The man who had once come up with a has-been corner skit, in which, as Zmuda recalls, forgotten performers would be sent out to flounder in front of an audience ...
( ( ( The man ) ( who ( ( had once ) ( ( come up ) ( with ( ( ( a ( has-been ( corner skit ) ) ) , ) ( ( ( in which ) ( , ( ( as ( Zmuda recalls ) ) , ) ) ) ( ( forgotten performers ) ( would ( be ( ( sent out ) ( to ( flounder ( in ( front ( of ( an audience ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ... )
(ROOT (NP (NP (NP (DT The) (NN man)) (SBAR (WHNP (WP who)) (S (VP (VBD had) (ADVP (RB once)) (VP (VBN come) (PRT (RP up)) (PP (IN with) (NP (NP (DT a) (JJ has-been) (NN corner) (NN skit)) (, ,) (SBAR (WHPP (IN in) (WHNP (WDT which))) (PRN (, ,) (SBAR (IN as) (S (NP (NNP Zmuda)) (VP (VBZ recalls)))) (, ,)) (S (NP (JJ forgotten) (NNS performers)) (VP (MD would) (VP (VB be) (VP (VBN sent) (PRT (RP out)) (S (VP (TO to) (VP (VB flounder) (PP (IN in) (NP (NP (NN front)) (PP (IN of) (NP (DT an) (NN audience)))))))))))))))))))) (: ...)))
A very small number of performers ended up being cheered and celebrated by the audience.
( ( ( A ( ( very small ) number ) ) ( of performers ) ) ( ( ( ended up ) ( being ( ( ( cheered and ) celebrated ) ( by ( the audience ) ) ) ) ) . ) )
(ROOT (S (NP (NP (DT A) (ADJP (RB very) (JJ small)) (NN number)) (PP (IN of) (NP (NNS performers)))) (VP (VBD ended) (PRT (RP up)) (S (VP (VBG being) (VP (VBN cheered) (CC and) (VBN celebrated) (PP (IN by) (NP (DT the) (NN audience))))))) (. .)))