Great White Buffalo

Great White Buffalo                                        2334

Tuesday, November 22, 2005-12:26 A.M.

Greetings, all, and welcome!  Since everyone and their brother has their Christmas Decorations up, I thought I would join in the festivities early as well.  Here's a nice wreath for the door:   I hope you like it.

This past weekend, I worked at the Funny Farm Comedy Club in Gloversville, NY.  The club started out in the town of Broadalbin, in a renovated barn, and then moved to a country club, and finally to the Fireside Restaurant.

I was working with headliner Mike Irwin, whom I have known for about 12 years or more.  He was filling in for Mike Stankiewicz, a comic from Baltimore who I have known for even longer, about 15 years.  Either way, I was going to be a winner; it's always nice to work with a buddy or someone you're comfortable with.

We had one show on Friday and one show on Saturday, and the Friday show outdrew Saturday, which was unusual.  Until I found out that the local high school team, the Amsterdam Rams, were competing in the state football finals.  Apparently, quite a few people stayed home to watch the game, which was on local television.  Lucky me.

Both shows turned out to be excellent, regardless, and I left for home a happy man.  I had plenty of reasons to have a rough week; I got a late start on Friday, and really had to cook down the New York State Thruway to make it.  Then, I found out that the comic's accomodations, which I had to myself, had no phone, hence no internet service for me.  I have come to be so addicted to the internet, that I feel adrift without it.  I even got so desperate on Saturday that I drove around Amsterdam (the largest city within a 40 minute drive) looking to poach wireless internet service by parking in a hotel parking lot.  Alas, my efforts were fruitless, and I had to depend on basic cable television to while away my time.  Finally, I had a bit of a head cold working when I left the house, and with the cold weather settling in here in Upstate New York, I was hoping that I wouldn't be a candidate for sick bay by the time showtime rolled around.  Luckily, my sinuses cleared up and I stayed un-sneezy for the weekend.

On Sunday, my beautiful wife and I celebrated our 5th wedding anniversary.  Actually, we've been together for 11 years, and that's how I announce it when I mention it.  Come to think of it, I mention it every time I get on stage.  She's the best thing that ever happened to me, along with the beautiful daughter she gave me.  We had a nice quiet dinner together, and my mother-in-law was nice enough to watch Harmony so we could enjoy ourselves.  Our waiter, Chris, was very attentive and quite the flatterer.  At one point, he told me I looked like George Clooney.  Now, I don't know if I agree with that comparison, so let's see if it's a fair one or not.

Here's George Clooney:     And here's me.

I can see how someone could get us confused.  Dark hair, slightly greying at the temples, an air of sophistication, and of course, the rugged good looks that the ladies all die for.  Yeah, that's me, alright.

Except for the horrendous drubbing that the Buffalo Bills (my squad, yo) took at the hands of the San Diego Chargers (48-10), it was an excellent day.

This week, I'm performing in Buffalo, NY, and Pam and Harmony are going to make the short drive up the NYS Thruway and stay with me for Thanksgiving.  We return to Rochester on Sunday to enjoy our Thanksgiving with Mama Davis, who works in the medical field and will be on duty Thursday.  A few days home to recuperate, and then it's off to Kentucky and Tennessee for a week, hopefully to dodge the snow.  We'll see.  In Buffalo, our plans include taking Harmony to the mall to see Santa Claus...she's pushing two years old, so I don't know if she'll dig it or be afraid, but we'll find out, I guess.  In the meantime, I'll enjoy the benefits of both working and having my little family's company.  God is truly good, I tell ya.

Happy Thanksgiving to all!

Ralph Tetta

Rochester, NY