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WORK/LIFE BALANCE? Whats that? Someone told me I need to work on my work life balance. They were probably right. Since I graduated college, I was always balancing multiple work related aspirations and goals. When I was in law school, I coached a high school tennis tea while also playing in bands and workign at a law firm. When I graduated law school, I worked as a lawyer but also played in bands and then eventually started my artist management company as well. I eventually became a named partner at a law firm when I found my passion for comedy. Through that all, I would miss family and friends' events like birthdays, marriages and even a funeral. I had almost unhealthy drive for success. Still do in a way. It's sometimes hard to keep that going when so many doors close or don't respond. While it sucks sometimes that I started later in comedy and I feel sometimes like my age hurts my career aspirations, I am also lucky to have started comedy later in life to be able to handle rejection and indifference. Other artists give up so much to achieve their goals. I am lucky to have had a less jaded journey than mosts. #standup #comedy #worklifebalance #formerlawyer #drive 
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It's hard not to feel overlooked when opportunities arise and the gatekeepers "forgot" to consider you. It happens all the time in every field I am sure, but in comedy its palpable when it happens to you. Your name is absent from a club's calendar or you are not auditioning for the latest festival or when your peers and friends are getting booked at a club and you are not. Of course, I have been on the other side where I look around and see that I am given an amazing opportunity that I feel I am not entitled to or that my peers who are far more worthy did not get. It's not always or even often a meritocracy. All you can do is grind away and hope for a break, whether its word of mouth or a viral clip or just someone discovering you. I have been fortunate to headline multiple shows in 2024 alreadyl far more than I did at this point last year, including a "home" club, Mccurdys Comedy Club, I have never headlined. Not only did I headline 3 shows, but 2 of those nights were sold out. Thanks to all of you who told people about these shows. I am off to headline another set of shows in Arizona and then get to co-headline premiere rooms in San Francisco and Nashville with my friend Paul Ollinger. Please continue to spread the word. Every little bit helps! #standup #comedy #formerlawyer #ontheroad  In comedy, you can be come a headliner when you have over an hour of material or can put butts in seats, or, ideally both. In today's social media era, a lot of comedians got a large following on TikTok or Instagram and were able to pack comedy clubs. Other comedians who have been road warriors for years also kept their ground with growing mailing lists and word of mouth. Word of mouth is always the best way to fill a room. I don't quite have the social media following to sell out rooms in any city but I am slowly getting there. I do, however, have the material that fills over an hour of time needed to headline a show. And this year I am finally seeing more headline dates than support dates on my schedule. That doesn't mean that I am "crushing it" For every 1 confirmed weekend of shows on my schedule there are over 20 emails unanswered from clubs and promoters who have not shown an interest in having me at their club, or, at least, not a priority for them to have me at their club. Excited to announce that I will be headlining my "home away from home" club Mccurdys Comedy Club in Sarasota this week for the first time. I was scheduled to headline this club once during the pandemic but the show was cancelled because people were just not ready to come out at that time. This is one of my favorite clubs in the country, not only because its where most of my family lives, but because the staff is like family for me there. If you know anyone in the area, send them my way (ticket link in comments). Otherwise, I will be New Smyrna Beach, Flagstaff and Prescott and Chicago later this month. #standup #2024 #headliner #formercomedian  I was having a discussion with a few other comedians yesterday when I realized, once again, that comedians do not get the credit they deserve for their ability to tackle topics in the news. People often defer to me on issues like the law and politics because of my history as a lawyer and experience in the political world. And because of that experience, I have many contacts in these fields with expertise. But very often some of the best takes on these issues have come from my comedian friends, some of which never even graduated from college. Because we travel the country (and world), we see things on the ground level. If you go back and watch some comedians like George Carlin and Chris Rock, they were saying things about what was happening and will happen in the future before the so called experts. Comedians get immediate responses and feedback to the things we say and as a result, often have a finger on the pulse of what the world is facing. Rodney Dangerfield often said "I get no respect" and my comedian friend Adam Burke joked that I (as a former lawyer) get "too much respect" because of my educated pedigree. While I may have undeserved credibility, which may actually be the title of my next special, I think my comedian peers need and deserve more credibility that the public often gives them. Hope to see you in Texas, Florida and Arizona in January and hope you listen to my new podcast Why Are You Awake! #comedian #happynewyear #formerlawyer #careerchange  |
AuthorPaul Farahvar is a comedian hailing from Chicago, Ill. Archives
August 2024
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