Tales from Laughlin: Minor Panic

So I'm doing my show Tuesday night, and doing a fine job by everyone's account, and I do a little bit of "working the crowd". I made a comment which spurred a rather funny additional comment from an audience member. He wasn't heckling, he was genuinely adding a funny quip.

When this happens at comedy venues I tend to give the guy his props for being funny and I do it in a rather funny manner. Aside from the "give the guy some applause" and all that, I walked over to the guy, shook his hand, make a funny retort, and then took one of his drinks off the table in order to toast him. After the toast I walked off with his drink, thanking him for the free drink (as "tax" for taking some time away from my show).

It always gets some good laughs and provides a funny moment in the show. It got that same response that night. Well...

Apparently there's some sort of rule in this casino that no alcohol can be brought up on stage for any reason. They've even fired a comic for doing something similar (in order to promote their drink specials) in the past. D-A-M-N!

Were any of the comedians told about this before our week started? No. Would I have done the joke at all had I known? No. Did I apologize profusely to the casino manager who decided to watch the show Tuesday (as opposed to Monday when there was no joke involving beer)? Yes. Did any of this mean I wouldn't be fired from the gig, essentially ruining any hope I had of returning or getting booked anywhere else for that matter? Thankfully, yes, but it could have gone the other way.

Everyone assured me that things would be fine, but that didn't mean that the casino wouldn't send my rather innocent-of-intentional-wrong-doing-ass home. They could have done it and I could have been out a good paycheck. What's worse is that the agency that booked me here, books a lot of comedians and variety acts in Laughlin and Vegas...and this was my first gig for them. My first local gig at all really. So having something awful happen my first time out pretty much guarantees early & permanent retirement for me.

Again, I was thankful that everything went just fine and there was no real consequences for an innocent mistake. As you know, the higher-ups truly enjoyed my performance and I'm eager to get another booking in Laughlin soon.

WHEW!