What's Your Problem?

A comedian friend emailed me yesterday asking for my help in making him a hypnotherapy CD that would assist him in “getting more on the ball.” He wants to accomplish more in his professional and personal life. That’s an understandable goal, especially to a procrasinator like me. Needless to say, when I get his CD recorded (and hopefully that will be soon), I’ll make a copy for myself.

If you’ve read my subsequent posts you’ve discovered how I “accidentally” quit smoking cigars while I was working with a professional athlete. I’ve been cigar free for almost a year and so has he.

My question to my reading public: What would you like hypnotherapy to help you change or improve about yourself? Please post a comment.  I have a CD to record.

Open Mic

People ask me, “How did you get into stand-up comedy?” I ask myself, “Why did I get into stand-up comedy?” The answer to the second question is easy; When I was in the third grade we had to write one of those What I Want To Be When I Grow Up papers. I wrote that I wanted to be a comedian like Alan King. Now I am. Not exactly like Alan King but sort of.

The answer to the first question; Begin by thinking up about 3 at least mildly funny minutes of material. Then find an open mic night. I’ll admit that finding open mics is tougher today than it was during the comedy boom of the mid-eighties when I started. There seemed to be a comedy club (or bar or restaurant or dry cleaner featuring some kind of comedy show) on every corner back then. I started at one of Denver’s first two comedy establishments, George McKelvey’s Comedy Club. It’s no longer in business but the other club, Comedy Works, is still going strong. Click the events link on the Comedy Works web site to see when I’ll be performing there.

The way McKelvey’s worked is you went a week in advance and signed up for next Tuesday’s open mic. I went, sat in the back, drank a beer and watched the show. I chickened out of signing up.

The next week I went again and sat in the back and drank a beer. Another guy, sitting in the back and also drinking a beer walked up to me and asked to borrow my pen. He wrote a few notes on the palm of his hand. I thought, “Aha! That’s how comedians remember their jokes.” A few minutes later the MC introduced this guy. The MC said, “Here’s a new comedian. It’s his first time on stage so be kind and please don’t heckle. In fact, you probably won’t heckle this guy anyway, please welcome Big John!”

Big John (about 6’4” and 250 lbs.) comes from behind the curtain (how many clubs have curtains!) and takes his place at the microphone. Before he gets his first line out, he pees his pants. I’m not kidding! The crowd was dead silent. Big John walked out the door never to be seen or heard from again in the Denver comedy scene. As soon as the door closed behind him the room exploded in laughter. I immediately ran backstage to the sign up sheet thinking, “I might bomb but I probably won’t do THAT!

Anyway. the next week I went up for the first time. I did okay from what I remember. My pants stayed dry. And I began, at that moment, to live my lifelong dream. Thanks, Alan King. And thanks, Big John.

Now, at the risk of sounding motivational speakerish, go out and live yours! Start with little “open mic” style baby steps. And from there, who knows where life will take you?

April Fan of the Month–Adam C.!

Our April Fan of the Month is: Adam C. an Accountant in Denver, Colorado.

Adam was the “star of the show” at a recent comedy hypnotist Rusty Z corporate gig!

The Nicest Thing Anybody Ever Said To Me

Many years ago, when I had hair (a big, blond afro), I worked as a delivery driver in the printing business. The company I worked for, Capitol Engraving, produced film negatives and proofs for printers and advertising agencies.

One morning as I was waiting for my delivery assignments, Bob Schriener, the owner of the company and also my boss, walked into the shop. He said, “Good morning, Jim.” (That’s the name I went by then.) And I smiled and said, “Hi, Bob.” (No. I didn’t do a shot when I said, “Hi, Bob.) Then Bob said the nicest thing anybody ever said to me.

He said, "You’re gonna make a million dollars with that smile."

Well, Bob, If your looking down from heaven reading this now, I haven’t made a million, yet. But I’ll never forget you or your kind words. From the bottom of my soul, “Thank you, Bob.”

Now reader, go out today and make a mark on someone’s life. Genuinely compliment someone. And if someone has given you the gift of a flattering remark, please post it under my blog comments.