I have been a lifelong comedy fan. I remember watching Richard Pryor from my hospital bed host Saturday Night Live. I don't know if it was a rerun or what but I had gotten appendicitis, my appendix ruptured. So I was watching the show and Richard and the others had me laughing so hard that I was hurting and moaning. I remember my nurse came into the room to ask if I was okay. I told her I was laughing. She told me I should change the channel. I did for about 2 minutes until she was gone and then I was right back to laughing and moaning in my pillow.
I was like 10 years old.
15 years later I walk into a bar in Seattle that has a comedy club downstairs. I go down and had never been to a comedy show before and at the end of the show they asked if anyone wanted to tell a joke or try comedy. I went up and told an old Dolemite joke. Some other comedian told me I had good stage prescence and I should write my own material and come back.
I took his advice and 8 years later I am still going strong. I will be performing at the Sands in Reno this week. Jul28th-Aug1.
In March 2001 I got to meet the man.... Richard Pryor at the last American Comedy Awards. I won a comedy contest here in Seattle to attend the awards for free. I shook his hand. It was the one were they gave George Carlin the lifetime acheivement award. It is too this day it has been the highlight of my career. I met you and shook your hand and I was speechless. I will send a check or food stamp.
