Earl's open mike experience reminded me of an open mike I attended at the Ark. There I was, seated in the front row, center of the stage, and this college-age guy walks in and sings this song he'd written himself: 'The Squirrel Revolution.' He starts out kinda quiet, singing about how the squirrels used to be in charge of the earth, but then people came along...and then the head squirrel calls a meeting, and the squirrels vote to re-take-over the world, so they all climb into trees and drop acorns on everybody, but nobody notices, because the squirrels are too small...

Meanwhile, my friend and I are sitting right in front of him, waiting for the punchline. He is strumming more and more fiercely, singing louder and louder--and then the acorns are dropped, and he gets quiet again...and we both realize: HE'S NOT KIDDING!! We nearly strangled ourselves trying not to laugh in his face--he was so very earnest! After his set, we stumbled out to the parking lot, where we laughed until we cried. It was a great comedy number, but one of the worst sincere songs ever!