuccessful toothpaste flavors," "a Shakespearean play about head lice," and "if Jesus had owned a PC."
William Thomas Cain Improbable improv. Avish Parashar develops Web sites by day, but on the weekends, he wears his comedic hat at Polywumpus. |
"Programming, similarly, is easiest when you let yourself go, allowing yourself to attack its challenges and problems from different angles." Parashar continued with a very Zen concept. "If you try too hard to be funny, you often won't be, and if you look too closely at a program, you often won't find the bug." Ditto for business world trials, he said, which will affect his plans to move to a currently undefined dot-com startup.
Another of his plans also links IT and humor. He wants to launch an Internet center (perhaps descending from http://www.polywumpus.com/, his group's Web site) for Philadelphia comedy. "Philly comedy is a little stagnant now, and this would promote awareness and sharing of information among local comedians and audiences," Parashar said. "It could involve message boards to post information on performances, ticket sales, reviews and feedback about all types of comedy -- sketch, stand-up, improv. It might even be an avenue for comedy groups to find Web hosting."
If that doesn't keep him busy enough, the comedian may write a book about improvisational comedy. "The ones currently on the market contain mostly drills, skills and rehearsal methods," he said. "Mine would be more about the psychological phenomena at work during improv, the underlying mentality."
Communicating with humor
Joshua Sankey, 25, does public relations work for Akcelerant, a three-year-old accelerator in Malvern. Dealing with communications (his major along with political science at Allegheny College) comes naturally. But after 5 p.m., he communicates with humor as a stand-up comedian, often using his job as fodder.
"I do some human resources tasks for my computer company," Josh told an audience, "and lately I've seen resumes with people's height and weight. I have no idea why they include this information. Do they think I compare their measurements to my 'Web Developer Height and Weight' chart? 'Look, Ted. This guy knows Java and COM objects, and all his references check out, but at 5'9" and 165 pounds, he just doesn't have the build to do the job.' 'You're right, Josh, Web developers with that physique can't make it in the big city. Maybe he writes great Javascript, but it's a shame. He's just the wrong size for the position.'"
As a kid, the New Castle, Pa., native begged his parents to let him watch Saturday Night Live and entertained his elementary school class whenever the teacher left the room. Now he lightens moods with quips during public relations meetings. "Humor humanizes the situation," Sankey said. "It can never hurt to laugh."
Josh has done stand-up at Doc Watson's, Comedy Cabaret, the Media Inn, and the former Chuckles Comedy Club in Media. "It's the greatest and most natural high to get a good vibe from the audience."
He also performs in New York. "There's less pressure in Philly, though," Sankey said. "It's easier to focus on the material."
His material is made of everyday observations. "I was in the emergency room the other day," he offered at Doc Watson's. "I saw sterile needles, medical gloves -- and a Dustbuster. Now I'm no doctor, but what exactly is the medical purpose of a Dustbuster? I watch ER every Thursday and I don't think I've ever heard Dr. Green yell during surgery, 'Let's go. Give me 200 cc's of hydrocortisone and ... clean up some of this mud I tracked in with the Dustbuster. Or, 'Come on, people, we're losing her. We need more suction. Lisa, run to 4D and get the Shopvac, stat.'"
But while a joker at night, Sankey takes his job seriously, helping Akcelerant launch companies from idea on up. "I'm responsible for running the business end of technology," he said. "The best and hardest part of that is dealing with people and never having complete control. Being on stage is actually less stressful -- I'm in control and script the whole event."
Sankey wants to launch himself from stand-up into other entertainment -- perhaps writing and performing in sitcoms and movies. Until then, he will host more parties like his First Annual Rooftop Comedy Classic at his Art Museum area digs. He and five other comedians put on acts at the party last Fourth of July.
If you were there, you might have heard from Sankey why he got started in stand-up comedy in the first place. "When I was younger, I would always tell my friends that I wanted to be a stand-up comedian when I grew up. All my friends would ever do was just sit there and laugh at me. So, I figured I must be a natural."
Holly Love is a writer in Havertown who last survived a brush with a Webcaster in Philly.