Hi again!

[OliviaM]

Hi all! So much has happened since being back in NY. Some good, some not so good. November and December were chaotic. Had to move twice and daughter was hospitalized. But she is doing much better now. Spending time with granddaughter and her step dancing. The new year brought more background work and did some stage gigs. I was buying outfits and shoes and a new hairdo right around the time of the chaos. Dressing had to be put on hold. Even without all the acting I been doing, it has been very difficult to find time for Olivia. I think I have only dressed twice this year. But I frequently look at clothes whenever I can, and pick out outfits and shoes I would buy. A couple of weeks ago I did buy a denim shirt dress. That brings me to my topic for discussion. I have started to do some stand up. I am taking baby steps, but it has been well received. I had an idea of doing some sets dressed. If anyone remembers Flip Wilson, as part of his act he created a character called Geraldine. That is certainly one way to do it. I was thinking of doing it as confessed Crossdresser. My question is, is it possible or the right thing to do by doing comedy about crossdressing and/or being a Crossdresser without it being negative. I really love and respect everyone here, and think about you all when out shopping. Finding the time to do all I want to has been difficult. Thanks for everything talk soon.

Oilvia

[Anita]

I have started to do some stand up. I am taking baby steps, but it has been well received. I had an idea of doing some sets dressed. If anyone remembers Flip Wilson, as part of his act he created a character called Geraldine. That is certainly one way to do it. I was thinking of doing it as confessed Crossdresser. My question is, is it possible or the right thing to do by doing comedy about crossdressing and/or being a Crossdresser without it being negative.

Hi Olivia—
I did stand-up once, for a local cable channel, and it went quite well. I have a DVD of it, and it’s stood the scrutiny of my friends who know comedy.
I used my performance experience as an actor and a musician to do an act that I didn’t have experience with. I also found that my song-writing abilities could be used to write comedy routines, and that I had a pretty good sense of what humor was going to work, and what wasn’t. I'm not a joke-teller in everyday life, but if I practice, I'm a good joke-teller on stage.

Now, I performed as a guy. But I also thought of doing stand-up as a gal, because I’d performed music dressed. I figured there was a lot of comic material involved in being a crossdresser out in the world.

Well, there may be comic material in being a CD, but for whatever reason, it didn’t seem that funny to have a live CD up there telling about it. I came to the conclusion that for me, if I dressed, I was going to do the same kinds of routines that I did as a guy, that had nothing to do with CDing.

The presentation would be attention-getting, but I wouldn’t be using my gal self as part of the comedy. She wouldn’t dress outlandishly, for instance.
I think I was relishing the idea of the audience thinking I was going to ‘milk’ the CD aspect, and meanwhile, I’d completely ignore it, like it was no big deal. Then I’d go on to win them over with my regular routines.

That was my experience of it, anyway. I thought I’d use CDing as a vehicle for the act, and it didn’t seem to lend itself to that at all.

I do know that somewhere in the act, after they had gotten used to the idea that I wasn't going to acknowledge that anything was out of the ordinary, I was going to hit them with a zinger about my mode of dress. They wouldn't see it coming, and then I would not say anything else about it the rest of the night. But I'd get one moment of recognition for the Woman who was up there, and then...right back to business as usual.

[Heather W]

I am not sure this is totally relevant but I am going to post it anyway in hopes it gives you some food for thought Olivia.

When I reached my epiphany through therapy I was TG and the only logical path for me was transition and eventually GCS my only fear was work. I loved my job and IMHO I am good at it. Even though I am part of the "artistic" nuts in a large corporation I feared what would people think, what would they say, how would they react and act towards me. I talked with HR and after being reassured there was a policy for this and after getting the OK with the proper paperwork I talked with my supervisor. He told me he could care less as long as it didn't affect my job. Well there were seminars on "diversity" and I even had a trial run at Halloween when I went to work in a stewardess uniform and generally received positive reaction. Fast forward a bit and I left work before Christmas break as just "one of the guys" and returned after the first of the year as Heather. For the most part I was accepted but I could sense some were apprehensive or worse. Over the next several months I think I made won most of those over but two specific incidents stand out in my mind.

The first came several months after Heather appeared. There was one PA in one of the other offices I could tell was not overjoyed with the new me. She was not mean or derogatory but she generally avoided me like the plague at first but she seemed to be non committal as time wore on. One day I was coming out of the Ladies room, obviously I don't work in North Carolina , and she was going in. She stopped me and told me when she had first learned of my plans she had images in her mind. She then told me she wanted to apologize because not only was I far from those but she could also see that I was trying to be the best woman and person I could be. I thanked her for her kind words and compliments. For the record I did follow her back into the Ladies room as I didn't want anyone to see me at my desk crying.

The second incident came in August at my annual review, My supervisor went over the form as per corporate policy then asked if he could go off the record. I said sure so he told me that when I had first told him of my plans he figured it was my life to live but in the back of his mind he wondered how it was going to affect my work. He then told me I was always good at my job but the work he had seen from Heather far exceeded what he had ever seem from "that guy who used to sit at my desk." Needless to say I was flattered although I did need another trip to the Ladies room.

Like I said at the start if my ramblings I am not sure my experiences are totally relevant to your situation. I just thought telling you that showing people that your choice of clothes doesn't affect the person you are or how well you can do something will change minds faster than just telling them it won't. Only you know if the time and circumstances are right, no one else. I have found that if I go with my heart it has yet to steer me wrong.

[DonnaT]

Eddie Izzard has made a living at it. The audience may think you're a copy cat. All you can do is try.

[Kelly]

So, have you given it a try? I hope you did or are working on an act. (sorry it took so long to reply, I've been a bit preoccupied).

Stand up is such a challenge. If you have had some successes: fantastic!!

I think there is room for another stand up, CDer. Why not you? Let us know when you try it and how it goes.

Kelly

[JamieRow]

Speaking of Geraldine, I told a Nun (catholic) when i was in the 1st grade, "You said it Baby" She laughed.........


*** Post edited to remove redundant quote, as per: http://crossdressers-haven.com/forums/v ... 65&t=10059" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; - SL