As luck would have it, the Canadian Comedy Awards took place in Toronto during this, my first year in Humber’s Comedy Program.  In September, students received an e-mail about volunteering in the festival and I enthusiastically signed up.  I’d like to say I did so in the spirit of supporting Canadian comedy and the arts in general in Toronto, but I’d be lying.

I signed up because…, well, I mean…, check out this line-up: http://www.canadiancomedy.ca/

(Congrats, btw… to one of my teachers for winning a CCA! And for another for receiving a nomination!   Not that they read their students’ blogs, but what the hell!   We’re all dang proud!!)

I think it’s safe to say that I can get pretty star struck.  I mean, I’m pretty sure I didn’t get a job working in Parliament because of my reaction to the possibility of potentially bumping into the PM… or into a politician I actually give a shit about…  But, it became quite clear in a conversation I had with my stand-up coach that I would have to become comfortable talking to other people in this business, if I’m to make any headway in the field.  So I figured, here’s an opportunity to aim high.

Over the weekend I met and mingled with so many wonderful Canadian comedians from all disciplines and from varying degrees of success and experience as well as other figures within the industry.  I’m thrilled I not only got to meet a handful of my Comedy Heroes, but over the weekend, I got to share drinks with them, introduce myself to them, and hear their encouraging wishes for the next generation of comics, including us Humber kids.  GAH!  There is SO much to look forward to: Next year, the awards will be happening in Ottawa, which means I’ll be needing a place to crash in the ol’ Lisgar place, guys!

It was pretty well one of the best weekends I’ve ever had in my 26 years on this planet.  (For best weekends had on other planets, you’ll have to access my Martian equivalent of this blog.)

The very last line in this video, which most of you have surely already seen, explains how I feel about my hopes for the future:

PS. I wanted to draw some attention to this remarkable theatre here in Toronto, where I had the pleasure of volunteering during the CCA Gala.  For those of you who haven’t seen it, check out this web-site to find out about one of Ontario’s most beautiful heritage sites: The Elgin and Winter Garden Theatres: http://www.heritagefdn.on.ca/userfiles/HTML/nts_1_9650_1.html