Expect the Unexpected
If I have learned anything in my twenty-six years as a comedy entertainer it is “always be ready for change.” As in most businesses, change is the only constant. Clients, venues, travel schedules, road conditions, and audiences (age, size, attitude) are as unpredictable as the weather. The venues and crowds of my last two performances were a reminder of this truism. While both venues were advertised as Retirement Communities, the first turned out to be a nursing home and the second was a trailer park which had residents of all ages, except retirement age.
Upon arriving at the first location, I was directed to the dining room to prepare for my show. While I was setting up my sound system, the staff began bringing in the residents in for the show. As is my custom, I greeted the residents as they arrived. After not receiving a response from the first several people I spoke to, I was told this was a facility for elderly, deaf people. After twenty-six years and over 4,000 performances, this was definitely a first. I’m still not sure why, but I had brought along a few visual effect routines that I employ when I’m booked as a comedy magician. This bought some time until an interpreter was provided to translate the actual “stand-up comedy.” While a few things may have been “lost in translation”, overall audience reaction was very good.
At the second show, the audience turned out to be more children than adults. This doesn’t usually happen to stand-up comedians. Since I always work clean (I don’t filter when writing material, but, so far, I have only performed the clean stuff in public), that part was okay. I had brought along my guitar, so I strummed and sang a few comedy songs I had written. They were very well received. Then I performed the stand-up material I thought the kids would relate to along with some comedy magic routines I knew they would love (especially the “volunteer participation” bits). I also balanced an apple (a balloon apple, that is) on my nose. No one, including the client, seemed to mind seeing a comedy variety act in lieu of straight stand-up. A good time was had by all.
What is the lesson here? The same as the Boy Scout Motto I learned many years ago, “Be prepared.” No matter what you do in life, change is always out watching and waiting to pounce. Always remember that and “when you least expect it – - expect it.”
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Oh to be noticed, liked, booked, re-liked, and, rebooked
Have you ever wondered if you were invisible? Were you the middle child in your family, working hard to do all the right things and nobody even noticed? Are you the person, at work, who does all the jobs that no one wants to do, while you watch everyone else get promoted? As former president Bill Clinton was found of saying, “I feel your pain.” I have two older brothers and two younger sisters. I think my middle child experiences must have been preparation for pursuing a career as a self-employed, comedy variety artist. No matter what I do (stand-up comedy, storytelling, sketch comedy,comedy magic, physical comedy, prop comedy pantomime, comedic voices, humorous song parodies, and one man comedy variety shows) or how hard I work at it (hundreds of hours writing and rehearsing original material) no one (at least not anyone in a position to book me) seems to notice.
I have tried “old school” marketing strategies such as putting posters in store and restaurant windows. But, alas, with all of the cell phones, iphones, ipads, kindles and other toys of modern technology, nobody looks up anymore. I have sent out literally hundreds of promotional packages (which are apparently being used as doorstops and coasters) to comedy clubs (don’t get me started on their so-called “bringer shows”) talent agents, hotels, casinos, cruise lines, event planners, resorts, and corporations. Given the pace of business today, I have to wonder how many people can allow themselves the luxury of slowing down long enough to open the envelope, let alone study the material inside.
I have tried reaching out by means of today’s technology. I have a web site (and this is my 70th blog post), a Linkedin (I belong to over 30 networking groups) profile, a Facebook page, and a presence on Twitter. I have even posted a few “visual jokes” on YouTube. Even with all of that, I can’t seem to get arrested (not that it’s actually a goal of mine). And don’t get me started on the subject search engine optimization (aka SEO). With so many scam artists posing as legitimate SEO providers (my spam folder is full of them) these days, it’s nearly impossible to discern which companies offer a legal service that would actually bring my face and name in front of the right people.
I am beginning to feel like the proverbial needle in a haystack. And no one goes out to the barn anymore. It’s not enough to build a better mouse trap. How does one place the new, improved mouse trap in view of those who have mice in need of trapping. There have to be some ways of “getting the word out” that, as yet, haven’t occurred to me. If anyone can offer up advice on how to maneuver the long, tricky maze/hall of mirrors that it seems, one must pass through in order to be seen by potential clients (not to mention an actual audience), this frustrated entertainer would dearly love to hear from you. I would also love to hear from other performers who can relate to my experience. Until then, I will keep plugging away. The formula for success, it would seem, is talent plus hard work plus exposure plus luck plus endurance. And the greatest of these is endurance.
Read MoreThe Many Challenges of Being a Stage Entertainer
In my next few blog posts, I will be dealing with the many challenges of pursuing a career in the live entertainment business. During my twenty-five years as a stage performer (clown, comedy magician, comedy sketch writer, comedy balloon twister, physical comedian, sketch comedian, physical and verbal improvisation artist, stand-up comedian, comedy song lyricist, prop comedian, vaudeville style variety comedian, and comedic storyteller), I have faced numerous challenges. From faulty sound systems and bad acoustics to double dipping, slow paying agents to clients who write bad checks or cancel your performance at the last minute (or try to get out of paying all together, I have seen it all (or at least, most of it).
The most annoying challenge (and the one which occurs most often and seems to be getting worse every year) is the rude audience or the inconsiderate audience member. I’m not talking about hecklers. While I have been blessed to encounter very few of them over the years, I have been able to deal with them very quickly and effectively. I am referring to people who, apparently, have never been taught the consideration required to simply sit quietly and allow the entertainer to complete his or her presentation. This problem predates cell phone and even pagers. The main culprit, along with a few rude, entitled people, appears to the DVD player and it’s predecessor, the VCR (video cassette recorder). The convenience of these devices – - – The fact that one can stop and re-start the pre-recorded entertainment at will – - has left some people with the impression that they are now in charge of every performance, even the live ones, which they attend or view. And therefore, they can interrupt a live an actor or presenter whenever they feel like doing so.
Whether you’re a musician, a comic, a singer, a magician, an actor, or a storyteller, I’m sure you can appreciate the fact that any noise or disruption can play havoc with your timing and make your performance much more difficult. From kibitzing women to good old boys carrying on conversations to parents who bring crying babies to shows to people using cell phones there appears to be no end to those who will unwittingly or, even intentionally disrupt your performance.
Once while my son, Brian and I were performing a comedy sketch at an Eagles Lodge, a woman walked up to the microphone and announced, “There’s about twenty-five hot dogs left if anybody wants one.” In the middle of the very next sketch, another woman approached the microphone and declared, “I lost an elephant lapel pin. If you find it, please bring it to me.” You can understand why I now use a lapel mic or and headset. A microphone attached to a the traditional, free-standing mic stand is, apparently, too much temptation for certain audience members.
Recently, while performing his one-man show on Broadway, Billy Crystal had to deal with an audience member talking on a cell phone in the middle of a critical scene. It’s bad enough that we actually have to remind people to turn off their cell phones (I would include “pagers” but I honestly can’t remember the last time I saw one) before we begin a performance. I recently attended a comedy concert where the opening act had to ask several audience members to curtail their conversations so the rest of the audience could hear her presentation.
My plea to audience members is this: Stage entertainers spend literally hundreds of hours writing and rehearsing material which may take only a few minutes to present on stage. Please respect their efforts and the right of the audience to hear them.
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Am I a Stand-up Comedian or a Comedy Variety Artist?
Lately, I’ve been wondering what to call myself professionally, how to sum up the things I do onstage in some sort of title. Over the last twenty-five years, I have referred to myself as a clown (when I actually wore the make-up and performed mostly comedy magic, prop comedy, and vaudeville style physical comedy), a children’s entertainer (when I added balloon artistry and comedic dancing to my list of entertainment elements), a comedian (after I began to write perform stand-up comedy separate from the aforementioned comedy pieces), a family-style (sounds like a description of a quaint, little mom and pop restaurant that serves the world’s best roast beef and mashed potatoes) entertainer, then, finally as an entertainer.
The problem with calling myself an entertainer is it always leads to the obvious question, “What kind of entertainer are you?” Or worse, leaves the answer open to conjecture. The word “entertainer” may sound grand, but, it’s far to broad to really offer any insight into what I really do, which has changed many times and will continue to do so. All of the previous titles/occupations tend to “pigeon-hole” me as a “one trick pony” – - A specialty artist with only one talent to offer up to audiences and potential clients.
Recently, I seem to have stumbled upon the title, “Comedy Variety Artist.” That appears to describe most of what I do now. I say “now” because I have been working on some new presentation material that, while it has elements of humor, is much more in the area of educational humor or, even motivational humor. I also intend to write material that is not necessarily meant to be either performed or presented from a stage, but would be intended for publication in books and articles for magazines and newspapers, etc.
Maybe, I will start thinking of myself, and calling myself a humorous communicator. However, I don’t think even that will fully describe what I want (and believe I am called) to do. And, once again, it’s such a broad term that it leads to inevitable questions or assumptions.
The lesson here, I suppose, is not to be so concerned with what to call myself, but be open to all the ways in which I can positively impact others with my gift for seeing the world from a different point of view (observational humorist, perhaps?) than most of my peers here on Planet Earth. When we attach labels to our talents, we impose limitations on what others can expect from us. But, don’t we also impose those same limitations on what we can expect from ourselves? I will try to adhere to the immortal words of Dick Clark and “Keep an open mind and a closed refrigerator.”
Read MoreComedy Entertaining and Social Media
Recently, via Linkedin, I joined several social media groups for comedians/entertainers. It’s a great way to follow other comics and it’s a lot of fun, too. On “Comedy Depreciation” there was a great joke, by Frannie Sheridan, about a stripper who joined a convent. I predict we will be hearing a lot more from Frannie.
There are also groups for networking and getting gigs such as Improv Connection, Comedy Depreciation Society, Comedyfessionals Association, Entertainment Industry Network, and Cruise Ship Entertainment. And you don’t have to be a comedy artist to get in on the fun. There are also groups for film, t.v., and stage performers, as well as motivational speakers.
If you are an entertainer who is serious about projecting a professional image, then you really need invest the time to set up a Linkedin profile. Then you will have access to all of the really helpful groups mentioned above, and many, many more. Whether you want to connect with other performing artists, plug your next gig or your latest entertainment project, or just have some fun, Linkedin’s groups are a great source for information, mentoring, and social networking. Check it out.
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