Wait? You're a comedian? Since when? Tell me a joke! Wait...do you know...?

I started doing comedy in August of 2015. As a bucket list "thing" at an open mic at 6:00pm in Burbank at Flappers Comedy Club. I had never told a joke as "a comedian" before in my life. It went well enough that I got booked for a mid-August show at Flappers in the YooHoo Room for 3 minutes. I was hooked after that.

I am so hooked that I decided to find new work to accommodate my open mic/booked show/bar show schedule and feel free to be me on stage. Since August of 2015 I've gotten A LOT of support from friends, family, and fellow rookie and veteran comedians. I've also heard these EXACT quotes:

"Oh, you're a comedian? Tell me a joke" 

"You're funny?"

"Do you know ________? He's much funnier than you!"

"That guy right before you was really funny. You should do his jokes." 

"I'd love to come, but can't I just sneak in when you perform and sneak out?"

"People think you're funny?"

"I don't think you should talk about _______!"

And so on and so on. While I don't think people mean to be condescending, what I think is a revelation of people's opinion that comedy is not really a "career" unless you're Louis CK or Jim Gaffigan, and since we have them, why would you try to compete with them? Some people don't understand that artists need to be artists. It's the three I's: It's innate. It's flattery through imitation. It's based in inspiration.  

Also, I think people are shocked that someone thinks I'm "funny" because why would I be funny with everyone I meet? When I worked at ITT Tech and Nickelodeon I was funny with a few people, serious and professional with everyone else. I had a bartender recently question my sense of humor as a comedian, and I realized he and I talk sports and politics, not dating and my mother, which is the basis of my comedy.  

The only reason I ever thought I was funny was because my students laughed at my stupid commentaries on life and them. Ironically, my students since 2003 have convinced me to leave them. 

As for knowing other comedians or talking about other comedians? I will talk about my favorite jokes, but I get why many don't want to talk shop with others. I think most models don't like talking about prettier people, most millionaires don't like talking about billionaires, and Karl Malone doesn't want to talk about Michael Jordan. I'll let you talk about me and Louis CK, and if you connect us, then I'll take that as a compliment. 

So the next time you support a friend doing the "comedy thing" as my mother likes to call it, just support them and let them do their thing. Just like they let others do their job or hobby without questioning it.

Would anyone want to hear these phrases?

"Oh you're a mechanic, fix my car for free!"

"Oh you're a secretary, can you show me how you file and staple things?"

"You're a chef? You don't look like you can cook. Now my grandma! That woman can cook!"

See ya from the stage! Happy trails!