That was twelve years ago.
Then Leo says, “Mr. Pumble, you just drooled a little.”
The next class, he gives up. He walks in, drops the syllabus, and says, “Fine. Let’s do comedy. Improv. Scene: ‘The Worst Day Ever.’ Go.” drama and comedy movies
Then he turns to Leo. “And yes—we can watch Deadpool . For educational purposes.”
Roger Pumble had played King Lear. He had sobbed over a prop Cordelia’s body to a standing ovation at the Belasco. He had done Chekhov, Ibsen, and a particularly anguished Willy Loman that made critics weep into their notebooks. That was twelve years ago
A once-celebrated dramatic actor, now forced to teach improv to bored teenagers, discovers that his own crumbling life is the funniest tragedy he’s ever performed.
“Fine,” Roger sighs. “I’ll demonstrate.” He closes his eyes, conjures the memory of his ex-wife, Daphne, leaving him for a mime (a mime —the ultimate betrayal). His voice cracks. His chin quivers. A single, perfect tear rolls down his cheek. He walks in, drops the syllabus, and says, “Fine
That night, Roger gets a call from his agent, a man who speaks to him only between 2 and 2:02 PM. “Roger, bad news. Daphne is suing for the rights to your one-man show. Says your ‘tortured artist’ persona is a ‘co-dependent performance.’ Also, the bank called. Again.”