"HAHA" was all that there was...

Tonight was the second and final night of CreCommedy. 21 of the greatest and funniest CreComm minds came together to perform five minutes of stand up to an audience of 100+ people at the King's Head Pub.

All I can say is: WOW. I can't believe how proud I am of everyone! It already takes a lot to stand up and speak in front of people, but to try and make a group of people, who are expecting you to be funny, laugh...well, that's a whole different story!

During the day, my heart was constantly beating as if I was walking up flights of stairs all day, and my right eye was twitching something fierce. I felt uneasy. Sick. And it was because of the anticipation of being unfunny.

In ad class, we had to make a quick presentation on why a specific ad was bad/ineffective. During my presentation, I was calm, collected and concentrated on trying to convince my peers of my opinion. But, as soon as I was finished and my mind got to thinking about stand up again, I started hyperventilating. What a terrible day! And I can confidently say that other comics that went up tonight were just as wrecked as I was.

Fast forward to 8PM.

Everyone got up there and killed it. Jokes were told, and laughs were had. All the insecurities and feelings of uneasiness were left at the bottom of our empty beer glasses. All six of them...

Anyways, I just wanted to give kudos to everyone who went up!

Alexa Lacroix
Michael Fleischman
Tiffany Lachuta
Chase Gouthro
Aggie Semeniuk
Jerrad St. Germain
Jennifer Hanson
James Hawboldt
Jessica Cable
Kevin Hirschfield
Jeremie Wookey

Jeremy Giacomin
Steve Dreger
Jeff Ward
Caitlin MacGregor
Adam Smitzniuk
Berea Henderson
Maeghan Heinrichs
Sean Angus
Jeremy Williams

Also, a big thanks to Dan Verville and Cara Lytwyn who headlined both nights, and everyone who came out and helped with set up, or just came to laugh.

Thanks!

Check out Kenton's YouTube Channel for videos from both nights!

Here are some personal favorites (though everyone was fantastic!). The three Jeremy's!

Jeremy Williams

Jeremy Giacomin

Jeremie Wookey

(PS. Here's mine if you're interested...CLICK)

Me Good Words. What?

Sometimes I have to write things. Even now, I am writing things. I mean, can't you tell? You're reading my blog things right now, you dummy!

Sometimes I'm bad with words. Sometimes, I use the same words too much and my things seem really amateur. This is when I consult the online Thesaurus.

It makes you feel a little bit sad to find this funny, eh?

Please, let me restate what I meant to say before, but a little more eloquently.

Ahem.

Occasionally, I have to compose written materials. Even now, I am formulating information. I purport, can't you recognize this? You are deciphering my web log at this moment, you ignoramus!

I am intermittently ghastly with letter combinations. Recurrently, I employ like words most copiously, thus my properties appear to transform me into an abecedarian. This is when I beseech the sacred digital tome of alternative written fricative and vowel amalgamations.

(I almost died writing that)

Of course, I'd never ever write like that. Word barf to the X-treme! But I do use the online thesaurus every so often, as should you! If you are every luck enough to visit the website and see this, you have been blessed by the touch of advertising in new media.

80% off AND fun little illustrations? Yes, please.

Pretty fancy business eh? Like I've said time and time again, ads are sneaking into every nook and cranny. Don't even try to wash between your armpits, it's useless!

So this is obviously an ad. Blatant promotion for CS5 that takes up an entire page. But, is it distracting? Does it block and obscure what you came to the website for? Nope. It's just kind of in the background doing its own little thing. Admire it if you want, or don't.

Compared to YouTube ads that get "all up in your grill" and won't let you watch your baby drummer video unless you invest 15 or 30 seconds of time to ignore an ad first, this is fantastic. It's taking advantage of the new ad spaces that people are selling without annoying the people you're trying to get to like you.

There's also a strategic element to this too. Students and teachers alike use a thesaurus to sound smarter. And what's this selling? Student and teacher editions of CS5! Smart. Very smart.

Anyways, I'm going to stop writing things (D'oh) because I know all you're thinking about is that baby drummer video I talked about. Here it is:

Enjoy...you ignoramus!

Story Time!

I want to tell you all about something that happened to me in the recent past.

Once upon a time the folks at KFC created a monster. They called it the Double Down. It roamed around the United States, crushing hearts and clogging arteries. One day, it found its way to Canada.

When six friends heard about this, they knew it was up to them to conquer the sandwich. Even if it meant their faces would break out in greasy chicken-bacon-cheese pimples.

The DD Family.

We squeeze six into a car for five. But will we be able to fit after the DD?

We've reach our destination. Nerves set in. Stomachs prematurely ache.

A portrait of the beast. It's bigger than we are.

Brave Neil makes the first move. Will it be his last?

We fill up on sugary drinks to wash down the salty sadness that is the DD.

INTERMISSION.

The Beast!

We say our last prayers and give a final cheers. The battle begins.

Ah! A casualty on first bite!

Hesitant on the offensive.

Attack, attack, attack!

Slowly but surely, the battle goes in our favour.

We attack from both sides!

Victory! The aftermath of the battlefield.

Proud or ashamed?

Ashamed. And sick.

But closer as a family.

But did we really win?

After returning to school, the cold sweats started to kick in and the grease started to seep from every pore on my body. My mind was hazy, my heart weakened, my self-respect gone. As soon as I got home, I involuntarily passed out. I awoke two hours later feeling defeated, embarrassed, violated and spiritually corrupt. We may have won the battle, but we lost the war.

I don't know if it was self- fulfilling prophecy or what, but I genuinely felt gross after eating the Double Down, but during, it was kind of tasty. A little (a lot) salty, but tasty. I recommend you have your own little adventure and tell me about it after!

Before October 18th, the DD was a myth to Canadians. We joked and we laughed. But, KFC saw this as an opportunity to make some FAT cash. They brought the myth into existence. When something people thought was fictional becomes available to purchase, people buy it.

So, KFC hyped it, people talked about it and anticipated it. It came and people had to get it. Eight bucks? No problem. Money is not a factor in this decision. KFC also only made it available for a limited time so that if money was ever a factor, it wouldn't be anymore. Call to action: Take one down before it's gone.

All in all, I'm glad we did this. It was fun, scary and probably one of the most important moments in my life (Kidding. Half kidding). Even though we practically paid a KFC employee's salary that day (DD Meal = $10 x 7), and had to deal with the DD disaster afterwards, it was generally a valuable experience.

I wonder how long till the Triple Down will be down in my belly...

I need your help!

In Creative Communications, we have something called the Independent Professional Project (IPP). This is our equivalent of a thesis for our program. In the past, students have written novellas, put together a college dance team, or even raised thousands of dollars for great causes.

My IPP will be a website that highlights the most interesting people in Winnipeg through a series of mini-documentaries. I believe Winnipeg is one of the most culturally diverse places in Canada and within this community there are so many talented individuals who are doing great things. We need to show the rest of Canada, and the world, what we offer in humanitarianism, innovation and art.

Right now, I'm currently on the hunt for subjects to film. I've already got some in mind, but if you know of anyone please let me know. I'm looking for business owners, people with odd hobbies, old people with a special story, young people with a special story, someone who goes out of their way to help people, artists, musicians, inventors, entrepreneurs, lion tamers. Basically if you think Winnipeggers should be proud of them, tell me.

Any suggestions would be appreciated and you can send me an e-mail at heymikechoi@gmail.com. Just tell me their name and what they do, and I'll look into it!

Thanks and stay tuned!

I told you so

I saw Jackass 3D tonight. I laughed, I cried, I peed a little and THEY pooped a lot.

Considering I went to the 10:30 pm show on a Sunday night, the turn out was crazy. I'm pretty sure every seat in the theatre was taken up. I went with about 10 of my good friends, all hoping for the best and boy we were not disappointed.

The ideal audience for movies like these are the ones who will laugh without restraint among his or her fellow man or woman. Luckily it was a great bunch and everyone was able to have a hearty laugh together.

Now yes, it is humour in its most primitive form, and if you ride your horse too high, you won't be able to enjoy it. But, if you like to step down once and a while and get your boots muddy, then please go watch it.

Jackass 3D. Cheap laughs and quick thrills. I recommend it.

(Disclaimer: There's not THAT many male genitalia and poop scenes, but the ones they have are funny/glorious/gross. I think the positives outweigh the negative)

On the other side of the fence...

The Man. The Legend.

Did everyone check out the season finale of Mad Men tonight?

It's always a pleasure to watch Don Draper get into his work and women, and this set up many things for next season. I'll try to talk about this without giving away any spoilers since a lot of people I know have PVR'd it or plan to stream it within the next few days.

1) His personal life seems good, but the move he just made is definitely going to interfere with his work life. I foresee many complications with Peggy.

2) Henry Francis is kind of cool. I hated him and Betty, but after what he said in this episode, I now have a bit of respect for him.

3) Sterling Cooper Draper Pryce seems like it's going to pick up again!

4) There was no strong cliffhanger at the end of it, which doesn't give me the antsy unsatisfied feeling you should get as you wait for the next season.

5) I hate Betty.

What did you think of the finale?

Big Brother is watching YOU

You are safe from no one.

(Compliments of PostSecret)

You know how you've been trying to get people to stop tagging you in pictures? Especially the ones of you passed out in an oversized birdcage with the remnants of a bacon cheeseburger on your face which you don't remember eating, but must have or else how did it get there...? (Oh God, I'm a vegetarian! How did it get there?!)

More and more people are setting their Facebook accounts to 'private' so that only people they accept as friends can see their pictures from the weekend. On one of the first days of Creative Communications, they told us from the get-go to not post anything on the internet that we wouldn't want any future employers to see.

This makes "creeping" people on Facebook so much harder. ("Creeping" is a term used to describe going on Facebook and looking up a cute girl you met at a party and spending hours going through her pictures)

Now my Facebook profile is set on private, under a crafty internet moniker. (Try to find me now. Ha!)

But after reading that secret on Sunday, it illuminated the fact that others in your life may be using Facebook to creep YOU! The dentist asks you why you have a chipped tooth. You say because of hockey. He looks at you strangely because he doesn't believe you, because you look like you haven't played a single sport in your life. He goes home after work and searches you on Facebook. He finds your profile and goes through your pictures. He finds out that you actually lost your tooth by trying to make a save in hockey by catching it in between your teeth. He goes to the store to buy an apology card because he assumed falsely. You do, in fact, play hockey.

But the biggest point here is, should pictures of you having fun on the weekend, on your own time, really be a judge of character? Of course, if you're doing something completely inappropriate or unlawful, then yes. But should one's overindulgence from time to time be a determining factor of their worth ethic and capabilities? How important is professionalism in your private life?

Jackbutt

Oh, how the 14-year-old in me squirms with nervous anticipation.

I only ask of you to not judge me.

Jackass 3D opens in theatres Oct. 15. Now why would anyone be excited about this? Well because we all used to be immature mid-pubescent boys (I still can't grow facial hair) who thrived off others adrenaline. The big debate over this series was whether it was truly, truly funny or not. Half of you will not admit it, and the other quarter of you will evade answering the question altogether, but I'm sure everyone has laughed at one thing that derived from the show. It's mindless destructive entertainment, but hey, sometimes a little brain dead leisure is good for the soul.

This time around, it's in 3D. This time around, it's in your FACE. Things will pop, punch and POW. It will be a spectacle from our pasts in the form our of future manifested in this present. This is ridiculous and I need to stop...

(segue)

Hey! Look at this!

I wouldn't be surprised if one of the boys actually did that

This outdoor concept is not new or riveting in any way, but it works so well with what the movie is about and definitely amplifies whatever thoughts we had about the movie. I mean, if the ads are this "extreme" I can only image the actual film's "extremeness" will have a direct relation to it. We can only wait and see.

Speaking of not-so-classy comedy...

One of my classes in Creative Communications is comedy writing. Yes, I write jokes for one of my classes. On Oct. 18th and 25th (both Mondays) we will be showcasing aforementioned jokes at the King's Head Pub. Tickets are just a measly five bucks and you'll be supporting our advertising major trip at the same time! We have a lot, and I mean a LOT of funny comics who will be going up, so I advise you to come check 'em out while they're small because they're all going to make it big! Here's the Facebook page for the event. Come one, come all!

I will go up on the 25th. Please support me. I need as many laughs as I can get...