Requirements
Objective
This is a fun skit. It gets a few people invloved without any rehearsing. The person who ends up being the “Big Jerk” needs to be someone that everyone knows well, and someone the crowd will enjoy seeing a joke played on him.
Description
Explain to the campers that it is spring and you need to get the lawnmower out of the garage for the first time and mow the yard.
Your lawnmower is a fellow staff member or counselor, who is on his hands and knees in front of the crowd. You tell him not to “start up” until you give him the signal. You go over to the mower, pretend to check the oil and gas, and then pretend to pull the cord to start it.
The person playing the mower makes noises and acts as though it is trying to start, but doesn’t. You explain that it has been a long day and you are tired, so maybe someone else could come and give it a try.
Pick another counselor or camper and have them come up and pretend to pull the cord to start the mower.
The person playing the mower does the same thing – sputters, but doesn’t start. You do this with a couple more campers, teachers, or counselors. Ham it up along the way.
Finally, you say “I hear that Johnny has a lot of muscles – let’s have Johnny come up and try. Johnny needs to be a person who has a good sense of humor and is able to take a joke. As Johnny is coming up to the front, give your mower the signal that this time he is suppose to “start up” after Johnny pulls the cord.
Johnny goes over to the mower, pretends to pull the cord, and the mower starts up and motors off stage.
You go over to Johnny, put your arm around him, and say “I guess all we needed was a great big JERK”.
Note: the crowd will clap when the mower starts up and goes off stage. Be sure you have it quiet before you say the punch line.
