Adult Comedy Twisting

Would you ever perform "Adult" "R" rated balloon twisting comedy in an Adults only Stand Up Comedy Club? Please post a follow up message stating why you chose your reasons.

O.K., so everyone can flame me now, I am the one that voted yes.

My first thought is "Do what you are comfortable with". If you do not want to do this type of show, then do not do it. I find I do not have to do the "X-Rated" stuff, even in adult situations, but I have been hired before specificly for doing this type of work. Again, it is only if the people who have hired me request that I do them.

As for the "family entertainer" thing goes, many other types of actors, stand-up comics, etc. have several types of shows depending on their audience. Tim Allen is considered a "family entertainer", but has often done some extremely off-colour jokes in his nightclub routine. Again, it depends on the venue what is apropriate. I made the Cheech and Chong parody last year at T&S because it was an industry gathering, however I would NEVER do such a piece for a childs birthday party.

O.K., now feel free to flame away

 

Kenton Kruger

I personally wouldn't do it, but if it works for you, do it. If you're able to talk "R" rated in front of strangers..more power to you.

Hi Pat,

You're more than welcome.  In fact you made my day!  For someone in that crowd to ask me how I made one of my balloons!

As the rank newbie at the convention it was wonderful to feel that I had something to contribute.

 

So far I see good points in every answer here. While I did vote yes I did so only because the question stipulated "adults only bar". One of the very few venues I feel appropriate for this type of twisting. While I would attempt a figure of this sort, I, too, would not feel comfortable doing it and would try to avoid the situation. There is something about going to a bar for entertainment that adjust the expectations of people. Even those that would loose respect for you in a setting where children may be present may think nothing of it in the local watering hole.
 If someone feels comfortable doing this in a family setting, then by all means do so. but don't be surprised if your asked to leave. I know of a twister that lost several restaurants because he got a lot of complaints that he was telling blonde jokes. I'll bet that some of those same people that complained wouldn't have done so in a bar.
 As far as Tim Allen, most people I know never knew that he did off color stand-up comedy. He is mostly associated with "Home Improvement" where he occassionally pushed the boundaries of "acceptable" humor but never crossed the line. One of my favorite comedians has always been Eddie Murphy, who used a LOT of language that was more than off color but who always had a great story line. His comedy would have been funny without the language. I AM NOT impressed with so-called comedians who depend on raunchy language to be funny.
 I think Kris' experience is an interesting one to think about. The biggest mistake he made was to mix two very different types of entertainment. He broke continuity which shocked the audience when the change was made. Shock value has great benefit in entertainment but there should be some kind of continuity. I believe this can be applied in a "family setting". When people see us making "family" style balloons and then suddenly a Blue Balloon appears it can offend those who may not be offended in an "adult only setting". I've seen it happen and if everyone will stop to think about it most of you have probably seen it in some form.
 While I have, regretfully, never been able to attend any of the twisting conventions I do try to keep up with follow ups on different sites. Kenton, I have to say, that, speaking as a "child of the 70's" I loved your Cheech and Chong. I've tried to twist them myself but can't seem to capture the character as you did. You captured them VERY well. As you say it was an industry event where limits are raised a little higher. (I'm quite sure  you wouldn't have made them  at a childrens  party. The humor would have been lost on them anyway.) However I don't think we can equate two old hippies to two dogs...well, you get the picture.

Robert

Different venues, different costume, different name, different character.

Good point, I probably wouldn't have thought twice about it if he had been booked under a different name!

i would do it, if i were funny enough. i'd end up looking like a fool holding these kinds of things without knowing what to say.  i would have no problem watching some one else doing it but for me, i just wouldn't know what to do with it.

Hey Mack, have you ever seen a can of worms you didn't want to open?

 

Kenton Kruger

 

Thank you to EVERYONE! for conducting the kind of calm rational discussion I hoped for when I created this poll.

This is exactly the information I was looking for.  I personally do not have a problem with "Blue" humor as long as it is in a very appropriate setting, which is why I stipulated an "Adults ONLY" comedy club.

I was toying with the idea of putting together a routine for open mic night at the "Velveeta Room" on 6th street in Austin.  As the name implies it's an intentionaly "Cheezy" venue and "Blue" humor is pretty much the norm.

It's also populated mostly with drunken college students from UT.

After reading everyone's imput I think that it would be okay as long as I adopted a totally different persona and costume from my regular balloon twisting persona.

I would never want to jeapordize my reputation as a children's performer though, so in the end I'll probably not do it...

 

Twisting for an "adults only" party, probably not for me. Only because my primary audience is kids. There is a clown in the area that crosses the line a little too close at kids parties. I've heard mixed reviews about his performance, but still is a popular entertainer.

P.J.T. - Sorry to hear about the bad experience. Something simular happen to me also and I don't know who the "blue" twister is. I created an old man with a cane. (father time) You can guess what the cane was used for. Being the only balloon twister in the company, I was being singled out. But the company knows that I would not do anything like that. I was a little upset as to what the person did. And the company always gets free balloon samples from my practice sessions at home. Now I'm just a little more careful to the construction of sculptures so it doesn't get re-arrange to be something else.