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  I was living in New York and in therapy with a woman named Maria who had a motor skill disease that made her sound like those impressionists who imitate Katherine Hepburn. Once she told me I should bring a stool onstage and call myself a "sit-down comic." Paying for that session nearly killed me.
I signed up for a class at the New York Improv and started dating a man named Peter. The therapy with Maria and the Improv classes were taking up a lot of my waitress salary so I told Maria I was quitting. She told me I couldn't leave and now I had to bring the new boyfriend into therapy, to make sure it would, you know, work out.
"Well, he's a director and he doesn't have much money."
"You see? She said, "A guy with no money. That's NOT good."
"And he's never been in therapy."
"Worse still! Who in New York hasn't been in therapy?"
She had me there. But I never went back to her.
The trick to good improvisation is to always say 'Yes' to any situation that arises. So let's say there are three of you on stage and one starts by saying "Here comes my mother." Then the next person can say, "Who is she holding hands with?" And then the next person might say, "It's not my father, that's for sure." and so on and so on. A story develops. You've engaged the audience. The teacher, Marty, pounded this theory into our heads for weeks. Always say 'Yes.'
 One day Marty announced that Andy Kaufman would be joining our group just for the day. To be able to do improvisation with Andy Kaufman on the stage of the Improv in New York? Comedian heaven. Andy was on Taxi in those days and had appeared on Saturday Night Live, The Tonight Show and Letterman. He had also played Carnegie Hall and filmed his own comedy special.
Andy was shy and insane. He had been perfectly cast as Latka. Three of us were chosen to work with him.
One guy started by asking Andy if he knew what time the train was due to arrive.
"No." Andy replied.
"Are you sure you don't know?" I said.
"Why would I know if I just said I didn't know?"
"Look, down the track, I see the subway coming." Someone else volunteered.
"There is no train coming." Andy said.
"Yes, there it is, far, far, FAR away in the distance, see? SEE?"
"No, I see nothing." Andy replied without even looking.
I have no idea how long Marty let that Improv go on but it felt like years. I left the stage hating him and hating Andy. I attended a few more classes and then went on to do standup.
Looking back on my life, I've noticed that whenever I've succeeded in life, it's because I've said 'Yes.' Whenever I've failed in life, it's because I've said 'Yes.' Whether there are triumphs or tragedies that lie ahead, 'Yes' is a word that opens the door to any and all possibilities. 'No' just makes you want to beat the crap out of Andy Kaufman. |
Suzy Soro
