Day 1: Brainstorm and The Genie Sketch

We went to Cold Spring yesterday for a hike and a bed & breakfast stay, and on the way home this afternoon, I didn't quite get to writing a sketch. I did however brainstorm some ideas. These ranged from a column of specific sketch ideas to a column I called "non-ideas." The non-ideas were mostly free form thoughts of settings or characters, and nothing more. Here's the list...you have my permission to sip freely from this well of genius and inspiration.

NON-IDEAS
Front porch
Hunting, around campfire
Death row
Musclemen
Train (Old West? Robbery?)
Doorman
Magician
Amputee

Can't wait for that amputee sketch, right?

After getting home and watching the pilot episode of Twin Peaks and the end of the first Charlie's Angels movie, I made myself go into the bedroom and write a sketch.

My seedling of an idea from the train was a man and his genie. The genie is annoyed because the man refuses to make his third wish, instead just keeping the genie around to have someone to talk to. It morphed a little from the original conception, as they usually do. This excerpt contains a fun little thing I stumbled on which cracked me up.

Excerpt of The Genie Sketch

GENIE
Four and a half years you've kept me trapped in this crappy little bottle in your crappy little apartment, waiting for you to make your third wish so I can finally be free!

MAN
It's an important decision!

GENIE
Just wish for a billion dollars or something!

MAN
What about taxes?

GENIE
A billion dollars after taxes, then!

MAN
Oh sure! Don't you think the government will want to know where the money came from?

GENIE
It's cash. Untraceable.

MAN
How's that? Are you going to invent a billion new serial numbers?

GENIE
They're not going to be a billion one-dollar bills, you idiot!

MAN
I'm the idiot? Look, by definition, this magical cash you give me is either going to be stolen or counterfeit. I don't want to go to jail and be candy for freaks!

GENIE
Look. I promise I'm not going to trick you. I just want out of this.

MAN
Why would I trust you? My second wish was that my high school crush were here with me. You teleported here and she wouldn't stop screaming! I had to beat the love of my life to death with a toaster before the neighbors called the cops!

I kind of like that originally, it was going to just be about the man being a lonely loser, but in the end I spent enough effort seeing his side that you almost don't mind seeing the genie suffer.

I can't decide if I want Dan to play the genie or the dude. Sometimes it's a shame there's only one Dan. One constantly busy Dan.