Well, this has been quite a memorable week!

The response generated to my little short, Shakespeare in Celebrity Voices has been overwhelming.  After 140 little films generating about 6,000 views total, to have something that goes truly “Viral” was a thrill and a half, and may have launched me into a new career strata.

The way it happened; I was trying to make this video about two months earlier, but found that I couldn’t pull it off– not enough time, running out of light, a bit too exhausted to really hold it all together.  Incorrect estimation of the effort needed to actually do it well.

In the past, I’d always had a volunteer in the audience throw out celebrity names at random, while I was doing the recitation, then I would quickly make the change of viewpoint based on their choice.  I never had to choose; they did it for me.  Suddenly having to work it out myself turned out to be kinda tricky. So, I bailed.  Pulled the ‘chute.  Moved on.

Then, Monday the 18th of July, I came home from a full day of auditions, all dressed up, handsome and feeling chipper, well rested and, thanks to Tamra, well fed, and went in and successfully recorded the performance.

It took a little extra time to edit it, so that the celebrity names came up at the right time.  Then, as YouTubers around the world do by the millions every day, I clicked on “Upload”.  Then linked to my Facebook and a few other sites.

The next day, Tuesday was the day of my stepfather Paul Michael’s funeral.  It was really a nice ceremony, very well attended and warm. He was so beloved, and I felt his presence there throughout.  Sigh.

The next day on my video I noticed the usual smattering of views, a bit more than usual.  A few hundred.  That night, Wednesday July 20, my wife and I went out with friends to see Eddie Izzard in concert at the Hollywood Bowl.

We love Eddie and he did not disappoint. I guess I am like a lot of people, misfits and others, who get a lot of inspiration and encouragement from watching Eddie do his marvelous material.

One thing that impressed me a lot and made me kind of love the guy forever is when he comes out, he acknowledges the crowd, says hi to the front row, does the walk around the little elevated platform around the best seats, slapping hands and giving the rich folks some love…

Then, he acknowledges the rest of us in that huge crowd of 17,000 plus people… including the VERY back row, which is probably about a quarter mile away from the stage, up a million stairs…

And then he says, “Of course, one COULD run up to the back…”

And then he RUNS to the BACK.  Over the posh seats barricade, up the million stairs, all the way to the top/back/far reaches of the Hollywood Bowl.  And then back down again.  Took him ten minutes–I timed it.

And THEN, he does his two hour set.

As Craig Ferguson (who was also there in the audience, I discovered later) would say, “I  KNOW!!!”

Okay, so, that was the beginning of the concert and I don’t really need to go over what he does in his show.  Go see for yourself.  Rent “Dressed to Kill.”

BUT, the thing I want to share: I was looking at that huge crowd, marveling at how a stand-up comic had FILLED the Hollywood Bowl, how he had an audience of 17,000 people, and I thought to myself, “Hell.  I WANT to play to an audience of 17,000 people!”

What fun THAT would be!  Kind of made a little, quiet decision about it…

Great show, lots of laughs, getting chilly in the night air, we drive home.  Come in to the house, go to the computer.

Check out the views on my impressions video, see what we are up to… before the concert I think I had about 801…

WHOA.

17, 582 views.

17,000 plus viewers.
Helluva coincidence, don’t you think?

From there, of course, the video really took off, when the NYTimesMag.com, Buzzfeed,  Huffington Post, AOL.com and loads of other sites began to feature it.  And YOU all started passing it around.  Craig Ferguson and Stephen Fry Tweeted it, Juliette Lewis… it was a love fest.

It’s currently at over half a million views now and a LOT of very complimentary comments.  My upcoming shows at The Acting Center are selling out.  I’m talking to people about touring the world.  And, surreally, I’m featured on E! Entertainment and set to do an interview on NPR… I tell you, it’s a whole new deal around here.
Eddie Izzard says it.  You have to believe in your dream.  Then, others will believe too.  And it will happen.

So, thanks very much for being part of MY dream.  I am delighted to count you among my friends and fellow strugglers in this batty world.

I plan to continue to provide you with the most uplifting entertainment I can possibly pull off.  So, I guess I better stay handsome, chipper, rested and well fed!

See me live in JIMPRESSIONS at The Acting Center, August 26 & 27,  28, and September 9, 10 & 11.  In the Tampa Bay Florida area,  you can find me at the Capitol Theatre on Saturday, September 17th at 8 p.m.