Haaaaannnnnng On! Help Is On Its Way

Tags: amateur comedians, Saskatoon, stand-up comedy, The Stand-Up Diaries, trevor dean

Yes, I used a Little River Band song title for this posting, but only because it’s very applicable to the previous week that was.

Sometimes when you go through struggles in life, that’s when you find out what the people around you are really made of.  For me, if somebody is going to dick me around and be an asshole, I’d rather have them get it out of the way as quickly as possible so I can deal with it, then move on.  Needless to say, the shit has already hit the fan.  The good thing is, at least for me, I’ve dealt with it and moved on.

There is a headlining comedian based out of Edmonton, who shall remain nameless at this time.  Anyhow, he came across my blog through Facebook and read about my struggles and the way I was being treated.  He’s offered me his help, for free.  I have his phone number and email address that I can use to contact him for anything.  While it certainly came out of the blue, it does present a bit of a challenge.

It’s been a couple of months since my last set.  During that time between then and now, lots has happened.  I’ve been threatened, alienated some, while others are standing by my side through the tough times to help me go forward.  Even with this newly found ally in Edmonton, he mentioned that it’s good to keep writing and writing even though stage time is at a virtual standstill right now.

He mentioned to me that in todays world it’s so much easier to be a comedian because there are so many different platforms available to a person who wants to pursue it.  I’ve engaged in a couple of these platforms through my blog, the Facebook fan page, comedy clubs and open mic nights at pubs.  While it may be true that it’s easier to find an audience in present times, it’s also just as easy to have things go south on you, rather quickly if you aren’t good enough.

So the question now becomes what do I do?  I could go to twitter, as some comics have to use as a barometer for their new material.  Or there are a few other ideas I am kicking around to help get things kick started again to get exposure to a brand new audience.

I haven’t been in the comedy writing mode lately, as work and life has put itself in its way.  I have lots of material written, but on the one hand I wanna scrap it all (with the exception of what my comedy coach and I wrote) and start anew, then again I could go back and revisit my old material, but that would require me to gut it and do rewrites on almost all of the jokes to make them funnier using the comedy writing formulas I’ve learned.  The only problem is, it might take me a day or two to review those formulas, as I’m a bit rusty right now.

So,we move forward.  Some will probably trash me in public or through social media, and that’s fine by me.  Like I said, I’ve moved on.  I’m thankful for the experience I’ve had thus far in dealing with the highs and lows of the comedy world.  I’d say I have come out of it with a newfound appreciation for the art of stand-up comedy, and I have a couple of allies in the comedy world who will help me get better.

It’s nice to hear a veteran comic mention that I have potential to be successful.  The trick is finding a way to unlock that potential.  Exposing yourself to a brand new audience.  As of right now, I believe there is still an offer that was extended to me some time ago, to do a set out of town, next month.

Some want to believe that my career as an amateur comic is finished.  Then again, there are people who still believe in Santa Claus.  The common thread between the two is this:

I’ll let people believe what they want to believe if it makes them feel better.  In the meantime, I will go about my day being an asset to the company I work for, planning my holidays for the beginning of August, being the best person I can be to those around me and continue to be a karaoke host at the two bars I work at.

Just because you might not see me on stage doesn’t mean all hope is lost.  The ideas are churning as I write, and I hope to have something in the works soon.  It may take a week, it may take a month, or it may take a couple of months, but in the end I will use my resources to make this work.

Stay tuned, and thanks for the support.