The Funniest Fifth Grade Teacher
by Tara Rufo (Blast Magazine)When we hear the words "school teacher," comedian doesn't usually come to mind. Dan Crohn, however, is the fifth grade teacher-turned-comedian you wish you had. "Kids rule, adults are serious and boring. They say the classroom is a stage as well. It's unpredictable, just like doing standup," said Crohn.
Some people may consider Crohn's performances to be vulgar and certainly not suitable for a young audience. And today's technology makes it easy for anyone to look him up on the internet; even Crohn's fifth graders could gain access to his performances on YouTube.
"Vulgar, wow, that's such an adult word. It's hard to spell," Crohn joked. "You know what else is hard to spell, my last name; making it hard for my internet savvy students to find me." Touche, Mr. Crohn.
To his delight, some of Crohn's students are already showing signs of a future in comedy. "I see their ability to be funny without trying. Children have an amazing sense of comedic timing which they don't even realize," he said.
Crohn was born in California, but his family moved to New York shortly thereafter. When he was just five years old his parents packed him up again and moved to Boston. Said Crohn, "My parents made me … you really don't have a say in such matters."
Looking back at what he was like in the fifth grade, Crohn called himself a "popular loser." "It was the year before we started getting grades, so I think it went pretty well." ...
