Part 2
After the contest, how were people treating Jamie at school?
They were "knocking knuckles" with him. Treating him nicely/kindly, and making him believe he is super cool.
After restoring Jamie’s confidence, “Cool Girl” kind of shot him down. What did she do?
When Jamie said that he didn’t know she cared, she replied with “Who says I care?” and walked away.
Why does Jamie feel like he needs totally new material for the New York State finals?
Most of the people who will be in the audience already saw his act on YouTube.
Who is Shecky? How did Shecky do during his routine?
He couldn’t get anybody to laugh but got a couple of groans.
What is Uncle Frankie’s secret to staying young?
The secret to staying young is being able to laugh at yourself.
Why did Jamie's hero status only last half a day?
People started saying that he only won because he was in a wheelchair. The judges felt sorry for him.
Why did Jamie have to tell Uncle Frankie that he won the contest?
He saw an article about the contest in the newspaper and figured he better tell him before he saw it in the paper.
Jamie wants to be sure that winning the contest wasn’t a fluke. What’s a fluke?
unlikely chance occurrence, especially a surprising piece of luck.
When Jamie got on stage, he froze again like at the last contest. He’ couldn’t remember anything. How did his brain get rebooted?
Cool Girl winked at him.
Why does Jamie think he’ll never get the operation that could possibly let him walk again?
It’s an experimental procedure and could make things worse than they are. Since it’s experimental, no insurance company would pay for it.
How did Jamie feel when he heard what people were saying?
He felt like someone had socked him in the gut with a shovel. He had a hard time breathing, and he just wanted to hide. He felt like everyone was laughing at him, not his jokes.
What does it mean when “Cool Girl” hits the start button on her stopwatch?
It means that she wants to be serious for five minutes and he’s not allowed to tell any jokes.
How does Jamie propose to convince himself that winning the contest was real?
He decided to do the routine that he did for the contest in front of the Smileys. If they laugh even once, he’ll know the contest win was for real.
What lesson did Jamie learn after his comedy routine win?
He learned that comedy can seriously injure the people you’re closest to if you’re not careful. He hurt his family and friends’ feelings during his routine. He learned that it’s not cool to be funny at the expense of the people he cares about.
Why do you think Jamie thinks that trucks should not be allowed to use Route 218?
It was a truck that hit his family’s car and killed everyone but him.
Who was behind all the nasty things being said about Jamie?
Stevie Kosgrov
Why does Jamie like “Cool Girl” so much?
She says whatever is on her mind whenever it happens to be there. She doesn’t give him any special treatment because he’s in a wheelchair.
Describe, in detail, how Jamie’s presentation went with the Smileys.
It didn’t go well. The dad raised his hand to ask a question, the family discusses how he can’t get a parking ticket because he’s not old enough, the youngest Smiley thinks the crossing guard really is a zombie and cries, the dog rolls over in the middle of a joke and goes to sleep, and they never smile. At the end, they tell Jamie that they just don’t get it.
What “miracle” happened on the way home from the contest? chapter 59
The Smileys actually told Jamie they liked his jokes and laughed at themselves. They even told some other jokes.
How are Jamie’s friends and family supporting him for his next contest?
Gilda put together some comedy concert DVDs for him to study. Gaynor keeps pointing out the stupids things he does so Jamie can put them in his act. The Smileys (except Stevie) find different ways to say he’s funny.
Explain in detail how “Cool Girl” came to Jamie’s rescue?
She blew off the blogs saying that blogs love and hate you. She told him that she saw his act on YouTube and thought it was hysterical. She pointed out that the audience gave him a standing ovation. She also told him that she tried out some of his jokes in the cafeteria and everyone thought they were funny.
Why is Jamie so worried and scared about the New York State finals?
Gotham runs a summer camp for kids who want to be comics. They get classes from pros and have spent most of their lives training for this event. This is who he is competing against.
Why does Jamie think he’s going to lose to the people backstage? Be specific
Talking to them, it sounded to Jamie that all of them had been doing stand-up routines since they were in preschool. Half of them had been to Komedy Kamp, and two of them had professional joke tutors.
What surprise was waiting for Jamie when he got back to Smileyville?
His friends and family had a surprise party waiting for him to celebrate his win.
How does Jamie’s relationship with the neighborhood people change after he won the contest?
They actually talk to him and tell him that he’s funny.