You gotta live life before you can talk about it. Sometimes when things don't work out in life they work out on stage. - Gabriel Iglesias

Opportunity has knocked once again and you guessed it....stand up comedy! Was I scarred? Did I almost cancel? Did I try to make Becca do it with me? The answer was YES to all 3 of these questions! I signed up on a Tuesday night at Spankys in Nashville to do a stand up comedy routine sometime between 6:30pm - 11pm. Okay, so maybe I missed a minor detail and showed up 2 hours early. They had 16 amateur comedians, two 1st timers, and 2 semi-professionals performing that night on one stage for a total of 20 comedians! I was in the very middle at spot #10. The other first timer was at spot #9, so we went back to back! The show gets started and these guys are good. They are not the funniest people I have ever heard but they had mastered punch line timing. I was very nervous and I told Becca before I went up that my goal was to give my set and to get at least 1 laugh and it couldn't be from her. So the #9 goes up and bless his heart no one laughed at anything he said! He "bombed" really bad! I thought to myself, he has turned the whole audience away from the stage and now I have to follow that! I thought to myself, I will just sneak out the backdoor. I didn't and the next thing you know the MC said my name and I was up on stage doing my set! I had 3 jokes/ stories and it went great! I received 3 good laughs and 1 woohoo! I came off the stage and 3 comedians came up to me and said great job, we want to see you back! I was on cloud 9! People have asked will I do it again? Yes, because it was such a rush! So I am officially opening the door to anyone who wants to come see me perform, just email me and I will let you know the date I am working the mic! This had to be the most uncomfortable thing I have done in 2008, but I have learned a few lessons from it.
1. Get out of your comfort zone at least once a week! This really good for you and you grow when you are out there!
2. Before trying anything, scout it out first. I wish I had done this because I would have been less nervous and I would have known what to expect.
3. And then of course the best advice I received from my wife, "Smile, Brent! You are trying to make people laugh and you look like you need a laugh!"

I am requesting comments for a stage name as well. It seems people like them and it sets you apart!

Brent


Here are some pictures from the night:

When we first got there, we realized these guys were not playing! Here is an example of how "hard core"they were - this guy is "studying" his notebook before heading to the stage....



Here's the host: Chris Lloyd





Here I am right before going on stage...




And here I am in action...