What are you lookin at?

This weekend I had the chance to host for a comic named Emo Philips. For those that may not know who he is all you have to do is google him and you will find out he is one 0f the best comics of all time.

When I was 13 years old the first two comedy records I ever bought were Kinison and Emo. I know they are a weird combo but that is who I liked at the time and I was influenced heavily by them in the first few years of standup. The Kinison is obvious now but not so much Emo.

This is actually the second time I have worked with him. The first was a few years ago in London Ontario. We were backstage and I was about to go on. While the intro music played another comic asked me about a comic named Donnie Coy. At the time I was not a huge fan of donnie cause ...well there is not enough time to get into it. All I said was

"I don't want to talk about him...fuck Donnie"

Now Emo had worked with donnie many times over the years and he asked me why i said that. With the intro music coming to the part where I have to go out and start the show, all icould say was

"Look Emo..I have don't like comics who are disrepectful of other younger comics and make them feel like shit"

Emo bobbed his head like he understood and waited just for the moment when they said my name and the door would open to the stage and yelled

"Well go gettem fuckface"

Now as I opened the door I fucking howled and it actually took me a few minutes to get composed to do my job. Touche Emo

On the way home we stopped for gas and when we went inside the convenience store to pay for it, Emo went down an isle. I approached the guy to pay and he gives me this weird look. I know he recognizes me but what came next was fucking hilarious. The guy says really loud

"Oh my god you are that comic...the one that comes out gay but then you are not gay"

At this point I can see Emo's head pop over the top of the isle and he says kinda in that sing songy fashion

"Are you Gay Darren..I didn't know you are Gay"

Before i can say anything the guy changes it to

"No wait...you are the angry guy...the fuck you guy"

Emo pops his head back up and says in the same sing songy fashion

"Are you the fuck you guy Darren....I didn't know"

"Emo get in the car"

I pay for the gas. The guy had seen me do a show with another comic named Kerry Talmage and that is where the confusion was.

I walk back to the car and laugh to myself. Between the two of us I am the one recognized. I guess my demographic is gas attendant.

It was strange this weekend...it was fun opening for emo in 2002. This time it just seemed like too much work. I have to be squeeky clean and I am not in the right headspace right now to want to be that way. Also there were people in the crowd who would not shut up. Emo has been doing this for 30 years and still people are too hammered to give respect.

Sad really