I have a great day job that I love, but that doesn’t mean that I don’t take my comedy career extremely seriously.

I hear a lot of comedians say things like “If you have a Plan B (other than comedy) then you aren’t taking your comedy seriously enough.” That’s ridiculous! Of course I would love to write jokes all day, perform every night, and be heckled more regularly, but I have financial obligations that prevent me from doing that at this point in my career. I have a family that I wouldn’t trade for anything. Call me crazy, but I wouldn’t feel right about telling them that; “we’re gonna live in poverty for several years so that I can pursue my dream. I hope guys like Ramen! I know you’ve all been well behaved, but Santa felt you weren’t quite good enough this year!” Yeah, that’s not my style.

Not long ago I had a conversation with a guy I know who does improv, and is very good at it. We were talking about how being a starving artist isn’t really possible when you have a family; there is a certain standard of living that needs to be maintained. This isn’t an excuse, I still work hard when it comes to stand-up. It isn’t lost on me that I’m basically in competition with people who may not have the same responsibilities that I have. In fact I’ve even talked with veteran comics and watched their facial expression change when I mention that I have a family, as if to say; “Good luck kid! May the odds be ever in your favor!” (Pardon me, I watched the Hunger Games earlier this week!)

Also, there’s a part of me that really likes the idea of putting on a shirt and tie everyday. Even if I ever reach the point where I making tons of money doing comedy I’d probably still start side businesses, not only to multiply my money, but because being an entrepreneur is something that I enjoy . Having a day job is occasionally frowned upon in the entertainment industry, but I like to think that I have the best of both worlds. I have an amazing family, and I’m able to support them financially while still pursuing my dream. I have no problem with entertainers who want to establish themselves before “settling down”, but my path has been different. I’ll see you at the top!