Sketch Comedy -- Behavioral Interview

From the Second City Website

I'm starting to take a Writing Class at Second City, an improvisation/comedy venue in Chicago.  Second City alums include Tina Fey, Steve Carell, John Candy, Mike Meyers...actually many of the Saturday Night Live cast members studied at the Second City, including John Belushi, Dan Aykroyd and Gilda Radner.

I'm not going there to change my career nor my writing focus, which is fantasy.  I'm just hoping that it will add a new dimension to my writing.  Even though this class focuses on Sketch Writing, there will still be some improv. I'm hoping that it will translate to faster writing and better dialog.  I took Writing I almost a year ago and then didn't continue with it.  I've also taken a couple of Improv Classes as well.  After seeing a Second City performance on Saturday, I decided to look into continuing.  Low and behold...classes start today.

Here's my first and only sketch ever, it's what I wrote in Writing I.  What do you think?  If you like this, I can post all of my sketches as I write them.  I'd love to hear your feedback!

As an aside, Second City offers an online writing class if you feel sad that you don't live nearby the LA, Toronto or Chicago training centers.

Please note that this contains expletives.

Behavioral Interview
by me...Lauren Amundson :)

(Sara is sitting in a chair behind a desk.  There is another chair on the other side of the desk.)

Sara – Send in the next candidate.
 (Jimmy enters; both look shocked to see each other)

Jimmy and Sara (nearly together but not in unison) – What are you doing here?

Jimmy – I’m here for an interview.

Sara –I’m the hiring manager.

Jimmy – Oh, shit.

Sara – Please, sit down.  HR should have given you a folder.  Please hand it to me.

(Jimmy sits and hands the folder to Sara.  Sara flips through it.)

Jimmy – You look well.   It’s been, what, four years?

(Sara keeps flipping through the papers for a few more moments.)

Sara – Fine.  Let’s just try to be professional.  Describe a situation when you were able to strengthen a relationship by communicating effectively. What made your communication effective?

Jimmy –Come on, that’s not even fair!

Sara –  It’s on my list.  I have to ask it….but I think I know the answer to that one.  Excessive vocalization; poor listening skills.  (pause to take notes)  There are times when we work without close supervision or support to get the job done. Tell me about a time when you found yourself in such a situation and how things turned out.

Jimmy –  Well, back at ABC Corp, I was a member of a team that --

Sara – (Interrupts) I think you know the unsupervised situation I am referring to.

Jimmy – I admit, and have on multiple occasions, that sleeping with your friend, Tina, while you were out of town was wrong.  And I apologized.  And bought you that necklace.

Sara – Give me some specifics on your decision making process in that situation.

Jimmy – I dunno.  I was drunk.

Sara – You were not.  You were stone-cold-sober.  I walked in on you.

Jimmy – Oh, I got confused about which time. 

Sara –Tell me about a time that you had to work with difficult people and give an example what you did to make the situation better.

Jimmy – I usually try a direct approach.  In one situation, your mother was butting in about my expenditures.  You had complained to her rather than having a direct approach with me.  See, I like directed communications, not trap ones.  I explained to her that she needed to mind her own fucking business.  Successfully, she never came to our apartment again.  Much better.

Sara - Can you give me an example of motivating those around you?

Jimmy – I used to tell you that you gained a lot of weight, but now you’ve lost most of it.  That must have been motivational.  You look great.

Sara -   I see that you describe yourself as a ‘people person’.  Can you give me an example?

Jimmy – Tina seemed to like me.

Sara – Great, I think I have everything I need.  (shuts folder) We’ll be in touch about the next steps.  The receptionist will see you out.  Thanks for your time.

Jimmy – So, I’m not getting the job, huh?

Sara – No.