Finding Your "Cheese."

I am currently struggling to secure gigs here in eastern North Carolina. I perform at open mic nights and I consistently make people laugh, as evident in my videos. However, some local agents and comedians dismiss me as a "novelty act with props." It seems that comedy clubs in this region are not accustomed to ventriloquists as adult entertainers. I observe my fellow comedian friends who constantly book gigs, and I believe that I am just as funny, if not funnier, despite utilizing puppets.

Thus, I find myself pondering the reasons behind this discrepancy. Is it due to my personal life? Have I been blacklisted for something I said, did, or wrote? Perhaps it relates to my lifestyle? Could it be that I am considered too old? Or is it simply a matter of being in the wrong location? I recently participated in a personal development Zoom workshop where I gained valuable insights on changing patterns and behaviors, much like the teachings of Tony Robbins. Throughout the training, one particular virtual exercise intrigued me.

The exercise involved placing a piece of cheese in tube three among five tubes. The mouse would easily locate the cheese in tube three upon sniffing it. However, after the 21st attempt, if the cheese was moved to tube five instead, the mouse would eventually find it there. Humans, on the other hand, are not as perceptive. They would repeatedly search tube three for cheese that is no longer present, leading to eventual starvation. Could it be that I am in the wrong tube? Perhaps my cheese awaits in New York or California, rather than here in North Carolina? I should go where I am valued, rather than merely "tolerated."

Among my greatest attributes are determination, stage presence, and integrity. Therefore, pursuing a path similar to Jeff Dunham's seems like a wonderful idea. When he was striving for success, other comedians ridiculed him and scrawled derogatory remarks on bathroom walls in the comedy clubs where he performed. Regardless, Jeff took matters into his own hands and created his own comedy special video with a live audience. He then sold the video to Comedy Central, and the rest is history.

According to Wikipedia, Dunham's most acclaimed work was "Me the People" on Comedy Central, and he is now recognized as one of the most beloved comedians of all time. He did not give up. While his fellow comedians criticized him, he focused on writing, practicing, and producing shows that ultimately earned him a place in the Guinness Book of World Records for selling the most tickets on a stand-up comedy tour. Slate even hailed Dunham as "America's favorite comedian." Pollstar reports that he is currently the highest-grossing stand-up act in North America, and he has achieved significant success in the UK as well. Not many comedians can boast such accomplishments. Jeff Dunham is a ventriloquist, not a prop comic, and he defied the odds.

I may not reach Dunham's level of success as a ventriloquist comedian, but I am certainly determined to give it my all. Just like the mouse searching for food in tube three, only to find it in tube five, I must pause and seek out my own "cheese" to achieve success as a ventriloquist and live the life I have always envisioned.

Síle