Milk Fat Percentage, You’re Welcome Cards and Broken Hearts
Nick Thune’s Folk Hero, 2014
Introduction
“Burning buildings are gorgeous. Different colors of like smoke and flames, and orange, and yellow, and red, and corporation crumbling. It’s just like everything you’ve ever wanted to see.”
From this line, you’d think Nick Thune was a crazy. From his appearance, you’d think he was a pothead. From his guitar, you’d think he was a talented musician. Truth is, he’s all of these and much much more. Nick Thune is unlike any other stand-up comedian of this era. From his witty puns and deadpan humor, to his extremist life-stories about this that and the other, Thune’s performance is most unique in the way he accompanies his jokes by the comforting strums of his guitar. In his first Netflix special, Folk Hero (2014), Thune relives childhood memories, discusses overlooked, yet commonly used terms and phrases, and delves deep into a story about his experience with a talking Dalmatian and a burning building. Nick’s easygoing personality and awkward character make for a much different genre of comedy than most.
Thune’s stage presence is made known from the start, familiarizing himself with the stage before autonomously picking up his guitar that he will make an additional appendage to his body for most of the show. Thune said in an interiew with the Serial Optimist, “I learned that guitar would soothe the audience and throw them off from the sense of where I’m taking them… I would come up and act like a serious singer/songwriter but then go into something else.” [11] Using the guitar as a backdrop for his jokes, Thune has control over the audience’s emotions much like the soundtrack to a movie changes to mood of a movie. Daniel Schneck writes in his book, The Music Effect,
“Music has power. It can change attitudes, relax or energize the body, animate the spirit, influence ognitive development, enhance the body’s self-healing mechanisms, amuse, entertain, and foster a general reseponse which can be a state of comfort, or in some instances even discomfort.” [31]
By titling his special Folk Hero, Thune assumes the role of both storyteller and protagonist, or “folk hero”. Folk heroes are intertwined through every culture, whether they be war heroes or just popular in folklore and song. The Encyclopedia of Folk Heroes [32] was written to create a non-exhaustive list of folk heroes since the dawn of time including Robin Hood, Santa Claus, Outlaws, and Jesus. When you read through the table of contents, you can truly understand what a folk hero is, and after watching Folk Hero, I believe Nick Thune could be considered a folk hero of sorts. The Encyclopedia of Folk Heroes lists some characteristics of a folk hero such as: “physical strength, cleverness, persistence, luck, magic, wisdom, helping others, righteousness, cunning, prowess, power, lying, stupidity. [33]” Thune employs many of these tendencies, and in doing so, pioneers the way to a new type of stand-up.
Transcription
[intro music plays as words appear on screen: LIVE at THE BELL HOUSE in BROOKLYN, NEW YORK. NICK THUNE, FOLK HERO]
[audience clapping, welcoming Nick Thune as he approaches them]
[Thune buttons navy blazer, adjusts microphone height, fumbles with pockets, and redirects interest to the green curtain behind him, before returning his attention back to audience]
Born Young
THUNE
Thank you.
[audience continues clapping]
Thank you.
[audience quiets]
Thank you guys so much for being here. I know it means a lot to you.
[reaches for acoustic guitar and strums a couple chords, adjusting the settings]
[stops playing guitar]
Could we get just a little more laugher on the monitors?
[extended audience laughter]
[nods head and continues playing]
[stops playing]
Could we get the lights dimmed down just a little bit?
[lights dim a little bit]
Great. And just bring those back up.
[extended audience laughter]
Just so you guys know who’s in control.
[extended audience laughter]
[continues to play on the guitar]
[Thune laughs to himself]
Sorry. I just told myself a joke.
[extended audience laughter]
It’s gonna be a good show.
[extended pause in talking, but continues playing guitar]
It’s gonna start from the beginning –you know? (in a hushed voice) I was born young.
[extended pause in talking, but continues playing guitar]
Seattle, Washington. As I grew up, just uhhh… I got older –you know? Life.
[extended audience laughter]
It was all kind of a blur up till seven. When I was diagnosed with having bad vision.
[extended audience laughter]
Things really cleared up at that point. That’s when they start, you know? I remember when I was fourteen years old… I had my heart broken for the first time. When I got home from school, my dad sat me down, and he said, “Listen Nick. If you let a bird go… and it comes back… then that’s a carrier pigeon. You gotta check that thing for notes, you know?”
[extended audience laughter]
But I was like, “Dad, what about the girl?” And he was like, “Yeah, she’s not coming back…
[extended audience laughter]
…She’s an eagle… You gotta get yourself a carrier pigeon.”
[short laughter and long pause]
Seventeen years old. Got my first fake ID. In fact, about –I guess a week ago, it woulda been my fake ID birthday. I woulda been forty. And it’s just like, where did all the years go? –you know? And I know you’re lookin’ at me and you’re thinking, Nick, you don’t look forty. But I did back then.
[pause]
I wanna be vulnerable tonight –you know? I wanna let it all out. I love Sudoku. I do, I love Sudoku. It’s such a simple game: it’s fun. You put numbers in boxes… any number, really. And then you show people.
[extended audience laughter]
People get pretty excited –you know? Because nobody’s double-checking a Sudoku puzzle.
[extended audience laughter]
Nobody’s got time for that. I’ve got plenty of time to put random numbers in boxes. Sometimes, I’ll just go my phone number ten-and-a-half times –you know?
[extended audience laughter]
Enough is Enough
ENOUGH IS ENOUGH! It’s the same word.
[crescendoing laughter]
It’s spelled the same way, really… Its just like, who doesn’t know that? But sometimes when someone says ‘enough is enough’ I honestly feel like they’re realizing it for the first time. Oh shit! You’re damn right it is. It is!
[pause]
C-sections are like the DiGiorno of pregnancy. Because it’s not delivery.
[crescendoing laughter]
But it’s still going to smell like a delivery, –you know?
[laughter, followed by pause]
It’s that DiGiorno promise you gotta count on every time, you know?
I’ve overcome a few things in my life. Maybe stuff people can relate to. I thought maybe I should talk about when my dad died, I was six. And how hard that was for me and–
[glass breaks behind camera]
[stops and looks to side, making concerned face]
He used to always carry around a beer bottle and–
[long pause, followed by laughter]
It just brings back bad memories (laughing under his breath). No, but I thought about talking about my dad dying when I was six, and how much that hurt me and affected me, and then I realized, He’s still alive –that’s a lie.
[extended audience laughter]
You know– In fact, he’s like a really great supportive dad. Which was kind of a burden growing up. It’s just like “stop helping me so much” –you know? Like give me demons somehow –don’t make me make them all up. Its like he flew out from Seattle to see me. He’s here tonight. It’s just like frustrating, you know? Give me something to build off! –you know? Give me a reason to drink.
[pause, followed by laughter]
Decisions
But life is about decisions. Think about decisions –what decisions are you making? Recently, I made the choice to move closer to my bank. I just thought it’d be easier to laugh the whole way there. People think you need to be rich to laugh your way to the bank, but I’ll just tell you right now, it’s about proximity. How far from the bank do you live? Can you laugh that far? Because I run. And I laugh.
[pause]
I was brought up in the church. I don’t really go anymore, but its still in my life in some way, you know? And sometimes I’ll have a dream about the church. But it’ll be mixed with new things I do like my iPhone. Like I had this dream recently where I sat down at church and the preacher came on stage and he just got right into it. He was like all hell-fire. He was like, “In the beginning, Google created Earth.” Now everybody open up your iPhones to Google Maps. Hit ‘Current Location.’ And that’s where Jesus is.
[extended audience laughter]
But I didn’t have any service.
[extended audience laughter]
It’s like my cellphone provider is sending me to Hell.
[pause]
This set tonight was brought to you by Verizon.
[pause in talking; plays final strums of guitar, starting from the beginning]
Ever get the feeling that you’ve been following somebody?
[pause]
For like three weeks? And then you hire a private investigator to follow yourself around. Just to find out who you’ve been following. I’ve never –I’ve never done that, but… –seems like a thing.
These pants are three-corduroy’s, they’re one-quarter mine.
[extended audience laughter]
He’s a friend; we split our clothes. I bought a pair of camouflage underwear. To support my troops.
[extended audience laughter]
And those two guys are fighting a war down there. And I know it means a lot to them… to have my support. Support your troops, you know? That’s another message in this show tonight. Because I’m taping my hour special. Like people in America are going to see this –and some small parts in Canada. I gotta make it right. You know? –I gotta get the message out there. What is my message?
[messes up on guitar]
That I can’t play guitar? One of them.
[extended audience laughter]
I Don’t Need School
I guess it’s family, –really, its like family –you know? (faintly) My grandma. My biggest influence. She was amazing. She graduated college. Oregon State University, 1934. My mom would always say, “Nick if you work hard growing up –if you work hard, go to school, you graduate, maybe some day… you could be a grandma.” And that’s when I knew college wasn’t the right thing for me.
[extended audience laughter]
I don’t need school. But she wasn’t that smart –you know? (faintly) I remember she gave me a gift card a few years back at Christmas. She said –when I opened it, she said, “Don’t spend it all in the same place.”
[extended soft chuckling]
And I was just like, “Grandma… you don’t understand gift cards –I have to. I’m going to spend it all at the same time too. I’m not going back to JCPenny. Thanks for the burden. Five bucks though. Thank you so much.
[pause and musical shift]
I keep all the rooms in my house set to room temperature. It just feels right –you know? (faintly) All my bathrooms are at bathroom temperature. But all my corners… they’re set to ninety degrees.
[extended audience laughing and applause]
Thank you. We all know it’s the right angle for a corner. I don’t need applause. But people have come over to my house –they’ve judged me –they’ve given me advice. They’ve said, “Nick, you need a different angle on this –on this house and that joke.” And I could. And that would be acute house. But I don’t like math jokes. I don’t think I want one in my special –you know? (faintly) I’d say twelve percent of you loved that joke. Twelve percent, wow. I love that number. Other comedians might pull me aside and say, “Listen, Nick, twelve percent’s not enough. You gotta get a hundred percent of the audience behind you on everything you say.” I don’t look at it that way. I look at it like milk fat percentage –you know? (faintly) Twelve percent milk fat? Astronomical!
[extended audience laughter]
That’s why I judge all my jokes off milk fat percentage –you know? (faintly) Needless to say, things are going pretty fuckin’ good.
[extended pause while still playing guitar]
Elephant in the Room
“I guess let’s just talk about the elephant in the room” –you know? (faintly) is how I start up conversations if I know someone’s on mushrooms. And then they run. A long way. I woke up this morning and I had a bloody nose. What if I said that with a British accent?
[laughter]
It would be like some British guy just woke up and realized… “I’ve got a fucking nose!” I’ve got a bloody nose. Like he had a bad dream where there was no nose. And then he just woke up, like relieved –and blessed. Probably too blessed to be stressed –you know? (faintly) You know how Brits are. I’m from Seattle. And if you guys don’t mind, I’m going to talk about Nirvana for just a second.
[pause]
Never mind.
[laugher]
That’s the best Nirvana joke on the market right now!
[extended audience applause]
How do I know that? Because I Googled ‘best Nirvana joke on the market’. And the first thing that came up was a tweet that I had posted… mentioning that’s the best one on the market. So… If you can’t trust yourself, then who are we trusting these days –you know? (faintly) Gah. I feel like I’m sweating like I just got through an Iron Man competition.
[pause]
And by that I mean an audition for the movie, Iron Man. I’m scared of spiders. I guess that’s a vulnerable side of me. I’m scared of spiders. Not like during the day –I’m scared of spiders at nighttime. While we’re sleeping. Supposedly, each one of use is swallowing three spiders a year. That’s like a statistic that’s out there –people are talking about it. Three spiders a year, while you’re sleeping. They’re taking advantage of you. And they’re not leaving one spider leg behind –I’ve never woken up with a spider leg in my mouth. I, sort of grinding my teeth every night, that’s kind of just a bad habit I picked up. I’m just trying to keep spiders out. So there’s that statistic: we’re swallowing spiders. How would they know that? Who knows that? Scientists? Okay, I’ll buy that. Scientists with them monitoring us while we sleep? Okay, yeah. But they don’t have the balls to be like, “Hey, wake up man. Hey wake up! You’re about to swallow a spider! NO, NO, NO!”
[extended audience laughter]
Thank God for science, right? Or is that the other way around?
[audience laughter]
Thank science for God. I just got stained glass windows put on my car. I was brought up Catholic –it just felt right.
They Will Call You
The last message I want out of this portion of my set… is manners. Being thankful, saying thank you. It’s huge. When people say thank you, it warms my heart –you know? (faintly) When they text it, it’s a little less. They email it, it doesn’t really mean anything –at that point. But when somebody sends me a thank you card in the mail, phew… that means a lot. I know they’re thankful… and that’s why I’m going to write a ‘you’re welcome’ card immediately. Because no one’s expecting the ‘you’re welcome’ card. They’re also not going to expect the gift I put inside that ‘you’re welcome’ card that they’re going to have to write a whole new thank you card for. It’s because that’s the kinda person they are. They set themselves up to be it. They had to follow through. And I put the same gift in every ‘you’re welcome’ card… because I like to put a little gift in there. Simple gift, Starbucks gift card –right? They’re perfect. They’re right up there at the front of the counter –plus they’re free. So you can grab as many gift cards as you want –there’s no price tag there, no one’s gonna stop you. Those cards are priceless –just like the look on someone’s face when they get one. It’s beautiful, you know? So I put the gift card in their ‘you’re welcome’ card, put it in the mail, put it out there, and just wait… It’s gonna be about two weeks. They will call you. And they will be inside of a Starbucks.
[pause and audience chuckling]
They might say something like, “Hey Nick, did you put any money on this Starbucks card?”
[pause]
You just say “No… that’s a gift card. You can put as much money as you want on that thing. You’re welcome.”
[plays a final chord, followed by extended audience applause]
[dabs face with handkerchief]
Here Girl
Thank you guys. This next song is a… song I wrote for a lost dog.
[plays a chord on guitar]
One, two, threeee…
[begins playing guitar riff]
[♫ whistles ♫]
Here girl!
[stops playing guitar]
She still hasn’t come back yet, but uhhh… I’m hoping she gets an iTunes account.
[grins as he sets down guitar]
[audience applause and laughter]
Sick of Doing Sign Language
THUNE
Um, sir, how you doin’?
MAN
Hi.
[shakes man’s hand in front row]
THUNE
Thanks so much for coming out.
MAN
Oh, thank you.
THUNE
Honestly, I had no idea you were going to be here. It threw me off at first, but then I was like, “Eh, I like this guy. I like ‘em.” I didn’t think they were going to put him up front, but I like him.’
[pause and audience laughter]
You’re a great addition. Look at me. I’m serious man, everything you’re doing up here is just like…
[squats down at eye-level with audience member]
…you’re nailing it! I love that about audiences. It’s just like they’re always different, you know? And I realized that about five years into the stand-up game. Its just like different people every show –you know? A part of that is a risk. Because something could come into the show that just throws everything off, you know, you never know. And I did this show recently where the manager came backstage beforehand with a girl. And he was like, “Nick, I want you to meet Lisa. She’s going to be performing sign language during the show.” And I just said, “Well I hope you enjoy the jokes, because you’re kind of telling them too.” And she was like, “No, I don’t even listen. Whatever you say, I just deliver it. It doesn’t even register in my head what I’m saying.” And I’m just like, “Oh, good to know…” Ummm, so, I realized the weirdest thing when I got out on stage that she was like right on the side of the stage.
[places red handkerchief on mic stand and points to it]
This is her. She actually was a redhead. With white polka-dots. And… she was doing sign language for the whole show, while this one gentleman was on a five-second laugh delay for the whole show. Which just turned into this awkward thing, of like, ‘What joke did he just laugh at?’ –you know? And he’s laughing in the middle of every other joke. Again, the only guy who has no idea how loud he’s actually laughing. And so it just turns into like this game of everyone in the audience is trying not to look at him. Nobody wants to make him feel bad about his disability because generally, a crowd, I would say, is polite. And so they’re all just sitting there, not laughing at anything I say, and focused on, “Just don’t look at him. Don’t look at him.” And then also probably interested by the attractive red-headed girl who’s doing awesome stuff with her hands –for an hour. I’d watch it. Put it on a channel 24 hours a day, I’d tune in at some point, ya know? So throughout the show, I’m realizing the dilemma that I’m facing… And I wanna address it, but I don’t wanna make him feel bad. So I waited and waited and kept trying to think… And then finally I came up with an idea, so… capitalized on it, took an opportunity, just grabbed it, stopped telling my jokes, turned my back to the audience… –found the stool, and just quietly was just like, hmmmm…
[squats down to inspect stool]
EVERYONE’S LIKELY REACTION
“I don’t know, I guess he’s just checkin’ out the stool now…”
[chuckling and light applause]
THE SIGNER’S LIKELY REACTION
“Yeah, I’m pretty sick of doing sign language right now. Hands are exhausted…”
[continues to inspect stool]
AUDIENCE’S LIKELY REACTION
“I don’t think this guys that funny to be honest. So what are you doin’ after the show?”
THUNE
And then I just said ‘blowjob’ for like a minute, just back to back to back to back to back. And some of you guys might not know what sign language for blow job is. Some of you might. And I’ll just say, either way… its exactly what you think it is.
[pause and laughter]
[grabs mic stand]
And she was an unbelievable performer–
[pause and laughter]
…that put everything she had into it. They actually had her close the show out that night… which I understood.
Dear Daniel
[grabs black electric guitar and strums the strings a couple times]
This is kind of my “Boots of Spanish Leather”.
[plays a riff on guitar]
[stops playing]
I went through, like I mentioned earlier, a breakup when I was like fourteen. But when I was twenty-one, was the real, like life-changing, like my life was ruined, girl-broke-my-heart. And I thought we were going to get married, and I was talking about it all the time. And finally a friend pulled me aside, and was like, “Listen, you’re kinda bummin’ everybody out. Like maybe just stay home a lot?”
[laughter]
And then I was like, “Yeah, yeah OK, no –yeah totally. I’ll just go back home and… do that.” And he was like, “I can give you some advice though too: if you go out, maybe do something bigger than yourself, and maybe help somebody, for once in your life–…maybe you will get through it.” And I thought “Yeah! –you know what? Yeah!” And it felt like the right time for me to really get out there and maybe mentor a kid. You know? So I went out to an agency, because you have to go through an agency, but the problem is they want you to fill out all this paperwork and do background checks and its just like, “Hey. Just give me a kid.” You know? I meant like, why not? –let me just try it out! No, seriously, like off the books, just this one. ‘Cause I’ll tell you right now, the background check isn’t coming up good, alright? I got a couple citizen’s arrests that I didn’t know were illegal [with finger quotes]. And I was just like, “Write it down somewhere, you know?” You grow up thinking you’re allowed to arrest people and all of a sudden you can’t.
[plays a couple brief chords, then stops]
So I found a huge loophole in the mentoring program where you can basically just go out and take any kid you want and just start mentoring ‘em and not even tell ‘em about it. It works with adults too, but it’s a lot easier with a kid. I’m actually mentoring like thirty people right now.
[points to the man in the front of the audience]
[laughter]
[continues with previous chord sequence]
[stops playing again]
So I didn’t have time to hang out with a kid but I did have time to write him a few letters. And if you guys don’t mind, I’d like to read them to you.
[begins playing new chords on guitar]
Dear Daniel, How’s it going buddy? I know you’re probably super busy right now. I know how it was like when I was seven. I wish I could’ve been there, I just didn’t think it’d be appropriate since your older sister and I aren’t… technically still dating anymore.
[extended laughter]
How’s the first grade? I remember first grade like it was like twenty-six years ago. It was… crazy. Have you started learning cursive yet? Because Daniel, if you’re learning cursive, do not let it intimidate you. Because all cursive are are insecure italics that need someone else to lean on… kinda like I when I used to lean on your sister… before she broke my fuckin’ heart. How’s Elementary school going? Have you started thinking about what you’re going to do when you graduate? You gotta go to junior high, buddy. I just think like, the job market out there for a thirteen-year-old is just shit right now. You know, unless you’re over seas, I’d say stay in school.
[extended chuckling]
Hey, keep up the good work in baseball. Keep me updated ‘bout your sister. Maybe you could send all the incoming and outgoing numbers in her phone. Just market research –I was thinking about buying that same phone. Just needed to know the numbers in it, –you know? Durations would be great, but you know… So um, we’ll talk soon? Alright. Love, Actually, Hugh Grant. Just kidding it’s Nick, but you gotta see that movie, buddy. Lotta actors, lotta plot lines.
[single chord strum]
Two weeks later…
[begins playing again]
Dear Daniel, Hope you’re ok –never heard back from you. Just because your sister and I aren’t dating anymore doesn’t mean you and I can’t still be buddies. No, she broke up with me, I didn’t break up with her fuckin’ family. You probably notice there’s no stamp on this envelope.
[pause, followed by crescendoing laughter]
It’s because I put it directly in your mailbox. I don’t trust your mailman. And I don’t technically know where to buy stamps. How’s baseball going? I actually read somewhere that you guys won two games last week. It’s this local blogger –he picks up T-ball. He mentioned in the article that your sister wasn’t at the game.
[pause, followed by separated laughs]
You probably noticed that I drew a picture of myself and put it in the envelope. And then wrote your name on the corner of the picture as if to say you had drawn it. Stupid… (awkwardly) I don’t know… It’s just what I was feeling at the time. Ummm… if you want to throw it up on your fridge, feel free man –you know? If anybody asks about it… if anybody says “what’s this?”, say, “Oh I drew a picture of my fuckin’ hero, mom.”
[pause]
He’s been working out a lot lately. He has a huge heart, which is a medical condition. Because he loves too much. Anyways Daniel, I gotta get goin’. I have a big date tonight. Wish me luck. She’s a full-time supermodel, part-time veterinarian, –you know? Maybe bring it up at dinner if you want. Alright, let’s talk soon. Because you’re all I have. Nick
[transitions chords]
A final letter, one month later. Dear Daniel, Have you been showing these letters to your parents? Because I’m pretty sure that you don’t know how to file a restraining order. You’re seven. What did you? –Oh you rode your bike down to the courthouse… filled out a shitload of paperwork? I don’t think so. But if it sounds like I’m mad at you, Imma tell you right now… I’m not. I’m proud of you. As your mentor, that was the right thing –you know? Tell the court system 150 yards is fine. Because like the park around the corner is like 175ish. And I’m going to be there every day between 3 and 4. If you want to pass me a note through your buddy Tommy or something, who’s also a great third-baseman. But if your coach knew shit, he’d be a shortstop, just saying. Alright, I better get going buddy, so umm… if you don’t miiind, you’ll probably notice there’s a CD in the envelope. And if you wanna pass that on to your sister, and just kind of play it while she’s around. It’s a song I wrote for her. It’s called Butterflies. There’s four tracks on the CD, but they’re all the same song –I’m just being safe. You know, in case there’s a scratch or anything. Tell Courtney I love her.
Butterflies
[transitions to another key on guitar]
This is called “Butterflies.” ONE! TWO! THREE! FOUR!
[begins playing upbeat riff on guitar]
Do you ever think about– Butterflies? Whoo-oo! I do. I think about you. You’re like a butterfly. I want to capture you in my net, And stick a pin through you.
[pause and laughter]
And keep you foreverrrr.
[laughter]
And do research.
[extended applause and cheering while he plays final strums]
[sets guitar down and picks up mic]
Truth or Dare
We’ve got a couple more things tonight. And thank you guys so much for being here.
[walks up to front row]
THUNE
Sir, how are you?
[shakes man in front row’s hand]
MAN
Good.
THUNE
Good. Thanks for comin’ out. I just wanna like loosen up just a little bit here… and play a game?
MAN
Oh alright.
THUNE
You and me?
MAN
Yeah
THUNE
Great.
MAN
Sure.
THUNE
Let’s seeee… Let’s play Truth or Dare. Why not? Easy one. Easy game, easy game. Alright here we go. Truth or Dare –alright. What’s your favorite anti-drug campaign: truth, or DARE?
[laughter]
MAN
Truth.
THUNE
You said truth?
[pause]
You’re right.
[shakes man’s hand again]
Thanks so much for playing. That was great. I don’t know… maybe one more game?
MAN
Yeah, yeah!
THUNE
Ummm… This next game is called Ruth or Claire. Ben, bring it out. We are gonna show you a picture of an elderly woman. Ok? And we’re talking 75+ here guys, alright? And I need you to tell me if her name… is Ruth… or Claire.
[Ben, a bearded man in a red jumpsuit, shows audience picture of old woman]
[audience laughter]
MAN
Uhhhhhh… Ruth. Ruth!
[pause]
THUNE
Yeah.
[gives man high-five]
It’s Ruth.
[applause]
Alright. Two for two. Alright. This next game is called Booth or Flair. I’m going to tell you a situation and you’re gonna tell me if it’s John Wilkes Booth… –or Ric… Nature Boy, Flair.
[many woo’s from audience]
Which one of these guys… broke his ankle, jumping off a balcony at a sold-out show… Which one?
MAN
John Wilkes Booth.
THUNE
We were actually going to accept both on that one.
[Ben reveals two photo frames, one with a drawing of John Wilkes Booth and the other blank]
Also, we could not get Rick Flare to sign off on this. Ha! So uhhhh… yeah. Yeah. Great. Alright I feel good. I’m feeling like one more. Since we’ve got a plan, we might as well, right? Alright. Alright one more. This one, you guys, I’m pretty proud of. Umm… This one is called Duluth or St. Claire.
[laughter]
I’m going to show you a photo of a house. Normal house. Alright? Middle class. And I want you to tell me if this house is in Duluth, Minnesota, or St. Claire, Michigan.
[extended laughter]
Ben, show him the house.
[Ben shows man a photo of a standard, unidentifiable, white house]
Wait! Show the audience. Ben, show the whole audience. No, Ben. One at a time –show them. You think you got it?
MAN
Yeah! St. Claire?
THUNE
St. Claire?
MAN
St. Claire, yeah.
THUNE
It’s actually Yakamow, Washington. Thank you so much for playing. You were really great.
[laughter and applause]
Thank you, Ben.
[applause]
A Hero’s Hero
Alright guys. I got one more message tonight. And its –and I think it could be the most important. And its just who are you?
[pause and laughter]
So, the question is “who are you? And what are you doing? What am I doing? What are we all doing –to be better? To like find a moment, and capitalize on it. That’s it. And I– …I figure the best way to do that is to just share an experience. And it’s about being a hero. And I’m not talking about Enrique Iglesias’s version of Hero.
[audience laugher]
We’ve got our own version.
[picks up acoustic guitar and begins playing]
I was taking a walk. And I was taking it pretty seriously. I was Christopher Walken.
[laughter]
Through a park –I was walking through a park. You ever been at a park? You? Phew. I love parks. And recreation. I love it all. It’s just… you find a park, there’s a forest. Like where I live, there’s forest. Not here, it’s just buildings and parks. But some other places, there’s forests connected to parks. And sometimes I’ll just walk right into a forest, you know? (murmered) This specific day, I walked into a forest. Walked through some trees. Found a quiet clearing about a half hour in. Sat down on a stool –stump. Sorry (almost inaudible)… It’s like a younger stool. Sat down on the stool and just started thinking. This young stool and me. Just thinkin’ about life. You ever seen a wild animal?
[pause]
So a Dalmatian comes walking into this clearing. I’ve never seen a Dalmatian in the wild. I’m scared, I’m happy. I don’t wanna spook him. I don’t want him to run away. But at the same time, I want him to talk to me, you know? This Dalmatian walks right up to me. It wasn’t like some pussy deer. Sits down in front of me.
[pauses to adjust glasses]
I’ve never met a talking dog. And I’m not gonna assume he isn’t one, you know? So I asked him a question. I just said, “What’s going on?” He said, “I’m in trouble.” Not out loud. This is all in his eyes, which I can read… but I can’t speak through my eyes, so I just kept talking out loud. I said, “Why are you in trouble?” He said, “I’m a fire-fighting Dalmatian.” I said, “that’s Dalmatian 1–0–1.” He laughed for a minute –said that’s the best One Hundred and One Dalmatians joke he’s ever heard.
[extended laughter]
I said, “Its more of an introductory to Dalmatian jokes. But the fact that you’re getting my jokes on a second level, is just like, I fuckin’ like you, man.
[laughter]
So I said, “You’re a firefighting Dalmatian. You’re in trouble. Why?” He said, “All the firefighters that I work with are stuck on the second story of a burning building, and they’re gonna die…
[pause]
…unless somebody saves them. You’re the first person I’ve seen. They’ve maybe got four minutes left.” That’s a lot. I said, “How many firefighers?” He said, “twenty-five.” I was like, Why would twenty-five firefighters be stuck in a burning building? That doesn’t even make sense. He said, “it was a calendar photo shoot…
[laugher]
…a lotta body oils, a lotta pyrotechnics. You know –you do the math.” I don’t know math well; I just took his word on it.
[pause]
I said, “Alright. But I can’t save twenty-five firefighters. Maybe I could save three or four. But I’ve never saved anybody –let alone, a hero.” He said, “Nick, don’t look at it like twenty-five.” I know, it’s like, He knows my name? He said, don’t look at it like twenty-five firefighter because each of those firefighters are going to save one thousand lives throughout their whole career. That’s twenty-five thousand lives. I did the math on that. He was fuckin’ right on. And then he said, “Think about how many cats’ lives they’re going to save. And who knows how many lives those cats have.”
[laughter and pause]
I said, “Alright, take me to the building.” So the dog walked me to the building –which felt ironic.
[camera angle changes to show a man playing a stringed instrument in the audience]
When I arrive to the building for the first time, I see a burning building.
[Thune puts his guitar down and the man still holding his guitar continues playing, walking down the aisle through the audience]
Ever see a burning building? Phew –beautiful. You gotta see one. –Don’t make it happen, but definitely try and check one out at some point. Because I’ll tell you guys right now… burning buildings are gorgeous. Different colors of like smoke and flames, and orange, and yellow, and red, and corporation crumbling. It’s just like everything you’ve ever wanted to see. And now I know the dilemma firefighters are dealing with on a daily basis. It’s just like, Ugh, could we watch it, just for another minute? We gotta run in?
[pause]
So I ran into the building. I didn’t touch the doorknob. I ran right through the door. We’ve all seen Home Alone.
[camera angle switches to show a violinist has now stood up and accompanies the musician in playing]
You think I’m going to burn my hand? The second that I get into the building, smoke.
I can’t breathe. I can’t see. My lungs feel like they’re going to pop out of my throat. My eyes feel like they’re going to pop out of my head. I’m crawling on the ground. I don’t know where the door is… that I came in. I don’t know where the stairs are to get to the firefighters. I’m gonna die. On the floor of a burning building. What? ‘cause some Dalmatian told me to go in? And now I’m questioning everything. Was there a Dalmatian? Did I take mushrooms?
[pause]
It doesn’t make sense. And in a last-ditch effort, I screamed out, “Are there any firefighters in here!? Are there any firef–” I hear, “Yes! There’s twenty-five of us. We’re on the second story, second door to the left!” I said, “I can’t see the stairs, there’s too much smoke!” He said, “Wait about thirty seconds. A back-draft’s about to happen.” I said, “Like the movie? Directed by Ron Howard, starring Kurt Russell?” He said, “Yes! –Except I’m pretty sure it’s Kirk Douglas.” And it’s just like, “That’s not even an argument I wanna get in right now, man. It’s fucking Kurt Russell, you should know that, you’re a firefighter. You’re embarrassing yourself and your whole station right now.” But before that argument could even finish, BOOM! –smoke gone! Back-draft initiated. I’m running up the stairs.
[camera angle changes, showing a new violinist stand up from the audience and join the other musicians]
Second door to the left. Pound it open! On the ground, twenty-five firefighters rolling. Why?
[pause]
Stop, drop, and roll. Three step process… with one major flaw. You gotta put another “stop” on the end of that guys. People are dying from rolling too long. That’s a statistic we’re not going to hear about. Firefighters aren’t talking about it. I’d say stop, drop, roll… –for about thirty seconds. Just figure something else out, really. Twenty-four of these guys, the second the door opens –twenty-four of these guys jump up like they’ve never seen a door open. They’re gone. They’re running. There’s one guy down. He’s not moving. He’s got no shirt on, suspenders…
[pause and laughter]
…a rock-hard body. He’s got a nametag on his left suspender, it says ‘Jason’. Just by looking at him, I could tell he looks 250, 252 pounds… –and I’m just going off sight. So I pick him up, no problem, throw him over my shoulder, run him down the stairs…
[flutist stands up in camera view, joining the other four players]
…getting outside, let him on the ground. Firefighting trucks from two counties over coming around with sirens, lights, paramedic trucks, news trucks, three of them, local, national. It’s a NATIONAL news story! And I’m sitting on the one casual, the is-he-dead? That’s a great question. I don’t know. Do I know CPR?
[pause]
No. But do I know what it looks like?
[pause]
You’re damn right I do.
[bends down on one knee, getting in CPR position]
[new violinist stands and joins the others]
I got down on one knee and just started making out with the guy. And I’m talking open-mouth kissing, just very gentle, but at the same time… kinda giving it to him. We’ve all seen CPR. I don’t know if the cameras are rolling. I don’t wanna look like I’m not a hero at this point. One of the paramedics jumps out of the truck before it even stops moving. Thank God she’s on the passenger’s side. She collapses on the ground right next to me. She says, “Is that Jason?” I say, “Yeah… I mean… it was… I don’t know if he’s still with us.” Then she said, “Well that’s my fiancé. We’re supposed to get married in two days.” Goddammit (whispered).
So I grabbed her hand… and I said, “if he doesn’t make it, I will take his place and I will take your hand in marriage.”
[laughter]
And before he could say “yes” –or “no”… honestly, no expectations on her –she’s going through so much… before she can say anything, Jason coughs. I don’t know if it was my foot on his chest –I don’t know what it was. I’m not a doctor. She grabs his hand, and says, “Jason, I LOVE YOU!! I love you! You’re not gonna wanna hear this. I can’t be with you anymore, I gotta be with this guy that just saved your life. And before I could be like ‘Ughhh, I kinda overcommitted, I’m technically married… kinda gotta lot of shit going on right now.’ Before I could say any of that, I feel a hand touch my shoulder.
[taps his own shoulder]
Turn around, it’s the fire marshal. He’s got two cameras on him –they’re live. He says Mr. Thune, I’ve got two questions for you, number one, do you photo well, and two, what’s your favorite month?
[pause and laughter]
I said, “You’re damn right I photo well. And my favorite month is cover.”
[cheers, laughter, and applause from the audience]
Thank you guys so much for coming out. I appreciate it. Thank you Brooklyn, have a great night. Thank you so much.
Conclusion
After watching Folk Hero, there is no doubt Nick Thune is indeed a folk hero himself. His continual efforts to perfect his unique style of stand-up should be an inspiration to any rising comic. His uniqueness and ability to captivate audiences with the balance of his guitar and standup is unfathomable. He is a hero of heroes, and yet he is relatable to every one of us. As the Encyclopedia of Folk Heroes describes, “Heroes are at once those things that almost none of us can ever be, yet they are still like us in so many ways.” [35] In this respect, Thune’s audience can laugh at the hatred for his ex or his fantastical story of saving twenty-five firefighters or any of the colloquial sayings without being able to fully relate.
Nick Thune expresses his inner self through his jokes. His awkward and nervous twitches of ‘you know?’ lets the audience know that Thune is self-conscious about his sketch, even as a professional. Thune uses techniques unheard of my most comedians, like using music paired alongside the sketch to influence the audiences’ mood. An especially neat part is at the end where Thune completely stops playing guitar, but other people join in on violin, flute, and other instruments that crescendo as the story becomes more and more intense. Thune used this technique choosingly throughout the piece, but it was most exaggerated here.
The final story of the act couldn’t match up with Campbell’s monomyth any better. With almost every aspect of the theory touched on, there is no doubt his story is a hero’s journey, he being the heroic protagonist. Other aspects of a folk hero are displayed in Thune such as power, cunning, magic wisdom, and cleverness that put him on the same level as Robin Hood, Jack and the Bean Stalk, or Yankee Doodle, all of whom made the list in the Encyclopedia of Folk Heroes. [32]
Thune doesn’t ever stop short of expressing his own unique person. His beard and glasses automatically make him an interesting character, but his broken sentences, slang words, and wit make Thune rise amoungst the rest. The title, “Folk Hero” suggests Thune is a protector of his being, not letting any part of him be influenced by the majority. And that’s what makes Thune interesting: he doesn’t conform to what other people want, but rather, he embraces his own person. In this way, Thune can enjoy his standup job on a more personal basis, not trying to please a particular crowd. His popularity may suffer because of this, but in the end, he is the real winner and ‘folk hero’.
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