Austin Improv

deroosisonfire wrote:I don't understand who outside the AIC is going to vote for the AIC as best comedy group.

Yeah, but who outside of the AIC is going to vote for anytbody else? Are there hoards of people itching to write in Esther's Follies as best comedy group? I bet a lot of these categories no one really gives a shit about, and they're won by a handfull of strategically rallied votes.

shando wrote:Tami I'm always nice to, I think 'cause she dresses snappy and has a jayjay.

ColdTowne Theater is a business, and winning something like this is an effective marketing tool for the venue and our training center. Hence, we will be posting a link to our website and encouraging people to vote for us through various channels.

I don't think anyone has any kind of problem with this. But if "campaigning" for this sort of thing leaves a sour taste in your mouth for whatever reason big or small, I wanted to take this opportunity to explain why we give a damn.

Of course, the individual members of ColdTowne, when not functioning as a faceless, hive-minded business conglomerate, could give a fuck about the award and don't want to make a huge deal about it.

Yeah, but who outside of the AIC is going to vote for anytbody else?

Personally, I just don't consider the AIC a "troupe." I'd rather we push someone with some name appeal like ColdTowne because there are people who know that name outside our community and may vote for them. But meh. Whatevs.

I will whore for Pgraph, but not vote for them. Maybe in 2008, but 2007 was a rebuilding year. My vote is secret.


(Only 2007 and stuff)

OoB got my vote for "Best Dressed Fest"!




Kidding, just Best Fest. I wonder who would win if there were categories for "Best Dressed Fest" or "Best Blessed Fest" or "Best Messed Fest"?

I sure as shit know who should win should they try to have a 'Best West Fest.'

Campaigning for an honorary award just feels slimy to me.
It's like the people who won prom king and queen, usually they were the slime of the school, winning because of all their friends who would vote for them. It's just a glorified popularity contest.

It's nice to win awards, but how can you feel good about accepting them when you know it wasn't all talent that got you the award but a mass of people willing to vote for you because they know you and you asked them nicely.

Marketing be damned. We should be humble. That is a revered quality - boastfulness and greed is not.

I guess that's not how winners win though, is it?

I feel fine about the whole processs

1) I am confident about my creative output, popularity and slime be damned.

2) I've worked in the industry and I know how this whole process works, and every cynical bone in my body doesn't hold the whole process to any standards higher than it being an exercise in generating ad revenue.

3) I own the afore mentioned business. I'd like one day for my 40+ hours of work a week for that business to pay my bills. So I will do anything and everything to help make that happen. I'm in it for the art, but a brother has to eat. And we got four brothers and a sister. I don't think there's anything greedy about that.

4) And when I speak of campaigning, I mean a brief mention in our weekly mass email and a small link on our website. NOT taking out ads or mentioning it on air or in print. "Hey, if you like us, please vote for us." Nothing slimy about that.

So, 20-odd posts later... what again is the rationale against everyone just putting "AIC"? ...since we are all a part of that "comedy group."

If everyone's just voting for themselves, then I'm voting for Dick Fart.

beeler wrote:It's nice to win awards, but how can you feel good about accepting them when you know it wasn't all talent that got you the award but a mass of people willing to vote for you because they know you and you asked them nicely.

Marketing be damned. We should be humble. That is a revered quality - boastfulness and greed is not.

I guess that's not how winners win though, is it?

ding!

and the "industry" only works like that if there's one group who uses it like that.

people would only be campaigning if they thought they couldn't get the award on merit alone, right?

The Chronicle awards ARE NOT AWARDS AT ALL. THEY ARE A POPULARITY CONTEST. True awards on merit are (ideally) discussed and voted on in a fair manner by qualified judges.

This is a marketing thing. That is how it's set up. Think radio contests. The Chronicle has a gimmick that gets Austinites involved because people have 'brand loyalties' (a slimy marketing term) that will cause them to defend their preferred brand. This creates controversy, competition, and interest. Interest in The Chronicle.

Then, the Chronicle sells winners a sign, tshirts, etc. (making money) where the businesses proudly display the "award," which is actually a great way for The Chronicle to get free advertising. If you think campaigning in one form or another is slimy, then you think that the Chronicle is slimy.

Contrast this with the B Iden Payne awards. They are theatre awards voted on by theatre people. They don't have big signs all over the place. The process and results are dignified. When ColdTowne hangs our Best Of banner, we're not really saying "we're the best improv troupe." We're saying "other people like us, so maybe you will too."

Marketing. Slimy slimy marketing.

acrouch wrote:

deroosisonfire wrote:I don't understand who outside the AIC is going to vote for the AIC as best comedy group.

Are there hoards of people itching to write in Esther's Follies as best comedy group?

Yup.

Knowing this town, I bet Mr. Sinus wins.

mcnichol wrote: If everyone's just voting for themselves, then I'm voting for Dick Fart.

No, Bob! No!

vine311 wrote:

That's one snappily dressed jayjay. Now, can anyone tell me who Bootney Farnsworth is?

shando wrote: That's one snappily dressed jayjay. Now, can anyone tell me who Bootney Farnsworth is?