Again our Zoners come through in helping us get the word out to Stephen Colbert fans who could not make it to an event. Thanks so much, Wildlymissingthemark, for the fantastic writeup!

Stephen Colbert (L), Steve Carell (C) and Scott Allman perform a skit as part of celebrations marking the 50th anniversary of improv theater, The Second City, in Chicago December 12, 2009.

Just wanted to give you my report from the Alumni show. I was so fortunate and blessed to be there, I flew in just for the weekend, and I was not disappointed.

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Stephen actually participated in 3 scenes. He and Paul were the first alumni to appear onstage. They perform a scene from 1993. In the first scene, Stephen and Paul are brothers, and they are playing some kind of fantasy basketball game with that hilarious cheapy little hoop. They stalk around the stage, in slow motion, and doing that hissing cheering thing. They keep inserting Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen’s names and narrating some kind of playoff game. (It kind of sounded like the Dana Carvey show skit when Stephen is doing that endless narration about the basketball playoffs.) In pops their mother Amy, who comes over to see if they have thanked their father for giving them some money or something. She gives them some sidelong glances, makes her usual assortment of faces, and goes back in the house.

As they are playing, the subject comes up that Paul has lent his younger brother Stephen $2,000, and he supposed to be going to school or doing something for his career with it. Stephen is unemployed, and Paul becomes upset because Stephen informs him that he has purchased a ticket to go to Africa instead. Paul is telling him that his peak earning potential is at age 35, so he’d better get his act together before this golden opportunity passes him by. You could tell that they keep the actual script from 1993 in tact, because Stephen’s character says “In 6 years I am going to be 35,” and Paul says rather hilariously, “You really aren’t taking good care of yourself.” Stephen broke character just a touch at this, and it was adorable.

While they are arguing, Amy comes out again briefly, but it happens so fast it is hard for me to remember exactly what she said.

Paul becomes despondent when it becomes clear that the money is gone and Stephen may or may not have just spent it all on a trip to Africa to “find himself.” He sulks in the corner, and Stephen tries to get him to play the basketball game again. Gradually Stephen wins him over again, and they go back to “playing” their “game.”

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