Vasco da Gama, episode #11 (or, “Boy, does my suit hurt”)

     Here’s what you need to know before you listen to this one: Vasco disappears. That’s apparently all any of us at Vasco da Gama Memories Central have found noteworthy about it. Ian McKay supplied the original idea and some of the material for this episode, which takes us to Vasco’s home (He has a home? Who knew?), a comedy club, and an immigration office before landing us back in the studio. All I can really add to this terse description is an apology to the friends I’ve made among touring comedians since this episode was first broadcast. My description of the meaning and purpose of comedy clubs might be just a bit skewed and unfair.

     My view on something skewed? Unfair? The mind boggles. Actually, I think the word I’m looking for here is something more along the lines of “Marxist”. The representatives of the artisan class who ply their trade on the comedy club circuit don’t get much of a break in the “control of the means of production” department. I don’t want to say that comedy club owners are bourgeois capitalist oppressors, but I also don’t want to say that they rival Robin Hood exactly when it comes to sharing the wealth. I also don’t want to say that comedy club owners fall into two categories, but if I did, I’d characterize them as follows: 1. Failed comedians; 2. Failed comedians. Those who can, do; those who can’t, charge admission and collect the profits.

     Yeah, I know, that puts me just to the left of Trotsky. Hey, he had to be in charge of the Soviet Red Army before the club owners would let him do a set on anything but open mike night.

     Other than that, you’re on your own for this one, comrades. There’s the link below—click and listen:

Vasco da Gama, episode #11

     And no, I don’t remember what the deal was with that running gag about the Swiss, either. Maybe Ian or I was thinking about sealed trains and Lenin in disguise. Probably not, though.



P.S. Ever self-deprecating, Ian has this to add: “I look forward to a MacSnoopeigh-heavy episode. It makes for a good drinking game. One sip every time I swallow a word, two if it is a punchline. A shot for every time I mispronounce a word or stumble on a line.” Actually, the comedy club scene is pretty much a two-hander between Ian and Kel, so there’s a fair bit of MacSnoopeigh in this episode, but I don’t recall any stumbles. This may be because I was busy deliberately stumbling over my jokes as one of the stand-up comics heard in the background. You can all drink to that if you want to.