FORGET MATCH.COM, LET'S GO TO A PHEROMONE PARTY!

     Here in the States, many single people rely on sites like Match.com to find a mate. Well, London has found a new way for single people to find a partner and no the women in this photo are not getting high from sniffing the contents in this bag. I'm about to tell you why she's laughing her ass off. 

     So, in a bar in trendy east London, dozens of singles mill about, sniffing plastic bags. There are no drugs inside, just slightly stinky t-shirts. These adventurous single men and women are at a "Pheromone Party." That's right! It's the alternative dating trend based on the idea that smell plays a key role in the choice of a sexual partner. I mean, this has to be true. There's no way someone with my looks can land the woman I'm about to marry. She's definitely way out of my league, as my comedian friend Don Jamieson says. So, my scent must've attracted her to me. 

     Anyway, each attendee at the party agreed to wear the same cotton T-shirt for three nights in a row, sans deodorant or perfume, and then they were instructed to bring the shirt to the party. The clothing, infused with the pure scent of the wearer's body, are placed in transparent plastic bags with numbers on colored labels--Pink for women and blue for the men. Organizer Judy Nadel encouraged the partygoers, "Smell as many bags as you like, have fun!" 

     At first there was some nervous laughter, then there was a sudden rush for the bags, which were laid out on a big table in the middle of the room. Some people opened the bags carefully, taking a timid sniff, while others plunge their noses right inside. Those who get a sniff of their dream partner, snap a photo of themselves with the bag. The images are then projected onto the wall and the lucky owners of the chosen T-shirts have a chance to meet their admirers. Nadel says, "It's such a weird concept. It's a huge ice-breaker because you are smelling a stranger's T-shirt. You can't be cool or pretentious. The idea was inspired by a 1995 experiment by a Swiss scientist, Claus Wedekind and the belief that pheromones, chemicals that are fundamental to the sexual behavior of animals, can also be picked up by humans. 

     I have to admit that this is a pretty interesting concept and with sites like Match.com so popular, I can see this happening here in the States. I can imagine these parties happening in New York City, especially in Brooklyn. I'm just happy that I'm no longer single. If I had to go to a party like this....Actually, I don't think I would go to a party like this. If I did, I would wear that t-shirt for the three days, while I ate Indian food for every single one of those days so that my T-shirt smelled like curry so bad that when anyone smelled my bag, they would run to the bathroom to vomit. To me, that's more fun! 

SAD DAY IN COMEDY.....PATRICE O'NEAL DIES AT 41

Yesterday afternoon, while I was shopping at Lowes, I received a text from a friend informing me that comedian Patrice O'Neal had passed away. WHAT? But he was so young! I was in shock! My friend told me that he'd heard it on the "Opie and Anthony" radio show on Sirius XM Satellite radio. Not that I didn't believe my friend, but I needed confirmation, so I quickly text a friend who handles the publicity at Carolines on Broadway, and I also hit up my friend and "That Metal Show" co-host, comedian Don Jamieson. Don replied with a single word, "Yes," which told me that he might've been broken up about it or he just didn't want to talk about it, but that was confirmation enough for me. My friend from Carolines on Broadway never answered, which was weird because all of my meetings with Patrice took place at the premiere comedy club.

For those who don't know Patrice, he was brilliant comedian who brought many fans to tears with laughter as he would joke about his weight and race. He's even appeared in movies like "Scary Movie 4" and "Furry Vengeance", and TV shows like "The Office" and "Arrested Development". His last TV appearance was as a roaster on the Charlie Sheen Roast. Well, Patrice, who was suffering from diabetes, had a stroke back in October, and a little bit more than a month later, the funnyman died.

Born in Boston, Massachusetts, the 6-foot-4, 300-pound Patrice suffered from diabetes for much of his adult life. He lived in Jersey City, NJ and was a longtime fixture on the New York and Los Angeles comedy scenes. Patrice is survived by his wife, Vondecarlo, stepdaughter, Aymilyon, and his sister, Ziner.

Normally, I could care less about a celebrity death, but like I said earlier, I actually got to hang out with Patrice a few times down at Carolines On Broadway, and he really was a gentle giant, and a hilarious one at that. I remember, my friend, Greg from Carolines, and I were headed to a WWE event at Madison Square Garden and Patrice was sitting at the bar at Carolines and we talked for a little while before we headed to the event. I told Patrice that I was interested in writing for the WWE, and he told me that he was a writer for them on two different occasions. He told me that I wouldn't like it because the McMahon family was a little too controlling and that he didn't have the freedom to write whatever he wanted. Another time, I remembered hanging out at Carolines for drinks, and it was a night Patrice was actually hosting, so after he did a 15-minute routine, he came out by the bar to hang out with us, and a white couple, from like Iowa or something, came out and asked for their money back because they were offended by Patrice's racist remarks. Patrice actually said to them, "What did you guys expect to hear when you came to a comedy club, and the club was filled with black people? Jokes about black people?" At that point, the couple just left while we just sat their and laughed!

Patrice was a very funny guy, and I am happy to have, at least, known him for a little while. I only wished that I had the chance to see him again before he passed away. His moments on the "Opie and Anthony Show" were priceless and like Opie tweeted on his Twitter account, "Patrice was the funniest and best thinker I've ever known PERIOD!" And with that we say, good-bye, Patrice O'Neal, Rest In Peace.