When the opportunity came about of possibly doing it, I was hesitant to say the least. It seemed like a daunting task with every negative presenting itself to me. Mainly I focused on my age. Day one of training, I went to Tempest Freerunning Academy in California and busted my foot, but I haven’t recalled having so much fun. Just pure joy. The kid in me was alive and very pissed at his older foot.
I did not stop training, I adjusted. One day in a bout of self-pity, I asked myself this question: How would I feel in a couple of months? The answer that came back was I’d only regret not doing it.
Although I cannot share the outcome of my American Ninja Warrior experience until it airs, I can say even before I took my first step on the show, the results of working towards this have been life changing. It reminded me of creating my one man show. It was about the hardest thing I’ve done creatively, but worth every second.
Now this is here. It was suggested by someone who cares about me and it has opened a door into a community that is completely supportive and inspirational. By facing something seemingly impossibly only 8 weeks away, it also awakened something inside of me. We can never control the outcome of anything. The only thing we can do is put in the work, take a chance and know that the real strength is in the doing.
I remember when I was just the Dental Technician for the President. Wonder what will be next…? I can still breakdance!
Thank you for all the support!
PS… I’ll get back to comedy at some point. #comedyninja
Last night I did a show at a cabin in the woods for 14 Purple Heart recipients who were on a weekend hunting retreat. I feel like I’ve done pretty much every kind of show, but this was my very first just standing in a living room next to a warm fireplace while a group of burly dudes in camo spread out rounds of ammo as they sat at a kitchen table or living room chairs.
As a performer I’d say the “conditions” were not the best. Ha. As a person I was truly inspired by my audience. They could not have been cooler to some guy (me) who showed up, stood up and started talking. Trust me they’d much rather had a stripper and I completely agreed she’d have been a more welcomed performance. But good luck getting a woman to drive over an hour into a mountain to meet a bunch of dudes in a cabin… even I was getting a Deliverance vibe by the tail end of my travels.
I’ve noticed over the years that the performances that mean the most to me are the ones that have me really thinking on my way home. The ones that stay with me, make me ponder, and possibly help me grow somehow. Last night I witnessed a group of men bust their asses to take care of a group of men who’d risk their asses with consequence. The hosts were determined to make sure these guys were having a great time. The guys themselves all smiled, laughed, gave each other and myself sh*t while being polite, fun and thankful. That doesn’t happen everyday.
I say this often: The world I see presented in front of me on/in the news or social media is not the one I experience. It’s a pity that anger and harsh opinions are more likely to infect our society’s information cycle than to create inspiration and thoughtfulness. Because my drive home last night was filled with the latter and it’s one I won’t forget for all the right reasons.
Thank you, gentlemen.
