'Please welcome on stage, all the way from India, Papa CJ'. Bam! Joke. Laugh. Joke. Laugh. Joke. Laugh. Applause. The same sequence repeated. Thank you and namaste kind audience. Am I thinking about getting into the semi-finals - actually no. I'm just pleased I had a really good gig. Results - Papa CJ is going to Vegas. Elation? Yes. But its not complete until I can share it with friends and family. And it's definitely not complete until after I've completed my 36 hour journey back (worse coz I have an 8 hour lay over in Frankfurt). It's a bit like Tenzing Norgay, the first man to climb Mt Everest. They asked him what his first thought was after he got to the top. To which he replied, 'How will I get down'!

Having come back to India, am I excited about going to Vegas? You bet I am. Do I want to make it into the final 10? You bet I do. Will I walk away happy if I leave after the semi-final? Yes I will - but only if I have a good gig in Vegas. But rather than walk away happy I wanna walk away happier. So look out Vegas coz Papa CJ is coming to town...and he's coming in low and coming hard, coz this time he really wants it.

Background:

Before I start this let me just say that I have not seen my audition episode on Last Comic Standing. I am in New Delhi and I can't see the clips on the NBC website and I can't download them from anywhere. So I have not seen what has been shown on the programme. Having said that, I'm not even sure where to start talking about my Last Comic Standing journey. Was the audition in Miami a big deal - well yes and no. It felt like a bigger deal after the event. Everything happened so quickly that it was almost a blur. I got a call in Delhi two weeks before the audition and was told that there is this show in the US that is looking for international comedians and would I like my name to be considered for it. On hearing that the audition would be in Miami and that I might be flown there free of cost, I said 'Sure, what the hell, throw my name in the hat'!

One week later I was told that NBC had decided to invite me to Miami. Four days later I tore a disc in my back. I cannot begin to explain the excruciating pain that I was in even before I began my 32 hour journey to Miami. Painkillers, a hot water bottle, a back belt, an uncomfortable seat in economy (coach) and wheelchair access in between airports. I even called NBC from Mumbai airport to ask whether they could invite me for another audition in a different city. I landed in Miami only to wait two more hours to film a sequence where one of the presenters, Fearne Cotton, was to greet me dressed as a native Indian. Having been under the influence of painkillers and as polite as my parents have taught me to be, I think I just spat out a few lines in the manner they wanted me to. In better senses I would have made more of someone waiting at an airport for someone to land on a flight from India...and dressed as a native Indian. It's a good thing Mr NBC is not a comedian on LCS...coz with jokes like that...!

How was Miami? Well for starters, hectic. I spent as long traveling to and from Miami as I did in Miami itself. On the afternoon of the first day they wanted to take me jet-skiing...but given the state of my back, they decided to take Shazia roller blading instead. I suppose better she fall on her ass than me. What was really enjoyable though was meeting comedians from all over the world. It was particularly nice to see a large contingent from England, where I have performed extensively. And no matter what people tell you about what comedians are like as people, most of the people were absolutely lovely.

Come audition day and I go do a piece in front of the producers in the morning. They ask me to come back again in the afternoon to audition in front of the judges. Let me tell you, it is not easy 'performing' to two active listeners and a small smattering of film crew...but I've played smaller gigs. The judges said they found me personable and said they would like to see me in front of an audience. Sure. Now the real fun begins. I go back to the hotel, wash up and come back. The Miami Improv is sold out. Excellent. Nothing like a full room. The line up is revealed. I'm on after Stephen K Amos. A good friend a fantastic comedian. There are some comedians who don't like following someone very good. I don't mind at all. I'd rather go on to a happy audience. Now all that is left is to make sure the jokes work! Should it be challenging given I've been performing for 3 years, no. But having never performed in the US before, it is a challenge to make sure the references are right and the material translates.

'Please welcome on stage, all the way from India, Papa CJ'. Bam!

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