Here comes the punchline

Last night I got to see Jeff Dunham perform at the AstroArena. (I don't feel like calling that old place by it's current corporate-sponsored moniker.) He's been doing the ventriloquism comedy for a long time, but he's got heightened recognition now thanks to the Achmed the Dead Terrorist routine that has become a popular view on YouTube.

The routines were a little rough, but that's not surprising since he's working over material that will eventually be part of an upcoming holiday special on Comedy Central. I guess it didn't help that I didn't feel really receptive to holiday-season bits on a warm Saturday night either. But the funniest part of the evening came at the end when Dunham brought out the Bubba J character. The routine was so well-worn and familiar that the audience was delivering the lines right along with the puppet. I've seen concert audiences belt out familiar hits with rock bands, but I had never seen a crowd of thousands do it with a comedian. It was weird and awesome at the same time.

Special kudos go to Dunham's charitable foundation for presenting donations to the Ronald McDonald House Houston and to the American Red Cross, as well as donating tickets to volunteer groups. The House had sustained damage from Hurricane Ike, and families are unable to occupy it until repairs are complete. I paid a visit there this past Thursday and it was odd to see absolutely no family activity going on.

Turning the subject to running: This morning's running endeavor was a joke. With yesterday's six miles, including the 5K race as a setup, this morning's punchline came in the form of "dead legs," which was not good considering that my original intention (laughable in hindsight) was to push the mileage into double-digits again. My legs felt whipped to the point where making it three miles was a struggle, so that's where I quit.

Executive decision: Tomorrow will be a rest day. Let's hope that helps.