Comedy Group Brings laughs, smiles to Fort Collins

At one time, the Clown Box improv group was a once-a-month hobby that brought four individuals together in a small auditorium in front of a handful of skeptical audience members. They would play a few games, sing some songs and would always seem to pull a respectable amount of laughs from the small audience that sat before them.

That was eleven years ago, though. The group has grown now to four shows a month on average at much larger venues. More than a hundred audience members of all ages show up to see the growing improv group and although much has changed, the clowns stick tight to their original purpose: to have fun while making people laugh.

Improv, short for improvisational, is a type of comedy act that is performed with little to no predetermination of subject matter and structure. Improv comedy relies heavily on audience participation and the quick, clever thinking of the cast. Prime examples of this kind of comedy can be seen on the television show Whose Line Is It Anyway?.

Grant Garrison, 25, has been with the group since its beginning and feels strongly about the role Clown box plays in his life.

“(Clown Box) is the best thing that has happened to me since I won my fifth grade the talent show for singing ‘Mary Had a Little Lamb’ while standing on my head,” Garrison said. “Knowing that what we do makes people laugh is enough to make me all warm and fuzzy inside.”

The group now performs predominantly at the Lincoln Center and the Bas Bleu Theatre, both located in Fort Collins. In the past, the group has had the opportunity to perform at CSU Preview—an orientation event held for all in-coming CSU freshman and transfer students.

The Clown Box’s next show is scheduled on Thursday, November 15 at the Lincoln Center. Tickets are $7 available on their website at www.clownbox.com.

“If you’ve never seen an improv show you owe it to yourself to check us out,” Garrison said. “Grab a date, a roommate, the janitor in your dorm—it doesn’t matter, just bring a friend and come check us out. It will be worth it.”

Rest in Peace Sally Baker

On October 9, 2007 Sally Baker spilled her heart to three college students, myself included. She shared the struggle and battle that was her life. As a homeless person living in Fort Collins, Sally scraped the streets everyday just to get by—just to find food and shelter.

Unfortunately, the wounds of the streets proved too much for Sally. Just 24 hours after we met with her, she suffered cardiac arrest and spent nine days on life support. She never did regain consciousness. On October 19, 2007, Sally Baker was pronounced dead at the young age of 46.
Although the time I knew Sally was short, it was very sincere and profound. Before I spoke with her, I knew nothing of her struggle. She opened my eyes to a world begging for attention and help.

As the winter rapidly approached, Sally feared her first wintry, cold nights. Fortunately, Sally won’t have to shiver through another night. She won’t have to go to bed starving, wondering how many more days she will have to go before she gets a meal. Fortunately, the struggle is over.

Lory Brown, Sally’s sister, was with her when she passed.

“We are sad that she is no longer with us on this earth, but we know that she will no longer suffer,” Brown said.

To read Sally's story and learn more about homelessness in Fort Collins, visit fortcollinshomeless.blogspot.com

Homelessness in Fort Collins

I recently had the opportunity to explore the issue of homelessness in Fort Collins. I sat down and listened to the stories and struggles of three homeless people. On several occasions tears would fill the eyes of these individuals as they described the hardships they face on a daily basis.

In the few hours I spent with each one of them, their lives impacted me greatly.

For the first time I was able to hear why and how these individuals became homeless. They showed me their scars and described how the cold nights and scarcity of food had attacked their immune system. I saw the shanty, cardboard hideaways that many call home.

An epileptic man named Tony “Too Tall” Neighbors had me shed tears as he held my hand in the painful presence of a silencing seizure. He clinched his eyes tight and for 30 seconds his body trembled—no noise, just an occasional wince.

As his body returned to a normal state he looked at me, and with tears running down his face he said, “See, just like that. Sometimes I can’t even sleep because I start twitching.”

This experience put a face on the issue of homelessness for me. Spending time to talk with these individuals gave me glimpse into the harsh environments that they are forced to live in.

To learn more about the issue of homelessness in Fort Collins and read the profiles of Tony “Too Tall” Neighbors and others like him, check out fortcollinshomeless.blogspot.com

Fall in Fort Collins: manageable

There comes a time when the air tends to cool down. When the days shorten and the tips of mountains are painted with the falling of snow. This time of year is highlighted with brightly colored leaves and football weekends full of big hits and upsets.

I, personally, hate this season. I associate it with stressful workloads and strange weather conditions that have you shivering endlessly while sweat drips down your forehead. Comedian Lewis Black contends that “it’s not weather, it’s malaria.”

I’ve actually had malaria and, frankly, when I have five midterms, a news project, two blogs and 16 pages of a newsletter to design I would much prefer the endless shivering and dangerously high fevers brought on by that infected insect than suffer through the overload of this stressful season.

Of course the dreadful season I’m describing is fall, or autumn if your name is Mary Poppins.
Still, despite my abhorrence for fall, I have accepted that Fort Collins actually is a decent place to be during this sad season. Like the marching band at CSU football games, Fort Collins is the best of a crappy situation.

To pass time, give Horsetooth Reservoir a shot. It truly is amazing how much Horsetooth transforms from summer to fall, and then fall to winter. As the end of the year nears, the reservoir will begin to freeze over, giving the lake a celestial glaze that is truly remarkable. The reservoir is a short 15-minute drive from campus and is a great alternative to a doomed CSU football game.

In a sad, depressing, cold/hot season, Fort Collins’ Horsetooth Reservoir serves as the perfect retreat from the busyness of school and work. Give it a shot!

Round Six: Fort Collins vs. Shaqlawa, Iraq

SHAQLAWA, Iraq—I woke that night to the echoes of an AK-47 and the thunderous blast of a rocket propelled grenade. My father, CEO of an international relief agency and missionary, told me that evening to sleep on the floor, that way I wouldn’t be hit by a stray bullet from the tragic war of hatred outside.

I was only 8 years old at the time and living in northern Iraq had its effects on me. I had several friends and had adapted to the culture with ease. Coming to understand and accept the horrors of war, however, never came easy. Sure, I quickly began to realize that war was bad, but that was simply because when gunshots were going off my parents wouldn’t allow me to play with my friends. Naturally, I developed a hatred for war’s unjust qualities.

As I near my graduation in May 2008, I look back on the difficult circumstances I have faced in my short time here in Fort Collins and chuckle at the simplicity of my college life compared to the adventures of my youth.

Aside from a few stressful final weeks, a slowly dying Minnesota Vikings franchise, and my continual failure at intramural sports, college has been, well, cake. I have yet to sleep on the floor because of bombs blowing up my neighbor’s house.

My electricity is reliable, and the candles in my room are there because I like the smell of French vanilla beans when I study, not because they provide light in case of a power outage.

But these are exceptionally obvious generalizations that Matlock or Columbo would readily throw away. Fort Collins is clearly safer than Iraq when it comes to the threat of war. We obviously have access to better utilities and certain freedoms are inherently protected significantly more.

The point, however, is that despite the fact that Fort Collins would seem to be a clear winner based on all these premises, it actually loses this week’s round! That’s right; Fort Collins loses this week on the basis of “adverse experiences that have caused growth.”

Even though my experience in Iraq featured fearful nights of ringing war, I have discovered that it is through these hard situations that the soul is strengthened, ambition is inspired and success is achieved.

It was once said that, “If we had no winter, the spring would not be so pleasant. And if we did not sometimes taste pain, prosperity would not be so welcoming.”

And so today, I chose the lessons I learned in the midst of war over the years of relative ease in Fort Collins.

Fort Collins vs. Minneapolis, Minn.

Round Five: Rockies vs. Padres

FORT COLLINS, Colo.—At 10:17 p.m. on October 1, 2007, sporadic shouts of celebration flickered through the silence of Morgan Library at Colorado State University when the Colorado Rockies clinched the NL wildcard with the most dramatic comeback yet.

After 162 games, 13 innings and 4 hours and 40 minutes of pure drama, Matt Holliday raced home on Jamey Carroll's shallow sacrifice fly ball, capping a stunning, nearly perfect end to the regular season for the Rockies. The 9-8 win over the San Diego Padres marks Colorado's 14th win in the past 15 games. (Read more about how the NL wildcard was won)

For nearly five hours, online radio coverage of the game streamed through my headphones on the second floor of Morgan Library, peeling me further and further away from my original angle for my “Fort Collins vs. San Diego” blog.

Before the game, I had planned to reminisce about how San Diego had been a playing ground for my young soul to grow and experience several “first time” events. But with the mounting intensity of every extra inning, I began to lose interest in memories of my first full beer.

I had planned to edge out the win to Fort Collins based on the variable “days of sunshine,” where Fort Collins’ 300 sunny days a year overcasts San Diego’s average of 146 days.

However, after such an epic game, I have to give the win for this round to Fort Collins’ bigger brother, Colorado. Way to go Rockies, let’s carry the magic onto Philadelphia!

Official score for round five: 9-8 (Colorado).