A Welcome Matt

Tuesday October 6th, 2009 - St. Charles, IL

I’m in a good space in my head despite all that’s gone on lately. My depression funk is a memory and that’s a major victory but it sure was horrible while it lasted. This one stayed a lot longer than usual and really dug in deep. Those times are my ‘mental period’ and it’s very draining in every way. I do feel worn out but at least I know it’s gone - for a while.

That’s letting me focus on good things. The theatrical version of Jerry’s Kidders is very funny and getting funnier by the day. The guys and Vicki Quade are adding to it and I am too. It’s truly a group effort and everyone has contributed something to the mix. It’s a big project but it’s coming together on all levels and it just feels right. This is a new direction.

I can use one of those right about now. The club situation isn’t getting any better. I want to end this insanity with Giggles and move on. All it will take is my payment in full. I still think I’m getting screwed even if I get that but that’s another story. I want what we agreed to and that’s it. I’ll check my post office box on Wednesday and I hope it’s over after that.

I’ve been promised payment three times now and every time I don’t get it I feel like I’m being played as the stooge and it infuriates me even more. I’ve done nothing but excellent shows for those maggots and this is the thanks I get. It really is the last straw and it makes my gonads quiver that they can still stay in business. I don‘t want to associate with them.

Tonight I had one last class session to teach at Zanies in St. Charles, IL. I finished up at the downtown location last week and even though both classes were small they were very enjoyable because the people were good. That’s what it’s all about and that’s why I love it so much. Most of them don’t want to be full time comics but they do want the experience.

Before class I met up with Matt Kissane. He’s a Chicago area comedian but he also acts and owns his own entertainment agency. Matt is THE single best self promoter of anyone I’ve ever met and I mean that as a total compliment. He’s always sending out a newsletter or his avails and is very consistent about it without being a pest. There’s a very fine line.

He used to do a lot of stuff for WGN TV and is in several commercials. I’ve always had admiration for Matt’s ability to promote himself and we met up to exchange ideas and see how we could help each other grow. We also recorded a video interview for his website.

You can check Matt’s agency site at www.absolutelyentertainment.net. He sure gets the most out of his abilities and does celebrity impersonations of people like Chris Farley and David Letterman among others. He’s a real hustler and that’s meant in a good way. He’s a guy who knows how to keep his name out there consistently and I need to do that as well.

Like me, Matt has been known to speak his mind a time or two and has had clashes that he’s not enjoyed. We talked about that and how reputations can get made as those various incidents make it through the grapevine without the benefit of truth to back them up. It’s a ‘he said, she said’ game, just like in grade school and it’s pretty stupid. But it’s showbiz.