So you wanna be a stand up comedian
At some point somebody’s parents said to their child “your nearing the end of high school what do you want to do with your life?”
At some point people like Jerry Seinfeld, Robin Williams and the like said “I wanna be a stand up comedian.”
What does a parent do? Your first guess would be freak out, and you’re most likely right. The mother will say… “You’re telling me you want to go in front of crowds of people, tell jokes, and hope to get paid? Be like your father and be an accountant or get a real job at burger chef, you‘ll get seventy dollars a week guaranteed and you will never have to worry where your next check is coming from.” Of course that goes in one ear and out the other. People born to entertain cannot fathom 9-5 jobs; it isn’t even an option in their mind.
There is a born-in need to entertain. Nobody can change that. It’s what separates conventional thinking people from entertainers. If this born-in need didn’t occur we would never have entertainment back to civilizations dawn. Some people just need to get out there and sing, dance, take a pie in the face, simply ‘do shtick’ as it is known in the borsht belt.
Is this you? Do you hear anything that tickles your funny bone yet? Anything here you have read yet that makes you say “THAT’S ME”. If so your going to shock your parents when, in your senior year of high school you aren’t talking fry cook. Don’t worry you’ll fry cook. You’ll fry cook plenty till you’ve hit every open mike night and gin joint doing your stand up comedy. Eventually someone will think “this guys funny, I have a friend I’d like to introduce this kid to.” You’re on your way. Or so you think. Don’t worry you are still fry cooking and you will for quite a while. No worries friend we all eat crow on our way up.
Next you get noticed more and more and you’re going to have to tell your 19 year old boss at burger chef that you’re turning in your apron. Your income is now coming from promoters. Little by little the engagements get more and more frequent. You’re traveling and staying in towns you’ve never been to. Most nights the crowds are in stitches with laughter. Some nights you’d think you were entertaining people void of joy. Don’t let that get you down. Keep plugging. This is where you’ll learn a quitter never wins and a winner never quits.
Step one is knowing you’re a born entertainer. Step two is telling mom and dad you have no interest in being an accountant or a fry cook. Step three is doing it.
If this is you I have to tell you this. GO! GET UP AND GO FOR THAT!!!
My name is Scott D. Patashnik
I’ll see you on Saturday Night Live
Iam Scott D. Patashnik. Nine year veteran of the U.S. Army and entertainer since 1974. I’m currently producing videos for a website oprimization firm and intergrating video production into web commerce.
www.seolaws.com/scott-patashnik.html