Recently a friend who has a daughter about my son’s age asked me to go to the comedy club in our town. I actually forgot the place existed, even though my husband and I used to frequent it. Those were back in B.B. (Before Baby) times. In short, ancient history. When she told me it was The Pump and Dump comedy show for mommies, and I was in!
What It Is
It’s a musical comedy starring a duo of mommies from Colorado. One is musician and comedienne Shayna Ferm and the other is her sidekick, MC Doula (Tracey Tee). Ferm was an actress, musician, and sketch comedian in NYC before moving to Colorado and teaming up with Tee. Ferm writes and performs all of their songs (and actually has a pretty great voice, a little Joni Mitchell).
Awesome Parts
The show is a mix of funny bits that include stories and audience participation, but the highlight is definitely the hilarious parenting-themed songs. They had our whole group in stitches. One of my favorites was entitled Mama’s Boy. It’s about a mom who wants to be the most beloved woman in her son’s life…so his future wife “better be a man.” I’m not saying it made me want to whisper “please be gay” to my child like the song says…but she’s got a point (lol).
Another high point for me was one called, “I Want to Come Back as a Dad.” In it, she sings about how her husband terms caring for their child by himself “babysitting,” and that he seemingly can’t hear nighttime cries or remember the baby sitter’s name. But, he gets to do the “fun” stuff, so the kids love him. Even if you have the best husband in the world, you’ll likely still hear some truth in there.
The “Eh” Parts
There were five girls in our group, and we all had one child each, ranging in ages from three months to two years. We were the target audience, and some of the show was devoted to alleviating the insecurity of newbie parents. Ferm and Tee’s version of an “atta girl” was a song called “You’re an Awesome Mom.” It was a mostly-sincere pat on the back, and after it was over we were instructed to text a mother we know to tell her she’s doing a good job. The texting part was on the verge of cloying, but everyone can stand to be told they’re doing well, right?
The only iffy part of the show was when it was occasionally interrupted by “sponsors” to do raffle giveaways and hawk their gear. I get that everyone needs to make a buck, and at least free stuff was distributed. However, pausing to thank the sponsors in between numbers gave the show a telethon feel, and it disrupted the flow. Lots of people around us started talking and didn’t necessarily stop when the performance started back up. I’m sure the big winners didn’t mind, though!
To Conclude…
Minor criticism aside, The Pump and Dump lived up to its tagline, which is to provide “a parentally incorrect comedy show and night out, for once.” It was creative, hilarious, true, and at times, touching. None of us knew each other well (we were each invited by one other girl) before we met for dinner before the show. Yet, we were all able to share some laughs and then bond afterward over a few drinks. We even pledged to go out once a month after this. After all, once you’re in the sisterhood, it turns out you have a lot in common.
Q: What did you think of The Pump and Dump? What other ways have you found to bond with friends?
