As an aspiring comedian you have plenty of goals floating around your mind. Fame and fortune are typically the top two but I can tell you from my perspective the greatest job perks are just beyond the horizon.
One of the absolute best perks of performing comedy is seeing our great country. When I first started in Columbus, OH on 1991 I had only visited 10 states – Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Missouri, Ohio, Pennsylvania and West Virginia.
Now, I have performed or spoke in all but 6 (Rhode Island, Connecticut, Maine, Washington, Oregon, Hawaii).
This journey will be exciting for you and you’ll discover some places you never knew were so beautiful, cool, unique or exciting.
While I have found truly beautiful places along the way – Boise, ID really is a hidden treasure – I was completely blown away by a trip to Anchorage, AK. While performing for the Mat Su Health Foundation at the Aleyeska Resort in Girdwod, AK I was treated to pure awe. You literally couldn’t stand anywhere and not want to take a picture.
About an hour South of Anchorage on the Kenai Peninsula, I got to see a glimpse of the ever-retreating Portage Glacier. Hundreds of years ago the glacier was estimated to be about 14 miles long. In 1986 a Visitors Center with stadium seating and floor to ceiling glass windows was built so travelers could view the glacier from a warm and windless spot. Sadly, the glacier is no longer even visible from the visitor center (although you can take a boat ride to see it). Its current size is approximately down to 6 miles. Impressive nonetheless, and thought provoking to say the least.
I hope you take the opportunity to travel as much as possible. You, too, will gain an appreciation for the scenic landscapes that lie ahead. So, as you start this journey grab a map and think about all the places you can take your act. You’ll be glad you did!
