- What made you want to be a comedian?
I have always wanted to be a comedian my whole life. I remember seeing George Carlin on T.V. when my family and I were on vacation up at Mackinaw Island when I was really small. I found him fascinating!!! I remember laughing at some stuff but the stuff I didn't understand my parents were pissing their pants over.
Then I remember getting Bill Cosby's cassette tapes when I got a little older. I would listen to them non-stop in my bedroom. Then when I was in or around 8th grade I remember hearing Eddie Murphy's RAW on cassette tape. I never laughed so hard in my life.
My family are all very funny and still are. We all try are damndest to make each other laugh.
In High School I had some competition. My best friend was also VERY funny and when it came time to vote for class clown he beat me out. Hell he would moon teachers right in class. My ass wasn't good looking enough to do that. haha
I was recently reminded at my 10 year High School reunion of what I wrote in my class will / predictions. I said, "I am going to go to college and get my computer degree and if that doesn't work out I am going to be the BEST comedian I can be". By god if I didn't do that exact thing!!!
- Where did you go to college?
Central Michigan University in Mt. Plesant, MI
- Were you in any clubs in college?
Yes, I was in a Social Fraternity - Delta Sigma Phi
and
I was in a Professional Business Fraternity - Sigma Iota Epsilon
- What is your degree in?
B.S.B.A. - Bachelors of Science in Business Administration
Majoring in M.I.S. (Management Information Systems)I also have an Associates degree in Data Processing from Delta College in Saginaw, MI
- Where did you work before you started comedy?
Well I actually started comedy not too long after college and kept my day job as I worked on my comedy craft. But I worked many places all the while moving up in pay!
After college I started out at EDS (Electronic Data Systems) which was Ross Pero's baby and I was contracted to General Motors during that time. Then I went to Kmart's World Headquarters and worked on kmart.com. From there I worked at a small dot com company called SailNet.com. They moved to South Carolina so then I started working for IBM and was contracted to FORD Motor Company.
- How did you get started in comedy?
Well like I said earlier, I have always wanted to do stand up. After college I moved down to Detroit and ended up living right next to the Best Comedy Club in Michigan - Mark Ridley's Comedy Castle. I remember going up there every Tuesday for Open Mic. It was free to get in and I would watch every comic. The ones that I liked and thought were funny I would go up to after and ask them how they got into comedy. They all basically gave me the same answer. "Get a few minutes together and hit an open mic".Well one night I met a comic by the name of Bill Hildebrandt and he told me he was teaching a 2 day class on the basics of stand up comedy. I took it and was so excited to get started. He really didn't teach how to be funny, more of the business of comedy, which I had no idea of.
After the two days were up he told us that we would be going on the following Sunday. I freaked out and went home to work on a 3-5 minute set the whole week. When the Night came I only told 2 friends and they came to watch me. I went on and never had a feeling like this in my entire life. As soon as I hit the stage I had this feeling of calmness. It was weird as hell but it felt like someone poured maple syrup over my head and my body just went from super tense to super calm. I told my first joke and it got a laugh. And so did the rest of my stuff. I was no way near George Carlin but for my first time on stage I did quite well. I will never forget this local headlining comic came up to me after and told me to turn around and take a bow. That all that applause was for me! Then soon after Bill (my teacher) came up to me and told me that he couldn't believe that was my first time ever but also that I went over my time and did 12 minutes. I couldn't stop apologizing for making that mistake. He told me not to worry since it was my first time but that to watch it for "FUTURE" shows. I knew right then and there that I had to get better so that I could do this full time!
- When was your first time on stage?
Sunday, March 8, 1998
- Where was the first place you ever did your act?
Joey's Comedy Club in Livonia, Michigan
- How long did it take you to quit your day job?
After 3 1/2 years I started to headline very small venues and was featuring on a consistent basis. So I took a leave of absence from IBM and never looked back.
On my last day at work, just before I left, I sent out a company wide email, telling people that I was leaving to persue my dream and that everyone else should follow their dreams too! Then I put my website down and watched the hits rack up!
After I sent out the message I got an instant reply from some crochity woman saying that "company email is not intended for this kind of use". Oh yeah I forgot, FIRE ME! LOL
- Who are your favorite comics?
Brian Regan, Pablo Francisco, and Ted Alexandro to name a few.
- Where is your favorite place to play?
I have many, but the few that come to mind are:
| Omaha, NE |
Rochester, NY |
Milwaukee, WI |
Appleton, WI |
| Sioux Falls, SD |
Royal Oak, MI |
Washington, D.C. |
Irvin, CA |
| Ontario, CA |
Dallas, TX |
Tampa, FL |
Kansas City, MO |
- Have you ever bombed?
Hell Yeah, I don't think you can be a successful comic without bombing many times. But 2 times really stick out in my mind.
1.) It was my 3rd time ever on stage and I was in Ann Arbor, MI at an open mic. There was a female comic up before me that was only supposed to do 7 minutes which was the amount of time everyone got. Well she went WAY over her time by about 20 minutes. So the manager came up to me and told me I had 3 minutes. I have never had to adjust before and didn't even know how. So I took the 7 minutes I had (Or at least thought I had) and said it fast enough to get it in 3 minutes. The crowd totally stared at me the whole time and I don't think I even got a snicker. Now a days I am headlining that club and feel much more comfortable working there.
2.) I was working the St. Louis, MO Funnybone. This wasn't the club I was scheduled at but the booker moved me from his other club to this one. Well the comics that were booked for this show weren't expeciting to have me on the show. They were both Headlining comics that were both doing at least 45 minutes. While I was only getting 7 minutes in-between them. Well the crowd wasn't responding to me at all and I couldn't figure out why. I must have looked like a flash in the pan up there after watching a guy do 45 minutes and then I come on and do 7 and then the headliner came on and did around 50 minutes. They ended up moving me back to the original club I was supposed to play and I did GREAT! So I don't know what the deal was but I guess downtown St. Loius crowds just don't care for me. :-(
- Do you ever get compared to other comics?
Yes, I get Chris Farley, Jack Black, Tom Arnold and a few times some older couples came up to me and said I reminded them of Red Skelton. LOL
- What are your favorite shows on TV?
Everybody Loves Raymond, King of Queens, CSI, CSI Miami, Law and Order, and Without a Trace. I also love Blind Date, Real TV, and Street Smarts. I want to be a contestant on Street Smarts so bad!
- What is your favorite Movie?
Oh, with out a doubt "The Matrix"!!!
- Do you have any brothers or sisters?
Yes I have 1 sister, Heather, who has a little boy named Brady.
and
I have 2 Step Brothers, which one is over in South Africa fighting the War for us! Kick some ass David!
- Do you have any pets?
No, but I used to have FISH. I love fish and I love dogs! My favorite dogs are Hot Dogs, English Bull Dogs, and Hound Dogs.
- What is your favorite food?
Well I love Pizza and this stuff my mom makes called "The Shit That Everybody Likes". It's made up of hamburger, ravioli, tons of cheese, spaghetti sauce, and mushrooms. It got it's name because one day I was coming home for a visit and I asked my mom what we were having for dinner. Since this dish didn't have a name, my mom said, "Oh you know, that shit that everybody likes". It stuck!
I also love tons of simple foods like: Any kind of Sandwich, Hamburger Helper, Steak-Um's, and Chicken-Broccoli-Stuffing Casserole (Another one of my mom's creations)
- What is something a lot of people don't know about you?
I love to ride motorcycles and I played the Trumpet (Coronet) up to 9th grade.
- Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
Well I hope I am still alive and kicking ass in Los Angeles. I would love to be successful on some Television Show or in some BIG commercial. I would also like to have lost 5 pounds. 1 for ever year!
Oh, and I would love to be having sex with Heather Graham, Alyson Hannigan, Heather Locklear, Drew Barrymore, and/or Jillian Barberie on a regular basis!!! hee hee
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