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MC Egg Rubbs

Well,"wedding MC" is now something I can add to my list of experiences. I'm not sure it belongs on a resume, but if a friend or family member asked me to MC his or her reception, I'm game.

After a very short ceremony and some sight-seeing around old college stomping grounds, the reception was in full swing. My job was easy, as the groom (my friend and former bandmate) had everything ready to go on his laptop. And turning on the microphone was simple: move the slider into the "On" position.

The first thing I had to say was a mouthful: introduce the entire wedding party, talk up the dinner, and plug the photobooth. Aside from saying "Come on down" for the various groomsmen and bridesmaids, the only other quip I said was that guests keep their clothes on while taking pictures in the photobooth.

Walking out onto the stage, I saw a sight I hadn't seen since I did stand-up comedy in elementary school: a room filled with people looking at me in silence. Nerves were small thanks to a strong rum and Coke I had before getting up on the stage. But ultimately, since I had a general idea of what to say, the words rolled out.

My desire was to keep things rolling with the wedding reception and not turn this into a comedy routine. Since the bride is Polish, she honored a Polish tradition where the groom drinks vodka from the bride's shoe. I couldn't help say "Chug! Chug! Chug!" as the vodka came down. And with the tossing of the bouquet and garter (I picked that one up after I fell on the floor near my left shoe), it was all about dancing. And I danced for about 90 minutes.

You want to be there for your friends on one of the most important nights of their lives. Even if I wasn't the MC, I would have been immensely happy that I got to be present in the event.

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