Update-O-Rama

Lots going on in the world of comedy these days...

Earlier this month (March 2009) I had the opportunity to perform for our troops at a deployment party in Bend, Oregon. What an amazing time that was! Truly a blessing and honor! One possible "perk" (if that's the right way to describe it) that MAY come as a result of that performance is the chance to perform overseas for a USO show for the troops! Now, that would be incredible!

After much thought, consideration, prayer and guidance I have made the decision to jump full bore into comedy and acting full time, saying goodbye to a career I have been a part of for nearly 30 years. As of May 1, I will be a full-time "comic/actor/writer" etc. I feel excited about what the future holds and look forward to more opportunities to perform and lift people's spirits.

Coming up in April I have some wonderful gigs including a couple of corporate events in Nebraska and, hopefully, at least one gig in the Nashville area. And I am now starting to book for the summer months and beyond.

My hope is to stay better connected to this blog and update it more frequently.

We'll see how that goes...

Married At The DMV

This is what the newleyweds in the audience told me tonight - that they had been married 2 weeks ago - in the DMV... I didn't know you could do that - is it like a ship's captain sort of thing? Does the driving instructor marry them? Did they have the reception at Conoco? Did they honeymoon at JiffyLube?

This was just one of the side-splitting moments from tonight's show at Wits End Comedy Club in Westminster, CO. I had the privledge of opening for two funny guys - the feature act was Kris Shaw (from Indiana) and Denver's own Darrell Collier was our headliner.

I brought my 17-year old son with me - he has an itch to do comedy - it was a good learning experience for him... and really fun for me to have him in the audience.

If you're in the Denver area, and reading this blog... and looking for something to do tomorrow night or Saturday, then come on out to Wits End in Westminster... find out more at www.witsendcomedyclub.com.

Keep Laughing!

It Was A Peachy Night!

My friends know that whenever someone asks me how I'm doing, my pat response is to say "peachy."

Well, tonight - things WERE peachy!!

I performed at 1st Pres church in Peachtree, GA for about 300 in attendance. It was a great night of performing comedy and leading in worship.

Sam DeCarlo is the coordinator of this series of outreach events (they do one every other month) and he was fantastic to work with.

The church was very warm and kind and seemed to be quite receptive to the humor AND the music - so I not only felt delight - I also felt fulfilled in my calling.

Thanks again, 1st Pres at Peachtree City! You made my night!

This Just In...

I'm blessed... some might call it lucky... others might say fortunate. But from where I sit, I am blessed...

Deep down inside of me - my passion is to entertain, to make people laugh, to make people feel better about life, to give people a break from the stress of growing older every day - to tell jokes, to sing silly songs, and all the other antics I enjoy doing.

And it seems that I am being allowed to do this more and more -

It is the realization of a dream - - or maybe it's simply being allowed to do what I have been wired to do my entire life...

Regardless of which set of phrases I use from the above few paragraphs, the bottom line is that here I am, being offered the chance to earn some money by using my God-given gifts in humor and other creative talents and abilities to make people laugh.

And, though it might sound an awful lot like one of those famous people winning a gold statue, I just have to say...

Thank you, God.

time to catch up

lots going on in the comedy world...

many comedy gigs coming up - check out my growing schedule at www.danmcgowan.com.

since last we spoke, i have become a regular opener at Wits End in Westminster, CO. It's a fun club with a great audience who enjoy laughing at funny material.

I have also been featured regularly at the new Improv that recently came to town. Very exciting.

Comedy Works has opened a second club in the Denver Tech Center area - this will be fantastic for folks down south who love comedy but can't quite get downtown or further north.

I have been enjoying more church and corporate performances and one of my goals for 2009 is to try my hand at cruiseship comedy... i know, i know - NO JOKES ABOUT THE TITANIC!

And - perhaps the most fun part of comedy for me - I continue to meet new comics in town and build great friendships with comics I have already gotten to know! Denver comedy really is a great "scene" (I hate using that word but I am not cool enough to know any other term.)

If you stop by and read this stuff, let me know. You can post a comment here or just send me an email at dan@danmcgowan.com.

KEEP LAUGHING!

Almost One Hundred

Tonight was the first "Just Pure Laughs" show to take place at Denver's new Improv Comedy club in the Northfield area of Denver. Overall, it was a success in that Improv made money, comics made some money, the audience laughed and Improv wants us back. All good!!

Show included Rubi Nicholas, Ron Maranian, Stephanie McHugh, Kevin Ladd, Bob Meddles and myself as headliner.

It was an interesting night for me - I felt very relaxed during my set - probably more so than ever before, which was great! I even joked with a guy and his mom in the front row - something I never really do - but it just sort of happened naturally, which was great. I flubbed a couple of jokes that I never flub - and it actually surprised me.

We had a little under 100 in the audience - was hoping for more, but was glad to have that many! If these can grow, and word of mouth spreads, I'd love to see the place filled!

Clean Comedy is not dead - it's just been resting for a while...

If You Can Read This You're Too Close

Creativity seems to be bursting out of me these days - nothing in particular - feels like a clump of creativity that's been building up over time... making it's way to the surface and exploding out of me in the form of comedy writing, silly songs, blah blah blah...

This is a good thing!

Because I've been in a bit of a dry spell for a while.

Saw the new Batman movie the other night - wow! Loved it. Heath Ledger owned the screen. Can't believe they signed Drew Carey to play the Joker in the next film...

See ya soon!