GTN Bit from 5/24/06

Here's the piece that I wrote for last night's Giant Tuesday show, which was ably performed by Andres du Bouchet as Francisco, Mike Birch as Dr. Greg, and Rob Gordon as the bum.

The Gum Bit

FRANCISCO
And now, ladies and gentlemen, I would like to introduce Dr. Gregory Igloomaker, who has an amazing invention that he would like to share with us.

DR. GREG
Thanks Francisco.

FRANCISCO
Igloomaker, that's an interesting name. What is that, Eskimo?

DR. GREG
No. No, it's not. It's Dutch. Why would you say Eskimo?

FRANCISCO
It is less than not important. Why don't you just share your invention?

DR. GREG
Certainly. Well, Francisco, imagine for a moment that you are not a world-famous variety host, but that by day you labor away in a dull office job.

FRANCISCO
It's hard, but I think I can do it.

DR. GREG Imagine coming into work, day in, and day out. Entering data into spreadsheets. Processing, collating, faxing-- the endless tedium. Getting tired aren't you?

FRANCISCO
(sleepy--nearly hypnotized)
Yes.

DR. GREG
How about a nice cup of coffee?

FRANCISCO
Yes, please.

DR. GREG
But the pantry is so far away.

FRANCISCO
Oh no!

DR. GREG
And Alan, from accounting, forgot to brew a new pot after he finished the old one.

FRANCISCO
I hate that bastard, Alan.

DR. GREG
Don't you wish you just had coffee at your fingertips, all day long?

FRANCISCO
Don't toy with me, Igloomaker! Just give me coffee!

Dr. Greg hands Francisco a stick of gum.

FRANCISCO (cont'd)
This? But this is just a stick of gum.

DR. GREG
Wrong, Francisco. That is a cup of coffee.
(to audience)
You see, I asked myself, what is coffee, but ground coffee beans plus hot water? And what is your mouth but a hot-water-making-machine? So what I've done is suspend the grinds in a sort of natural latex, what the Native Americans called "chicle." Your saliva does the rest.

FRANCISCO
(chewing)
I can taste it brewing in my mouth!

DR. GREG
And that's not all. Just add one of my patented "flavor paks" to create premium specialty coffee. This one is Mocha Latte, and it's made from ground-up chocolate chips and coffee-mate!

Francisco dumps the packet into his mouth.

FRANCISCO
Mmm! It's like a backwash Starbucks!

DR. GREG
(pointing to the package)
That's our slogan! And the best thing is that this gum not only picks you up, but it freshens your breath with the delicious odor of secondhand coffee.

FRANCISCO
Amazing. So, do you make any other versions? Decaf, maybe?

DR. GREG
Please, Francisco; if you want decaf, chew Trident. But I am proud to introduce my new Coffee Nicotine Gum, “Cup 'o Butts.” Quit that nasty smoking habit while enjoying a steaming cup of mouth-joe.

FRANCISCO
Really? Nicotine Coffee Gum? Is that safe? It seems like concentrating the two together might create some sort of dangerous super-stimulant.

While the doctor speaks, a shabbily dressed man sidles onstage.

DR. GREG
Of course not--ask Jim Jarmusch. It's no worse than enjoying a cigarette with a pot of…

BUM
Hey, man, are you carrying?

DR. GREG
(to bum)
Not now.
(to Francisco)
As I was saying, it's no worse than…

BUM
C'mon man, I just need a fix. It's been three days. I've been chewing from the bottom of chairs.

DR. GREG
Get away!

FRANCISCO
What's going on over there? Do you know that man?

DR. GREG
No, he's probably just some homeless man who wandered in off the street, lured by the promise of alternative comedy. Don't worry.

BUM
Just one stick, Dr. Greg. My teeth are aching.

FRANCISCO
He appears to know your name.

DR. GREG
All right.
(beat)
All right, fine. Yes. Charlie here was one of our product testers. It turns out you're right Francisco. Making a Coffee Nicotine Gum somehow increased the addictive power by five hundred and twelve percent…

FRANCISCO
What an oddly specific figure.

DR. GREG
…Which means that all our testers are now addicted. But don't worry! We're working on it! That's why we've developed this Methadone Gum, to help ween people off Cup 'o Butts.

FRANCISCO
How much does the Methadone Gum cost?

DR. GREG
It retails for $250 a pack.

FRANCISCO
That's absurd! You can't solve all gum-created problems with more gum! Are you or are you not using your various flavors as gateways to addict people to ever-more-expensive gum products?

Dr. Greg makes as if to answer, then suddenly makes a break for it, running off-stage.

DR. GREG
Juan Carlos! Start the helicopter!

SFX: HELICOPTER, starting up, and then fading away. Francisco and the bum follow with their eyes, as if he's flying away. A beat.

BUM
What about you, man? You holding?

FRANCISCO
No, I am not. I'm sorry. Would you like a drink ticket?

BUM
(taking the ticket)
Enabler.

He exits. Transition, etc…

--

It went over okay... although the biggest laugh was garnered by the helicopter sound cue, and their reactions to it.

Also, if you haven't been there in a while, check out the Captains in Space website. A few new things have been posted up there-- and the latest episode (the first one written by me) should be online sometime before the end of the Memorial Day weekend. So you can look forward to that, if that's the sort of thing you look forward to.