8am – We rock up and get straight into headlines writing for the next day’s show *For those of you who are interested it airs tonight.
9.30am We hand in our headlines to Ian Simmons (Senior Writer) and sit down together to watch some television footage he’s compiled, to use as the punch-lines for the video jokes segment of the show.
9.50am – 11-ish – We write, write, write. I realise that while the Headlines are fun, I find the video stuff is right up my alley. I LOVE writing in this format – it’s so fun playing around with different possibilities. The three of us sit heads down at our computers, having the odd mental breather with a game of Solitaire, writing like crazy with the odd interruption when somebody chuckles. I recall my Second City comedy writing tutor telling us to first and foremost, write to amuse yourselves!
11.05ish – Ian calls us in to look at some celeb pictures to choose from to comedically ‘caption’. Ian really seems to respect the writers’ opinion and treats the process democratically. We each give our two cents’ worth, come up with a selection and then go forth to write captions.
1.10pm – Lunch! I sit down in the main area and can’t help overhearing the guy at the table next to me introduce his dining partner to another guy: “This is Pip Karmel,” he says. My ears prick up: Pip Karmel, the Editor of Shine! I was such a massive fan of this film and in my film geeky days (which in all honesty, have never really ended) I did a whole assignment on it, not the least aspect of which was how cool the editing was. I look over and feel a little star-struck. Will that never end?
I am soon joined by Pam (Glasshouse producer) and Deb (Production Manager) who are both not only very chatty and lovely, but are both coming to Woodford, where I’ll be performing this year!
1.44pm – Back to the writing! I’m already recognising my own natural writing rhythms: I write TONS in the morning, the ideas really flow, but by mid-afternoon my mind starts to fizzle. In some ways it feels like trying to wring out a wet rag – at first there’s tons, even too much stuff coming out, but by the end you’re applying every bit of pressure you can and nothing’s coming out except for the odd drop.
4.18pm – I print out my stuff, save my disk and hand it all to Ian. We sit down and have a bit of a chat, with him pointing out some of the headlines he enjoyed (he even tells me that one of them will be on the GlassHouse website in the next couple of days! That it means something cool to me exposes me for the lamo I really am) and then we chat about comedy and writing in general.
4.42pm – I head home, ready to freshen up before my first Sydney gig.
7.03pm – I start walking to the gig.
7.32pm – Still walking.
7.42pm – I realise I’m lost.
7.43pm – I ask for directions at a 7-11 and they give them to me. Unfortunately, they’re bad ones.
7.55pm – I’m still lost and starting to panic as the gig starts at 8!
7.57pm – I ask a spritely young blonde chick for directions: finally, someone helpful! Turns out she’s not only walking in the general direction but used to live in the exact street I’m looking for. We chat, she guides, we part.
8.06pm – I arrive for my spot at Comedy on the Edge in Darlinghurst. Phew!
8.08pm – After climbing the three flights of stairs to get into the room, I realise that not only does the gig not start til 8.30, but I am covered in sweat.
8.34pm – The gig begins…Dave Bloustien (also Writer on The Glass House) is MC, followed by various up-and-coming comics (most of whom, I think have been doing it for only a year or less) and finally, moi. It’s a really fun, low-pressure night: a nice way to kick off. I already notice a stylistic difference in the Sydney scene – it seems like it’s very much punchline-punchline-punchline focused, rather than stories and so on.
10.36pm – A couple of the comedians and myself head home together (no, not in that way, you evil fiends) and stop for a bite to eat along the way. So now I’m officially an ambassador for warm fuzzy Brissie/Sydney relations. Dig it.
11.48pm – I crash. Finally. In a big way.