I was recently back from 3 months of maternity leave. I was doing a show with the boss (we'll call her E). We were sitting backstage going over the running order. This is a pre-show ritual in which we sit around and read through the list of songs and make sure everyone knows the parts they have been assigned to sing. Only rarely does it turn up any real problems, since E is meticulous about these things.
This particular night, we were going through a song called "Oprahbama" (uh, don't ask). The line I am supposed to sing is "After the most recent/president's election/can we know our country's headed in the right direction?" E says "Haha! Jenny make sure you don't say 'President's ERECTION' Haha!"
I say "Thanks E, now I WILL say it!"
We go through the show. Oprahbama is at the end of the first act. We are backstage, getting ready of to go on for the first act closer. I am thinking to myself "President's ELECtion. President's ELECtion." Over and over and over again. And over agaan.
Have you ever said a word so many times that it just doesn't sound right anymore? That's what I did. "Election" just didn't sound like the right word anymore. I get to my verse, start singing, and in my head I am thinking "Election just sounds WRONG. It must be erection."
So that's what I sing. As loud and clear as one could possibly sing it. I sang about our most recent president's erection. The audience titters a little bit, wondering if there is a Bill Clinton joke coming. They quickly go from amused to confused. I can't look at anyone else. I see E's smile broaden wider and wider out of the corner of my eye as she tries to get through her verse without cracking up. I hear the guys on the other side of me supressing snickers. I look straight ahead and can barely breathe for laughing under my breath. I don't think I sang a clear word for the rest of the song, let alone a correct note.
Needless to say, I didn't sing that part again for a very long time.
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