The dread of audience participation

[Simon T]

I went to the Zippo circus last night in Endcliffe Park and although I had a great time and ooohed and aaahhed with the rest of the audience, one moment still makes me squirm;

 

Halfway through the comedy jester character in braces went into the audience looking for volunteers to come and make a fool of themselves in the spotlight as part of his act. I sensed that I wasn't alone in freezing and shrinking down into my seat. Luckily I avoided his eye and some poor other sap got selected (he had to very awkwardly do some air guitar moves and jump around)

 

It did make me wonder, does anybody actually like being picked? Has anybody got any excruciating moments they'd care to share or is it all to painful??

[Ghozer]

I quite enjoy it to be honest, I know lots of people who are the first to jump up and shout "ME" when they are looking for someone!

[Alien52]

My response was "I do not want to take part"

They went away,what else could they have done ?

[ronthenekred]

My response was "I do not want to take part"

They went away,what else could they have done ?

 

Put a hosepipe down yer pants and shoved a custard pie in your face.

[999tigger]

Whilst its understandabale that some people have a neurosis about audience participation, then as Ghozer proves, others will relish the opportunity. Am sure they are experienced performers and would look for people who wnated to partucipate and could recognise when someone was absolutely against it.

[Funky_Gibbon]

I go to a lot of the shows at the comedy festival in October and I try to book early to pick the seats that have a decent view but absolutely no risk of audience participation.

 

There was one show last year that was in the Memorial Hall at City Hall where I ended up sitting in a seat that once the lights went down was illuminated by an emergency exit sign and I must have looked like I was glowing green in that dark room but fortunately it wasn't part of that particular comedian's act. Phew.

[LeMaquis]

I once made the mistake of going to a comedy club and sitting in the front row wearing a loud shirt. So I got called up and you have to go. If you don't the comedians will rip you to pieces for the rest of the night. I've seen it happen to others and it's easier to just go up and avoid being ritually ridiculed for the rest of the night.

[Alien52]

Put a hosepipe down yer pants and shoved a custard pie in your face.

 

So just a standard Saturday night then .

[Ousetunes]

I went to see The Joan Collins Fan Club - that is, Julian Clary with Fanny the Wonder Dog -

in York in 1988.

I was sat at the back but there was an aisle right in front of me so I was sure I would be picked out to go on stage (it was actually in a large tent).

I have never been so nervous in my life! Fortunately, I did not get asked to go on stage.

 

 

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[jane2008]

This has happened to me twice. Once on a drag act where there was a laarge snake involed and I just told th e act to 'go away'. The second was at a strip night, the only one I've ever been to, where the stripper approached me with a bottle of baby oil and he could tell by my face to 'go away'