Get ready to dive into a delightful conversation that showcases the magic of lounge singing as we chat with the fabulous Carl Potorajski (Cam Poter), who’s bringing the heat to the Rochester Fringe Festival!

Check out the episode on Just Can't Not wherever you get your podcasts or on Lunchador.org!

https://player.captivate.fm/episode/2029352b-5eb1-4b0c-a2ba-1f26d69f2d41/

We kick things off by highlighting that Carl’s show, “Just to Be Close to You,” is set to be a headlining act every night from September 15th to 26th at the Garden Studio in downtown Rochester. The energy is infectious as Carl shares his passion for lounge singing, revealing how it’s not just a performance but an experience that makes audiences feel all the feels—like a 12-year-old with a crush! We dig into the art of connection, the vibrant world of clowning, and how every performance is a unique journey shaped by audience interaction. So grab your tickets at rochesterfringe.com and join us for a chat that’s equal parts laughter and heart!

Mentioned in this episode:

Joe Bean Roasters

Visit joebeanroasters.com to get fresh roasted specialty coffee either by the bag or with a Perpetual Joy subscription!

Oh, wrong one.

You gotta play the right one.

Well, that music means it's time for another.

Another episode of Just can't Not.

Go to rochesterfringe.com to get your tickets today to any and all of the shows.

And you definitely want to go to lots of shows.

And I'm here with a guest.

Guest, why don't you introduce yourself?

Yes, hello, I am world renowned lounge singer Carol Potorajski.

You might have heard of me from my show just to be close to you.

I have and I'm super excited that you're coming to Rochester for shows.

You're the headline performer at the New Garden Studio venue at one Fringe Place right in downtown Rochester.

And you have a show around 8 o' clock every day of the Fringe Festival.

That has to be very exciting.

Yeah, it is very exciting.

I cannot wait to be close to you.

So there.

So I read a line in your body and I need to hear your reaction to this because it's a lot.

This, this is a big statement.

So it describes you as a dreamy lounge singer ready to serenade, Seduce and show you what it means to love just for an hour.

Yes.

Does that, does that describe you to a T?

It does it?

No, it does not.

Because the truth is I will teach you way more than that.

I will make you feel like.

Like you were a 12 year old in middle school and you're looking across the way at your.

The crush, the love of your life.

And the heart is pumping.

Your, your blood is boiling.

You can barely focus on the teacher or mathematics.

All you can think of is this beautiful person.

This is what you will feel when you are in my presence at the one Fringe Place.

Now that, that is, that is a big statement.

And I see you blushing.

I see you.

I see you heating up already.

So there is, there is a special, There's a special place in people's hearts for the lounge singer.

Right?

There is this.

You know, some people, Some people might say this is.

This is an act left in the past.

Some might say that lounge singing is something that was parodied so many times that you know, it's passe.

You know, how, how do you, how do you tell them?

How do you, how do you tell them this is something they need to see?

Yes.

You do not know what you're missing out unless you've seen it.

When was the last time you seen a Lounge singer that blew your mind, Chris.

Oh, geez.

It has to be a very long time.

It is a romantic art that is long forgotten, and I'm bringing it back.

And so, Chris, please, you know, you must attend at least once.

I don't see how I can't.

Yes.

I mean, there's things in my life that I need help with, and part of that, you know, hey, we all get stuck in the routine of the day to day.

We all get stuck in our regular, you know, we're worried about things.

And sometimes you need to connect.

You can need to connect with your wife.

You need to connect.

Like, is that something you take great pride in is helping people connect together?

In fact, Chris, you're making me want to connect right now.

Connect all over the podcast.

Yes, let me.

One moment.

Yes, I.

Yes, I am known for many things.

I am a singer, a dancer,.

A.

Poet, slam spoken word poet, a burlesque dancer.

And one of my special talents is.

Accordion, the most romantic of all the instruments.

Thank you very much, Chris.

Yes, yes, yes.

I have one here that I will play you a little song.

Oh, I think you should.

Yes.

And I will dedicate this to you and.

Did you say your wife?

Oh, my lovely wife Carrie.

Your lovely wife Carrie.

Is there something you've wanted to tell her for a very long time?

Ooh.

That her talent is the thing that makes me love her the most.

Can you hear this?

Oh, of course, yes.

Hold on one moment.

I'm just looking at the buttons.

Hold on.

There's so many buttons.

You have to be careful.

There's so many buttons.

Okay, please, this is for Carrie.

Okay.

Carrie, Your talent is striking, even to me.

And we love you so much.

You know what?

I don't see how she won't feel amorous after that kind of experience.

Thank you so much.

Thank you.

Chris, I have a very.

I have a question for you.

So you know, there is, you know, Russian.

You know, Are you.

Are you Russian?

Is a Russian name, but it went through Argentina, where my family is from.

Oh, so.

So now I was going to say, because like I would say of the things that Russians are known for, they're known for poetry, they're known for expansive novels, they're known for intensity.

I wouldn't say romance is the thing that Russians are known the most for.

Oh, yes.

But Argentinians, on the other hand.

Thank you.

No, Argentinians, this is correct.

Argentinians are people of passion.

Very passionate.

Yes, yes.

When I speak with my family, everyone is crying.

We are constantly screaming at each other.

Breaking out into sweat.

It is a melodrama like you've never seen before.

I mean, you have to fight.

You have to fight and cry over the best cut of Argentinian beef cooked over live fire.

You got it, Chris.

I mean, how can you not?

How could you not?

Yes.

Yes.

So, yes.

You know, when did.

When did you start, you know, what's the early stage?

You started, you know, feeling the passion and, you know, that romance that came with singing?

3 Months within my mother's womb, I felt my first heartbeat that was so strong I almost came out.

It was.

I was a passionate little fetus.

As you do.

Yes.

And I knew from that moment I would become the lounge singer superstar that I am today.

Now, at a young age, when you're thinking about, you know, when you're.

When your mother would describe you as a young child, you know, singing and bringing, that you're trying to strike that passion with people in the household, you know, that had to be.

Was that a jarring thing for her or is that something that she was already accustomed to?

Well, it was interesting because I started singing, as I said, maybe around five months within the womb.

So she would be walking around the grocery store, the park, and people would hear there's a.

A little sound coming from within her stomach.

And she'd have to explain.

I'm so sorry, this is.

This is a highly unusual fetus I'm growing here.

And then his name is Karl Potorajki.

He will one day become one of the world's most incredible musicians.

Please do not judge me.

No.

Now, when I mentioned that the accordion is one of the most romantic instruments, it's very difficult to handle as a 1 year old.

Did you have that strength in you to already do that, or were you more of a.

More of a solo practitioner at that time with just vocals?

I'm so glad you asked.

I actually have my accordion from when I was one years old right here with me today.

It is this little.

What a lucky opportunity we have.

Yes.

Right here.

As you can see, this one has only six buttons.

It is easier for me to play.

Yes.

I mean, it's.

I gotta say, it is way more pleasant to listen to than a recorder.

Thank you.

Yes.

All children should be playing the accordion.

I think it would only please the parents of the world, Chris.

I've never agreed with anything anyone has ever said more in my entire life.

I mean, the recorder is just.

It's claptrap.

It is.

It is so sharp and, you know, attacking and other.

Other instruments like the accordion and bagpipes you know, are just.

Are soothing.

Are soothing to the mind.

They.

They calm a jangled nerve.

Yes, it does.

Yes.

You do.

You do.

You have an affinity for the bagpipes?

I do.

I'm a curler.

I've been curling for almost 15 years.

Wow.

So I've been played out to the ice by bagpipes multiple times with actual bagpipers.

That is amazing.

I would love to see you curl.

And it is so fantastic.

Also, like, it gets you really pumped up.

But between, like, I love that and, you know, I was.

I was somebody that grew up on listening to.

Listening to accordion music and listening to passionate singers, like our good friend and our good friend Al Yankovic, who is one of the foremost accordion players of the modern age.

Yes, of course.

So I have a great affinity for the accordion.

Yes, yes, yes.

He is incredible.

Yes.

Yeah.

And, you know, also a romantic singer at times, you know, has done many, many comedic versions, you know, comedic versions of romantic songs.

But as somebody who is trying to do.

Trying to, you know, bring, you know, keep the act of lounge singing alive, you know, that's.

That's a big.

That's a big weight to carry as somebody who is bringing that.

Because you, you know, a lot of times, like, people, you know, there's people that parody it, you know, there's the.

The guy that does, you know, the crude versions of lounge singing.

Yes.

It's very offensive to me.

Yes.

And then, you know, Richard Cheese doing, you know, you know, the comedic versions of other songs.

It's extremely offensive.

It's a bastardization of a beautiful art form.

Yes.

And I want everyone to know if you plan to come to this show, this is not a clown show.

No, certainly not.

This is a very serious musical experience.

Yes.

What.

What was it?

I mean, they're just confirming, you know, the audience is confirming your thoughts about that.

Yeah.

Thank you so much.

Okay.

They're just confirming.

It's fine.

There's some people there right now.

Right?

Well, I mean, there's a few around.

You have some.

You have some of my fans over there right now.

I mean, they're just confirming.

It's fine.

Everybody.

Everybody understands.

Everybody understands what you're doing.

Everybody knows.

Everybody knows that you're.

You're trying to revive lounge singing.

How did you work on your tone?

How did you get your, you know, that luster people?

People, you know, they die for the luster, that richness, that velvety tone.

How did you develop voice?

Yes.

How did you develop that?

You know, this is a great question in.

In Argentina, we do a lot of cookouts, barbecues.

And you burn the wood.

Fresh wood.

And when I was a little boy, I would inhale all of this smoke.

I let the smoke permeate my lungs, my throat, my.

My nose and nostrils.

And what you get is this crispy voice as a result.

You know, some people say it's not good for you.

I say it's the best decision I've ever made.

Yes.

Sucking in the smoke.

I mean, between that and the spice of the chimichurri, that.

Yes.

That affects everything in your soul.

This is exactly.

How could you not feel something?

You have to feel something with the acidity and the bitterness.

Oh, it's just.

It's passion, but.

And your passion.

So do you have.

Do you have a special person?

Or are all the people of the world your special person that you, you know, do you.

When you're writing your songs, when you're.

When you're thinking about this, do you think about that person?

Chris, you are touching on something very sensitive for me.

You see, I wrote this song for my wife of five months who died of cerebral overlord.

It's such a terrible disease.

It's a very terrible disease and something I hope no one else experiences in this world.

Her name was Radish.

Her eyes like this.

Can you see this?

So, I mean, it's.

It's just.

How could you not be engaged?

You're swimming in their eyes.

Yes, exactly.

And a mouth like this.

So.

So inquisitive all the time.

Yes, exactly.

Exactly.

Chris.

She was an inquisitive person.

Yes.

Her heart like this.

Tight.

But the right person can make it open.

Yes, yes, yes, exactly.

I had that key for some time.

So.

Yes.

I mean, this show is.

No.

So.

No, no.

Right now, I'm not with anyone, Chris,.

But the show, dedicated and inspired by.

Yes, thank you.

And that passion.

And in the Rochester fringe, you know, I intend to record the live album of this track just to be close to you.

I mean, that is.

I mean, what an opportunity for people to be part of a momentous recording of this personal journey.

And they get to be there for that moment that will be etched into history.

You got it, Chris.

Well, Carl, I think what we're going to do, we're going to take a break and we're going to come back and we're going to talk to.

We're going to talk to somebody who's part of the show, somebody behind the scenes.

So my manager.

We're going to take a break.

We're going to talk.

We're going to talk to him for a while, but I'm so glad that I got to meet a genuine practitioner of the lounge singing arts, Carl Potorajski.

Thank you.

And we'll be right back.

All right.

And we're back with the second half of our conversation talking about the show just to be close to you, which is every day at the Rochester Fringe from September 15th to 26th at the New Garden Studio venues, the headlining show there.

Tickets are 22 for Monday through Wednesday, 25 Thursday through Sunday at rochesterfringe.com so I'm now talking to the person behind the scenes, Cam Poter.

This just seems like such a blast to.

Just seems like such a blast to conceptualize this and then inhabit the character.

It's so fun.

Yeah, it's playing all the parts of myself that I typically don't let out in my day to day life.

Yeah.

So, yeah, it's so freeing and it's amazing to connect with so many wonderful audience members.

Well, and I think there's so much engagement too because like you'll have, you can have so many different styles of moments, you know, in this kind of show.

Obviously I haven't seen you perform yet at this point, but like it seems like you can like you still do the bit too, because it's.

Yes, it's all the comedy stuff.

Yes, it's the clowning aspects, but it doesn't mean you can't also then bring it occasionally too.

Yes, totally.

I mean, a lot of the time I am singing and dancing, even though I might not be the best singer and dancer.

And the audience does really co create the show every night with me.

So every night feels very different.

So about that, because I was just interviewing my first one of the year for the Fringe previews and they've been doing, you know, person based improv for a long time.

They're a duo and they've been doing either intimate ones with two people or four people and maybe even up to 20.

But it's small and they're like doing audience interaction all the time.

And it's such a specific skill that you really have to work on is keeping them engaged without them feeling like they're being controlled through the whole show.

It's the engagement and keeping them the way you want to without them feeling it the whole time.

Have that, has that evolved for you?

Have you felt yourself getting better at that over time?

Yeah, I mean, I've studied clown for over a decade now and now I teach it as well.

And the whole process is basically, how do you listen and create a dialogue with an audience.

Yeah.

How do you present something and then if they're enjoying it, continue doing that thing and enhancing it or pivoting to something they might enjoy more.

Yeah, it's something I've learned more about.

You know, you hear, you know, you hear like, you know the different styles.

Right.

You might hear, oh, somebody's doing commedia dell', arte, somebody's doing this.

And then people know.

People know.

Such a small subset of what clowning entails.

And through fringe, I've had the opportunity to see so many different people do shows, and a number of them have been these one person shows that are so audience driven.

And I've.

Like in Pittsburgh, I saw a show where somebody was doing the entire life cycle of a relationship and the relationship was with a banana.

I knew that person.

Tremendous.

Right.

I was actually staying in the same house as them with, with somebody who's part of the festival.

So I was staying in the same house as them.

That's awesome.

But what a talented guy.

And it's huge pratfall clowning.

But then also like honest, earnest parts.

And it was so all over the place in the best possible way.

Totally.

That it felt, it was so dynamic.

Yeah.

And I think that's the best word I can use to describe the clowning shows I've been to is each one has its own dynamic and doesn't.

They don't all have to be the same variety of dynamism, but they're dynamic.

And I think that's, that's something that is a great way for me to describe to somebody, say, hey, just go see something dynamic.

It's good.

You're gonna be interested if you care.

It is amazing.

I mean, I think.

Well, first of all, I don't think maybe all of your listeners realize that when we talk about clowning, it's not really what most people think of as clowning.

Right.

It's not Bozo, Bozo with buckets or, you know, Ronald McDonald.

It's.

It's basically comedic acting that's very physical, often highly improvised and very with the audience.

And there's a lot of freedom for what it can look like.

So when you go to a clown show, it might look completely different from one person to the next.

Yeah, it's one of my favorite things about this genre.

I was gonna say it has to be very, very freeing too.

Like, yes, obviously you're going down a direction.

You have an idea of where this specific show, this, this edition of the show is going.

And you might, you Know, might refresh it.

Is that something you actually do?

Like you'll have just a different version that you're doing each year or each cycle?

Yeah, I mean, it's definitely evolved over the past almost two years now.

Yeah.

That we've been doing this show.

I do the show with my brother, actually.

Oh, do you really?

Yeah, he is my song boy, my tech guy.

He's.

He tries his best, but he's not often that great.

Well, I mean, also like, it helps having somebody to play off of who's a.

Who's you guarantee is going to be a live body.

Exactly.

Yeah.

He's amazing.

And he helped me co devise the show.

Yeah.

And we've tried so many different versions of this.

We've done the show over a hundred times now, so in each night we're trying new stuff.

So we really have honed.

Okay.

This is what seems to work best.

And every night we crack it open again to see what more we can discover.

So this is something you've done a lot of traveling with for Fringe.

Have you found notable differences that you have to then readjust to depending on the city you're in, or are fringe audiences more universal?

You know, I thought it would be the case.

We went to the New Zealand fringe and we're like, this is going to be totally different than the, say, the San Diego fringe.

The San Diego fringe is kind of where we got our start.

Okay.

And we, we, we won the best infringe over there last year and they sent us to New Zealand and we're like, well, they might just.

New Zealand seems like a bit more conservative crowd.

Yeah.

But when we got there, the audience was just like completely open hearted and we were like, oh, this, this works here as well.

It, it, it's a, you know, it's because it's this co creation.

It just kind of mirrors whatever the audience is comfortable with.

Yeah.

And I love that too because it's.

That means you're gonna have that variety too.

Because if it was fully scripted every time, you know, yes, you can do it for a long time, but at some point, even if you love it, you're gonna feel something different about it after a while.

And it's a different.

It turns into a different performance.

Totally.

Yeah.

That's part of why I wanted to make this show.

It has a loose structure and there's a lot of breathing room for what I do with the audience.

And I'm never bored with it.

It literally feels like I'm skydiving every time I perform the show.

Because I'm like, I don't know what's about to happen.

Well, and I think that's also like, yes, you become more comfortable.

Right.

You're not like, oh, am I going to be able to do this?

You're not feeling that the same way, but it doesn't mean that you're not like, oh, all right, what's.

How am I going to be doing this?

Like, it's, there's always that mystery which I think keeps you fresh.

Because if you're too, if you're too comfortable, then you're not going to be able to.

You lose that little edge too.

Exactly.

I mean, it's kind of like this interview, right?

Yeah.

I mean, you, you, you've done so many interviews.

Probably at this point you're comfortable with it, but still, you never know if you're going to really connect with the person you're speaking with.

You don't know if you're going to enter that flow of conversation.

Well, and it's such a challenge too.

Like, it's like we have, I don't know, we're like 12 shows on the network right now.

We act more as a collective than like a giant profit generator, but for us, it's when a new show starts.

Part of what I love doing the most is talking to people about exactly.

What you're talking about is it's.

You want to make the audience feel something.

You want to make the guest across from you feel something and you want them to be so comfortable.

Yeah.

And obviously, you know, you might have moments of discomfort in the show where you're a little more jarring, you're a little more this, but there's still something about, in the end, you are taking care of them, you're making them be part of something.

Totally.

And that's a specific skill, is keeping the audience and your guest.

And for you, like the guest is the in person audience, keeping them engaged.

Yeah.

Yeah.

It's amazing.

I mean, I've often felt like, how do you translate this to this type of art, to film or tv?

But it's almost impossible because it is so dependent on seeing the reaction and responding to the person in front of you.

Yeah.

So when you mentioned you've been doing clown work for a long time, what got you into that?

Originally, I had been doing sketch and improv and stand up ever since high school.

Okay.

And then when I moved out to Los Angeles, my friend was like, do you want to take a clown class?

I was like, that sounds right up my alley.

I don't Know what that is?

But I'm into it, and the first day I took it, I was like, oh, my God, this is it.

This is what I've been searching for.

It's kind of this hybrid between sketch and improv.

It's exactly the silliness and playfulness that I would experience with my family and my friends.

Like, yeah, that.

That's how I'd want to spend time with my best friends, you know?

Is that.

Is that how.

Is that how your family is?

Like, your friends and family are too.

That they're.

You guys kind of bounce and do that kind of stuff?

Yeah, I mean, it's.

My dad was.

My dad is no longer with us, but he was such a playful guy.

Is he.

Would you define when he took the shell off?

He inspired.

Yeah, he's Argentinian, so he inspired this character.

Yeah, exactly.

Yeah.

It's.

So it's so interesting to, like, the people here before, like I said, they're doing that improv thing and they mentioned play, and it's something I think it might just be.

One of those things I want to talk about a lot this year is, you know, there are so many downs right now with everything, and that opportunity to.

It's a different kind of letting loose than, oh, we're going, woo, we're doing this thing.

There's a genuineness and an honesty to it.

Yes.

Is that something when you're trying to engage people and engage the audience to play along with you, how do you help build that in an audience?

Because obviously they want that, but it's still hard to get away from all the things in your head sometimes.

Totally.

Yeah.

And it could be something very new for an audience member who's never seen a clown show before, realizing they can actually participate in this and direct the show.

And it's weird because I saw two or three different ones in Pittsburgh, and I saw different versions.

I saw one where, oh, people were really tight and they weren't contributing, and the, you know, the performer actually seemed a little.

A little, you know, knocked off course from a lack of engagement.

And then I saw one where the audience, you know, for a while was a little tight, and then they got.

They got really into it and it was more than I think he was expecting.

Yes.

The same guy I mentioned before, like, it was a little tight, and then people started really diving in and, like, had to, like, pull it.

Pull it back onto the rails again.

And it's so fascinating to watch both versions.

And I'm sure you've lived both.

Yes, definitely.

Especially if you have a drunk crowd.

If they're drunk, they really have no awareness for what everyone else is experiencing.

But there have been times I've had to kick people out of the show and to get people to.

To really open up.

There are things I do at the top of the show to.

To give them space and to kind of not be able to even continue with the show without their approval and involvement.

I mean, there's a balance to this because I also hate going to shows where the person's like, okay, we all are going to dance together right now.

Oh, nice.

It's.

It's.

That's like a.

That's like an icebreaker or a. Yeah, or one of those things which I just abhor.

Like, and that's.

There's such a tight balance between forced fun and honest engagement.

It's.

Yes, it's such.

It's that little tightrope that is the skill.

I mean, obviously the rest.

You're building the base of how to do all this.

But that's the finesse that people take for granted and don't understand.

That's the work.

The work is the finesse.

It's not the character.

The work is that little thing of how do you make them feel engaged.

Yep.

Yeah, you got it.

Yeah.

It's super subtle and you can really feel when it's working well and when it just.

You couldn't get there with the audience that night.

And because it's a co creation, it took me a long time to realize it's not just on my shoulders, it's actually on all of our shoulders to want to go there.

So.

Yeah, it kind of depends on the night.

What.

What you get.

Yeah.

Is that something you found you've enjoyed more over time?

Is like, well, they're going this way.

Well, I'm gonna zag and go the other way and see how they react.

Yeah.

There is often this push and pull.

Like, if they're too into it, I will go the other direction and basically say, no, no, I'm done with the show.

Calm down.

Yeah, yeah, right.

Yeah, you're right.

Well, and it's, It's.

You know, I end up mentioning it all the time during this because it just.

As somebody who loves it, you know, it brings back to that.

You know, brings back to wrestling.

Right.

Like, hey, if you're doing a heel thing in the moment, you don't want them to cheer you.

You want them to.

Right.

You need to jar them back and bring them back to.

Okay, you're not supposed to like this right now.

And then you can bring them back up a little bit later.

Yeah, yeah.

The wrestling and clown communities are kind of like right next to each other.

I mean, they're both physical arts, they're both charismatic.

It's all about in that personality.

So what I kind of want to end off with is, you know, your choice of doing this big.

Right.

So obviously, you know, it is there.

There is a rich history of, I would say, comedic lounge singing.

And I mentioned a few different versions.

You know, there's the ones that are doing essentially like, you know, parody versions or just a little more crude version.

And then there's like, what I would say is more pure antagonism.

Right.

Which is the, you know, it's the Tony Clifton, Andy Kaufman version.

Right.

Where it is purely antagonistic and never ever breaking and being light.

It is pure antagonism.

When you were using both your.

Your history.

Right.

Using your history, you're mimicking some of the, you know, maybe the characters and mannerisms of people.

You know, when you're trying to figure out that balance, how did that formulation.

How did that process go for you?

When you're trying to figure out what is the tone?

I'm trying to hit.

Yeah.

What a great question.

I have, like, chills because I'm like, I've thought so much about this for so long.

I wanted to be like Andy Kaufman.

I thought he was so cool.

And I don't have that spirit.

No.

I can't get away with being that mean to an audience.

Because it was genuine.

It was really, it's.

And part of why I love it, like, you know, I still have some of my roots of, like, how I learned about radio was, you know, old school, like, you know, guy talk radio.

And I don't have the same mentality now, but that brutal, aggressive kind of thing.

Oh, man, there's a romance to it from just idolizing.

Just the dedication it takes to be genuinely hated.

Yeah, right.

And not break.

Oh, people hate.

I mean, so many of the things he did were like, anti funny.

But then because of that.

To the funniest things I've ever seen.

Exactly.

Yeah.

100%.

So I guess to answer your question, I use the principles of clowning and.

And try to make something that I think I would love to see.

Yeah.

And that I would.

That would crack my mind open, just like Andy Kaufman cracked my mind open.

And it doesn't look as antagonistic when I.

When I wear that shirt.

I'd say that's fair and maybe reasonable thing to do.

Yeah.

Because it's there's so many different versions of honesty in performing.

Right.

You're carrying the honesty of the performance, and it doesn't have to be anything except for it has to be the most you in that moment, you as the character.

The most you in the character.

You can be totally.

Do you feel like you've gotten to that point now, or do you still feel like there's another.

There's another level that you can get to with this specific character?

Yeah, this character, I didn't realize when I was creating him, but he's actually a shade different than who I actually am when I'm very playful, you know, with a romantic partner.

Say, yeah,.

Another character will take out completely different characteristics from who I am.

But this caricature, really, there's like a Venn diagram between us that.

With a lot of overlap.

But I think that that's kind of the best way of doing that is.

I mean, if you're thinking about how do you inhabit something, is you take yourself and bring it to 200% or bring it to 300% and then also take away.

Take away the balance.

And that's how you get to like, hey, this is still honest, but it's big and it cuts out empathy.

Yeah, yeah, yeah, Exactly.

Oh, man, this has been a blast.

So thank you so much for joining.

The shows are.

Yeah, the shows are every night at the Garden Studio.

Headlining the Garden Studio, basically every night at Fringe, 15th through the 26th.

You can get [email protected] cam any place you want people to follow you.

Otherwise, sure.

If.

If you're interested in clown at all, you can follow me on Instagram at Cam on Clown, where I make little videos with notes from all my clown classes over the past decade.

Oh, very cool.

Teach you a little about clowning.

That's awesome.

Well, thank you so much for joining.

We'll see everybody out on the Fringe.

We're going to close the door on this episode, but make sure you check out other shows on the Lunch Order podcast [email protected] We've got a show starting very soon with a whole bunch of librarians from Rochester doing Rochester's book club.

Their chemistry is fantastic.

I hope everybody takes a listen to that and we'll see you out on the Fringe.

This has been a presentation of the Lunchadore Podcast Network.

Just remember, if you want to romance your partner, the most romantic instrument of all time is the accordion.