By now you all know my true love is movies. I think movies answer all the riddles of life. There is something about a writer creating characters and then having an actor and director, along with a whole production team of artists, fully realize that person through all the magic of cinema. Recently, I rewatched the 2005 Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actress, and Best Supporting Actor winner Million Dollar Baby. The story of a female fighter (Hillary Swank) and her trainers (Clint Eastwood and Morgan Freeman) coming to grips with their own mortality, family dynamics, and regrets. It's a powerful film with a lot of parallels to the world of stand up comedy. From the conceptual ideas of training and working out to the the goal of reaching bigger and better gigs, I saw the film in a new way. But maybe one thing stood out the most to me the most - the idea of getting your shot. And in stand up, one of the hardest realities is knowing you might never get that one fair chance to "make it." In many ways sports films are perfect metaphors for the life of a stand up. So let's talk about the idea of getting your shot and the gratitude we must have to survive.
What is Getting a Shot? In the film, Swank wants a shot at the world champion, and after nearly pulling off the upset, she gets sucker punched, causing her to break her neck on a chair which paralyzes her for the rest of her life. Within a second she goes from a successful prize fighter to a woman trapped in a hospital bed. It is the definition of tragedy. As Eastwood laments over not protecting her enough from the inevitable accident, Morgan Freeman gives a classic Morgan Freeman speech that puts the whole story and their lives in perspective. "Maggie walked through that door with nothing but guts. No chance in the world of being what she needed to be. It was because of you that she was fighting the championship of the world. You did that. People die everyday, Frankie - mopping floors, washing dishes and you know what their last thought is? I never got my shot. Because of you Maggie got her shot. If she dies today you know what her last thought would be? I think I did all right." That is the insight a great film can give us. It's not the longevity of life, but it is the quality of life. Too often we think in only terms of Netflix or The Tonight Show as success. But when you think about the opportunities you've had, did you at least seize them? Did you drive that extra hour to a show that would get you more work? Did you headline, even if it was a small show? Did you take that class? Did you write that spec script? Did you at least get to the point of rejection? Too often people don't even reach the place of rejection. They aren't even losers, because they'd have to try to lose. Never Forget The Lineups You Did With Big Names One of my favorite sports films is the great true story of Dan "Rudy" Rutiger. A Notre Dame walk on football player, Rudy tells the earnest story of a hard working kid who feels cheated and lied to by the system. Yet, the kind groundskeeper played by Charles S. Dutton reminds him that even if he never plays in a game, he made the team and hacked it, something most never get to do. "You're 5 foot nothin', 100 and nothin', and you have nearly a speck of athletic ability. And you hung in there with the best college football team in the land for 2 years. And you're gonna walk outta here with a degree from the University of Notre Dame. In this life, you don't have to prove nothin' to nobody but yourself." Maybe you aren't where you want to be, but think of all the great comics you've met or worked with. Think of the shows in cool and unique venues you got to grab a mic at. Did you ever get a dollar? Then you're a paid, professional comic. Thousands of open mic comics will never make a penny. Most will never work with a headliner who has a national TV credit. If you've gotten to do any of those things, consider yourself lucky. You got a shot. Hold your head up high. Giving Up is an Option But Not an Answer Maybe the most viral sports film speech is said by Rocky Balboa in the sixth Rocky film. There's a lot of great speeches in this series of films, but the one you mostly saw, regardless of your relationship to the series, is the on Rocky gives to his grown son upset he hasn't made it in business, feeling trapped in the shadow of his father. Rocky reminds him of a few hard truths. "Let me tell you something you already know. The world ain't all sunshine and rainbows. It's a very mean and nasty place and I don't care how tough you are it will beat you to your knees and keep you there permanently if you let it. You, me, or nobody is gonna hit as hard as life. But it ain't about how hard ya hit. It's about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward. How much you can take and keep moving forward. That's how winning is done! Now if you know what you're worth then go out and get what you're worth. But ya gotta be willing to take the hits, and not pointing fingers saying you ain't where you wanna be because of him, or her, or anybody! Cowards do that and that ain't you! You're better than that! I'm always gonna love you no matter what. No matter what happens. You're my son and you're my blood. You're the best thing in my life. But until you start believing in yourself, ya ain't gonna have a life." Often in stand up, the gatekeepers can keep you down, but they can't keep you off the stage. There was a time in my career I just assumed I needed a B club showcase clubs. But after this year, and 250+ paid shows, I can tell you, I don't need small minded clubs making me feel bad I didn't make them money. If you don't like how they treated you, can you at least say you got your shot? Did you get up there and do your best? If so, and they still didn't want you, move on. You can hold your head up high knowing you did all you can do. Final Thoughts "Traditional Success" is not guaranteed in any industry. Hard work does not mean you'll meet all your goals. But just getting in and taking advantage of opportunities can be the difference between feeling gratitude or not. You don't have to sell your soul, nor do you have to prove yourself. Most of the top people of an industry have a feeling of imposter syndrome anyway, so if you think reaching the top of the mountain is the goal, just know, the way down can be more humbling than the trip up was rewarding. Once you see every set you do as getting your shot and taking your shot, then you can move forward more confidently. And if you ever get on a TV show, meet a famous comic, or play a theater, just know, you can say you've done something most comics will go to the grave wishing they could. And if you feel you haven't gotten your shot yet, just know many don't, but you certainly won't get your shot if you quit now.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
Paul Douglas Moomjean Blog's About What's on His MindBlogging allows for me to rant when there is no stage in the moment to talk about what's important and/or funny to me. Archives
February 2025
Categories |