6.9 | / 10 Comedymusi...

Arthur swapped his tuxedo for shredded denim. Barnaby added a "crust" setting to his synth that sounded like a garbage disposal fighting a lawnmower. They walked onto the stage to a crowd of three people: a bored bartender, a guy named 'Stitch' who was knitting a sweater out of copper wire, and a professional critic from ComedyMusicHub.

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. 6.9 / 10 ComedyMusi...

Barnaby nodded, already programming a "melting mozzarella" bass drop. "Next stop: an 8.0. Or at least a very aggressive 7.2." Arthur swapped his tuxedo for shredded denim

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

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.

Arthur sighed, finally satisfied. "See, Barnaby? It’s all about the 'threat' factor."

"A 6.9," Arthur whispered, his bow trembling. "Barnaby, we’re a meme. We aren't even a 'solid 7.' We're a suggestive decimal point."