TV Trickle Down

Thursday August 6th, 2009 - Lake Villa, IL

Things are slowly starting to trickle in from the TV appearance but not nearly as fast as I would like. Obviously it would be great to get offer after offer and have several in hand to choose from but I never expected that to happen. All I wanted was to get a good DVD and I did. Now it’s up to me to send it out and use it to parlay that into something bigger.

The things I got were weeks of work in Pittsburgh and Salt Lake City. I’m already in at those two clubs but they saw the show and it reminded them I haven’t been there in a long time so we nailed down dates. Neither were for great money but they are both in the space of the next month and I can use the money so I said yes. Plus, I like both of those towns.

Hopefully I can find a way to generate some radio or TV or maybe even an article I will be able to use to make even more connections. Just doing the club won’t help move ahead anything other than paying me the few bucks to do the shows. Now I have to think bigger and try to manufacture an event wherever I go. I know I have a show if people show up.

This is all part of the show business game. I was reading where Houdini was a master at publicity and got people to come see his shows when he went places by pulling off stunts like hanging from the town square upside down. I’m not sure if that will work for me and I don’t claim to be Houdini but I do think I can do better at publicizing my appearances.

Showmanship is something most comedians don’t think about. I can see why, because it takes enough effort to come up with a successful act but someone has to see that act if it’s ever going to make real money. That’s where I am right now and I know it. I need to find an audience that comes out to see ME, not just a comedy show. That’s my missing link.

None of this is done overnight just as my act and persona wasn’t built overnight. It took years of tweaking and evolving and that process continues even now. The television spot showcased me well and a large percentage of people will have seen me as that guy for the first time and they liked it. Now I have to build on it and fine tune the product even more.

If I’m going to be the character of Mr. Lucky I need to BE that guy on stage. I need a lot more bits that define it and products to sell as well. A CD is on the way and probably two. That’s good, but it’s not enough. A book might be good too. Maybe a comic strip. I know it’s a universal character and if I market it right I can make it pay off for years to come.

This is actually a pretty exciting time. It took years and years to get five minutes on TV but now I feel I’m just getting started. That wasn’t my best material and I know I can and absolutely will do a lot better the next time out. I can’t guarantee a hot audience like I had but it’s ok. I did have a great one my first time out and nobody can ever take that away.

The work is just starting and I’m up for the challenge. Pittsburgh and Salt Lake City are a start but I‘m sure more and better work will come in because I‘m going to try extremely hard to find it. For once I feel like I have something to sell and I’m now ready to go do it.