Friday March 13th, 2009 - Vernon Hills, IL
Right now is the best time of my life on many levels. I’m in a solid mental space for the most part and even though the dark periods still come they don’t last as long as they have in the past and they don’t wipe me out. This last one wasn’t fun but I worked through it.
Getting my TV shot is a big deal and I’ve been thinking about it constantly. I’m grateful to have gotten it at all and it was a combination of a lot of things that got it. Part of it may have been ability but it’s not the biggest. It was persistence and patience and yes, luck.
There are a lot of comedians who are able to do a five minute television set. Maybe two or three sets. There are a lot more comics who can do it than available spots so me getting one of those that were actually available was a numbers game victory. I’m very fortunate.
I’m also very grateful and don’t and will never take it for granted. Everyone needs their break though and this is at least part of mine. All I need is ONE pair of intelligent eyes to see my character and decide it’s a winner and a moneymaker and I’m on my way that day.
For far too long I was drifting in all kinds of directions and didn’t seem to be able to get it all on track but now I feel it starting to happen like I envisioned it all along. I am finally making good decisions on a consistent basis. I can see positive progress and I’m thrilled.
Life is never going to be perfect and I know that but it sure is getting a lot better. I have positive things going all over the place and even though there are a few hiccups once in a while and I still get in my funks none of that is going to shut me down totally. I’ll be ok.
Now it’s a matter of keeping it all going. As youth slides out the door and middle age is the flavor of the day I have a new set of tools to use to get my dreams to come true. I’m at a different place than I was when things were bad and I don’t have to dwell on the past.
Mr. Lucky is a character and characters are timeless. The older I get personally won’t at all affect the success of the character. Someone else can play it years down the road and it will be just as funny then. It’s taken a lifetime of mistakes to come to this point and now I can enjoy the fruits of my labor and I’m so glad I didn’t give up. The fun is just starting.
This was a really eventful year for me and I can feel more good things in the future. I’m still a dented can and always will be but I’m playing the hand I was dealt the best I can so what else is there to do but enjoy the game? It’s Friday the 13th but I’m feeling very lucky. The future is looking bright and I’ve paid my dues so I don’t feel guilty about enjoying it.
Two excellent shows at Zanies in Vernon Hills tonight. The first audience was amazing and I was at my best the whole show. Afterward people were lining up to shake my hand and tell me what bits they liked the best and I had more autograph requests then usual too. The whole vibe was tremendous and even the late show was very good which is a surprise for a late show Friday the 13th. Life is in a good groove right now and I’m loving all of it.
Saturday, March 14, 2009
Friday, March 13, 2009
NOW The Real Work Starts
Thursday March 12th, 2009 - Los Angeles, CA/Vernon Hills, IL
What an amazingly life transforming trip this was but now the real work needs to begin. This was a long time coming and it feels great to have my first national television shot out of the way but by no means is this the end. Now I have to parlay it into a comedy career.
In reality I dodged a major bullet by being able to recover from my flubbed line dead on smack dab in the middle of my set. Everyone flubs lines but to do it right in the middle of my national television debut is a perfect fit for Mr. Lucky’s character. Unfortunately it’s a nightmare for me as a comic but when it happened I knew I had to make a quick decision.
I could’ve gotten angry or frozen up or just stomped off stage never be heard from again or countless other dumb stunts. I had enough presence of mind to pause for a second for it to be edited out and then I continued and tried to get back in a rhythm again and finish up.
I doubt if I’ll ever watch the set because I don’t enjoy watching myself in the first place but also I’d be way too critical of it. I could and would split it apart and rip myself but for what good reason? The audience did laugh and applaud and the show staff seemed happy.
I couldn’t change it now even if I wanted to so why try? I’ll let it be and hopefully many years from now people will look at it and say ‘Wow, did you see Dobie’s first TV spot? It was sort of like him but not all the way. He’s SO much funnier now.’ That’s what I want.
Go back and look at the first Tonight Show comedy sets from Seinfeld and Leno and all the rest and you’ll see what I mean. Some of the finished product is there but not all. It’s a constant work in progress and I see that the longer I do this. It’s an evolutionary process.
I’m evolving in a good way and this whole experience didn’t hurt a bit. It’s my point of beginning and whether or not it came later in life or not - it came. Period. I know a bunch others who are older than me and probably funnier too but they’d never take this chance.
Part of that is luck of the draw but part of it is personal choice too. I knew deep down it was necessary for me to make this step if I was indeed going to ever become a real comic in the eyes of the industry. This one shot might open a couple of doors and then it’s a new push to open a few more. This was a very important step because it gives me legitimacy.
I’m not walking around with an old dead credit like a lot of other guys are. That’s not a rip on anyone else but nobody cares if someone was an extra on ‘Gunsmoke’ in 1967 or a stuttering cab driver in a Jerry Lewis movie. What has a person done in comedy lately?
That’s why this is such a huge deal to me. Craig Ferguson has a hot hip show and is an up and comer and I doubt if he’ll be going anywhere but up in the next several years. He’s on his way up and hopefully so am I. I’d love for us to develop a professional exchange. It would be great to sit on the couch and riff with him like Rodney Dangerfield used to do it with Johnny Carson. They had a great rapport and I’d love to develop my own with Craig.
I don’t want to get ahead of myself here. I’m not assuming it’s going to be a partnership thing or anything delusional like that. I’m Mr. Lucky, not Ruppert Pupkin from ‘The King of Comedy’. All I’m saying is I feel I can come back in the future and do my part better.
The harsh reality is that I wasn’t completely ready for this appearance with the material I was planning on using. It wasn’t polished and spit shined to the point of total clarity and that will never EVER happen again. I learned some very valuable lessons from all of this.
The fact that I made it through it all is a miracle. Now I just cross my fingers it will air.
It should but who knows what could happen? If it does air I’ll hear about it beforehand and afterward I’ll get calls from people I haven’t heard from in years and I’ll feel good for a few hours and then it’s time to get busy and get going on making the next TV set better.
The first thing I need to do is send flowers to Celia Joseph the talent coordinator. She’s my main contact with the show and has been instrumental in getting me on and I am very grateful for her ease of demeanor and professionalism. I can’t forget about that and I want to let her know that she not only was great to work with she helped make my dream real.
The second thing I need to do is get a finished copy of the DVD and send it everywhere in the free world that could possibly book me for a show in the future. I need to reconnect with those I know and connect with those I don’t. This is a solid first impression to send.
Thirdly I need to find management in the near future. That’s going to also put me into a more credible light with those who can and do pay the highest wages. I am understanding a lot more how all this works and how the perception can sway a buyer into hiring an act.
Fourthly I need to crank out a few products as soon as possible. I have at least one CD if not two or maybe even three recorded raw but now I have to pay to get them edited and in print and that also will help spread the word. This is also part of the process of business.
Fifth, I need to keep exercising and watch my health a lot more than I have been. I’m at a crossroads now where I’m not old but I’m not a young buck either so better to start now than wait and have a stroke or heart attack and wish I would have started this years ago.
Those five things will keep me quite busy for the rest of the year. I also need to keep on working and polishing the set I was planning to do on Tuesday until it shines like Kojak’s forehead. Jerry Seinfeld did his set 80 times allegedly. I did mine about six. Not enough. I want to put a time in my act each night to polish and experiment with television set jokes.
Tonight I did exactly that in Vernon Hills at Zanies. I was in a great mood and I sure do have a new enthusiasm for the stage knowing I have a reason to be up there. I did as much of the lost TV set as I could but I spread it out and didn’t try to jam it all on them at once.
THAT’S the way to do it and tonight all the pressure was off so it was fun to go up for a whole set and riff and have fun like I usually do. I did, but I also had a game plan in play.
What an amazingly life transforming trip this was but now the real work needs to begin. This was a long time coming and it feels great to have my first national television shot out of the way but by no means is this the end. Now I have to parlay it into a comedy career.
In reality I dodged a major bullet by being able to recover from my flubbed line dead on smack dab in the middle of my set. Everyone flubs lines but to do it right in the middle of my national television debut is a perfect fit for Mr. Lucky’s character. Unfortunately it’s a nightmare for me as a comic but when it happened I knew I had to make a quick decision.
I could’ve gotten angry or frozen up or just stomped off stage never be heard from again or countless other dumb stunts. I had enough presence of mind to pause for a second for it to be edited out and then I continued and tried to get back in a rhythm again and finish up.
I doubt if I’ll ever watch the set because I don’t enjoy watching myself in the first place but also I’d be way too critical of it. I could and would split it apart and rip myself but for what good reason? The audience did laugh and applaud and the show staff seemed happy.
I couldn’t change it now even if I wanted to so why try? I’ll let it be and hopefully many years from now people will look at it and say ‘Wow, did you see Dobie’s first TV spot? It was sort of like him but not all the way. He’s SO much funnier now.’ That’s what I want.
Go back and look at the first Tonight Show comedy sets from Seinfeld and Leno and all the rest and you’ll see what I mean. Some of the finished product is there but not all. It’s a constant work in progress and I see that the longer I do this. It’s an evolutionary process.
I’m evolving in a good way and this whole experience didn’t hurt a bit. It’s my point of beginning and whether or not it came later in life or not - it came. Period. I know a bunch others who are older than me and probably funnier too but they’d never take this chance.
Part of that is luck of the draw but part of it is personal choice too. I knew deep down it was necessary for me to make this step if I was indeed going to ever become a real comic in the eyes of the industry. This one shot might open a couple of doors and then it’s a new push to open a few more. This was a very important step because it gives me legitimacy.
I’m not walking around with an old dead credit like a lot of other guys are. That’s not a rip on anyone else but nobody cares if someone was an extra on ‘Gunsmoke’ in 1967 or a stuttering cab driver in a Jerry Lewis movie. What has a person done in comedy lately?
That’s why this is such a huge deal to me. Craig Ferguson has a hot hip show and is an up and comer and I doubt if he’ll be going anywhere but up in the next several years. He’s on his way up and hopefully so am I. I’d love for us to develop a professional exchange. It would be great to sit on the couch and riff with him like Rodney Dangerfield used to do it with Johnny Carson. They had a great rapport and I’d love to develop my own with Craig.
I don’t want to get ahead of myself here. I’m not assuming it’s going to be a partnership thing or anything delusional like that. I’m Mr. Lucky, not Ruppert Pupkin from ‘The King of Comedy’. All I’m saying is I feel I can come back in the future and do my part better.
The harsh reality is that I wasn’t completely ready for this appearance with the material I was planning on using. It wasn’t polished and spit shined to the point of total clarity and that will never EVER happen again. I learned some very valuable lessons from all of this.
The fact that I made it through it all is a miracle. Now I just cross my fingers it will air.
It should but who knows what could happen? If it does air I’ll hear about it beforehand and afterward I’ll get calls from people I haven’t heard from in years and I’ll feel good for a few hours and then it’s time to get busy and get going on making the next TV set better.
The first thing I need to do is send flowers to Celia Joseph the talent coordinator. She’s my main contact with the show and has been instrumental in getting me on and I am very grateful for her ease of demeanor and professionalism. I can’t forget about that and I want to let her know that she not only was great to work with she helped make my dream real.
The second thing I need to do is get a finished copy of the DVD and send it everywhere in the free world that could possibly book me for a show in the future. I need to reconnect with those I know and connect with those I don’t. This is a solid first impression to send.
Thirdly I need to find management in the near future. That’s going to also put me into a more credible light with those who can and do pay the highest wages. I am understanding a lot more how all this works and how the perception can sway a buyer into hiring an act.
Fourthly I need to crank out a few products as soon as possible. I have at least one CD if not two or maybe even three recorded raw but now I have to pay to get them edited and in print and that also will help spread the word. This is also part of the process of business.
Fifth, I need to keep exercising and watch my health a lot more than I have been. I’m at a crossroads now where I’m not old but I’m not a young buck either so better to start now than wait and have a stroke or heart attack and wish I would have started this years ago.
Those five things will keep me quite busy for the rest of the year. I also need to keep on working and polishing the set I was planning to do on Tuesday until it shines like Kojak’s forehead. Jerry Seinfeld did his set 80 times allegedly. I did mine about six. Not enough. I want to put a time in my act each night to polish and experiment with television set jokes.
Tonight I did exactly that in Vernon Hills at Zanies. I was in a great mood and I sure do have a new enthusiasm for the stage knowing I have a reason to be up there. I did as much of the lost TV set as I could but I spread it out and didn’t try to jam it all on them at once.
THAT’S the way to do it and tonight all the pressure was off so it was fun to go up for a whole set and riff and have fun like I usually do. I did, but I also had a game plan in play.
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
Hollywood Swingin'
Wednesday March 11th, 2009 - Los Angeles, CA
I’m still floating on air from the show last night. There are so many things to sort out I don’t know where to start. The main thing is that I didn’t embarrass myself and it now is a reality nobody can take away from me. Even if it never airs I’m still the better for it all. I think it will air and I’m all for it but the real benefits from this came from the process.
This whole experience changed me forever and in a very positive way. For one thing I’ll use it to make my comedy much more structured. I will change everything around and get ready for the next television experience and it won’t be nearly as hectic as all of this was.
I’ll be way more prepared and I’ll continue to polish the material I developed for the set yesterday and didn’t get to use. It’s not wasted. I’ll polish it and be ready to rock the next time so I won’t be as overwhelmed. Getting this over with was good but I want to be back again and again and again. I’ve got a start but it’s by no means done. I’ve got work to do.
Another benefit this will have is in my teaching. I can honestly say I’ve been there, done that and that goes a long way in credibility. I have the experience and it was very difficult to attain it. I know what I’m talking about and I can help others prepare for their own sets.
Still another benefit from all this is the overwhelming positive vibes I have been getting from so many fantastic people. I’m sure there are those who are jealous or think I’m a big ass knocker but I don’t really care about those people. I care about the comics who called to ask how it went and there were so many of those calls that my phone ran out of juice.
Two friends I forgot to mention yesterday were Jack Freedman and Mike Alosa. Both of those guys stood in line for three hours to see the taping and waited afterward to come up and say hello and tell me how funny I was. THAT is the kind of thing that makes all this a humbling experience and I won’t soon forget it. They came to see me and I’m so grateful.
I’m grateful for all of this but I know it’s just the beginning. I’ve got so much to do now it’s spinning my head. I don’t want to get overwhelmed so I won’t go into it but this is not the finish line. It’s the starting gun. NOW I can start to see how far I can take my career.
There are things to do on every level and it will keep me busier than I already am. I will get back to work when I get back to Chicago but today I will hang out in L.A. and visit as many people as I can. I know I won’t get to them all but I’ll try to squeeze in quite a few.
I’ll be checking out of the hotel and visiting all day and I’ll go right to the airport for an early flight out tomorrow. Then the ‘vacation’ is over. I have a week of shows at Vernon Hills Zanies and a TV appearance on NBC5 for Friday the 13th. And my car needs work.
I love it here in Los Angeles and would love to move back here or at least have a reason to visit more often. Coming back here really lit my flame again especially after such a hot experience yesterday. I’m in a great space and I feel ready to start out on a new adventure.
I’m still floating on air from the show last night. There are so many things to sort out I don’t know where to start. The main thing is that I didn’t embarrass myself and it now is a reality nobody can take away from me. Even if it never airs I’m still the better for it all. I think it will air and I’m all for it but the real benefits from this came from the process.
This whole experience changed me forever and in a very positive way. For one thing I’ll use it to make my comedy much more structured. I will change everything around and get ready for the next television experience and it won’t be nearly as hectic as all of this was.
I’ll be way more prepared and I’ll continue to polish the material I developed for the set yesterday and didn’t get to use. It’s not wasted. I’ll polish it and be ready to rock the next time so I won’t be as overwhelmed. Getting this over with was good but I want to be back again and again and again. I’ve got a start but it’s by no means done. I’ve got work to do.
Another benefit this will have is in my teaching. I can honestly say I’ve been there, done that and that goes a long way in credibility. I have the experience and it was very difficult to attain it. I know what I’m talking about and I can help others prepare for their own sets.
Still another benefit from all this is the overwhelming positive vibes I have been getting from so many fantastic people. I’m sure there are those who are jealous or think I’m a big ass knocker but I don’t really care about those people. I care about the comics who called to ask how it went and there were so many of those calls that my phone ran out of juice.
Two friends I forgot to mention yesterday were Jack Freedman and Mike Alosa. Both of those guys stood in line for three hours to see the taping and waited afterward to come up and say hello and tell me how funny I was. THAT is the kind of thing that makes all this a humbling experience and I won’t soon forget it. They came to see me and I’m so grateful.
I’m grateful for all of this but I know it’s just the beginning. I’ve got so much to do now it’s spinning my head. I don’t want to get overwhelmed so I won’t go into it but this is not the finish line. It’s the starting gun. NOW I can start to see how far I can take my career.
There are things to do on every level and it will keep me busier than I already am. I will get back to work when I get back to Chicago but today I will hang out in L.A. and visit as many people as I can. I know I won’t get to them all but I’ll try to squeeze in quite a few.
I’ll be checking out of the hotel and visiting all day and I’ll go right to the airport for an early flight out tomorrow. Then the ‘vacation’ is over. I have a week of shows at Vernon Hills Zanies and a TV appearance on NBC5 for Friday the 13th. And my car needs work.
I love it here in Los Angeles and would love to move back here or at least have a reason to visit more often. Coming back here really lit my flame again especially after such a hot experience yesterday. I’m in a great space and I feel ready to start out on a new adventure.
BLAST OFF!!
Tuesday March 10th, 2009 - Los Angeles, CA
WHOOOEEEE!!! And I mean that with a capital WHOOO and an even bigger EEEE! I can barely feel my toes or anything else as I hover over the bed at my hotel room directly across the street from the CBS Studios on Fairfax Avenue in Los Angeles. Today was my big day and it was totally worth all the effort I put in to get here. This was a day to savor.
First, the staff of the Late Late Show down to a person could NOT have treated me any nicer from the second I walked in to the second I left. They were beyond professional and now I see why the expression ‘the bigger they are, the nicer they are’ exists. These people went above and beyond to make me feel welcome and I felt at home right from the start.
Second, Craig Ferguson is FUNNY. Period. That guy is quick witted and hilarious and I am pleased to have made my debut on his show. Nothing at all against Letterman or Leno or Conan or Kimmel but I feel like my vibe fits in particularly well with what Craig does.
Third, the audience was primed and totally ready to laugh and a huge part of that was a guy named Chunky who does the audience warm up. He’s a friend of my friend Nancy Jo Perdue from Texas who also was in the audience today. Chunky kept the crowd pumped.
What an amazing experience all around. It was and still is surreal and seems like I had a stunt double play me for a few minutes and I was out of my body watching it from afar in a folding chair trying to soak it all in. It started and ended before I could comprehend it.
I read a quote from Jay Leno saying he compared his first Tonight Show to his first time having sex. It was a lot of fun when it happened, it was over way too quickly and when he was done the first thing he wanted to do was go right back and do it again. I totally agree.
After his two scheduled guests Craig had to tape some promos for something and he did a very funny job on those too. I’m telling you, the guy is naturally funny and audiences do love him and I see why. I was extremely impressed at how he pulled off his whole show.
It was my job to have to follow an entire show and Craig’s ad libbed funny promos and still appear to be relaxed and myself. NOT easy. I was strapped in with a clip on mike and I heard the director count back from ten and Chunky the warm up guy said my name and I walked from backstage smiling ear to ear and stepped on my mark on stage. I felt alive.
I looked into the camera mainly but also could see the audience right behind them and it felt like I was in a club. I opened with my first couple of lines and then it all went dark for a second and I felt totally lost. I switched gears in an instant and fired off a couple of lines out of order that got very nice laughs but then I ended up tripping on a line in the middle.
That could have totally been the death of it all but I just stopped for a second and took a breath and let it pause so they could hopefully cut it out. I started back again and kept on a nice pace until I saw the director holding up a 30 second sign way sooner than I thought.
I then went into my closer which got a solid laugh and applause and I said good night. It all happened so fast I didn’t really have time to enjoy it while it happened and I didn’t get to use probably half of the material I had worked on but I totally didn’t mind. That’s ok.
The main thing is I didn’t embarrass myself and that’s what my goal was. I pulled it off. I know I’m not the first person to flub a line and won’t be the last but what better persona for that to happen to than Mr. Lucky? It almost seemed like it was part of the master plan. The audience was primed to laugh and they were really hot. This was a lifetime memory.
Right before I went on Craig came over and shook my hand and told me to break a leg. The whole staff came by as I walked from the makeup room to the stage area and I felt as if I were a turkey being lead to the chopping block but in a good way. They were all very supportive but the main thing I heard most people say was ‘Have fun.’ Boy, did I ever.
That’s what I thought about as I walked out there. FUN. It’s fun to be a comedian and it couldn’t be more fun than to do it on national television in such a great environment as is provided by everyone on the show. I spent a lifetime getting ready to be here for one day.
I also thought of all my friends who were rooting me on and sending good wishes and it almost caused me to start crying as I walked out there. I thought of how proud the people that have passed on would have been today. My grandfather would have been beaming as would my cousin Jef Parker and C. Cardell Willis and Jimmy Miller and so many others.
To me this was as much for them as it was for me but it was for me too. I’ve never been anything other than a dented can and this means so much to have achieved this wonderful accomplishment considering where I’ve come from and I don’t want to forget this feeling.
It probably doesn’t mean anywhere near as much to anyone else but that’s ok. There is a new group of guests for tomorrow’s show and the world will keep spinning and life won’t change all that much for most people but for me my life and comedy career began today.
Today’s four and a half minutes was the start of a life on a new level and I want to treat it as such. It doesn’t mean I’m better than anyone and it doesn’t mean I won’t have to still do crappy gigs occasionally but what it does mean is that I have made it to an elite level. I came from a total beginner to being chosen to perform on a network television showcase.
The main feeling I have right now is relief but right after that it’s gratitude. I am so very thankful for not only this opportunity but the fantastic amount of backing and support I’ve felt from so many outstanding people. Joining me backstage were Russ Martin who came all the way out from Milwaukee to experience this. He said he wouldn’t want to miss it.
Kristi McHugh was there too as was Grace Fraga. They’re both sweethearts and loved it as well. Good people hanging with good people produces a vibe that is electric and that is how it felt all day. Everywhere I turned there were fun people who appreciated the whole magnitude of the scene and how much pure fun all of this actually was. What a memory!
Another important part of all this was that it was my friend Tom Green’s birthday. He too would have been extremely proud of everything this event meant and I was thrilled to have it happen on this day. Tom passed away from cancer two years ago now and it still is a mystery to me why a great entertainer and even greater person had to be taken like that.
Life is not fair and never will be. This is a world filled with injustice and sorrow and all kinds of horrible things and that’s even more of a reason to be grateful for the wonderful feeling I have now and to be surrounded by such positive people who make me feel like it wasn’t a waste of a life after all and in fact all of my dues paying over the years had merit.
This isn’t a day to dwell on anything other than the positive. I’m not looking to gloat or ‘stick it to so and so’ or anything like that. I’m not going to waste my time with that kind of thinking and I don’t need to. My time is limited as is all of ours and I want to focus on a way to get back to a situation like this and do it again. THIS is where I want to be again.
What would do that? Continuing to work on my act and keep improving. One thing this entire experience has done is completely rejuvenate my comedy skills. I have leapfrogged ahead many steps in just a few weeks of work and I won’t ever go back to the other way.
I will continue to polish and perfect the set I was working on for today and in just a few months I can guarantee you I will have it SCORCHING hot. I added a lot of new lines but those lines fit my character perfectly and they will help me to really take this to the level I know I can take it. This is only the beginning and if nobody else knows it I certainly do.
I’m starting to find my stride now more than ever before. This was a major step up and I am in no way thinking this is the end of the process. Far from it. Now I know what I have to do and I can go back and do it properly and avoid the mistakes I just made doing this.
I know it sounds like a football coach going off on his players after a victory but I made several mistakes throughout this process that I will not make again next time. I won’t get into them but I know in my heart where I goofed and that will help me improve and that’s fine with me. I’m not a perfectionist at all. I’m an ‘improvement-ist’. I want to get better.
I already have but in the next six months if I am fortunate enough to remain alive and in good health you will see a MAJOR improvement in all facets of my comedy performance. This has taken me to my highest level ever and has brought me to a level of the big boys.
I know in my heart I didn’t nail it tonight like I have the ability to REALLY nail it. This was a hot crowd on a hot TV show and I’m grateful for every one of those who were there but that wasn’t the whole me and I totally know it. I want to get that chance to blow them out of their underwear and leave them sitting there naked and worn out from laughing.
I’ve got a ways to go to get there but tonight was the greatest step of all - the first one. It was a major milestone in my life and my career, as in now I am starting to HAVE a career and not just a job hauling jokes to tiny towns in beater cars. This was a big step forward.
WHOOOEEEE!!! And I mean that with a capital WHOOO and an even bigger EEEE! I can barely feel my toes or anything else as I hover over the bed at my hotel room directly across the street from the CBS Studios on Fairfax Avenue in Los Angeles. Today was my big day and it was totally worth all the effort I put in to get here. This was a day to savor.
First, the staff of the Late Late Show down to a person could NOT have treated me any nicer from the second I walked in to the second I left. They were beyond professional and now I see why the expression ‘the bigger they are, the nicer they are’ exists. These people went above and beyond to make me feel welcome and I felt at home right from the start.
Second, Craig Ferguson is FUNNY. Period. That guy is quick witted and hilarious and I am pleased to have made my debut on his show. Nothing at all against Letterman or Leno or Conan or Kimmel but I feel like my vibe fits in particularly well with what Craig does.
Third, the audience was primed and totally ready to laugh and a huge part of that was a guy named Chunky who does the audience warm up. He’s a friend of my friend Nancy Jo Perdue from Texas who also was in the audience today. Chunky kept the crowd pumped.
What an amazing experience all around. It was and still is surreal and seems like I had a stunt double play me for a few minutes and I was out of my body watching it from afar in a folding chair trying to soak it all in. It started and ended before I could comprehend it.
I read a quote from Jay Leno saying he compared his first Tonight Show to his first time having sex. It was a lot of fun when it happened, it was over way too quickly and when he was done the first thing he wanted to do was go right back and do it again. I totally agree.
After his two scheduled guests Craig had to tape some promos for something and he did a very funny job on those too. I’m telling you, the guy is naturally funny and audiences do love him and I see why. I was extremely impressed at how he pulled off his whole show.
It was my job to have to follow an entire show and Craig’s ad libbed funny promos and still appear to be relaxed and myself. NOT easy. I was strapped in with a clip on mike and I heard the director count back from ten and Chunky the warm up guy said my name and I walked from backstage smiling ear to ear and stepped on my mark on stage. I felt alive.
I looked into the camera mainly but also could see the audience right behind them and it felt like I was in a club. I opened with my first couple of lines and then it all went dark for a second and I felt totally lost. I switched gears in an instant and fired off a couple of lines out of order that got very nice laughs but then I ended up tripping on a line in the middle.
That could have totally been the death of it all but I just stopped for a second and took a breath and let it pause so they could hopefully cut it out. I started back again and kept on a nice pace until I saw the director holding up a 30 second sign way sooner than I thought.
I then went into my closer which got a solid laugh and applause and I said good night. It all happened so fast I didn’t really have time to enjoy it while it happened and I didn’t get to use probably half of the material I had worked on but I totally didn’t mind. That’s ok.
The main thing is I didn’t embarrass myself and that’s what my goal was. I pulled it off. I know I’m not the first person to flub a line and won’t be the last but what better persona for that to happen to than Mr. Lucky? It almost seemed like it was part of the master plan. The audience was primed to laugh and they were really hot. This was a lifetime memory.
Right before I went on Craig came over and shook my hand and told me to break a leg. The whole staff came by as I walked from the makeup room to the stage area and I felt as if I were a turkey being lead to the chopping block but in a good way. They were all very supportive but the main thing I heard most people say was ‘Have fun.’ Boy, did I ever.
That’s what I thought about as I walked out there. FUN. It’s fun to be a comedian and it couldn’t be more fun than to do it on national television in such a great environment as is provided by everyone on the show. I spent a lifetime getting ready to be here for one day.
I also thought of all my friends who were rooting me on and sending good wishes and it almost caused me to start crying as I walked out there. I thought of how proud the people that have passed on would have been today. My grandfather would have been beaming as would my cousin Jef Parker and C. Cardell Willis and Jimmy Miller and so many others.
To me this was as much for them as it was for me but it was for me too. I’ve never been anything other than a dented can and this means so much to have achieved this wonderful accomplishment considering where I’ve come from and I don’t want to forget this feeling.
It probably doesn’t mean anywhere near as much to anyone else but that’s ok. There is a new group of guests for tomorrow’s show and the world will keep spinning and life won’t change all that much for most people but for me my life and comedy career began today.
Today’s four and a half minutes was the start of a life on a new level and I want to treat it as such. It doesn’t mean I’m better than anyone and it doesn’t mean I won’t have to still do crappy gigs occasionally but what it does mean is that I have made it to an elite level. I came from a total beginner to being chosen to perform on a network television showcase.
The main feeling I have right now is relief but right after that it’s gratitude. I am so very thankful for not only this opportunity but the fantastic amount of backing and support I’ve felt from so many outstanding people. Joining me backstage were Russ Martin who came all the way out from Milwaukee to experience this. He said he wouldn’t want to miss it.
Kristi McHugh was there too as was Grace Fraga. They’re both sweethearts and loved it as well. Good people hanging with good people produces a vibe that is electric and that is how it felt all day. Everywhere I turned there were fun people who appreciated the whole magnitude of the scene and how much pure fun all of this actually was. What a memory!
Another important part of all this was that it was my friend Tom Green’s birthday. He too would have been extremely proud of everything this event meant and I was thrilled to have it happen on this day. Tom passed away from cancer two years ago now and it still is a mystery to me why a great entertainer and even greater person had to be taken like that.
Life is not fair and never will be. This is a world filled with injustice and sorrow and all kinds of horrible things and that’s even more of a reason to be grateful for the wonderful feeling I have now and to be surrounded by such positive people who make me feel like it wasn’t a waste of a life after all and in fact all of my dues paying over the years had merit.
This isn’t a day to dwell on anything other than the positive. I’m not looking to gloat or ‘stick it to so and so’ or anything like that. I’m not going to waste my time with that kind of thinking and I don’t need to. My time is limited as is all of ours and I want to focus on a way to get back to a situation like this and do it again. THIS is where I want to be again.
What would do that? Continuing to work on my act and keep improving. One thing this entire experience has done is completely rejuvenate my comedy skills. I have leapfrogged ahead many steps in just a few weeks of work and I won’t ever go back to the other way.
I will continue to polish and perfect the set I was working on for today and in just a few months I can guarantee you I will have it SCORCHING hot. I added a lot of new lines but those lines fit my character perfectly and they will help me to really take this to the level I know I can take it. This is only the beginning and if nobody else knows it I certainly do.
I’m starting to find my stride now more than ever before. This was a major step up and I am in no way thinking this is the end of the process. Far from it. Now I know what I have to do and I can go back and do it properly and avoid the mistakes I just made doing this.
I know it sounds like a football coach going off on his players after a victory but I made several mistakes throughout this process that I will not make again next time. I won’t get into them but I know in my heart where I goofed and that will help me improve and that’s fine with me. I’m not a perfectionist at all. I’m an ‘improvement-ist’. I want to get better.
I already have but in the next six months if I am fortunate enough to remain alive and in good health you will see a MAJOR improvement in all facets of my comedy performance. This has taken me to my highest level ever and has brought me to a level of the big boys.
I know in my heart I didn’t nail it tonight like I have the ability to REALLY nail it. This was a hot crowd on a hot TV show and I’m grateful for every one of those who were there but that wasn’t the whole me and I totally know it. I want to get that chance to blow them out of their underwear and leave them sitting there naked and worn out from laughing.
I’ve got a ways to go to get there but tonight was the greatest step of all - the first one. It was a major milestone in my life and my career, as in now I am starting to HAVE a career and not just a job hauling jokes to tiny towns in beater cars. This was a big step forward.
Monday, March 9, 2009
One...
Monday March 9th, 2009 - Chicago, IL
Now it’s all starting to get surreal. Today was packed with all kinds of wackery and I’m doing my best to shake it off and keep my eyes on the prize. I had heard that there is a full moon tomorrow (how perfect for Mr. Lucky’s TV debut) but today was the day of weird.
I woke up early and went to the mall to do my laps. I have been steadily exercising and I feel good about it so I didn’t want to break that string. I hit a nasty pot hole yesterday and it really tore up the left side of my front end. Every time I make a right turn my left wheel sounds like it’s going to snap off. I’ll have to get it fixed as soon as I get back from L.A.
On top of that I got stopped by a cop in a tiny little town on the way home from getting breakfast at my favorite Red School House diner. Some soup head was on a cell phone at a light and blocking both lanes. I went past her on the right and the cop said it was posted not to do that but I didn’t see any signs. It didn’t matter what I saw - I still got the ticket.
To make it even more difficult I had stopped at the bank on my way to breakfast to drop off a couple of checks I’d been sitting on and I was so busy thinking about everything that I had to do today I forgot my wallet when I left. Now I had no wallet, driver’s license, or a proof of insurance card which is required in Illinois. It took an extra long time to settle it.
The ticket is going to be $75 at the very least. He claims it’s on tape and it probably is. I don’t have a desire to go to court in April so I’ll just pay it and shut my mouth. I want this to all blow over so there are good vibes in L.A. tomorrow. Dwelling on all this isn’t good.
I did sense this goofy vibe all day though. People seemed short tempered all around and I saw a number of altercations going on with people all day long. I tried my best to keep a clear head and straightforward focus but the circumstances sure didn’t make it very easy.
I got my hair cut today and have a couple of solid color shirts to choose from and some nice looking dress pants that I will wear on the show. I had several offers to go shopping but I don’t enjoy that at all and don’t want to make a big fuss over myself. That isn’t me.
Again, I don’t want to be an embarrassment to anyone. Wearing a codpiece and a giant sombrero won’t make me any funnier although it would probably be a first for a national television comedy appearance. I’m not interested in that. I’m interested in doing my set.
I’ve changed it and changed it and changed it again. I stayed up until 4:30am today and I did it again. I’m trying to include jokes I have already done so I can feel more at ease in delivering them. It was a mistake to go with the untried stuff and a lot of that is now out.
I wish it was all over and in a little over a day it will be. This is my own personal Super Bowl and it’s a fact that NOBODY wants to lose the Super Bowl. I’d rather not get there at all than get there and lose. The same holds true here. I want to win this game. Off to do the set one more time at Zanies and then to Midway Airport to wait for my plane to L.A.
Now it’s all starting to get surreal. Today was packed with all kinds of wackery and I’m doing my best to shake it off and keep my eyes on the prize. I had heard that there is a full moon tomorrow (how perfect for Mr. Lucky’s TV debut) but today was the day of weird.
I woke up early and went to the mall to do my laps. I have been steadily exercising and I feel good about it so I didn’t want to break that string. I hit a nasty pot hole yesterday and it really tore up the left side of my front end. Every time I make a right turn my left wheel sounds like it’s going to snap off. I’ll have to get it fixed as soon as I get back from L.A.
On top of that I got stopped by a cop in a tiny little town on the way home from getting breakfast at my favorite Red School House diner. Some soup head was on a cell phone at a light and blocking both lanes. I went past her on the right and the cop said it was posted not to do that but I didn’t see any signs. It didn’t matter what I saw - I still got the ticket.
To make it even more difficult I had stopped at the bank on my way to breakfast to drop off a couple of checks I’d been sitting on and I was so busy thinking about everything that I had to do today I forgot my wallet when I left. Now I had no wallet, driver’s license, or a proof of insurance card which is required in Illinois. It took an extra long time to settle it.
The ticket is going to be $75 at the very least. He claims it’s on tape and it probably is. I don’t have a desire to go to court in April so I’ll just pay it and shut my mouth. I want this to all blow over so there are good vibes in L.A. tomorrow. Dwelling on all this isn’t good.
I did sense this goofy vibe all day though. People seemed short tempered all around and I saw a number of altercations going on with people all day long. I tried my best to keep a clear head and straightforward focus but the circumstances sure didn’t make it very easy.
I got my hair cut today and have a couple of solid color shirts to choose from and some nice looking dress pants that I will wear on the show. I had several offers to go shopping but I don’t enjoy that at all and don’t want to make a big fuss over myself. That isn’t me.
Again, I don’t want to be an embarrassment to anyone. Wearing a codpiece and a giant sombrero won’t make me any funnier although it would probably be a first for a national television comedy appearance. I’m not interested in that. I’m interested in doing my set.
I’ve changed it and changed it and changed it again. I stayed up until 4:30am today and I did it again. I’m trying to include jokes I have already done so I can feel more at ease in delivering them. It was a mistake to go with the untried stuff and a lot of that is now out.
I wish it was all over and in a little over a day it will be. This is my own personal Super Bowl and it’s a fact that NOBODY wants to lose the Super Bowl. I’d rather not get there at all than get there and lose. The same holds true here. I want to win this game. Off to do the set one more time at Zanies and then to Midway Airport to wait for my plane to L.A.
Sunday, March 8, 2009
Two...
Sunday March 8th, 2009 - Kenosha, WI
Two days to go and every hole in my body is puckering. I’m not so much afraid as I am just hoping to get this over with without incident. That hasn’t happened a lot in my life so unfortunately I have a lot of not so positive experiences to try and block out of my head.
This is all good practice and discipline and no matter what happens I have improved my work ethic and made some very solid positive comedy decisions. I have structured this set very well and there are a lot of strong lines in it…IF I can manage to deliver all of them.
That’s my major obstacle right now. I don’t know if I have short term memory loss or a few brain synapses missing or whatever but I am having the hardest time with keeping all the lines in order. I just am. I’ve done very little acting but when I have I’ve had the exact same problem. I said the lines differently every time and that drove the other actors crazy.
I like to perform in the moment. It’s fresh and to me, funnier. It’s also very dangerous to work that way but that’s what I enjoy the most and that‘s how I‘ve always done it. It‘s the most difficult way but I guess I wouldn‘t enjoy it if it wasn‘t. I love ultimate challenges.
I totally understand why the network doesn’t want it done that way and I’m doing what I can to comply with their rules. I don’t want to make anyone’s life miserable - especially mine. I want to go out there and make a strong first impression so I will get asked back.
When I was in Utah I was asked to be on a TV show on PBS that tried to find homes for abandoned children. There were a few other media people involved and it was a volunteer situation to help get the word out. They brought us together for a pre show meeting and it froze me in my tracks. I couldn’t get anything right in the practice run and I was horrible.
The other people all gave me that look of ‘Oh oh, this one’s an idiot’ and one asked me if I wanted to bow out of the project. I really believed in it and I said I’d be ok but I didn’t know what I would say or do when the camera light came on. I took my turn and knocked it out of the park because I spoke from the heart and off the cuff and it lit up the phones.
The director and others all broke out in applause when I was done and I remember how I felt both before and afterward. Beforehand I kind of felt like I do now. I wasn’t sure how I would do it but I really knew I had it in me and didn’t back out. It turns out I was right.
That’s how I feel about this whole situation. I know in my heart I’m ready for this and I shouldn’t be feeling these feelings of apprehension but I totally am. Tomorrow morning I will record the final final draft and play it over and over and over again until I know it by heart even if it means playing it all the while on the plane. I need it to be second nature.
I don’t want there to be any bad vibes at all. I’m doing this for ME but also for the other dented cans of the world who will never even get this big of a shot. I’m also doing it for a lot of people both living and dead that I love and respect. I want this to be fun for many.
Two days to go and every hole in my body is puckering. I’m not so much afraid as I am just hoping to get this over with without incident. That hasn’t happened a lot in my life so unfortunately I have a lot of not so positive experiences to try and block out of my head.
This is all good practice and discipline and no matter what happens I have improved my work ethic and made some very solid positive comedy decisions. I have structured this set very well and there are a lot of strong lines in it…IF I can manage to deliver all of them.
That’s my major obstacle right now. I don’t know if I have short term memory loss or a few brain synapses missing or whatever but I am having the hardest time with keeping all the lines in order. I just am. I’ve done very little acting but when I have I’ve had the exact same problem. I said the lines differently every time and that drove the other actors crazy.
I like to perform in the moment. It’s fresh and to me, funnier. It’s also very dangerous to work that way but that’s what I enjoy the most and that‘s how I‘ve always done it. It‘s the most difficult way but I guess I wouldn‘t enjoy it if it wasn‘t. I love ultimate challenges.
I totally understand why the network doesn’t want it done that way and I’m doing what I can to comply with their rules. I don’t want to make anyone’s life miserable - especially mine. I want to go out there and make a strong first impression so I will get asked back.
When I was in Utah I was asked to be on a TV show on PBS that tried to find homes for abandoned children. There were a few other media people involved and it was a volunteer situation to help get the word out. They brought us together for a pre show meeting and it froze me in my tracks. I couldn’t get anything right in the practice run and I was horrible.
The other people all gave me that look of ‘Oh oh, this one’s an idiot’ and one asked me if I wanted to bow out of the project. I really believed in it and I said I’d be ok but I didn’t know what I would say or do when the camera light came on. I took my turn and knocked it out of the park because I spoke from the heart and off the cuff and it lit up the phones.
The director and others all broke out in applause when I was done and I remember how I felt both before and afterward. Beforehand I kind of felt like I do now. I wasn’t sure how I would do it but I really knew I had it in me and didn’t back out. It turns out I was right.
That’s how I feel about this whole situation. I know in my heart I’m ready for this and I shouldn’t be feeling these feelings of apprehension but I totally am. Tomorrow morning I will record the final final draft and play it over and over and over again until I know it by heart even if it means playing it all the while on the plane. I need it to be second nature.
I don’t want there to be any bad vibes at all. I’m doing this for ME but also for the other dented cans of the world who will never even get this big of a shot. I’m also doing it for a lot of people both living and dead that I love and respect. I want this to be fun for many.
Three...
Saturday March 7th, 2009 - Brookfield, IL
Tough choice today. My friend Eddie Horn asked if I’d participate in a benefit show for soldiers and veterans at a V.F.W. post in Brookfield, IL. I was off tonight and I always try to help people when I can and especially anyone in the Armed Forces so I had to say yes.
One thing I never joke about is my respect for those who have and do protect my rights as an American and my gratitude for the freedoms I enjoy. I may not always agree with all the reasons we’re at war but I never lose track of the fact the soldiers are risking their all.
Eddie asked if I knew any other comics who might want to participate and I asked Tony Talley because his son is a Marine and Russ Martin from Milwaukee who I think has two sons who served as well. They’re both great guys and I know they need some stage time.
What I didn’t know is that Eddie has an improv troupe called ‘The Happy Clams’ with several members in it and they were on the show as well. They did a lot of very funny bits of all kinds from improv games to sketches to even puppets. The audience loved all of it.
Unfortunately the crowd was loud and rowdy and were drinking and it was very hard to get them to listen after a while. Most of them were vets and a lot were bikers and most of them were just there to support the cause and hadn’t really seen a lot of comedy shows.
I had really hoped to be able to try out my TV set at least once more but tonight was not the night to do it. These people were drunk and tired and by the time I got up it was about two hours into the show so I just did a few brisk minutes and got them going and then cut it short and said good night. Everyone wanted to leave and it just wasn’t the night for me.
Eddie and his troupe could have and should have done the whole show. They were on a roll and the crowd loved it and it wouldn’t have hurt them to be the whole show. I’m very flattered that Eddie thought of me and I never want to disrespect a vet but comedy wise it was a waste of my night when I really needed a night to practice a bit more. Too late now.
What can I say? Eddie has a huge heart and he did this for the right reasons so how can I say no? I just can’t. This will be a problem if I ever do get famous because I really do try to help causes when I can and the more known I get the more people that will probably be asking me to do things like this. I’ll have to be very careful who I say yes to in the future.
Those guys didn’t really need me tonight and in the end I lose out because I could have squeezed in at least one and probably two guest spots to run through my set again. Out in L.A. nobody is going to care that I donated my time for a good cause. They want JOKES.
On the good side Russ Martin and Tony Talley both did very well. They’re both former students of mine and I couldn’t be prouder of each of them. They’re coming along nicely and I see growth and progress and both of them love comedy very much. Hanging with all good people has to count for something, doesn’t it? I hope so. That’s what I did tonight.
Tough choice today. My friend Eddie Horn asked if I’d participate in a benefit show for soldiers and veterans at a V.F.W. post in Brookfield, IL. I was off tonight and I always try to help people when I can and especially anyone in the Armed Forces so I had to say yes.
One thing I never joke about is my respect for those who have and do protect my rights as an American and my gratitude for the freedoms I enjoy. I may not always agree with all the reasons we’re at war but I never lose track of the fact the soldiers are risking their all.
Eddie asked if I knew any other comics who might want to participate and I asked Tony Talley because his son is a Marine and Russ Martin from Milwaukee who I think has two sons who served as well. They’re both great guys and I know they need some stage time.
What I didn’t know is that Eddie has an improv troupe called ‘The Happy Clams’ with several members in it and they were on the show as well. They did a lot of very funny bits of all kinds from improv games to sketches to even puppets. The audience loved all of it.
Unfortunately the crowd was loud and rowdy and were drinking and it was very hard to get them to listen after a while. Most of them were vets and a lot were bikers and most of them were just there to support the cause and hadn’t really seen a lot of comedy shows.
I had really hoped to be able to try out my TV set at least once more but tonight was not the night to do it. These people were drunk and tired and by the time I got up it was about two hours into the show so I just did a few brisk minutes and got them going and then cut it short and said good night. Everyone wanted to leave and it just wasn’t the night for me.
Eddie and his troupe could have and should have done the whole show. They were on a roll and the crowd loved it and it wouldn’t have hurt them to be the whole show. I’m very flattered that Eddie thought of me and I never want to disrespect a vet but comedy wise it was a waste of my night when I really needed a night to practice a bit more. Too late now.
What can I say? Eddie has a huge heart and he did this for the right reasons so how can I say no? I just can’t. This will be a problem if I ever do get famous because I really do try to help causes when I can and the more known I get the more people that will probably be asking me to do things like this. I’ll have to be very careful who I say yes to in the future.
Those guys didn’t really need me tonight and in the end I lose out because I could have squeezed in at least one and probably two guest spots to run through my set again. Out in L.A. nobody is going to care that I donated my time for a good cause. They want JOKES.
On the good side Russ Martin and Tony Talley both did very well. They’re both former students of mine and I couldn’t be prouder of each of them. They’re coming along nicely and I see growth and progress and both of them love comedy very much. Hanging with all good people has to count for something, doesn’t it? I hope so. That’s what I did tonight.
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