New Website, Kids!

Hello, members of the Pickle Nation.

If you're reading this, then chances are you've seen our new Tickle Me Pickle website. It's much the same as our old one, but we've tidied up a bit. We've got our bios, complete with snappy portraits. We've got info on bookings, in case you feel like shelling out some of your hard-earned cash for our services. And, and, we've got our Gallery. You want videos? We've got videos (not many, mind you, but there are more on the way). We've got pictures from our old shows. You want pictures of our Pickle mascot wearing various costumes? We've got our Pickle mascot wearing various costumes.

Also, if you look hard enough, we've hidden a picture of Jon shirtless somewhere on the site. Trust me, it's worth it.

By the way, I'm sorry I called you the Pickle Nation. That was just a bad idea, and I'll never do it again.

Jon is so dreamy

Last night I was having a restless sleep. I really couldn't konk out. I just lay there with my eyes open.

So I did the obvious thing: I closed my eyes and started counting Jon Lee-Sons.

One beautiful Jon after another gently floated over a fence of cotton candy, chocolate, and lace. Pandas applauded in the background and bunnies squealed in delight just being in such close proximity to Jon.

It was at this point that the sun looked down and smiled. The fluffy clouds in the clear blue sky swooned and the trees and blades of grass rustled with giddiness.

Then the rainbow appeared. Unicorns, fairies, and small elephants slid down the multicoloured arc of pure happiness and danced blissfully around the Jons who had gracefully traversed the Dilectible Fence.

There was much joy and laughter as the Jons played guitar and sang about dreams and ideas so fanciful they surpass imagination and escape description. Flowers and pebbles sang in perfect harmony with the Jons' song.

After some time, it dawned on everyone there that the population of Jons was reaching critical mass. The incredible awesomeness produced by all these Jons could not be contained and they began to glow a bright white that pulsated and filled that side of the Dilectible Fence with a warmth and love known only in the womb. In an effort to join in the gleaming paradise, unicorns, fairies, and small elephants stampeded over the gorgeous rainbow. Meanwhile, the frequency of Jons gliding over the Dilectible Fence rapidly increased.

Everything soon culminated in a massive "Jon-splosion"!

My eyes shot open and my back arched just a touch as my lungs gasped for air. The scents of candy, mint, roses, and unadulterated Jon-ness were replaced with the familiar scents of my room.

And the only words that could trickle from my lips were: "Oh Jon. He's so dreamy."

Youthish Things

This being the last week in April, our May show must be right around the corner. And May means Youth Week, that annual celebration of Youth and all Youth-Related Things.

This month, as with last year's show, we get booted from the Lecture Hall for some lame cultural noise. We'll be across the hall, in the Brighouse Library, way at the back in this little room adjacent to the kid's section of the library. It's cozy, for sure, but makes for a high-energy show. Should be good times.

In other, more interesting news, TMP has been chosen for a U-ROC award! The best part about this is that someone out there had to nominate us. Maybe it was Mayor Brodie. He was at the April show, after all, and made an appearance at our Earth Day gig.

Sadly, the U-ROC awards are handed out on Tuesday, May 1st, which just so happens to coincide with Game 4 of the Canucks-Ducks series. Really, scheduling anything during the Stanley Cup playoffs is a bad idea.

Earth Day

Allergies are Mother Nature's way of polluting us.

It's true. On the freshly cut grass of King George Park, Aviva, Lawrence, Tinjun and myself (Spencer) gathered at the behest of the East Richmond Community Association to put on a performance for the big Earth Day bash. Using the oddly liberating wireless headset mics, we plied our eco-friendly trade for the appreciative audience, which included (for the second time in three weeks!) Mayor Brodie.

These community centre gigs are great, because not only do you get paid, but they give you delicious chocolates shaped like the earth when you're done.

Welcome to the Tickle Me Pickle Blog

Yes, Tickle Me Pickle, everyone's favourite Richmond-based improv comedy group, has a blog.

Why, you ask? So that we have a place where we can keep you updated on everything that is happening in the Picklesphere. Picklesphere: you like that? I just made that up, right now.

What happens in the Picklesphere, you ask? Well, lots of stuff. We let you know about upcoming shows, post videos of us in practice, talk about improv, talk about Jon being dreamy, talk about cool things happening around the Lower Mainland, and so on and so forth.

If you're not convinced, come back in a week. If there's nothing here to interest you, keep coming back every day until there is.

Picklesphere. Heh.