You're the Best Around! Or Nah.

About a week before Christmas I was in the living room with my mom and my younger sister when my sister made the bold claim that I was the best improviser in my company. It's one of those blindly supportive things that family members tend to say and it's generally the sentiment you'd expect from family. What caught me off guard, however, was my mom's response. "No, (this guy) is really hilarious!"

My mom will very much be upset that I'm bringing this up again, because she insists that she only meant that it was a close competition. I gave her a lot of guff because she clearly felt bad about her forceful phrasing, but I honestly don't mind whether or not I'm thought of as "the best" among our group. In fact, I'm pretty sure that being the absolute "best" in an artistic endeavor isn't even a real thing.

I'm good at what I do. I'm very good considering the small amount of training and experience I have in improv. That doesn't mean I don't know I can improve. I love having shows where the audience is boisterous and ecstatic at the end. Where the charge forward to shake my hand and say they loved everything we did on-stage. Does that mean that we've done a perfect show? Of course not, there is no perfect show.

The thing I like about improv is that there's not a correct answer. There is no perfection to be had. Being "the best" doesn't really mean anything. When I was in high school I was terrified to set foot on stage because I didn't want to try it and fail. I thought failing once would mean my dream was dead. I thought if I weren't immediately perfect, then I wouldn't be able to ever succeed. 

Well I set foot on stage and I struggled and failed hundreds of times, but that didn't stop me from loving it. And I loved it so much that I was willing to fail in order to learn how to fail a little less the next time. So it's gone until I've found thousands of ways to really stink up the joint and only one way to put on a great show. That way is going up and fully and honestly investing myself in what's happening on stage, and sure it backs me into the occasional corner but man does it feel good.

So mom, you're right. Rafi is hilarious and I'm glad that you can see that. I'm glad that I'm some people's favorite and I'm glad that other people feel differently. There is no clear and objective answer and that's what makes it awesome.