6.9 / 10 Comedymusi... Page

The review score was the final blow for "The Funky Fiddle," a musical comedy duo consisting of Arthur, a failed classical violinist, and Barnaby, a man who played a synthesizer shaped like a giant slice of pepperoni pizza.

Barnaby adjusted his pizza-synth, unbothered. "Artie, look at the breakdown! We got a 9 for 'Vibe' but a 2 for 'Lyrical Depth.' Apparently, people didn't find the fourteen-minute ballad about a sentient toaster 'intellectually stimulating.'" "It was a metaphor for the Cold War!" Arthur shouted.

They had spent three years touring the tri-state area, blending slapstick humor with high-energy bluegrass. Their newest special, Cheese and Strings , had just dropped on a niche streaming service. Arthur refreshed the "ComedyMusicHub" page for the tenth time that hour.

Barnaby nodded, already programming a "melting mozzarella" bass drop. "Next stop: an 8.0. Or at least a very aggressive 7.2."