fandomhigh | Birth of TV Comedy, Monday First Period

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Birth of TV Comedy, Monday First Period

"Hey, good morning," Mitchell said to the students as they piled in. "We've got a small group this time, but I like that. After all, television comedy isn't for the faint of heart." He grinned a little. "In the next few classes, I'll be putting you all through a vigorous sitting of all sorts of comedies. The good and the bad. Don't let Television Without Pity close up your hearts to the power of the sitcom."

There was a little amused irony in his voice, yes. "But this is introduction week. First, let me introduce your teaching assistants for this period. The talented Kate Gregson, and the dashing Jack Priest." A little more of that irony, but he meant it fondly.

"To start things off, I get the pleasure of catching you during your very first round of introductions of the session, so... name, favorite style of humor, and tell me a joke."

He pointed. "We'll start with you, then."

[[ ~~wait for the~~ ocd up! ]]

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"I think Nehemiah Trot was well over a century. He was a poet. His tombstone read Swans Sing Before They Die." Bod said, nodding. "Caius Pompeius died during the Roman occupation. He wasn't an author but he did tell interesting stories when he was a in a good enough mood."

Maybe because half the people she had met so far were a little crazy, Delirium wasn't wondering what was going through Mitchell's head. Lucky teacher.

"Um." The narrative was a fundamental part of Del's speech. But anyway, she started laughing in...crazy way, sinking a little more on the seat, tears rolling freely.

She had no idea what Mitchell had just said.

"So the authors you knew were ghosts," Mitchell established.

Mitchell, hun, you'd have to do a better job of pretending that surprised you. At least, if you were having this conversation outside the island. "Ones that old'll give you a run for your money."

"...Okay then," Mitchell said. He was choosing to take that one in stride. "We'll move on to the next one, then..."

"I wonder," Bobby mused. "Which came first: the chicken joke, or the egg joke?"

"I was raised in a graveyard so yes, they were ghosts," Bod confirmed with a nod. "And the older ones weren't always too keen on me being there but I think they adjusted. Being the only human there was more interesting than not. I enjoyed learning about historical events from those that were there instead of right from books."

"There should be, um, Ga-lactose-free, um, . But, well, eating a planet, that's not, um, yummy."

She wasn't even sure to have gotten the joke right.

"Yeah, but they won't be awesome and freshly baked by me," Kate retorted, unphased. "But, you have fun eating your lame store-bought muffins."

"I'm merely being concerned for your education."

And then Jack held up his hands and simply, deliberately snapped.

"Puns are the lowest form of humour.", Robin replied, "Which makes them fantastic for punishing your audience.". He grinned broadly at that, "Do it right and they'll keep coming back for more."

So, Mitchell's ~~Minions~~ ~~monkeys~~ TAs had just snapped their fingers, and were now... Well. Waiting for Mitchell to look their way, pretty much.

And Kate wasn't even smirking.

An action, which Kate repeated, before turning her attention to Mitchell.

"Well, I'm betting the lava center would be somewhat spicy and indigestion causing."

Mitchell was poking through a few lists he'd printed out. For next week's classes.

He didn't look up.

Hmmm, lava.

"And, um, somewhere with lots of lots of water?"

Well. That was unexpected.

Kate turned to Jack, raising an eyebrow. Try again?

Of course they were going to try again. Jack nodded, almost imperceptibly, and snapped -- both hands this time, and putting enough force into it for more volume.

"I wonder what that sound is," Mitchell said, idly, picking through his forms some more. Yeah, that would be a good choice for next week... "It can't possibly be my TAs, because they know I have an excellent sense of hearing."

Well, good for him. He'd have no trouble hearing the sound of Kate facepalming!

"... Right."

"We thought you might have something better to do than eavesdrop," Jack piped up.

It helped cover for how foolish he felt, too.

"I did," Mitchell said, lowering his papers and raising his eyebrows in that direction. "But then two people started chattering like those women on the View." ... He got bored some mornings in Fandom.

Kate frowned. "Hey. No need to get insulting." Beat. "Even if knowing you watch the View is consolation enough, really."

Jack nodded in agreement. "We were just wondering what you wanted to be called, since you didn't introduce yourself during class."

"You don't show The Real Hustle," Mitchell said, defensively. It was totally a defense! "But they've got rosters, don't they?" Giving his full name just led to foolishness like people calling him John or something.

"Yeah, but it's polite to introduce yourself."

Yes. Kate Gregson telling other people to be polite. Hypocrisy happened sometimes.

"You should think about the poor newbies. 'Sides, I was expecting you to say say you don't like getting called professor. Bod's gonna think I was making that stuff up."

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Birth of TV Comedy, Monday First Period

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