How I Got My Start in Comedy

Whenever I do interviews, the inevitable first question is always, "How did I get my start in comedy?"  And I tell them, "I was forced into it."  Which always takes people by surprise.  And I was forced into it.  It was either that or take an 'F'.  I got my start in comedy at university.  I took a class on Native humour.  Now it wasn't a class on how to be funny.  Remember, this was university.  We studied it. . We studied Native humour in all its forms, including movies, short stories, novels, songs, etc.  It was a discussion driven course.  We also had to write a short paper on our favourite humorist.  I chose Sherman Alexie.  And instead of a final exam, we all had to do a performance.  I told a couple of stories.
The first story was about how I wanted the job of the guy that played the suspect in the Crimestoppers commercials, because I always seemed to fit the description of the suspect.  I remember watching a Crimestoppers commercial and it showed a re-enactment of the crime and the actor looked nothing like the suspect.  I fit the description better than he did.  I should be the actor that plays the suspect in these commercials!
The second story came about after I won a trip for 2 to Mexico.  We ended up not taking the trip because we were pregnant at the time and she couldn't fly.  So we took the money instead.  $2000, I believe.  The second story I told was about the hassle I had trying to cash the cheque.  It wasn't really a hassle, it just took awhile.  I forget why exactly, but while I was standing there waiting, I came up with the joke.  Basically, I say it took so long because the bank didn't believe the cheque was real.  They held it up to the light, they put it under one of those UV ray lights (right in front of me), and said they may have to send it to the lab to verify its authenticity.
I was able to bring both stories together when a friend told me that I didn't want to become the actor that played the suspect in the Crimestoppers commercials because apparently these guys get stopped by the cops all the time.  What happens is, these old ladies see the commercials and when they see guy in real life, they think the actor is the ACTUAL suspect and they call the cops.  It happens alot. It's gotten to the point now where they have to carry cards around that say they are actors in the Crimestoppers commercials.  And my story went that even if I did get the job as the Crimestoppers re-enactment guy, and I did get stopped by the cops, and I had one of those cards, the cops still wouldn't believe me.  They would treat me much like the bank teller did.
Anyways, I told those stories.  I got a bunch of laughs.  I got 20/20 for my final performance, and an A+ for my final grade.  I think it was my only A+ ever in university.
I wrote an article for Spirit magazine about the first time I performed comedy.  It follows:

SPIRIT magazine article - Winter 2005 

This was from the "Are You Experienced" issue which looked at the Aboriginal experience in Canada. The articles were first person accounts on the Aboriginal experience. Adam Beach, Karla Robinson, and Waneek Horn-Miller also contributed. 

Here is my story: 

How It Feels...to be a Stand-Up Comedian 

The first time I went out on stage to perform stand-up comedy is a blur. It all went by so quickly. I was enrolled in a class at the University of Northern British Columbia called Indigenous Humour. Instead of final exam, we were asked to do a performance. I chose to do stand-up comedy. 

I was on stage for approximately 20 minutes, but it seemed like 2. I told two stories, the first about the hassle around trying to cash a cheque, and the second about wanting the job as the suspect in the Crimestoppers commercial because I always seem to fit the description of the suspect. 

Before I went onstage, I was pacing and pacing, trying to rid myself of the nervous energy. A single drop of sweat ran down my side. I had not memorized my routine, so I had my sheet of paper with me and was worried people might see it shaking, because my hands were trembling so badly. 

I remember people laughing and applauding, but I thought they were just being polite. When it was over, I just found the nearest seat and sank into it as far as I could. I was glad it was over. When the evening was over, people were congratulating me, but it all seemed quite surreal. I didn't know it at the time, but I had just stumbled across a new career path. Since that first time, I have continued with my stand-up comedy and have done approximately a dozen performances and I even opened up for Don Burnstick.