A Very Mel & El Christmas

El: Chestnuts roasting on an open fire...

Mel: Must you?

El: ...Jack Frost nosing at your nips.

Mel: Please.

El: It's almost Christmas, Mel! Get in the spirit.

Mel: It's only December 1st. I have ample time to summon spirit.

El: You don't, actually. We have shows coming up!

Mel: You mean the shows with strangely similar titles?

El: Yes. "A Very Gay Christmas" and "A Very Jeffrey Christmas".

Mel: Well I'll be spirited, but I won't sing carols.

El: No "Jingle Bells"?

Mel: No.

El: No "Frosty"?

Mel: No.

El: Will you at least sing "Oh Come All Ye Faithful" in Latin like Bette Midler and Barbara Hershey in "Beaches"?

Mel: I suppose I could get behind that.

El: Hallelujah!

Mel: Don't push it.

Becky Donohue's A Very Gay Christmas Discount!




A Very Jeffrey Christmas
A hilarious lineup of hysterical people including Jeffrey Johns, Danny
Leary, Vicki Ferentinos, Michael Brill and
Special Guest Stars Mel & El!
Monday, December 15th at 7PM
Don't Tell Mama - 343 W. 46th Street
$5 + 2 drinks, cash only
www.donttellmama.com
212.757.0788

Things That Say What They Are

El: I like a thing that tells you exactly what it is.

Mel: Say more about that.

El: Like the show "Cats". It's about cats and you know that going in.

Mel: I see what you mean.

El: I like when we do shows that say what they are.

Mel: So do I. Then we don't have to explain anything.

El: Right? I get exhausted from all of the explaining.

Mel: Totally. I tried to explain the title "Speed-the-Plow" to my mother the other day and I fell asleep in the middle of my own explanation.

El: You just fell right the hell asleep.

Mel: Who wouldn't?

El: Well it's a good thing our upcoming shows say what they are.

Mel: Tis. Tis a very good thing.

The Vicki Show

Hosted by Vicki Ferentinos

A fabulous show filled with hilarity and whimsy

starring Emmy Rivera, Jeffrey Johns, Michael Brill, Carolyn Castiglia, Robyn Fox

AND

Musical Sensations Mel and El!

Saturday, November 22nd at 8:30pm

Don't Tell Mama - 343 West 46th Street

A Very Gay Christmas

Another thing that tells you what it is: www.melandel.com!

Gay Life Expo

This Halloween, Mel dressed up as Drew Barrymore's character Gertie from the movie E.T. and El dressed up as Rainbow Brite.

Here is a photo:

You're welcome.

Get ready to thank us some more because guess what we got for every single one of you? FREE PASSES to the Gay Life Expo at the Javits Center this weekend. That's right! You can check us out on Sunday, November 16th at 2:30PM performing in The Comix Presents Hour with MC Scott Nevins, Hedda Lettuce and other funnies. To download the free admission flyer, go to

www.gaylifeexpo.com and click on the 2008 Gay Life Expo logo. It's rainbow-y and pretty like El's Halloween costume.

See how everything is connected?

Not Starving

El: I’m hungry, Mel.

Mel: How can you be hungry? You just ate a giant cupcake.

El: Well, you know how we're doing a benefit for America's Second Harvest this Sunday?

Mel: Yes.

El: I just went to the organization's website and read about the "Faces of Hunger in My Community" and it made me absolutely STARVING.

Mel: You probably shouldn't say that.

El: Why not?

Mel: It's politically incorrect.

El: Why?

Mel: Referring to yourself as a Starving Person in this particular context is offensive.

El: But I truly feel starving.

Mel: Yes, but you can eat something whenever you want to. The people we're benefiting cannot.

El: I'm so glad you're my friend so that I know these things. What else is politically incorrect?

Mel: I'll make you a list.

El: Will you put it in alphabetical order?

Mel: Obviously.

The Bake Off

Comic Relief for the Relief of Hunger

Sunday October 5th, 9:30pm at the

Peoples Improv Theater

154 West 29th Street, 2nd Floor

Tickets: $15

www.jellykean.wordpress.com

Come see Mel & El guest star in...

Located downstairs at Comix at 353 W. 14th Street, Ochi's Lounge opens for pre-show hobnobbing one half hour before the first showtime every Monday through Saturday. There is no cover charge and a one item minimum food or drink purchase for every performance.

It is Autumn. You need new things. New music. New undergarments.

Go to www.MelAndEl.com to get the things you need.

We Can't Remember What You Look Like

El: I’m sad, Mel.

Mel: Tell me why.

El: I can’t remember what our audience looks like.

Mel: They look like people.

El: I know that, but I can’t picture their faces. I want to see their faces!

Mel: Can’t you just picture them in your mind’s eye?

El: I don’t know how.

Mel: I’ll help you. Close your eyes…

El: They’re closed.

Mel: Now imagine the most attractive people that you have ever seen…

El: Oh that's nice. I see Clive Owen and Angelina Jolie and Jake Gyllenhaal …

Mel: Maybe a little less attractive than that.

El: Ok. I see Michael and Jenny and Sandy and Rich…wow! This is just like the magic mirror from Romper Room!

Mel: Are you un-sad now?

El: No. Now I just miss them more. I want to see them in person.

Mel: Then you know what to do.

El: Offer them a discount to our next gig?

Mel: Correct.

Comix Musical Revue:

An evening with New York's top-rated musical comedy performers.

Tuesday, September 2nd at 8PM

Comix - 353 West 14th Street

Advance tickets - $15

Day of show tickets - $20

Thursday, September 11th at 9:30PM

The Duplex - 61 Christopher Street

$10 + 2 drink minimum

Wanna buy a pair of panties and attach them to your fridge with a magnet, all the while singing along to a recording of "Fagnet"?

Go to www.MelAndEl.com to figure out how.

What We Did On Our Summer Vacation

On our summer vacation, we got to go to New York Stage and Film. That's a theatre development program on the Vassar College campus. We were part of a group of really neat writers, musicians and performers who were all artists in residence from Ars Nova. Being an artist in residence means you get to work on your art under a tree. 

Sometimes we worked indoors, too.

We worked really hard...

... but there was also plenty of time for recreation.

 Our director, Moritz, taught us how to bowl with intensity. You might say he was a Bowler in Residence. 

Here he is holding his beer in residence. He deserves it.

We even went out dancing at the resident gay bar.

El is pictured here doing the universal sign for "moron".

Mornings were hard for some of us. If our composer Patrick didn't have plenty of coffee he became a zombie in residence.

All in all, we had a really super time. We're very excited to be back in the city so we can try out some of our new songs at upcoming gigs. We hope that you'll continue to be our audience. In residence.

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Comix Musical Revue

An evening with New York's top-rated

musical comedy performers.

Tuesday, September 2nd at 8PM

Comix - 353 West 14th Street

Click HERE for tickets and info

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On the Rocks with Danny Leary

Thursday, September 11th at 9:30PM

The Duplex - 61 Christopher Street

Click HERE for tickets and info

Homo Comicus

You miss us, don't you? We miss you, too.

Come visit us at the Gotham Comedy Club this Thursday and let's reminisce about other things we miss like Garbage Pail Kids and Chewels gum.

HOMO COMICUS: Out of this World

Enjoy some close encounters of the hilarious kind with some shooting stars, supernovas and crab nebulae from the brightest galaxies of gay and gay-friendly stand-up comedy and song, including the fabulous Michelle Buteau, Cliff Connor, stellar song stylists Hector Coris and double fun duo Mel & El, plus gaylien laugh forces Jeffrey Johns and Darlene Violette.

Hosted with a big bang by Michael Brill.

Thursday, July 10 at 7:30pm.

Gotham Comedy Club, 208 W. 23rd St., NYC www.gothamcomedyclub.com.

$15 cover/2 beverage min.

Reservations: 212-367-9000.

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If you really really really miss us, one way to overcome that might be to go to www.melandel.com. You could purchase some songs and allow us to sing you to sleep once in a while. You could buy some underwear and keep us close to your bum. You could send us a MySpace note or a Facebook poke.

Summer is no reason to be lazy.

Go to www.melandel.com and do something.

Here TV!

El: Mel?

Mel: Yes, El?

El: We’ve been asked to do so many gay-themed events lately!

Mel: I know! It’s so great!

El: There was The Big Gay Variety Show, Dykes on Mics, and soon we’re doing Homo Comicus.

Mel: I personally think we should have our own float in the gay pride parade.

El: But Mel… we’re not gay.

Mel: But El… we perform at The Duplex and we have a song called “Fagnet”.

El: Good point. Excellent, excellent point.

Mel: We don’t need to actually be gay… WE HAVE GAY PRIDE!!!

El: Right then. So I won’t hesitate to share our guest appearance on the 6/6/08 episode of “Busted”, a podcast on Here!, Gay Television on Demand. 

Mel: Hesitate not, Ellie Friend. 

El: Go forth in gayness. 

Mel: Gay out, sister.

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LAST SHOW!!! LAST SHOW!!!

Mel & El: This Show Rhymes

will have it's final performance on:

Saturday, June 21st at 10PM

The Duplex
61 Christopher Street at Seventh Ave.
Tickets: $15 plus 2 drink minimum

Reservations: www.theduplex.com

or (212) 255-5438

You will kick yourself if you miss this one and we all know how hard you can kick.

Kicking hurts. Make a reservation instead.

Rhyming Couplets

El: We have just two shows left!

Mel: I know. I am bereft.

El: There's one this weekend, right?

Mel: At 10 on Saturday night. 
We play at The Duplex!

El: I'm hungry for Tex Mex.

Mel & El: This Show Rhymes

Saturday, May 31st at 10PM

The Duplex
61 Christopher Street at Seventh Ave.
Tickets: $15 plus 2 drink minimum

Reservations: www.theduplex.com

or (212) 255-5438

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El: My you-know-what is bare.

Mel: Then buy some underwear.

El: I don’t know where to go.

Mel: Click here, you little ho.

"Get Out" thongs and boxer shorts and "Fagnet" magnets available for sale at www.cafepress.com/melandel.

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Mel: Our web page has new stuff.

El: A sparkly powder puff?

Mel: A music store and blog.

El: A baby pollywog?

Mel: You act like you’re on crack.

I want my Ellie back.

El: I’m sorry - it’s the strain

of couplets on my brain.

Visit www.melandel.com to listen to and purchase live recordings of your fave Mel & El tunes.

Purveyors of Panties

El: Mel, I have a great idea!

Mel: What is it?

El: You know how we give away a pair of thong panties to one lucky winner after each show?

Mel: Yes.

El: Well, what if we make the thongs available for sale so that anyone who wants them can have a pair?

Mel: Actually, I already thought of that. I created a store on our website where people can buy thongs, boxers and Fagnet magnets.

El: Wow. You're psychic. Thanks for doing that!

Mel: No prob.

El: Well I have another idea. A few people have been asking if there's anywhere they can go to download our music. What if we created a music store as well?

Mel: I already did that, too. It's up on our website AND our MySpace.

El: Hm. So it is. Well here's something you haven't thought of... a blog! Everyone who's anyone has a blog.

Mel: I anticipated the need for that as well and took the liberty of creating a blog which is also accessible via our web page.

El: What the hell? Have you been reading my diary or something?

Mel: No. You talk in your sleep.

El: What are you doing watching me sleep?

Mel: Ssh... don't worry about it.

ONLY TWO SHOWS LEFT!

"Mel & El: This Show Rhymes" has been running for over a year. If you haven't seen it yet, get thee to the reservations page. Now, silly!

Saturday, May 31st at 10PM and

Saturday, June 21st at 10PM
The Duplex
61 Christopher Street at Seventh Ave.
Tickets: $15 plus 2 drink minimum

Reservations: www.theduplex.com

or (212) 255-5438

* "Mel & El: This Show Rhymes" was Originally produced with the support of Cannery Works, Spencer Chandler, Artistic Director. www.canneryworks.org

* Mel & El photos courtesy of Trevor Oswalt Photography. www.trevoroswalt.com