What is the weirdest thing that happened while you were on stage?

Vicky Kuperman: In the middle of my set, an audience member crossed the stage in front of me because it was the quickest way to get to the bathroom.

Josh Goguen: I once had a guy in a motorized wheelchair try to start a fight with me while I was performing.

I was doing a show in a Michigan bar. The place stunk for comedy. The mic wasn't working right, I couldn't talk too loud or I'd get horrible feedback, so I think I over compensated by being too quiet and thus lost most of the audience.

Then this drunk guy in a motorized wheelchair started yelling out. He was being loud and being an ass for a while. Then he yelled out something about me not being funny. I'd had enough of him so I went back at him, "Yeah, I might not be that funny, but at least I'm WALKING out of here tonight."

Well, he wheeled up to the "stage" and was trying to get me to hit him. I tried to keep it light while telling him it'd be best if he rolled away and after a few moments he went into the bathroom.

I think the strangest part of the whole thing was for some reason, a near brawl with the handicapped won the audience over and the rest of the show went great. Even Ironside was sold, and when he came out of the bathroom, he stopped by me and shook my hand before going back to drink.

Amy Carlson: Some guy laughed once. That was pretty weird.





Phil O'Reily: That's easy. At the Villager Ma, I started a riot. About 6-8 audience members there. One couple, he was tall and skinny-looked like he just got out of jail or the Army. She was big with a tattoo on her tetas. They were in a hurry to get drunk. Kept jumping up at the wrong times and yelling and scrapping those chairs on that wrought iron floor. My turn - go for the gold first. Said I loved beating the shit out of women (who doesn't?). That got mis teta's attention. I don't know why but she complained about what I'd just said. So I said OK - everyone loves good old rape, how's that. Becky Celletti was there and said "Freedom of speech, bitch". It was on. Miss tetas and Becky and then Rob Cividenis and her Hubby. The lighting was in my face, but at times I had a very good view.

Ed Tyll closed the show and to this day I still get asked to not cause a riot on stage, please. I was good until I threw that coffee cup at Brenden Fitsgibbons while he was going up at Maui. All those French kids there were causing a tension convention. A shoving match ensued with Hector, etc. My philosophy in regards to riots is the same as Barry Manilow. He sang to people about getting laid but he never got laid. I encourage others to riot but don't get any blood on me.

Abbi Crutchfield: I was performing six inches off the ground, on an uneven makeshift stage of hammered 2x4s, and a woman in the front row kept trying to get my attention by pointing and muttering, "Coasters. Coasters." I looked down and saw that the front right corner of the wooden stage was balanced on a stack of flimsy cork coasters. I start to tease her and say, "attention everyone, there is a mountain of coasters, this woman would like you to know." Then the stage gave out and I tumbled forward. She was trying to tell me the support was buckling. Never perform on the Leaning Tower of Coasters.