Old Friends

Old Friends                                                                782

Monday, April 18, 2005-6:11 A.M.

Reflecting on the past weekend in Allentown, PA; I had a good time working with D.J. Hazard and Ken Perlstein from Boston and New York City, respectively.  Our one Friday show actually outdrew both Saturday shows put together, and that's a shame because the room was really nice.  The comedy at the Allentown Ramada Inn used to be in the bar/lounge, but has since moved to the restaurant across the hall.  They've got a great stage, and although one of the klieg lights blew out, the other can provided enough light to get the job done admirably.

I made a side trip to York, PA on Saturday to see my good friend Douglas Berryhill.  He's involved with a church group there, and they were having a car wash and barbecue to raise funds for the mission, which helps homeless people, recovering alcoholics and drug addicts, and other people who are "sick and tired of being sick and tired."  It was quite an uplifting experience to see this group of men working together towards a common goal and cutting a big piece of sunshine out of a neighborhood that had grown dark with drug dealers, poverty and squalor.  Their church was over 300 years old, and had been abandoned as the congregation had gotten older over the years, and was down to five parishoners before it closed.  Set Free ministries reclaimed the property, and now continues spreading the Gospel in an area where Good News is sorely needed.  It's quite inspirational, and the group is full of success stories.  You can read about the group at their website at www.setfreeatlanta.org .  I admired their discipline and dedication to the word, and as a believer in Jesus and the work he does here on Earth today, I was proud to meet and speak with the people who are working with my friend Douglas today.  I knew him when he was nothing more than a slave to his addictions, and lamented the waste of his talents as a comic, speaker and motivator.  He was an energetic person with a fatalflaw that as a friend, I could never help him with, and now I'm happy that he's in a support system that will help him stay clean and make the most of his gifts.  Praise God!

Last night I dropped in to The Comix Cafe to see my good friends Ray Salah, Fred Potter and Kenny Robinson.  I first saw Kenny at the Rochester Yuk Yuk's Comedy Club many years ago, and he was a spectacular headliner then, but last night, he put on an excellent show, combining topical humor with the frank sexual humor he is best known for.  It's very difficult to do topical humor because a lot of times, the audience is tired of hearing about the current events that they've been bombarded with in newspaper and TV coverage, and just want to get away from all of that with escapist fare.  Kenny does a great job of keeping people focused and involved with smart observations and a fast-paced delivery.  Watching him work when I was just starting out provided part of the blueprint of what I wanted to do and to be as a comic...unapologetic, strong and black.  I'm still working on the black part.

This week is a little slow business-wise, with an appearance at Milestone's Comedy Block Party on tap (I was scheduled to appear last Thursday as a fill-in, but the show cancelled due to lack of attendance) and then a one-nighter in Uncasville, Connecticut, just outside of New London at the Polish American Club.  I worked a one-nighter for the same booker in Connecticut about two years ago, and had a really good show and I enjoyed it, so I'm going back.  It's quite a luxury to be able to pick and choose where you work and not just grab every engagement that gets offered to you because it's the difference between being employed or unemployed.  I'm working with my best friend Ray Salah on the road for the first time in a long time, so I'm really looking forward to it.

Basically, this week is going to be a good opportunity to do some spring cleaning around the house, and spend some quality time with Pamela and Harmony before I have to go back into comedy mode, and I'm welcoming the change (because I'm sure I won't get much rest).

Take advantage of the great weather this week (unless you're in Colorado, in which case I'm sorry) to do some home maintenance that you've been putting off, and feel the good Chi (life energy) flow through your home and yourself.

Ralph Tetta

Rochester, NY