Since I have started doing more comedy in the last year I've gotten to be on some really cool posters with some great comedians. One thing about me is that I rarely take photos in the moment. I usually take about 3 or 4 pictures and that's good. Even when I'm performing I rarely record myself. One reason is because when I try to record my set it never goes well. Another reason is because i over analyze myself way too much.
But one of the things that I have started doing is keeping the posters that I've appeared on. I've started doing this because they are a cool reminder of this really cool time in my life. These will be my conduits to the past and this time in my life.
My two favorite posters that I've been apart of has been the ones where I've been drawn. The first one was the Comics of Steel Show in Rockford Illinois.
The second show is for another show in Illinois. The picture of that one is above in the header.
The reason I appreciate these a bit more is because I've always see myself as a cartoon character when I perform. When I first started doing comedy I had the idea of only wearing the same thing every time I performed. At the time it was a blue hooded sweatshirt, a red T-Shirt, blue jeans and a pair of canvas-gum soled shoes. My theory being that cartoon characters never change their clothes. I won't change my clothes either.
The one draw back to this strategy was that 85% of the comedians that were starting out at that time were also wearing the same attire.
Another reason that I like being drawn into a cartoon is because I've been influenced by cartoons all my life. Before I wanted to be stand-up comedian I wanted to be a writer for The Simpsons. The stuff that influenced me the most as a kid were the cartoons I saw on Nickelodeon as a kid.
I also like being drawn because it's the one talent I know I can't do. I have no artistic ability at all. I can only do comedy arts, not so much putting ink to canvas. So anyone who can do cool caricatures gets a Gold Star in the imaginary book that I have.
In the last few years I have sort have become a cartoon character by wearing a tie whenever I'm on stage. I've started to actually find somewhat of a voice of who I am when I perform. So it comes at a pretty cool time that I start looking like a cartoon on flyers as well. It gives people almost a better understanding of what they are getting into when they come to a show.