A Funny Thing

Mike Kelton finds humor in a place of sadness and loss.

Julie Threlkeld of modernstories.com tells a story of memory at the Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre East Village.

Comedian Lucas Connolly learns about his sexuality.

Bob Powers provides fictionalized instructions for a "special delivery".

Brad Lawrence Crushes Hard.

Our story this week: Cats. They are the worst. This is inarguable, timeless wisdom. As if we needed further proof (we didn't), Cammi Climaco investigates just how much of the worst (all of it) they can be when she cat-sits two purrfect examples of the spewing, defecating, life-ruining mistake we call the house cat.

Cammi Climaco, on the other hand, is lovely. A comedian, a storyteller, a sculptor, a visual/video artist par excellence, Cammi would be pleased as pie if you'd visit her and her creations at brightsunnyfutures.com. Worth your time, we guarantee it.

Our story this week: Melanie Hamlett was a gung-ho feminist out to pave the way for strong women everywhere, but a crippling handicap in the icy heart of the Wyoming Winter forced her latent sexual confusion to the surface in a season of self-shaming, lazy date rapists, and masturbating at the public pool.

Melanie Hamlett is a comedian, storyteller, world traveler , and two-time Moth storyslam winner who has contributed to Marie Claire, Nerve.com, and the book Leave the Lipstick, Take the Iguana. You can catch her performing in Adventures with Melanie Hamlett at the Under St. Marks Theater in New York on the 3rd monday of every month at 7pm, and at melaniehamlett.com.

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Our story this week: Sideburns, zoot suits, and Fred Savage, these are the three omens that signaled Michelle Markowitz's late blooming into a wonderfully awkward young woman. Actually, you know what? Instead of describing this story, I will just tell you that it contains the line "He didn't deserve my Austin Powers quote."

So...

Michelle Markowitz is a comedy writer and storyteller in New York. She can be seen next month at Nights of Our Lives at UCB, and found online @michmarkowitz

Lisa Kleinman moved to New York for the big dreams, the bright lights, and the infinite possibilities. She ended up with a secret life, pregnant legs, and a roommate named White Shoes. It's the best things in life we never see coming.

Lisa Kleinman (@lisakleinwoman) is a storyteller at the P.I.T. in New York and an actor for the UCB Sketch titan BEIGE.

Caitlin Brodnick thought diets were fun. Really. But then she made herself a lab rat in the cult-like laboratory of the Great American Infomercial. Cast as a "Before" in a meal-plan experiment for television, what wouldn't she sacrifice for the horrible "After"?

Caitlin is a comedian and storyteller in New York and on the internet @caitybrodnick. See her host the story show Shut Up! at the PIT in New York.