What you missed at Muni Diaries Live

What happens when you pack the Elbo Room with Muni riders who love nothing more than a good story? Amazing tales, a new spin on bingo, and an only-in-San Francisco burlesque act that put old paper Fast Passes to very good use. At our 15th show, we were still floored by the enthusiasm and support of everyone who came to Muni Diaries Live, especially our storytellers who really dug deep into their San Francisco experience to share stories that are both funny and vulnerable, and serve as excellent reminders of why public transit is an important part of any urban existence.

We kicked off the show with Muni Diaries Live alum Jesse James, whose friends are constantly amazed at his endless supply of Muni tales.

This time around, Jesse kept us chuckling like always with tales of his personal history with Muni and San Francisco. He and his mom visited SF years before he would eventually moved to the city, and Muni was a large part of the impression Jesse was left with. “All of my stories are on the 38, because it’s the lifeblood …” Indeed it is.

Storyteller Mandy Hu has an impressively efficient BART-riding routine that puts her at the platform in exactly one minute and 30 seconds after she sprints out of her office. But efficiency took a backseat when Mandy ran into a coworker whose immigrant experience really struck a chord.

For the first time at Muni Diaries Live, we printed up Muni bingo cards that corresponded to Muni lines (yes, even ones you’ve never heard of. Thanks, SFMTA), and gave away free drinks and tickets to Tourettes without Regrets and Seduction Feroce!

Performer Wonder Dave is no stranger to the storytelling scene, but he had a secret up his sleeve at our show that only show attendees know about! Let’s just say: don’t be a public transit douche, especially when Wonder Dave is around.

ChrisO is a musician and hair stylist at Honeycomb Salon in Noe Valley, but did you know he also has an impressive record collection? ChrisO regaled the crowd with a story of running into an old neighbor from Brooklyn on Muni, and you’ll have to wait for our video to see what he found out.

Muni bingo wasn’t the only new thing at Muni Diaries Live! For the first time ever, we were graced by the presence of Alexa von Kickinface, performer and emcee of the infamous Hubba Hubba Revue. Her Muni-themed burlesque performance left us all in awe, and who knew Fast Passes would be such an important part of a burlesque costume?

We will have videos of each performer in the coming weeks, so keep your eyes on the site if you missed the show. Oh, and you too can tell a story at Muni Diaries Live! We are looking for people to share stories about life in San Francisco and how public transit plays a huge part in that. If you’d like to tell a story, email us at muni.diaries.sf@gmail.com!

Photos by Kevin Wong