The more birthday wishes you have the more you wish you didn’t have so many birthdays. Today, April 16th is Mike Lorenz’s birthday. I will spare him by not mentioning the year, besides it will date me just as much as him. Why you ask? Yesterday, April 15th was my birthday and more than that we where born in the same year. That’s right! I’m older and wiser but only by a day. Cuteness is still under debate. If you see Mike today wish him a happy birthday.

Miller

Maybe I’m jumping ahead a little but summer is on it’s way and I can’t wait. Mike and I have some great stuff coming up for the summer. So far we know we’ll be at the libraries in Watertown, Rhinelander, De Pere and Green Bay. You can also catch us at the Outagamie County Fair and the Tallship Festival. There will be some transformation shows and if you need a good vacation we’ll be at the Quietwoods South Camping Resort for the first time this July.

So pull out the sunglasses and polish of your frisbee because summer is on it’s way and I’m getting ready.

Miller

Last week I was messing around on Facebook and looking at my grocery list I decided my status should be, “Tim Otis Miller has completely run out of paper towels.” I didn’t think much of it but it got lots of comments and interest, go figure. One of the comments was, “Is that the absorbant material on a roll I keep hearing so much about.” The first time I read this I had that “What was that feeling.” The feeling you get when you can’t quite remember the name of the movie you’re thinking of. It’s on the tip of your tongue but it’s just not there. That’s how I felt, I knew I should recognize that phrase but I just couldn’t come up with it. Luckily my wife was there when I read it so I showed it to her and she starts laughing, she got it right away. It was killing me so I had to ask, “What is that from?” She gives me a crazy look and says, “That’s from the Miller & Mike show.” I felt like an idiot. Sure enough that’s a joke Mike wrote for a show we did in Green Bay in Jan. of 2005. Good thing my wife has a better memory than me.

Miller

Yet another fantastic photo from winter quarters 2002 when Mike and I helped to put together the 133rd of the Ringling Bros Circus. Mike and I are dressed like doctors for a one shot joke in the fitness gag, that means we came in got our one laugh and left.

It went like this, a muscle man was trying to lift free weights that were too heavy for him so he falls over in pain. Mike and I rush in dressed as doctors with a strecher, instead of taking the man we put the weights on the strecher and rush out. The fitness gag stayed in the show but the joke did not.

When it was all over my part was a clown in an aerobics class and Mike was the leather man in a clown version of the village people. I guess you had to be there.

Miller

Miller & Mike can cure what ails you.

Last tuesday I had a gig with Dr. Kickbutt in Oshkosh to play music at a retirement home for a Christmas party. The gig was booked several weeks ago for a start time I thought was 1:00pm and the people organizing the party thought was 1:30pm. Not a big deal but when I showed up at noon to get ready, the director of the retirement home thought I was really early and for a 1:30 start time she was right. I told her we can do a 1:30 show without a problem and I called the doctor to tell him the show was pushed back a half hour. He had to do some switching around but said he could do it.

Fast forward to 1:05pm. Everything was just about set up, but no sign of the doctor could be found and that’s late even for him. I get a call from him and he tells me he’s circling the building try to find the entrance and looking for a place to park. I frantically tell him he better hurry because it turns out the start time is 1:00pm and not 1:30 like I told him earlier. The director heard me, comes running over and says, “No, no, the show is at 1:30.” I covered the phone and said in calm voice, “I know.”

It was great, the doctor starts going off on instruments, set lists and running across the parking lot. The director was laughing and I just listened to the doctor go on and on.

I only let him sweat for a minute and at 1:30 sharp we played a great show full of punch and cookies and ending with Santa and a very fun version of Jingle Bells.

Merry Christmas,

Miller

I don’t know about you but I spent many hours this week digging out my sidewalk, driveway and car. In light of that I found a picture with warm weather, palm trees, sunglasses and everybody’s favorite zebu, Gandi.

While putting together the 133rd edition of the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus in December of 2002 I was paired up with with the zebu seen below. His name is Gandi and we walked together in the opening parade for two years. In all that time I never heard him say anything, I think Gandi is a mute zebu. He was such a funny little cow I had to have a picture.  For those who don’t know a zebu is an asiatic ox, I had to look that up so I knew what was on the other end of my leash.  Gandi is a minature one, he is almost full grown in this picture. Gandi’s best feature is his hump, next to my hand. The best tricks I taught Gandi were to stand and twitch.

If you look close at this picture you can see camels and zebras in the background. If you look real close you can see the back feet of a brown lama. If you look real, real close you can see me starting to go bald.

Miller & Gandi (Miller is on the left)

Miller

There is a great amount of joy one gets from having a picture like this one. However that is nothing compared to the joy of sharing a picture like this one. It was taken in the olden days with something called “film.” Apparently you could imprint pictures on this “film” and look at them only after they have been “developed.” This film was black and white so this is all I have.

This, like the last photo was taken during winter quarters in December of 2002. Unfortunately it’s not a candid. The clowns in the alley were working on a new gag for the show that featured a helpless frog surrounded by princesses that were all dying to kiss him. Mike was one of the princesses and as soon as I saw him in the costume they gave him I knew I needed a picture.

It’s a good thing I took it when I did becasue the gag wasn’t that funny and was cut and replaced with a fitness themed gag that did tour for the next two years. This photo is one of the very few things that still remain from that gag; hope you enjoy.

Miller

Isn't Mike pretty?

I found some pictures of Mike and I from December of 2002 when Mike and I were still with Ringling Bros and Barnum & Bailey Circus. That month the circus was in Tampa, FL in what they call winter quarters, rehearsing and putting together a new show for the next season. It was a lot of work and a lot of pressure but also a lot of fun.

Here is a great shot of Mike and I, I’m on the right and Mike is on the left in glasses. This was taken during a photo shot to get pics for things like the media releases and the circus program. I was able to get my hands on the rough shots and this is one of my favorites

Miller & Mike in the circus days

More to Come.

Miller

No, not that Marx.

I have this unofficail pen pal at the Oshkosh library and lately we’ve been exchanging Groucho quotes because there are a lot of them, they are funny and we have to much time on our hands. I thouhgt you might like to see some of my favorite Groucho quotes.

“Outside of a dog, a book is man’s best friend. Inside of a dog it’s too dark to read.”

“I find TV very educational. Everytime someone turns on the set I go to the other room and read a book.” Groucho liked to read, he wrote several books too.

“I could dance with you til the cows come home. On second thought I’d rather dance with the cows til you come home.”

“I wish you’d keep my hands to yourself.” Groucho was always a hit with the ladies.

“Humor is reason gone mad.”

“Those are my principals if you don’t like them, well I have others.” Groucho is great philosopher

And my favorite, “Time flies like an arrow, fruit flies like a banana.”

Miller

Today marks the 40th anniversary of the premiere of Sesame Street.

Growing up watching Sesame Street my favorite characters were Bert and Ernie.  They were a classic comedy team.  As a child I use to laugh at their characters idiosyncrasies. The Ernie laugh or the Bert brow furrow would leave me in stitches.  Now as an adult and a performer I marvel at their simple well executed characters and comedy.  I do not think it is any surprise that they are a major influence in the comedy of Miller and Mike.

To celebrate this day I might just make a peanut butter and jelly sandwich; pour myself a tall glass of milk; and watch some Sesame Street.

To see my favorite Bert and Ernie moment follow the link below.

Classic Bert and Ernie

In the spirit of laughter,

Mike