No jokes; comedians thank community

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When I retired from the Army Reserve and Northwest Vista College the last thing I wanted was a third career. I bought some vending machines and thought I would fade off into the sunset hocking candy, sodas and chips. After a month of that I was going “Rainman”. I was so bored I couldn’t stand it. I started watching paint dry just for the excitement. It’s true when some people tell you after they retire; they want to go back to work. I didn’t want another job; I wanted a hobby that paid, and it had to be challenging.

Be careful of what you wish for. My wife and I went to see our first live stand-up comedy show about this same time.  We both enjoyed it and something inside me said “I want to try that”. Please understand, I am an introvert, I didn’t talk to anyone, unless they talk to me first. Not stuck up, I just felt like I didn’t have anything interesting to say to a stranger. My wife was convinced something was dropped on my head. Nonetheless I gave it a try. I looked up open mics in San Antonio and went on down there to let the world know just how funny I was. Surely the owners or whoever is the king maker would recognize the brilliance of my material, and the rest would be history.

Well the rest was history. I had never actually seen an open mic and I didn’t know you only got three minutes. I was planning on telling this story about snow skiing that I had been telling at parties for twenty years. It always got laughs. The problem was it took twenty minutes to tell, and they were giving me the hook at three. “But I haven’t got to the funny part yet”, YEAH, WE KNOW! The gauntlet had been thrown and the challenge accepted.

I still do stand-up but not for fortune, and as any introvert will tell you not for attention. It is such a great feeling to bring a smile or a laugh to people, especially, if that person was having a hard day. You know the appreciation is genuine. I know that ALL audiences are important but some of them stand out as just plain fun and genuine. The people of Gonzales are the latter. I have had the absolute pleasure of performing twice for the Gonzales Chamber of Commerce & Agriculture. Both times I was able to bring other clean stand-up comedian friends with me. I know I speak for them as well. Gonzales ROCKS!

Please accept my sincere thanks to Daisy Scheske at the chamber, Steven Gresham at the Texas Gonzales and Northern Railway, Amy Cernosek and Andi Seger of Angels & Outlaws and Kenneth Holt from San Antonio Water Systems, for allowing us to entertain your great community.

Bob Moher is a clean stand-up comedian, Retired Lieutenant Colonel (USAR), Founder of Door To Door Comedy. Founder of “Comedy for the FUND of it”,  which supports multiple nonprofits and charities. Visit him at www.BobMoher.com

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