Mothership Connection

Wednesday February 20th, 2008 - Lake Villa, IL

I had my gig fall out tomorrow night and I couldn’t be happier about it. That means I’m free to drive up to Milwaukee and catch the George Clinton show at The Rave. It’s been a while since I caught a ride on the Mothership and I’m long overdue. I love to watch how a Pfunk show unfolds because they’re never quite the same two times in a row. It’s unique.

I’ve seen George live too many times to count and he never disappoints. He’s the leader of the circus and the center of attention but all kinds of things go on during the show. I’ve learned a lot about showmanship from him because he’s such a master. I’m sure I’ll learn something tomorrow night too and I’m thrilled at getting the chance to go. I can’t wait.

That’s how I want people to feel when they come to see me. I’m just one comedian and not a twenty plus piece band but the concept is the same. George gives people who pay to see the show WAY more than they bargain for and nobody can argue that point. It tests an audience’s stamina to be able to last through the whole show. It’s a challenge. I love that.

I also love it because of the raw energy that bounces off the walls. I’m very energetic on stage and I love to feel the flow during a show. George directs the band’s energy during a show and he’s great at it. Like in sports if someone has the hot hand they get the ball for a while. That’s how it is with the band. I just love to soak it all up live. It’s an experience.

I want my show to be an experience too. Comedy and music are different in many ways but similar in a lot of others. There is definitely a rhythm to both of them and mine has an influence of the funk without a doubt. That’s funny because I’m so painfully Caucasian. It would be a disaster if I tried to get into music but in comedy it gives me a fresh angle.

Every performer has influences. I’m sure George Clinton does too. He took all of those and rolled them up into one and added his own flavor and became a product himself. I am doing the same thing in comedy. I have influences of Rodney Dangerfield and C. Cardell Willis and Gene Perret who wrote for Bob Hope and others too. They’re all in the mix.

When I’m on stage all of those ingredients are in there but I’m now my own product. It took years to let the stew cook but it’s now ready to dish out. George is in my influential mix too and nobody I know in comedy has that ingredient - especially the white guys. It’s part of what separates me from just another shlub telling jokes and totally I need that.

It’s fun to be able to pay tribute to someone who had a strong influence early on. I don’t ever want to forget C. Cardell Willis’s generosity when I started in comedy but I can’t do much other than to mention it when I can. With George Clinton I can do a lot more. I will call the paranormal radio show I’ll be doing in Kenosha ‘The Mothership Connection’.

That’s the name of the album that got me hooked on the group Parliament back when it wasn’t cool for white kids in Milwaukee to dig the funk. It’s a hip name and not too many people will know where I got it but that’s ok. I don’t deny it. It’s my secret funky tribute.