I went to a plein-air poetry night on Saturday and was invited to read. Didn’t think about preparing. Found a story I’d written and only performed once, back at the Zen Center in SF. A modern-day parable, mixing The Princess and The Pea with The Prodigal Son. About coming home. Read more…
“Do you get stage fright?” is the question people always ask me when they learn I’m a comedian. Or… “Wow, you’re so brave to get up and do comedy in front of people!” (“I could never do that!”) The truth is that even professional performers sometimes get performance anxiety before getting Read more…
The Real Secret So here’s the other thing that happened that set the stage for my break down and breakthrough. Alien visitation. No I’m kidding. What actually happened was that after years of soldiering through on my own, I made a plan in advance to have a friend greet me Read more…
The Gift of Total Breakdown I recently had a complete breakdown on stage during a comedy show. And it was one of the best experiences of my performing life. I say that because during my breakdown which included swearing and crying and generally having a rough time, I was being Read more…
Check out an exploration I did live with an actor named Leah, who’s never done comedy before, and see how we find our way toward the funny together.
People will tell you things that are not helpful, for the sake of being helpful. Especially if you’re an artist, entrepreneur, activist, or person inspiring change… Sometimes they may even say it in the form of a question, so your answer appears to be your own, but your conclusion might Read more…
Sold out the first show tonight in Berkeley!!! And I have to say I felt SO GOOD on stage. I have to admit, it hasn’t always been that way. Sometimes, for years on end, as a performer, I had that need to get on stage – and yet simultaneously Read more…
The truth is, when you forget your lines, there is nothing you can actually do to "lose face". Your face, your body, your personality, is essentially an illusion. In fact, the metaphor of a play or a show fits so perfectly with life. We rehearse, the moment arrives, we're on Read more…
I've often had dreams that I was back in high school, doing my school play again, and the nightmare part is, "But I don't remember my lines any more!" It's perhaps the thing we fear most ABOUT public speaking or getting on stage. What if the fear isn't actually a Read more…
Let's start by saying that we all have to start somewhere. If you're a comedian, you start where you are. I love you as a human. But as a comedian, I'm not so sure. There are some massive mistakes you can make as a comic that will automatically alienate half Read more…