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STAGE TUBE: THE RESIDUALS Thank KickStarter Supports with Personalized Eddie Cantor Jokes

By: Sep. 18, 2014
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If you are a regular reader of BroadwayWorld, you should know that the fantastic comedy webseries THE RESIDUALS is currently in pre-production for their second season exclusively here on BroadwayWorld. As part of their preparations, they are in the middle of a KickStarter campaign, and creators Michael Paul Smith and Gillian Pensavalle are thanking their supporters in a pretty unusual way. They are making videos for KickStarter contributors that include classic jokes from a 70-year-old joke book edited by Eddie Cantor. Now where else are you going to get that kind of "Thank You?" And let's be honest, Gillian's reactions are just as funny as the jokes themselves. Check out a compilation of these videos below.

The second season of THE RESIDUALS will feature guest-stars Horatio Sanz (SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE), Jenna Leigh Green (SABRINA, THE TEENAGE WITCH, WICKED), and Michael Torpey (every commercial you've ever seen). To help make this season the best it can be, head over to their KickStarter page and contribute what you can.

To check out even more THE RESIDUALS videos, blogs, and articles, including a message from Jenna Leigh Green and the first three Season 2 trailers, check out their BWW page.

Though using old jokes as thank yous might seem unusual, it actually is kind of sweet. Below, read Smith's explanation of why they chose to show their gratitude this way. Take it away Mike...


"It was a hot June afternoon in 2014. Gillian and I were on the closest thing we've had to a vacation in a long time (before or since), which amounted to a long, eventful day in slower-paced, grassy-smelling upstate New York with her mom and some family friends. We usually stock up on things like candles, maybe a record from their flea market, or fun New Agey stuff (we were in and around Woodstock, after all). This year, we hadn't treated ourselves to anything. Then we found ourselves in an antique store, and my inner history nerd kicked in.

I always feel like I'm in a museum when I'm in a store like that. I think about what was happening in the world at the time that each item was in use, and I look for hints in the items themselves. It wasn't until we were on our way out that I came across a book of jokes from 1943, edited by none other than the legendary Eddie Cantor (most recently portrayed in "Boardwalk Empire"). The price: 3 dollars. But, short-sighted as I was, I couldn't imagine a situation in which the book would really get its day in the sun. What, would I bring it to a party and offer it up in place of "Cards Against Humanity"? Not likely. But Gillian assured me that if I didn't get it, I'd wish I had. So I did.

I regaled everyone in the car with a few randomly chosen jokes, brought it home, and put it on a crowded shelf. I liked how I could hear Eddie Cantor's unique style in most of the jokes. I also liked how they were written in a format that to my eye looks unconventional. If you buy a book of jokes today, they almost always come in question and answer form, or story form. Most of the jokes in this book were written as dialogue, even as ultra-short vignettes. They're very G-rated, and often outdated, but still--they have a way of being surprising just the same. As of this writing, I've read almost every joke in the book, and I've heard almost none of them before. Reading them reminds me of why I like watching those Dean Martin roasts, and why I have a very special affinity for Norm MacDonald's boldly old-school set in the "Comedy Central Roast of Bob Saget." They refer without saying, and they have a riddle quality more than a shock value. They were meant to come at you fast. If you get it, great. If not, there's another one on its way. The fact that some of the references are outdated makes them charming to me. I like the idea of laughing at humor that's timeless, but I also like laughing because something is so time-specific. Even the not perfectly constructed jokes probably get a chuckle out of me if they have an awesome old lady name like "Ethel" or "Mabel" in it.

Which brings me to August. Gillian, me, and our producer/friend Carrie Rachel-Dean were trying to put the finishing touches on our Kickstarter rewards. We had our high-end stuff all locked in (visit the set, appear in the show, etc), but we needed something more accessible, yet fun and personal. I volunteered to make thank you videos, but quickly became consumed with finding a personalized, unique way to thank people without rambling some cookie-cutter small talk or rhetorical greeting-card speak. Then I thought of the book on the crowded shelf.

Once we tried one for our first recording, Gillian and I realized that not only are these jokes still legitimately funny, with their added retro charm, but it's also about selling the lameness. If we relate it to our karaoke roots (which also get their due in the form of a different reward in our Kickstarter), we'll remember that the best karaoke performances don't have to be the best songs, or even the best singers. It's all about selling it and having fun with it. This is what we resolved to do. As an added twist, we thought it best that Gillian not see them beforehand. It's just fun (at least for me) trying to watch her hold it together. And after 5 videos and counting, and feedback such as "This is the best thing ever" and "I just woke up, watched this, and cried laughing", it seems to be working!

PS--I just thought about whoever sold their used book to that antique store for some amount less than 3 dollars; however long ago. He/she has no idea the kind of love it's getting. So thanks to whoever that person is, too.
Do you have questions about the show, the production, the Kickstarter, us...? Message me through our Kickstarter and I'll be happy to answer as many of them as I can in a future blog.

Oh! And here's our Kickstarter...

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/theresiduals/the-residuals-season-two"


Michael Paul Smith is the writer/director of the webseries THE RESIDUALS and also plays the role of Pete Hamilton. His wife; Gillian Pensavalle, produces, edits, and co-stars as Valerie Winters. The episodes, and more information, can be seen on www.theresiduals.tv. Follow the show on Twitter @TheResiduals, and like it on Facebook.







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