Need ideas/help with routine...

[Guest]

Hi folks,
I'm currently working on and improving upon a comedy routine for my family show.

It involves a volunteer (I think a male volunteer works best) and a borrowed cell phone (seems everyone has one today). I thought that borrowing something as important and valuable (to most people) as a cell phone would really be an effective way to "engage" my audience.

I'm not going to include my entire comedy routine (because frankly, I'm paranoid about my stuff), but I will tell you that I have been borrowing a phone (with the audience member bringing it up on stage) and then, under the pretense of "improving the reception", apparently destroying it in something like a "Watch Grinder".

After much comedy by-play I offer a condolence prize (nest of boxes) and reproduce the borrowed and undamaged phone inside of the last box in the nest of boxes.

O.K, this is what I don't like: grinder is too gimmicky for my tastes. Anyone have any good ideas on a better, less gimmicky method to "destroy" a cell phone... along with a good REASON/COVER for the phones accidental (on purpose) "destruction".

(In other words, if it goes into a bag, WHY does it go into a bag? What is the excuse and cover for the destruction? Stuff like that...)

I also think the nest of boxes; consolation prize excuse could be better. Perhaps another type of production?

Any ideas would certainly be appreciated.

Thanks in advance,
Kevin

[Guest]

Thank you Nicholas Carifo,


That is certainly funny and... thank goodness, a good bit different from my routine. :D

Hmmm... still, I am looking for a better way to destroy the phone.

Any ideas??? :)

[Bill Mullins]

Take the battery out and do something with a funkenring?

[Pete McCabe]

I'm with Nicholas, I think the improving reception angle is great.

Maybe show a small piece of circuit board and say how this will improve the person's reception, you just have to install it in the battery compartment. But when you go to open the compartment, half the phone breaks off and lands on the ground. Apologizing profusely, you go to pick it up and step right on it, crushing it. In anger at yourself, you smash the table, with the hand holding the rest of the phone.

Just an idea.

[Curtis Kam]

How's about you offer to demonstrate the latest magical solution to "hands-free" calling... levitation.

You borrow the phone, "punch in" a secret number, and hold the phone out at arm's length. You carefuly release it, and...it falls straight to the ground.

You look at the bits and pieces on the floor and say, "Sorry, it says your phone's not supported in this area."

(For best results switch in a dupe primed to burst into a bunch of pieces)

[Guest]

EXCELLENT suggestions and ideas folks. What a NICE forum! :)