The Genesis of HaHaMen Part 6: Too Many Ha's

Last week we talked about the email that would (EVENTUALLY) change the world. Or, at least my world and the world of one Ryan McChesney. On June 1, 2013, I sent an email via Craigslist to respond to his ad for a producer for a Christian film. It was a potential waste of time in that I was not, nor had the ability to be, a producer. However, I knew the value of networking and connections, so I thought it couldn't hurt to attempt to reach out.

In a case of odd timing, my email reached Ryan as he was heading back home to the Kansas City area. It turned out that he was going home to see his Dad's final days. During the next month and a half, my email remained unresponded to, and I, for all intents and purposes, let this particular email be forgotten and this connection not given much more thought. Little did I know that the lack of response was not a, "No," but a, "Not yet." Which, of course, is usually God's answer to prayers we think He's not hearing.

Ryan and I finally started talking in Mid-July. Ryan had come back from burying his Dad, and was back in Chicago. We finally connected and the idea of doing Christian Improv started to form. We decided to meet and a date was set. The afternoon of July 18, 2013, I walked off the Red Line in Chicago to a small coffee shop just under the platform of the L Station.

As was my custom, I carried my NLT Bible with me on the L. I figured that a giant man with a Bible might just be enough of a deterrent to prevent muggings. Also, in a spiritual sense, it brought light into a dark world.

I walked in and walked up and asked, "Are you Ryan?" We proceeded to converse about improv, acting, and doing these things in the name of Jesus Christ. The coffee shop had to close, so we parted for the evening. However, the conversation created an excitement that led to making the decision to form a group.

I took the lead in many ways, coming up with what I thought was a BRILLIANT name. I purchased a web domain and started creating logos. Ryan and I loved it and were going with it. We even added a third man to the mix. When a tall, gangly, litigator walked in to try his hand at improv comedy, we had our first team. It was Dave Ebert, Ryan McChesney, and Ken Lubinski and we were HIMprov!

But, not so fast.

Upon further review and discovery on Facebook, we found that there was already a Himprov based in Dallas. After creating my own page for Himprov based in Lombard, IL, I started to type Himprov in the Facebook search and found, OOPS, Himprov was already used and established. So, in the interest of brotherhood, fellowship, and the Body of Christ, I reached out and explained the innocence of the situation, asked if they minded us using the name.

The answer was a RESOUNDING no. Not going to happen, not unless we would fly them up, let them coach and quality control, and allow them to oversee our progress. It was received with a lot of assumed passive aggressivism, disrespect, and animosity.

Years later, after having spent years developing, promoting, investing in, and protecting a brand, a new found grace emerged in me for those original emails that I received in such a negative light. Earlier this year, I thought I would check in on Himprov. I discovered that they had now merged with Fish Sticks out of Milwaukee. It was an interesting tidbit I shared with Ryan and (now former member) Ken. Little did I know that this was not the end of that story.

This past weekend, members of HaHaMen went to a Christian Improv Comedy Conference in Milwaukee. It was hosted and run by Fish Sticks Comedy. One of the people with whom we would spend time and bond was the very same Brad Newton who sternly responded to my email four years earlier.

It is amazing how God will reconcile and unite parts of the Body in very unique ways. Though there was not a real "rift" nor was there remaining "tension," there was still a level of uncertainty of how meeting Himprov, now Fish Sticks-Dallas, would go.

Interestingly, the entire contingent of Fish Sticks-Dallas remembered the incident. And, even more interestingly, and incredibly representative of Christ, they held no animosity and, rather, were very supportive of us. What was feared to be a potentially uncomfortable situation was handled in grace, love, and a mutual joy of improv. Brad, Craig, and the rest of the gang from Himprov/Fish Sticks-Dallas were amazing men and women, and amazingly talented improvisers. It was a joy to play and improv with them. It was a blessing to fellowship with them. It is truly amazing how God works and can unite different parts of the body in unpredictable ways, and this weekend in Milwaukee was proof.

So, getting back to 2013, we were in the process of getting to know each other, getting to know Kimberly Garrett, our now fourth member, and trying to get out of the gates with a new name. In my addiction, sometimes an addiction painful for others, to puns and plays on words, I thought we should combine Ha Ha Ha with Amen. It was enjoyed universally in the moment and agreed upon immediately. And thus, hahahAMEN was born.

We had four players. We had a rehearsal space, thank you to my then church Fountain of Life Church, and now we needed to get good and get on stage together. hahahAMEN was now on our way!

Little did I know my pun-nature and the effort to emphasize the AMEN would not go over well. Eventually, the constant butchering of the name by others, and, most painful to me, by members within the team, led to my reluctant agreement to change the name almost 2 years in to the process. We went from the Himprov to hahahAMEN to our current incarnation: HaHaMen. One third less Ha's, but even more funny!

However, the ups and downs and changes were not limited only to the name. There would be a lot of growth, a lot of aggravation, some anger, and some pain. There would be times of doubt and questioning God and whether this team was according to His will.

Next week, I will delve deeper into the ups and downs on the road to where HaHaMen is today. In the meantime, we just want to give a big shout out to our friends at Fish Sticks. If you are in the Milwaukee or Dallas area, check them out!

Until next week, thank you for reading. Please check out the other blogs in this series. The first few really delve into my testimony. They go in depth to my battles with depression and battle against suicide. Those battles are the foundation for where I am today, and show how far God has brought me.

God bless!

-Dave