Back to writing

We're back to writing again. Not only do we have some shared projects, we also each have our own. We're going to start writing new material for another sketch show as The Union. We've also starting to write again for "Big News." It's a weekly news sketch show that was created by our iO television writing teacher, Michael McCarthy. It used to be up at iO and is now at The Skybox at Second City. It's nice to have an actual deadline and more than anything good practice to get in the habit of writing everyday. It's been a while though, it's not like anything genius is coming out...yet. Gotta get back into the habit.

I'm still working on varies TV scripts and am now directing a friend's one man show. He saw our show at The Annoyance and I was flattered that he liked it so much he asked. Corey just got word that he's been cast in a sketch show that is likely to go up at Donny's Skybox at Second City. Between all this, both of us teaching a class, both of us taking separate classes and the regular and off site LOL shows we may not get to see each other much. Guess it's nice that neither of us have typical jobs right now.


Sorry this post isn't more entertaining, hopefully the habit of writing everyday will lead to more exciting blogs.

- Mo

Suck it, Sprint

After a few years of poor service, incredibly terrible customer service, being hung up on, being billed incorrectly, being outright lied to, and generally not even living up to low expectations we have officially dumped Sprint as our mobile carrier. We didn't call and yell, we didn't write a scathing letter, we didn't do anything rash and instead got the ultimate revenge: we left. Sprint will no longer get my money.

And who will, you ask? Well thanks for asking. Mo and I are now AT&T customers. Because you have to be to use one of these:



So, yeah, we're going to be those people. Deal with it.

- Corey and Monique

What The Netflix?

I logged onto Netflix today to add a few movies to my queue, and I decided to click on the "Movies You'll Love" feature to see what they suggested for me, based upon my ratings of other movies. This is what I'm presented with:

The Fog of War

Because you enjoyed:
This Is Spinal Tap
Fahrenheit 9/11
Arrested Development: Season 2

FYI, The Fog of War is not a comedy, but a documentary with this description:

Former Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara worked for both Presidents John F. Kennedy and Lyndon B. Johnson, playing a key role in shaping both administrations' approaches to the Vietnam War. This Oscar-winning documentary directed by Errol Morris traces McNamara's career from government to the World Bank; but it's his work during the Vietnam years that's highlighted in this film, which features extensive archival footage and interviews.

So my questions are, but not limited to, the following:

• how would those three movies link up in any way?
• just Season 2? I rated all the seasons the same way.
• what about that description of Fog of War suggests a fake documentary about a rock band?
• is Netflix just screwing with me?
• should I add Fog of War to my queue?
• did I completely reference myself into a corner when I dropped a Spinal Tap reference in my improv workshop this afternoon with a group of high school kids?
• have you guys seen this: http://www.thetyser.com/? I can't get over how great it is.

- Corey

Happy New Year!

Sorry for the lack of posts lately. The end of 2008 was particularly hectic around here. You got the holidays, our shows at The Annoyance Theater, shows at Laugh Out Loud Theater, shows with Rock Island ComedySportz, plenty of visitors from Kansas City coming to stay with us, etc. etc. It's been a ton of fun, but it's nice to have a couple days of quiet with nothing going on.

Looking back, 2008 was a pretty great year around the Madrid-Rittmaster house. Here are some highlights:

- The first performace by The Union (which wasn't named that yet) in January
- I quit my day job in March and began working full time for myself
- Mo wrote a spec script for The Family Guy, had a public reading of it, and will be submitting it to writing agents
- KU won the NCAA Championships in basketball and the Orange Bowl in football.
- Took a trip to Vegas with friends Scott and Lillie and Sean and Nissa and had a ridiculously good time. This is a great travelling group.
- Had our sketch show accepted into the Milwaukee Sketch Festival and put on a great performance, got great reviews, and had a great time.
- Went on a whirlwind tour of college shows in August, with Mo and I each doing about a week's worth of improv shows on campuses across the country.
- Reunited with the guys in Der Monkenpickle for the KC Improv Festival again. This time we had all 5 of us there.
- Took a dream vacation to Portugal and Spain.
- Were accepted by The Annoyance Theater for a 7 week run of our sketch show.
- Witnessed a historic presidential election from the candidate's home base.

2008 was a lot of fun, and was very successful creatively and professionally. The plan is to build on that momentum for '09. Hope yours is even better!

- Corey