Unfortunately, I do not consider myself to be a very funny person.
The predominantly logical part of my brain takes things too literally; I happen to laugh more than I attempt to make others laugh.
So, that trait is one of the most important things I look for in those closest to me. I’ll admit that I laugh too easily at the stupidest things, but over time, that’s been more of a benefit than a hindrance: I find myself generally enjoying life a little more when I recognize some humor in bad situations.
Since I’m more of a homebody and prefer to spend my Friday nights at home with my family rather than out at parties I’ve never been invited to, I desperately seek laughter within the confines of my own room. It was only during the boredom of the pandemic and the endless days spent holed up in my house that I discovered Whose Line is it Anyway? Immediately, I became entranced by the hours of endless entertainment and genius humor the main improvisers supplied, and I can now safely say that the show has become a major pick-me-up whenever I need a laugh.
The concept of the show is what initially drew me to it, following the participants through the sketches and games they play without the help of a script. Everything comes off the top of their heads. It still blows my mind, even though this is what they do professionally, that these people can be so hysterical without even really trying—a skill I badly wish I acquired.
Being a long-time fan, I knew when two of the show’s biggest performers, Colin Mochrie and Brad Sherwood, were coming to town for their touring show, Colin and Brad: Asking for Trouble, there was no question as to whether or not I was going to attend.
Similar to any other concert or performance I’ve been to, it didn’t really hit me until they appeared on stage for the first time how excited I was. Though I had been anticipating that night for some time already, I wasn’t entirely sure what to expect, only that I was guaranteed a laugh. When they confirmed that the entire night was going to be improvised on the spot, from everything they were going to say to the games they would play, I knew I was in for a surprise. It still amazes me that they can both rise in front of an audience containing thousands of people without a plan for what they will be doing.
It does have to be taken into consideration that Mochrie has been a regular on Whose Line since 1991, but I still cannot fathom how, even after all that time, he can be so intelligent and comfortable in his sense of humor. Though Mochrie has been in the profession longer, both he and Sherwood are obviously in their element on stage.
Beginning their production with a bang, the entire first half was spent feeling the apprehension of those seated near the stage, as they were subjected to being brought up for a segment while being the hinge on which Mochrie and Sherwood based their jokes.
Their first act remains to be my favorite and is actually a sketch the FHC Improv team frequents in their shows, as well. The audience was asked to give creative prompts, and the performers would adlib a scene where guest volunteers would be the only ones able to control their body.
Though that skit has been seen on Whose Line many times over the past three decades, the material is always relevant and hilarious.
What I really respected about Mochrie and Sherwood was their ease in engaging with everyone—something I’ve witnessed behind a television screen before, but seeing it in person was a different experience. The second half of the show opened with them taking a significant amount of time to ask questions about Grand Rapids itself, admitting that while on tour, they never get to engage in any city they’re in. Though our city definitely doesn’t have an outgoing personality, as seen in the dull facts some people provided about the area, they somehow made it enjoyable. Additionally, they took all the information on our town and based the entire rest of the performance around it, including jingles revolving around the rapids we are named after (the rapids that are no longer in existence), our invention of the wet burrito, and the butterfly exhibit at Frederik Meijer Gardens. As stupid as it sounds, the laughter in the auditorium never died down.
The entire show, as a whole, proved just how good they both are at their job; turning the boring into something funny is a feat not many people can truly pull off. From this very first segment, I realized that no matter how hesitant or stale the people from the audience seemed to be in their improvisation skills, the crooked professionalism Mochrie and Sherwood exuded would get them a laugh under any circumstances.
Even if Asking for Trouble was a bust in terms of audience participation and landing jokes—which, thankfully, it was not—both performers would’ve found a way to provide humor in the situation, and I couldn’t think of a better way to spend my Thursday night.
