Paula Poundstone knows I'm a Marine Biologist

I went to see Paula Poundstone Saturday night and it was awesome. i just love her.

she doesn't really have an act. she just talks and it's hysterical. sometimes she interacts with the audience and it's brilliant. this time, and i don't know how, she asked the audience a question and she heard me from like 2nd level seating.

she was talking about being in Sacramento and only in the last couple of years realizing this is where the state conducts all its business. then she asked if there were any state workers there. and someone closer to her said yes or something and she said what do state workers do and i blurted out (not that loud i thought, or at least not loud enough for HER to hear me...) "they walk around in tennis shoes at lunch time"

and she did hear me.

Paula: what was that? all I heard was a yes and then a mmmmmbbbb bmbmbmb mbmgmgmgmhhhh mmmhhmhm

Crowd is laughing I’m laughing harder because I realize it’s me she’s talking about

Paula: who said yes they’re a state worker?
Silence
Paula (still looking in first level): come on I heard someone say they worked for the state. Is anyone sitting next to the state worker?

Woman seated in front of me: I am!
Paula: well what is she doing?
Woman: she’s laughing really hard
Paula: maam what did you say?
Me: I said “they walk around in tennis shoes at lunch time”
Paula (guffaws and gestures to audience like I’m crazy): and?
Me: well, I just always thought it was odd that they’re hoofing it around the block in white socks and tennis shoes but they’re still wearing dresses and business suits. They don’t even change to go walking.
Paula (exaggerating how flabbergasted she is): THEY DON’T EVEN CHANGE THEIR CLOTHES???!! Well, you know what that means ladies and gentlemen! You gotta get to the capitol before noon to do business because after lunch its one STINKY DOME!
Crowd busts into laughter
Paula: ma’am what do you do for the state?
Me: I don’t work for the state
Paula looks aghast, crowd is laughing.
Paula: well, what do you do ma’am
Me: I’m a grad student
Paula: and what do you study?
Me: Marine Biology
Paula: well, that seems like an excellent career choice for someone in a landlocked city!
Crowd is laughing really hard. And keep in mind I’ve been laughing the whole time she’s been talking too
Me: well, it could come in handy when all the levees break
And some guy says something in the front row and Paula leans down to him and says sternly: I’ll take care of this sir!
Crowd is laughing.
Paula: a marine biologist in a landlocked city! Well, that may just explain Kansas. Imagine all those marine biologists in Kansas with no ocean. Explains everything if you ask me.

Then she moves on to something else but I was so stoked she picked on me and then she would reference it occasionally during the rest of her time on stage. She picked on someone else too and boy did she rip this person harder than she ripped me. It was hysterical. Now I’m going to write to her and tell her I was the marine biologist in sacramento.