More Image Ideas

Wednesday August 29th, 2007 - Salt Lake City, UT

This image thing is consuming my thoughts. It’s like trying to solve a puzzle but I enjoy a good puzzle. I know it won’t be a simple solution either. If I could find an image mall to zip into and then zip out with two dozen pair of knickers and some dashikis I would do it. Or maybe coveralls and an ascot. No wait - how about a codpiece and a beekeeper’s hat? If I knew what I was looking for I’d get it but I know that I do need to TRY something.

It’s not only the clothing. It’s the whole stage package. I was thinking all day about it. If I can find what works for me it might be the last thing that puts me over the top. Or not. It could be a waste of time and I’m already there and don’t know it. Right now I usually just wear dark colored dress pants and a solid color (usually red) shirt with the tail sticking out because that’s supposed to be in style. If my grandpa saw me with my shirt tail out he’d be all in my face about it but it’s the style now so I have been doing that. I’d feel much better tucking it in just because that’s how I was raised but that was a long time ago. Bell bottom pants and leisure suits were in style back then too and I’m surely not going to wear those.

Red has always been my favorite color. I don’t know why but it is. My cousin Jef Parker used to own comic book stores in Milwaukee and he passed away in 2001. He always told me to ‘pick a color’ and make it my own. His was blaze orange. He had his stores painted that color and his van was that color and his business cards were that color too. He sold it as part of his image and he embraced it. He used to tell me I should do the same thing but I don’t think blaze orange would work for me as a comedian. I’m not trying to be a clown.

Rodney had his red tie so if I choose red it may appear like I’m copying him but I always liked red even before I saw him. Color might have something to do with it, I don’t know. I think sometimes too bright a color can be distracting to a comedian. The look on stage is a very delicate thing. It has to be distinctive but not distracting. People have said I should be up there with iron scorch marks on my shirt or a ketchup stain. That seems too contrived.

Rowan Atkinson’s Mr. Bean character is a good example of a uniform. He usually wears a tweed jacket and a tie except for the bits he does at the beach or a doctor’s office or any place where he has specific clothes just for that. I know he has a new movie out and I need to go see it just so I can see how he framed it all out and presented himself. I read reviews of it that were horrendous and I was sorry to see that. I like his style and respect him a lot.

I’ll make up my own mind about the movie. I just want to see how he uses costume in it. Laurel and Hardy had a costume as did Charlie Chaplin. Costume, uniform, whatever. It’s something I need to think about and experiment with and I’m going to do just that in Utah this week. I have job security out here and the club won’t mind what I do. That’s a relief.

I brought some different clothes along this week to try out and see if it makes any bit of difference at all. I rarely wear blue jeans on stage but this week I have a pair along for test purposes. I don’t really feel comfortable wearing blue jeans and I don’t know why. Maybe it’s too casual. I wear black jeans fairly often but blue seems like under dressing. I’ll see.

I also brought along a pair of light colored summer pants, almost white. I hardly ever do that either but I’m experimenting with trying SOMETHING different. When I lived here in 2001 I frequently wore suits on stage so the club people will tease me about it but I need a change and this is a place I can safely play around with it. No matter what I’ll get to come back here and it’s nice to have a place to test this on real audiences. This week will be it.

My shirt selection is going to be short sleeve button down shirts of various patterns. I’ve got a solid red one which I’ll probably wear on Saturday night with the blue jeans. I won’t feel self conscious about it and it’s pretty close to what I’m used to already. I also brought a couple of louder type prints too. Two are dark colored and one is lighter colored. I’ll try those out and see if I notice a difference in how the audience reacts. It’s amazing how that can have an affect on material. Changing out of the suit was an adjustment and I felt it. It’s a similar situation here. If I wear something else it will send a different message as well.

I like the idea of short sleeve shirts because to me it says ‘kid’ more. Maybe they won’t take it that way but it feels that way to me. A kid would wear a short sleeve shirt and I do want to get more into doing childhood material. The ‘dented can’ angle is all about how a child from a rough background gets over it and has to struggle. The exposed arms make it seem like I’m vulnerable. I’ve been wearing short sleeve shirts lately just because it’s been a hot summer but I feel very comfortable on stage wearing them and I’ll try it this week.

Wearing my glasses on stage is something I’ve only tried very few times. I will bet it has been under five times in over twenty years of performing when I tried wearing my glasses. I had to read a cue card a couple of times as an emcee so I tried it then but as a rule I just don’t like how they feel during a show. They reflect the glare of the stage lights and I have a big pair of eyes (my own) staring back at me the whole show. It’s distracting so I usually just go without them but one show this week I will force myself to wear them onstage and do a joke or two about them as well. I’ll do it on a week day show when it won’t matter.

Even to be thinking about any of this at all is a huge positive step in the right direction. I am getting older now and my act has to reflect that. Eventually I can see myself on stage playing the character of my grandfather who was so precious to me as a kid. Maybe that’s the role I’m preparing for all this time and when it hits I’ll nail it like Redd Foxx nailed his Fred Sanford character. He played an older man because he WAS an older man by then. It looks like it will be the same for me but that’s ok. If I can wait it out I will nail that role.

But right now I’m Mr. Lucky the dented can. I am struggling through life and fighting as hard as I can just to be ‘normal’, whatever that is. I think there are MILLIONS of people I could relate to with this and the key word is ‘struggle’. Nothing comes easy for Mr. Lucky and life isn’t easy for most. That’s the vibe I want to tap into and I think it will really work well if I can put it into a definable package. That’s what I’m starting to do here in Utah.

I’m SO glad I got here a day early and didn’t have to stress about doing a show tonight. I had a relaxing flight and the weather is beautiful and I have a room at the Baymont Inn. I will have to pay the club rate of $35 a night but that will be way worth it in stress relief.