Thursday, October 7, 2021

the last book I ever read (Based on a True Story: Not a Memoir by Norm Macdonald, excerpt four)

from Based on a True Story: Not a Memoir by Norm Macdonald:

Mark owned branched of Yuk Yuk’s all across Canada, and Howie Wagman was, and still is, the manager of the Ottawa club. Howie helped me with the ins and outs of comedy. I’ll never forget my first line on a stand-up stage. “How many of you guys own answering machines?” To this day it remains one of my strongest lines.

I quickly developed a cult following. That sounds pretty good, but the truth is that it’s the last thing you want to develop. The only time having a cult following is a great thing is when you are actually in a cult. Then you get to be a cult leader and life is milk and honey. First off, everyone thinks you are God, so you get to tell them all what to do. Your followers bow down before you and give you all their worldly goods, which can really add up, even with a smallish cult. The best part is you get to lie down with all the ladies from the cult, even the married ones. In a short matter of time, you become drunk with power and begin to lie down with the men also, not because you want to, but just because you can. Yes, being a cult leader with a cult following is fine work if you can find it.

However, being a stand-up comedian with a cult following just means that most folks hate your guts.



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