By Holli Harms

There’s a little secret in Brooklyn I am going to tell you about and you have to promise that you will spread the word only to your really cool and hip friends or to the ones who are steps away from cool and hip and you know that all they need is that one little nudge. The Secret is, “You’re Doing Amazing, Sweetie” (or YDAS) which is a comedy show that is part stand up and part confessional that happens every fourth Monday of the month, at Halyards Bar in Gowanus and is curated by Wanda Noonan and Megan Gilbert with invited guests.

 

 

 

Every month Wanda and Megan put together a lineup of performers that complement one another, as well as a subtitle of something extra, a theme they have chosen for the evening. Pasts themes have included “Are Personal Trainers Evil?”, “2 Genders 4 Puppies 1 Party”, “Small Town Coldcase Detectives”, and “YDAS Presents: Animal Hospital.”

The show I saw titled You’re Doing Amazing Sweetie: Freshwater Fish of South Carolina” with guests Josh Gondelman, Whitley Watson, Tina  Sieben and Dekunle Somade was a night about sex, masturbation, beauty, racism, milk, mothers, and movie reviews with the underlying connection of the efficiency and need of labeling.  Labeling ourselves and others and how the labeling has become in many ways a comfort for us. I know what you are because of your hair, or I don’t know what you are because your look doesn’t fit into a nice race box and that is not acceptable, and what about your sexuality what is happening with that?  Each performer strikingly different than the other but all hilariously funny. Some I almost spilled my martini funny. Yes, a nice decent Martini because did I mention?  The evening is FREE! So splurge on a drink or not and sit down for some hilarity.

Let’s be honest we all love it. It’s funny but stand up is not easy. You are trying to get strangers to understand to a certain degree your plight, mishap, misfortune, confusion and make them laugh at it all. These apt performers made it all look so easy. From one-liners to storytelling, to Wanda’s ongoing date life which is where the subtitle comes in  Freshwater Fish Of South Carolina. Wanda spent some time with family down in the South Carolina Low Country, and there she found a laminated paper with the list of all of the SC freshwater fish on one side and all the saltwater fish on the other. Wanda thought to bring this back to show to the girl she has been dating, have her pick her fav fish, Wanda will do the same, see if they made similar choices, and thus find out how compatible they are. Megan talked her out of it with the understanding that the Fish algorithm of love is not accurate science.

February 24th take a ride on the F train to Haylard’s for the next installment of YDAS. Show starts at 8pmish, have fun, be surprised. You’re Doing Amazing Sweetie running time 90 minutes give or take.

Halyards 406 3rd Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11215