This was a big deal for Gag Reflex. Mitch (Enss Mitchell) had sort of bought
out the Laugh Factory when it closed at Fox Valley Center and moved the
furnishings, etc. down to the old Elks building across from the library in
downtown Aurora. He used this HUGE banquet room on, I think, the third floor
which, ironically, Slapstick! had rented out for a few shows years earlier.

But here we were, and Mitch let us perform on opening night to a packed
house, sharing the stage with two popular Chicago comics and RICH HALL. The
deal was that we would come out and do one bit in between each of the acts.
Iım not sure of the order, but I think it was "Gotta' Lovett," then "Rate
Your Mate" before the next comic then, finally, "Knight School" before Rich
Hall came on.

Well everything went great. I think we got better response than anyone that
night, including Rich Hall. In fact, when he came on, I think he was pissed,
because he made a crack about how easy it was to be up there when youıve got
six other people up there with you. Maybe he just dislikes sketch comedy. In
any event, he was great, but 3/4 of the way through his set, Jeff Anseth,
who was in the group at that time, said he had to leave, so I made everyone
get up and go downstairs so we could have a quick pow-wow (no offense to my
American Indian brothers and sisters) and take a group photo. Three things
happened:

1. We got a great photo.
2. I (correctly) sensed that Jeff would be leaving the group soon, probably
because of our long-standing tradition that, within a few weeks of shelling
out a couple hundred bucks for glossy 8x10s, someone ALWAYS quit (a fact
which led us to not take a group picture for a LONG time), and
3. Bob Schilling chastised me for making us get up and walk out while Rich
Hall was on stage. "You don't EVER," he said, "walk out when another comic
is performing. Itıs VERY unprofessional." And I think he was right. But we
were way in the back of the room, nobody was looking at us anyway, we snuck
out through the kitchen and, besides, he had just DISSED us from the stage.

So, anyway, it was a high-water mark for us, and after the show, Rich was a
sport and hung with us for awhile after the show and let us take our picture
with him (even though Steve and Jeff had left), I guess as proof for us (and
potential blackmail for him).