I don’t watch the news.  I decided a long time ago that the information contained within those broadcasts was useless.  I still watch TV, but the only programs I see that contain any “current events” are The Daily Show with Jon Stewart and The Colbert Report.  Yes, both programs are biased as can be (what news program isn’t?), but I love them both for different reasons.

Some people question me: “How can you be a comedian and not watch the news?” The truth is that my act has never had a political angle to it.  The few times that I have tried something like that, I looked like an idiot.  Also, if comedy fans want the best satirical take on current events they can watch Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert deliver this almost nightly.

Not watching the news does have some benefits.  I don’t believe that the world will end tomorrow.  Definitely a plus. Listening to the anchors every night must have a negative effect as a result of the polarized arguments on topics like global warming and the economic crisis.

When walking around outside I find myself struck by the ridiculous nature of the economic doom-sayers.  I still see people out with friends and family, having dinner in restaurants, and buying Christmas presents.  In fact, if you never listened to the news you might not even be aware of the “crisis”. (Also - if you didn’t check up on your investment statements.)

That said, I do wish to learn more about the situation and as luck would have it I came into possession of a book called Naked Economics by Charles Wheelan.  The book does an excellent job of explaining economic concepts in a clear fashion without graphs and equations.  I came across an interesting quote:

“Economists reckon that by the time the Berlin Wall crumbled, some East German car factories were actually destroying value.  Because the manufacturing process was so inefficient and the end product was so shoddy, the plants were producing cars worth less than the actual inputs used the make them.  Basically, they took perfectly good steal and ruined it!”

I don’t think I have to listen to the news to find the similarity to today’s situation.  Beurocrats are considering a massive economic bail-out and are choosing to interfere with the free market.  (On a side note, why is this action not considered socialism when Barack Obama’s health-plan is?) Just a few lines after the above quote is this one, referencing a government-subsidized business in India (which is nominally capitalist)…

“Every day, twelve hundred employees reported to work with the avowed goal of producing fertilizer.  There was just one small complication: The plant had never actually produced any salable fertilizer.  None.  Government bureaucrats ran the plant using public funds… It limped along because there was no mechanism to force it to shut down.”

The important point there is “mechanism to force it to shut down.”  No matter how bad it gets, continued interference can not help.  So, I’ve decided to start investing in shirts.  That’s right.  This past August, on vacation, I spent quite heavily on a new shirt in which to perform in.  I spent so much in fact that several people commented: “You almost lost your shirt on that shirt.”

This “investment” was before the economic crisis - and it hasn’t lost any value to me - so it’s stable.  (That’s more than can be said about most other investments.) And, sometimes, I am living in it, so it’s like real estate - which I am told is always a good investment.

So even if the entire economy collapses (which I won’t find out about until a few days later without watching the news) I will look good.

I had the pleasure this last week of working with one of my favourite comedians, Bengt Washburn.  Watching him work is inspiring.  It often surprises me when new comics don’t watch the pros perform - you can always learn a lot from the experience.  One thing that Bengt showed me was the ability to find the “big picture” from a small joke or premise, and that exact thing happened this past week…

For the past few months I have been working on a joke with an introduction line of: “a little bit of racism saves lives”.  The joke, on it’s own, is working out fairly well - but it lacks a couple of other elements to bring together to start to create a truly insightful moment in the show.  Well, inspiration hit last week…

The “big picture” for this joke is all about our assumptions.  It is our assumptions that save our lives (and if not, saves our time).  I have always hated hearing the expression: “When you assume you make an ass out of you and me.”  Hardly, how about: “When you use that expression you make an ass out of you.”

Having to wake up everyday and verify everything you know would take more than the entire day and thousands of years ago would have resulted in your death.  Assuming that a predator wants to eat you is a good thing.  Assuming that a gun-weilding maniac may be dangerous is a good thing.  Assuming that gravity still works every morning just makes sense (if you don’t make this assumption you may end up wearing a tinfoil hat and waiting for the aliens to return).

It then occured to me that our base assumptions (the assumptions that we use most often) define who we are. People that assume everything is going to be alright become optimists, people that think the best of others quickly gain new friends, and people that assume the worst become politicians.

So our goal shouldn’t be to stop making assumptions but to make sure that our assumptions result in the type of person that we want to be. Hopefully, I can find the funny in this whole thing - I guess I have some writing to do…

(Malcolm Gladwell’s book “Blink” also touched on this subject about how the human brain quickly makes decisions/assumptions.)

Wow!  What a great show on Saturday night.  The Second Annual “Jawdroppers” took place, as produced by Magic West, and it was an incredible evening.  With a near sold-out house and a line-up of performers that was second-to-none we definitely raised the bar for next year’s show.

Thanks to Peter Vesuwalla for taking some great photos… this is just our curtain call…

I’d also like to thank our great line-up of performers: Trevor Watters & Lorena, Shawn Farquhar (with Lori and Hannah), and, of course, the other two-thirds of Magically Delicious: Ryan Pilling, and Tyler Wilson.  Having heard nothing but positive reviews I can confidently say that we hit it out of the park and now have the difficult task of taking it up another notch next year.

As a fun bonus I have thrown up the “set list” from Magically Delicious’ MC appearance on this show on the Inside Jokes blog.  Check it out by clicking here.

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With today being Remembrance Day I hope that you will take a minute to remember the sacrifices and courage of the men and women who have fought for what they believe in.  Today is not about politics - it is about truly remarkable people to whom we owe our lifestyle.  I am personally grateful to each and every one of them and am today (as I do every year) saying, “thank you”.

UPDATE: Shortly after I made this post Shawn shared this video on Facebook, and I wanted to link to it from here as well.  Click here to watch A Pittance of Time by Terry Kelly. It is very timely and very touching.

What the world needs is another blog! OK - maybe not.  Finding something new to talk about every week is challenging enough on this site alone - but adding a second project to maintain would be impossible.  So - I’m not leaving it up to me.  My newest project, Inside Jokes, is a collaboration between all stand-up comedians everywhere (as soon as they hear about it that is!).

Here’s the idea: to showcase the behind-the-scenes activities of comics and lend some insight into how comedians think.  This goal is accomplished (or at least, closer to accomplished) by placing online images of comedians’ set lists and then adding commentary from the comic him/herself.  In this way you will start to see how comics prepare, where they get their material, and what they are actually thinking about when they are making you laugh.

The whole idea is really touch to describe without actually seeing it in action, so why not visit the…

Inside Jokes Blog

Every Monday morning (if all goes well) there is a new set list ready to be disected and they always seem to prove an interesting read even if you aren’t a comedian yourself.  (If you would like to jump directly to my set list - the first one put up a couple of weeks ago - click here.)

Hopefully you like it and the comics keep submitting!

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Also, one last reminder that “Jawdroppers” in THIS SATURDAY at 7:00pm - featuring the two-time world champion of Magic, Shawn Farquhar, the creative illusion team Trevor Watters & Lorena, and myself along with the rest of Magically Delicious.  Tickets are still available (but going really fast after this past weekend) so be sure to pick them up online by clicking here.

It is now less than two weeks until the return of Jawdroppers! Magic, Comedy & Illusions to Calgary.  In August of last year Magic West produced the first-annual event starring the legendary Johnny Thompson, the hilarious Stephen Bargatze, and the incomparable Mark Kalin & Jinger.  Raising the bar from last year’s show isn’t going to be easy, but we think we have found the cast to do it!

Shawn Farquhar is the only two-time world champion of magic (as awarded by the International Brotherhood of Magicians) and he’s agreed to headline the November 8 show!  Having worked with Shawn before (including just a couple of weeks ago at “One Enchanted Evening”) I know that it is going to be an amazing event featuring his unique blend of hilarious and heart-warming magic.

To give you more for your ticket price we have added some other talented performers.  Making a “guest appearance” will be Trevor Watters & Lorena from Vancouver, BC.  Their humourous take on the classics of magic is sure to delight.  (They also organized the “One Enchanted Evening” event that Shawn and I were a part of.) For the last several years this illusionist team have been traveling around Western Canada with only a very rare stop in Calgary.

Also, the comedy and magic group that I co-founded and premiered three weeks ago, Magically Delicious, will be hosting the event with some all-new magical creations.  This one-night-only event features 6 of the country’s best magicians and will be almost impossible to produce again.

Date: November 8
Time: 7:00 PM
Location: Engineered Air Theatre - Epcor Centre for the Performing Arts
(200 Block on North Side of 9th Avenue SE)
Tickets: $27 each
Order Online: http://www.magicwest.org/events/event_18.html

I truly hope to see everyone that can make it out to the show that night.  It’s going to be a “you had to be there” type show.  We’re already about 50% sold-out and only a couple of days left until showtime (I should really work on what I’m going to be doing that night).

As I am still in a sharing mood after last week’s post I thought today I would turn my attention to the maternal side of my family and “introduce” you to my Grandma Lawrence.  She is without a doubt my biggest fan and almost my agent.  In fact, the first show that I ever produced and starred in was in 2003 and I am sure that she is directly responsible for at least 100 of the 400 people in the theatre that night.

Truthfully, without a constant source of support this type of career would be almost impossible - and Grandma is that support for me.  I almost think that she has seen more of my shows than I have and my friends now call her “Grandma” (even some of my friends that are over 50 themselves).  She was even briefly featured during Magically Delicious a couple of weeks ago:

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I remember growing up and listening to Grandma sing.  That is her gift.  She has shared it with countless thousands of people and I have decided to share it with you today.  This recording was made in the 1950’s - so all the crackling noises are natural and they can’t be removed but I prefer it that way - it adds authenticity.  Here’s my Grandma’s “Danny Boy”…

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So why is this post an “Opinion”.  Well, in my opinion, I have never heard a sweeter sound.

It’s been a busy week of making people laugh (that can be more exhausting that you realize) and eating turkey (which you probably know is pretty exhausting) so after taking yesterday off, I awoke this morning to get my hair styled (yep - I go to a stylist) and vote.  It was only when I arrived home that I realized that today was Tuesday!  That means it’s time once again to share…

Last week during my radio interview to promote Magically Delicious the interview team was so disarming and comfortable that I was surprised at some of the stories that they pulled out of me.  I told them things that I had never let loose in an interview before - most likely because they were questions I had never been asked.  It was during this interview that I told a story about my Dad that I figured I would share online here as well.

People often ask me something along the lines of: “What do your parents think of this career choice?” There is no short answer to the question… they are excited and nervous for me all at the same time.  Their perception of the industry is also not quite the reality of the industry, which can cause some problems.  Fortunately, years ago my Mom shared with me a story about my Dad and his Dad (my Grandfather) that is useful and parallels my own life.

My Grandfather, in fact, both my Grandfathers, were farmers all their lives.  They knew how to farm and how to raise a family on that lifestyle.  Asking either of them to consider a different way in which to live, especially one that uses new and different technologies, would be difficult.  My Grandpa Lawrence (maternal side) has a license plate which reads: “You Can Take the Man Out of the Farm, But You Can’t Take the Farm Out of the Man.” It’s an old adage (well - as old as farms), but couldn’t be more true.  I think it’s the same for other people as well… you could take me off the stage, but… you get the idea.

So, my Dad, after living on the farm for 18 years heads off to college in Edmonton (from his Saskatchewan roots - Go Riders!).  His degree has something to do with mechanical engineering and/or technology.  It prepared him to do what he loves - build stuff out of sheet metal.  For a few years he worked for a company in Calgary and then opportunity knocked: the chance to buy his own manufacturing company.  After what I can only imagine was a TON of leveraging he was successful.

Dad had his own shop.  A couple thousand square feet with the machinery he needed.  He knew that this would be successful - but probably couldn’t explain why. A small start in South Calgary (after years of hard work) would turn into an incredibly successful enterprise with millions in sales and hundreds of customers.  Dad was right - but we are jumping ahead in the story…

A little while after opening this business my Grandfather (Dad’s Dad) comes to Calgary to see what his son has started.  Dad gives Grandpa the full tour, explains what the equipment does, points out some customer orders that are about to completed, and introduces him to this industry.  After all that my Grandpa looks around and says, “So, you can make a living at this?”

So now, if my folks ever ask me about the career or use the “U-word” (university), I always remind them of this story.  Just because they haven’t experienced it before, doesn’t mean it won’t work.

And if the public asks me what my parents think?  Due to time constraints and the length of this story I usually just say, “They’re fine with it!” Which is true - it’s just not as interesting as the longer version.

These past few days have been a flurry of great shows and even better friends.  It all started with One Enchanted Evening in Vancouver, BC - a benefit show for a family on the coast.  My friends Trevor Watters and Lorena had me do a spot on the show and I couldn’t have had a better time surrounded by (and hanging out with) Canada’s best magicians (including Shawn Farquhar - the star of Jawdroppers 2 - coming to Calgary next month).  Not only was the show on par with anything you would see in Las Vegas - it raised over $11,000!

A HUGE thanks goes to Trevor, Lorena, Dave, and Cathie, (collectively - the Watters and a Paradon) for treating me like a king while out there.  They made it far too easy to say “yes” to appearing on the show.  Thanks again!

The performers on One Enchanted Evening

I arrived back in Calgary on Sunday afternoon and was quickly whisked into the final rehearsal for Magically Delicious for the premiere of the show last night and I couldn’t have been happier with the result.  The audience turnout was larger than I expected and their response was amazing - they even thought our screw-ups were jokes… good times!  The Magically Delicious “troupe” will be back to host Jawdroppers 2 on November 8.

The stars of Magically Delicious, from left to right, Tyler Wilson, myself, and Ryan Pilling.

(Also, another thanks to Terry and Patti on the Q107 morning show.  They did a great interview with me yesterday morning to promote last night’s show and actually had me telling stories that I didn’t think I EVER would.  Got me thinking about stuff to share on this blog in the future…)

As always there is no rest for the weary as I start a week of hosting at The Comedy Cave tonight (until Sunday) on a headliner split week (Daryl Makk starts off the week and Roman Danylo finishes it off on the weekend).  Then, with only two days off, another appearance at The Comedy Detour on Wednesday, October 15.  With my previous appearance on this show just a couple of weeks ago I think I will feature my comedy magic instead of just the stand-up.  So, if you saw me a few weeks back at this venue there will definitely be something new for you that night.

Thanks to The Comedy Cave (the venue for Magically Delicious) I’ve got another excuse to set an alarm.  On Monday morning I’m joining the Q107 morning show (Terry and Patti) at about 8:00am.  (In Calgary that’s on the radio at 107.1FM and online you can listen live here: http://www.q107fm.ca/).

We’re going to talk about Magically Delicious and probably do some magic on the air (keep in mind - that’s not easy to do).  Terry and Patti always do a great interview so I’m looking forward to setting that alarm and picking up that coffee.

If you don’t yet have your tickets to Magically Delicious, click here.

Note:  There is a “News & Updates” announcement after this “Opinion”.
Click here to jump to the update.

We do not like what we can not explain.  This could be a result of nature or nuture (I have no idea), but I what I do know is that sometimes the “reason” or “explanation” makes no difference.  Last Wednesday night, after a particularily good show, I walked out to discover what was left of my car…

No sooner had I taken this photo than the theories started to fly:  It was vandals.  They tried to steal the car and were spooked away.  It was kids.  It was an accident and they ran off.  It was the glass company looking for another client.  (Although I am suspicious that the repair company had the window in stock.)

The truth of the matter is that it could have just as easily been a comet (that woud have actually been really cool).  The reason had no effect on the outcome (which was a replacement window and a couple of hours sitting in a waiting room).  It is experiences like this that force me to try to remember the advice of Don Miguel Ruiz in his book “The Four Agreements”.

In this book, the second of the four agreements is “Don’t Take Anything Personally”.  Whomever did whatever to my car had nothing to do with me (unless they didn’t like a joke or two), so becoming personally offended only serves to waste more of my time.  Imagine a world where no one was offended because of the actions of others.  Bar fights would be a thing of the past.  So would most violence amongst humans.  How many times has a person died because of a misinterpreted glance?

Sometimes this advice is hard to take, but it has served me well in the past…  A couple of years back I was jumped (or maybe mugged - I’m not sure as they didn’t take anything) outside of a bar.  So far as I know it was a random act of violence.  Taking it personally would have left me with many unanswered questions, it would have left me searching for a reason which would never have arrived.  Instead, I realized it wasn’t my problem but the problem of the anonymous pair that decided to cause me physical pain.  (Some readers may realize that I turned that story in a stand-up comedy bit as well… might as well make the night worth a couple of fun minutes on stage.)

I guess the point of this post is to give you a challenge:  the next time that you find yourself under attack or the victim of a random event beyond your control, try to realize that it has nothing to do with you.  Whatever happens is more of an expression of the character of the instigator than it is an expression of who and what you are - don’t take it personally.

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The “News & Updates” part…

Last week’s appearance on CityTV’s “BT” (Breakfast Television) to promote Magically Delicious was a huge success.  You can see my appearance on the program on the Vids/Pics page or by clicking here.  (We are now less than a week from the premiere of the show featuring myself, Ryan Pilling, and Tyler Wilson working together to create never-before-seen magic.  Get your tickets here.)

Some good also came of Wednesday night’s show… a friend managed to snap off some photos of me in action.  They are currently in a Facebook photo album on my fan page, but you don’t need an account to take a look.