HELL – O Anniversary

October 18, 2011October 19, 2011 / nicholasdaletaylor / Leave a comment

Exactly one year ago I become a blogger so today I say “HELL” – O Anniversary.

yes, there's two of me

Some of you may have been wondering why my blog has remained neglected these past two months. I have been writing in other places. One place is with local Uptown, Chicago graphic design company, Andiamo Creative as their Guest Blogger. Another place is with and at local Wrigleyville/Uptown Cafe, Emerald City Coffee as I developed their website, Flickr, Facebook, basically all of their online content; recently I stepped it up for them and changed from my regular daily posts regarding “specials” to writing SEO content highlighting some of their more delectable options. And I’ve also been writing in HELL.

Twilight Edition for the Game Show of HELL

those are my arms babes

Yes, my company Awesomonster has returned to the seedy earth belly of the Underground Lounge at 952 W Newport for another round of the comedy game show, The Game Show of HELL. Chicago goers might have seen some flyers or posters around sporting our mock of “life,” but still might be asking “what is this?” So, here it goes. The Game Show of HELL is an interactive, sketch comedy show featuring seven creative games revolving around a single deadly sin awarding one winner not only a fabulous prize but also a spot in the Final Challenge. The October “Twilight Special” (as the entertainment night stretches to midnight) will feature pre-show and post-show entertainment from stand-ups Sherman Edwards, Eric Oren character Renee Gilbo, live music from Fatally Cool and Valley Dolls and more! The main more is the following show will be a live maybe first-time-ever Chicago production of the Rocky Horror Picture Show. How much more Halloween do you want? This month our final challenge will be a face-off between our two remaining post spin-off contestants to compete in a ridiculous way for $100 cash. It is silly, fun and worth loads of laughs.

Incidentally, this show is available for private bookings including birthdays, holiday parties, and only the darkest of anniversaries. BAM! There I tied it into my anniversary post.

Nonetheless to forget shameless display of advertising my own show to those of you who read my posts, I need to do one thing that is far more worth it and thank each of you for reading, commenting and remaining the encouragement that you all are. Blogging, while still a weird word that rolls off my tongue has proven to be a highly effective outlet for me as an artist. Getting my thoughts onto this form of digital print has allowed for me to rant, review and reflect on topics and items of noticeable resonance. It’s been my digital confession, my soapbox and my own personal autobiographical newspaper and though it will soon be getting a facelift of sorts, it is here to stay.

So, just as one year ago I published my “Hello World,” and left it as such today I write a thank-you-note plugged with my other writings ending in HELL … O Anniversary (Now, come to my show).

Mass Emails and Given Circumstance

August 18, 2011August 21, 2011 / nicholasdaletaylor / 1 Comment

Friends, I never thought I would be writing an article with Warren Buffett in mind. Most of my news comes straight from Colbert and Jon Stewart. Incidentally, I think Stewart was responding to this on The Daily Show the same night I made this entree. But that is neither here nor there at present, onto mass emails and given circumstance.

Click on the image to be taken to Credo Action to take online action.

First of all… unless you have subscribed to one of my venues or associated companies I respectfully do not do the mass email thing as I know people regard such contact as “annoying” or “impersonal.” However, when one person knows a lot of people is he or she really expected to make a personalized email to hundreds of people? Ask yourself how many FaceBook “friends” you have. Or again, ask yourself how many Twitter “followers” do you have. I say irrelevant. What counts is people who are at least listening and hopefully participating in the conversation. That said, if you did not receive my earlier email as part of Credo Action it follows here:

Whether you know me as an Awesomonster Comedian from Chicago, a host of Uptown Variety Live or Green Screen Variety Hour, or a performer from Theatre Memphis or various other things from my favorite southern city, I am cashing in one of my two all contact emails per year. [Here I inserted the name of the main recipient in question with a witty comment and] Bcc’d [everyone else] to protect their privacy… deal.

Our economy could recover quickly or sludge ahead at a preposterously slow pace. Here, as my nerdy self I quote Spiderman, “With great power comes great responsibility (to be more accurate it’s Uncle Ben).” I ask all of you why do the rich continue to receive a weighted relief in this time of stress? Is it because they are more intelligent than most? Maybe more than more one would think… or maybe they are family members of old money coasting on behalf of a “dignified name.” Nonetheless, they are our monetary leaders and as leaders they should set an example of the utmost contribution.

Personally, all I can do is strive to become a debt-free American and pay what I owe both in money and in service. I have continued to do that to the best of my ability within the given circumstance. Perhaps annoyingly to some, but regardless, I share various politically charged items on FaceBook and Twitter rather regularly as I believe this outlet contributes to a giant voice of the public made readily accessible and ultra-convenient.

Here is my most recent share.

You can find out more information and sign the petition at the link below:

http://act.credoaction.com/campaign/buffett_taxes/?r_by=25949-4137244-uCNIb3x&rc=paste1

Apologies again for the sometimes perceived “impersonal” mass email… yet, ironically, this is very personal to many of us.

a future

So, I know I say a mouthful every now and again and sometimes may appear a little crass due to my blunt nature. Yet hear this! In my estimation political exchange is so woefully inhibited by mitigation and strategically developed facades (with the idea of the permanent campaign in mind *see Ron Suskind’s Way of the World) that the truth has become a devalued asset of communication. It has become more of listen to what I want you to think I’m saying rather than what I’m actually saying. Why so much spin? In truth, representatives are very fearful of their constituents as they know, ultimately, there are way more of “us” than of “them.” But in a much more prevalent truth “us” and “them” remains the same thing. We are all one being walking around on this planet trying to make ends meet. Some will sacrifice “them” to get ahead while others look to “us” as dignified, exalted faces. Right and wrong is becoming to manufactured and everyone would benefit from taking one step back to look at the larger scope of “us” as a country, a continent and as a global population of various faces all subject to their own given circumstance.

Ranting Religulous Review

May 23, 2011June 12, 2011 / nicholasdaletaylor / Leave a comment

Bill Maher and an actor playing Jesus

My favorite spoken portamento and a conversation launching film all in one, Religulous left me in stitches with great exchange to boot. This is another hybrid review/inspired rant.

Just last night I watched this with a buddy finding myself screeching with irony induced laughter as only two nights ago I was chuckling to myself writing a quick blurb while waiting on the train at Morse (see Still Here). Tie-ins, coincidences and or miracles such as asking for it to rain only to feel the drops immediately afterward exist from our perspective or in other words, it’s all in how you frame it. There are too many uncanny instances for me to label as simply coincidence but at the same time miracle implies a connotation that just isn’t quite right either. Groping for a word to describe these line-ups, synchronicity works best for me.

Some take offense to Bill Maher’s unapologetic message to the overall institution of organized religion. I do not fall in that lot. While his approach might be abrasive to some it is refreshing to me. Many times I’ve shied away from speaking out against what my family may think or say due to their church heritage and often when voicing reason I was only met with defensive hostility; my guess is a nice suit, preceding reputation and a film crew can help alleviate the confrontation. Along his journey he interviews an Arkansas senator, a “cured,” gay man and casually discusses among Jesus-actor and strangers long-spanning historical similarities of religious deities.

“Foot in mouth,” doesn’t capture the expression on this leader’s face when faced with reason itself. Bill says, “We are now among industrialized modern nations the most religious nation. A recent study found that among 32 countries more people in this country doubted evolution than any other country on that list except I think it was Turkey.” This is astounding. But as Senator Mark Pryor says, “You don’t have to pass an I.Q. test to be in the Senate though.”

Speaking of I.Q. you need not be a genius to see the truth cross between Maher and Pastor John Westcott of Exchange Ministries. I am highly familiar and concerned with the idea to pray-gay-away as it can only do long-term harm to a man’s mind. See the above link to witness how easy it is to be turned around (at least if you are a pastor in an argument).

Holy Land Experience proves a “welcome to our world,” attraction and what a world it is. “We’ve got Krishna… Mithra… Horace…” and Bill goes on relating these identities to this Jesus-actor who later eloquently lays out an analogy of the holy trinity.

Words are great but figures fascinate. These comparative percentages concerning these U.S. minorities proved illuminating:

Jewish-1.4%
Black-12.2%
Gay-3%
NRA-1.3%
Non-Religious 16%

At least gays are higher than guns.

Religion can be a bad thing. How many soldiers have went to war for god and country fighting a later unveiled, unjust cause? Belief systems can be good but not by defenestrating logic and certainly not at the cost of life. My god is not better than your god and vice versa. In fact, they are probably the same.

Evolution is an understood, proven, scientific reality that regardless of approval remains true. Homosexuality is not a disease, hence, needs no cure. Numerous similarities exist between many religious deities including Horace, Mithra, Jesus and more. Instead of dismissing such facts, accepting these truths would create a through-line for many cultures/subcultures and ultimately dismantle the war machine fueled by difference in opinion and absurd argument. As I have mentioned and as is a focus of my upcoming one man show I was raised Southern Baptist but through my continuing self-education grew beyond my limited viewpoint. A commendable argument offered from the mouth of Bill Maher lays this out in the fashion of his custom blunt wit.

Click here to buy Religulous.

Balancing full throttle final thoughts delivered by Bill Maher from Megiddo, Israel, my mind falls on my family and how harshly they would receive such a message. For a person who has lived their entire life devoted to instilled idealistic principles, facing these fabrications without an alternative will prove jarring to say the least. I have faced my own religion around 30, Bill Maher has done it later in life and through higher thoughts even you, my dear family, can come to realize religion for what it really is. Religion is an institution that offers a set of beautifully written stories blended with history as a guiding text on which to establish a society, moderate their behaviors and justify opposition towards enemy populations of separate cultures and beliefs. Regardless of any facts set forth in the ancient texts the degree of translations and interpretations applied leave only shades behind which stand political figures that either falsely pronounce “for God and country” (to rally support and vote count) or simply remain in the dark.

To quote George W. Bush, “We are in a conflict between good and evil.” Guess what makes up good and evil; through our belief-inspired actions, we do.

For those who contemplate now as “end times” of an unbeknownst Armageddon please know that by subscribing to this potential prophecy you are helping to create it (that’s a bad thing); for all our sakes, hurry and wake up.