About a year after I started performing stand-up comedy, I opened for Don Burnstick. A friend of mine told me he was performing in town and suggested I open for him. I sent a couple of emails to his people and the organization that was bringing him in. I got the OK and prepared my set.
I had seen him perform a couple of times before, once on my brother's birthday. So I knew this was gonna be a big deal. At the time, there were very few Native comedians around. He was definitely the biggest Native comedian in Canada.
The gig was at a roller rink, during the summer, before a dance. It was still light out, and some doors were open, so the room was still kinda bright. And the tables were quite aways from the stage to make room for a dance floor. So these were not the best conditions for a comedy show.
I met him briefly before the show. I had my daughter with me and I walked around with her as a way of pacing.
He introduced me. When I was onstage, that's when I really noticed how far away the audience was. The show went OK. I taped it. I have a copy of it somewhere. I remember he laughed really hard at one of my jokes. The one about the Metis taking half a day off for National Aboriginal Day.
I forget how long it was when I opened for him again. But this time it was at a hotel banquet room. Nice stage. Again, I didn't get a chance to really talk to him. But I think it was at this time I asked him for some advice. Or it might have been the first time I opened for him.
The advice he gave me was to work the Native conference circuit. Native people get together for any reason. There are Native conferences all over the country. Youth conferences, health conferences, employment conferences, industry, etc. And they always have banquets and they are always looking for entertainment after these banquets.
He suggested I send them my info, tell them what I can provide, ask them to fly me in, put me up for the night, feed me, and don't ask for any money. Tell them you will do it for free.
I did some research. There were plenty of conferences. I contacted a few, but I asked for a small fee for my performance.
It allowed me to travel a little bit, made a little bit of money, but more importantly, I got stage time, I got to perform in front of appreciative Native audiences. In Prince George, where I was going to university, there was no comedy club, there were no open mics.
I've opened for him a couple of more times since. I'm grateful for the advice. It allowed me to create my act and get my name out there.
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