May 16, 2022

Pat and Hogan Return to Comedy

	Pat and Guide Dog Hogan head into the DC Improv Comedy Club for class. Under his breath, Hogan says, “I need some laughs, it’s been a ruff week.”

Welcome back to Guide Dog Tales, where we are always pupped-up for good stories about fun times with our furry pals. Thanks for checking in with us during these pleasant spring days. It’s a lovely time of year, and we’re looking forward to shedding our winter coats and adding more stories to the blog.

I wanted our next entry to showcase my interest in comedy and explain how Hogan helps on stage. I’ve gotten a bit rusty over the pandemic, but Hogan and I are starting to get back into the swing of performing. “About time,” says Hogan.

Over the past few months, I’ve enrolled in two classes at the DC Improv Comedy Club. It’s a great way to get back into comedy – the atmosphere is always welcoming, and the students and instructors are incredibly talented. I took my first course there in spring of 2018. Hogan may not always get the jokes, but he really enjoys the extra attention from my classmates – when he’s not working, of course.

One Saturday morning a few weeks ago, Hogan and I are preparing to head to the Club’s venue in downtown DC for our class’s graduation show. Hogan waits by the front door, watching attentively while I tie my shoes. I grab my keys, and he leaps into his guide dog harness. He’s out the door in a flash, skipping down the front stairs and playfully leapfrogging the last step. He’s ready to party.

As my Uber pulls up, Hogan guides me to the car’s back door and points his nose at the door handle. He waits for me to get settled and then bounds into the vehicle. The driver greets us, and we’re off for the club.

Usually, I lean towards doing stand-up comedy, where it’s just Hogan and I on stage doing our thing. But since I haven’t performed in a while, I thought improv comedy might be a nice way to get back into a creative place. If you’re not familiar with improv comedy genres, think the likes of Second City out of Chicago or the late great Chris Farley.

	Heading to the first day of the BAT class, the team climbs aboard an Uber as the driver welcomes them into his car.

DC Improv put an interesting twist on this particular program, though. The course, “The Bat: A Harold in the Dark Improv Class,” was designed to be performed in the dark. I was the only student without sight. In late February, I called Allyson Jaffe, Club Owner and Comedy School Principal, to express my interest, adding, “Since this is in the dark, would it be like cheating for me?” We both laughed, and she said the class would be lots of fun. Hogan was totally game.

The Harold is a longform improv style that emphasizes patterns, themes, and group discoveries instead of a traditional plotline or story. In a Harold performance, 6-8 players take the stage and improvise a 30-minute show based on a suggestion from the audience. For the purposes of this class, we came up with soundscapes and dialogues to use as a theme rather than audience suggestions.

For five weeks, my classmates and I met each Saturday for three hours. Our accomplished instructor, Chris Ulrich, ran us through icebreakers, onstage sketches, and improv drills. We came up with topics to practice: mouse NFTs, a new reality show called “The Love Train,” alien abduction, romantic entanglements, family quarrels, and many more. All the while, Chris was turning off the lights and emphasizing the importance of scene description and sound effects.

My classmates were incredibly supportive, helping each other throughout the performances. This is improv canon: always make your partner look good.

Back to the big day. In anticipation of our arrival at the Club, Hogan is already peeking out the car window and getting ready for his guide dog work. We pull up a few doors down and he hops out, heading towards the DC Improv building. Once again, he points his nose at the railing to the front steps and waits for the “forward” command. I respond, “good boy” and reward him with a small treat.

As soon as we walk in, Hogan lets his excitement show. He’s always happy to see our comedy buds. My classmates and I are a bit nervous for the performance, but not Hogan. Chris issues his final words of wisdom, and the class of 15 erupts into applause like a football team preparing to take the field. Hogan, feeling the vibe, starts jumping around.

With our classmates, Hogan leads me down the hallway and into the main show room. My Harold partners have designated our team, “Hogan’s Heroes.” Our namesake wags his tail in approval and adds, “appreciate the shout-out, but how about a hotdog instead?”

More than 40 people have come to see the show. There’s a short introduction and then the lights go out. It’s time for “The Bat.”

	Following “The Bat” graduation show, Pat and his classmates exit stage right. Chris Ulrich, the course instructor, congratulates the team.

Both groups craft intricate scenarios and riff on some funny ideas. The performance by Hogan’s Heroes features a family restaurant with management issues, a swimmer who ignores the “sharks in the area” signs and must be rescued by a hesitating lifeguard (played by yours truly), and a mother’s loving concern for her son. All of this culminates in the final scene where two of our characters get married and we acknowledge that heroes come in many forms. Sprinkled throughout are hysterical quips coming from all directions. Fifteen students, one guide dog, and the audience are having an awesome time.

A few weeks later, Hogan and I are ready to take the stage again during a stand-up show at Hamilton’s Bar and Grill. It’s just the two of us this time, without my improv pals. Under the title “Spaghetti on the Beach,” organizers Mark Mench and Angel Morla introduce the comedians. Hogan and I are fifth in the lineup.

Hogan leads me to the stage, and I begin. “I’ve got to tell ya, you’re a good-looking crowd.” The audience laughs, and it’s good to be back.

Most of my stand-up set is about my relationship with Hogan. It’s a fun way to show folks our unique bond. DC Improv instructors like Rahmein Mostafavi, Chris Coccia, and others have helped me learn the ropes, and I plan to perform more this summer.

I’m currently taking a second comedy class at the Club, Improv 2. They’re an amazing group. I’ve learned a lot from my new friends, and we’ve come up with some really interesting sets together. We look out for each other on stage, laughing the whole time. I have quite a few stories to share about that class, so more on that coming in our next post.

If you can’t wait for the next blog entry, my Improv 2 classmates and I will also be appearing on stage at our graduation show this Sunday, May 22nd at 12:30 p.m. The show is free and open to all. We hope to see you there but, in the meantime, we’ll borrow a bit from David Letterman and leave you with the:
Top 10 Reasons Why It’s Cool to Have a Guide Dog in Washington, DC.

1. Hogan is constantly looking out for me. He even butts in the Metro escalator lines when someone gets in the way. Of course, he might just be trying to get home for dinner.
2. As President Harry Truman said, “I always have a friend in DC.”
3. People frequently stop us on the street with the most interesting questions, like, how do you pick up your dog’s poop?
4. Hogan gets to hang out at stand-up shows and usually gets a mention from the other comedians (hey, how did the dog get on the set list?”)
5. He gives me tremendous independence around town, even if the big guy occasionally hides my shoes before leaving the house.
6. Hogan helps people smile everywhere we go.
7. He keeps our local celebrities humble. No matter what the event, Hogan inevitably has more fans than the honoree.
8. His public relations skills are top notch. You definitely get to know the dog lovers at receptions, restaurants, everywhere.
9. He’s absolutely the best wingman in the nation’s capital, and...
10. So many interesting tales, but Hogan had me sign an NDA on the edgier ones.