Former sportswriter having success as a comedian

Norm MacLean always used to make me laugh.

 

I just have so much respect for Sam going out and following his dream. I can't do it, I live in an area where we get only a handful of decent comedians each year and I have little kids, who are more important to me than following some longshot.

I still think what he's doing is cool as shit.

 

I'd be willing to bet (and I've done an open mic too and plan on going back when I get the time and stones) that you have a better chance of being funny in your 30s than 20s because you have more perspective to draw from. Very few comedians are funny in their early to mid 20s. They usually dont start developing some good material until their late 20-early 30s. I've met a lot of guys that didnt jump in until their late 20s, early 30s. Hell, Ron Shock quit as VP of McMillan Publishing to be a comedian when he was 40. Lewis Black really didnt go to comedy full time until he was 41.

 

Used to go to school with a guy who works as a sports journalist and also works as a standup comic. I bet there are many of them out there. For funny writers, the skills probably transfer pretty easily.

 

Does Gene Collier do comedy sets?

 

occasionally

 

I've thought about it a bunch of times, actually, and may one day work up the nerve.

And what's the deal with airline food?

 

I took a comedy writing class in college. Our final exam was a 5-minute routine at the student union. I remember that all the stuff I wrote totally bombed in my last rehearsal in class, so I had to scrap it and go with untested stuff at the show.

I think it went pretty well. I'm glad I had the experience.

When the show was over, we all went out together and got super drunk.

 

When you do, call me. I'm there. Don't care where it is. I'm there.

 

Sirs, Madames,

I won an open-mike contest on campus and the "prize" was a chance to open for the pros from Yuk Yuks (the Canadian chain that spawned, among other Jim Carrey, Norm MacDonald and Howie Mandel). Some prize. Found out all I needed to know in the green room. Had never been around as many neurotic, unhappy, self-loving, mean and, yes, unfunny people. But that was before I ever walked into the media room at Maple Leaf Gardens.

Funny in the spotlight, misery everywhere else: I know it's a cliche but it's absolutely true. And nothing contradicted my first impression thereafter--the few times I've been involved with people in the stand-up world for entertainment features. I did fuck Rick Moranis's girlfriend though.

(One exception, I guess, was John Candy, who was my buddy's next door neighbour growing up and, though he was neurotic and unhappy, you'd never know it and he was really kind-hearted and almost always on. Technically, though, not a stand-up.)

YHS, etc