Well I survived my weekend in Tucson performing on just one leg.  I’m not a big physical comic, but I do some moving around on stage.  It was a really great week! I forgot how much fun that club is.  I love the Southwest, because of my Spanish speaking skills the crowd really gets a kick out of me.  I was able to throw a couple new bits into the mix and I’ll definitely be making a return trip next year. Special thanks to Walt Maxam and Nat Bamiel for helping me get around while I was there.  I seriously couldn’t walk more than a block or two. As of today my leg is better, a bruise has finally developed on it.  Before that there was nothing. I was told by a physical therapist the bruise developed late because it was a deep muscle bruise…I’m still not sure what that means, but there you go.

Now for the bad news I was telling you about last week. A few weeks ago I lost my agent. He actually lost his job and my agency decided not to keep me on the roster. It’s always disappointed to be dumped whether by a girlfriend, a boss, or an agent.  Unfortunately it’s a bottom line business and I hadn’t booked a ton of stuff for the agency in the last year. My agent has always been very loyal to me and I to him.  I have no regrets, but now I’m in a bit of a conundrum…which sounds delicious, but it’s pretty serious. 

I’ve had the same agent for the most part since 2000. Wherever he has gone I have gone.  The disappointing thing is I was really feeling like I was making some inroads in the acting world and now I have no one to send me out on auditions.  So now I’m in the process of looking for an agent.  The other thing I’m trying to focus on are some writing projects.  I haven’t been able to focus on as much on that due to auditions and stuff.  I guess that’s one good thing about this.  There’s always a silver lining.  

At the same time I am moving forward on getting a comedy consulting website set up.  Over the last few years I’ve been teaching stand up and improv and it’s really something I love.  I also started working with people one on one in developing their stand up. I’ve mainly been doing this through word of mouth so I’ve decided to actually make a website for it.  Hopefully it should be up in the next month or so.  

…at least I hope I can.  Sunday I suffered my first debilitating injury since I played football in college.  I play softball on Sundays…well it was really only my second week…and in my 2nd at bat of the day I took off from the batter’s box like a jack rabbit (like an average jack rabbit not one of the fast ones) and felt a sharp pain in my calf. I thought I had thrown the bat into my calf that’s how sharp the pain was.  I managed to get to first base, but could not put any weight on my right leg.  I thought it might be a cramp, but long story short it wasn’t.  

I went home, iced it, and googled my injury (who needs health care).  I figured I mildly strained it.  At least I hoped so because that had the quickest recovery time (2 weeks), the other options were anywhere from 6 weeks to surgery.  I canceled my shows for that night, which I haven’t done…ever.  I pretty much have always gone to every show regardless of my health.  After two days I went to the doctor (I do have some health care) and he said it was a strain, which was a relief as I have shows this weekend in Tucson.

The problem is this isn’t a quick fix. I have to keep icing it and have to walk gingerly.   I did a 15 minute set Tuesday night and it was good, but it was still tough to move around on it.  Today I had an improv show for middle school kids. I hosted the event, so my movement was minimal and I held up well over the course of an hour and a half.  The real test will be this weekend doing four 50 minute sets over 2 nights.  I’m up to the challenge and the more I rest it the better it feels.  

The injury definitely made me feel my age and it also made me realize how precarious my job is.  If I had injured myself really bad I would’ve had to cancel my shows this weekend, which would’ve really hurt my pocketbook (I carry a pocketbook just like my grandma).  Such is the life of a stand up comic and part of the reason I know that I need to find something that provides better financial security for me.  I’m not saying getting out of stand up or comedy, but just something more financially secure…which I guess is saying getting out of comedy…ha ha ha…sort of…not really…man I like elipses…I should probably stop using them…okay.

I do have other news…not really good news so I’m gonna wait to see how this weekend goes and then give you some other bad news.  It’s not totally bad news just a change and change is good…unless it’s a bunch of pennies. No one likes pennies.

It’s been a while since I posted anything in the old comedy blog, so here’s some stand up I did a couple months ago. Has some funny bits that may be new to you the Tom Clark fan. I actually submitted a 5 minute version very similar to this set to the folks over at Conan.  Still waiting for feedback on it, so we will see.

Here’s a sketch I shot with the fellas from Old Milwaukee. Funny stuff & a glimpse into…the future.

Since I started in comedy, everyone has said one of two things: I sound like Norm MacDonald and I look like Dave Foley. So here’s a picture with my look alike. We were both working at the clubs in Salt Lake City and got to eat pizza together after our respective shows.  I told him ever since I started in comedy, everyone said we looked alike and his reply was: “I’m sorry.”  Very nice guy and if you ever get a chance to see his movie “The Wrong Guy” you won’t regret it.  As good as “The Jerk” in my opinion.

This is an interview I did with Rooftop Comedy.  Thanks to Rooftop for the press! Click the title to view!

Just wanted to provide some finality to my feature film ‘debut’ in the movie “Big Miracle” coming out this Friday.  Just a little background, back in September 2010 I flew out to Alaska to shoot a scene in this movie. It started as a one word part and ended up being a 2 page scene with John Michael Higgins. It was great and really fun. In June 2011 I came upon a screening for “Big Miracle”  and was disappointed to see my scene had been cut. The director told me afterward the scene was great and there was still a chance it could end up in the movie. In the back of my mind I kind of knew that it might not happen.  It was funny, but in editing stuff I know that you have to keep it to the bare essentials in the end.

So about two weeks ago the director e-mailed me to tell me that unfortunately the scene had been cut. First of all I was blown away he took the time to let me know, but he also told me that it would definitely be on the DVD in the deleted scenes.  He also invited me to the screening, which was last night.

So last night I went to the screening with my friend Dan Altenburg and before the film started the director’s assistant approached just to tell me it was her favorite scene in the movie and apparently it had been one of the last things cut out.  She kept telling me how funny it was and it really made my night. Right now the director has two pilots in the works, so hopefully one of them gets picked up and I can continue to work with him. He made me look great in “Outsourced” and I can’t wait to see the scene in ‘Big Miracle’. Hopefully I’ll see it soon, I’m sure once the movie is released and goes through the theaters I’ll get a copy to put on my reel.

I really enjoyed the movie, it’s kind of in the spirit of ‘Marley and Me’. It would’ve been a real honor to be on that scrolling list of names at the end of the movie, but in the end it was not meant to be. 

In the meantime, I shot another sketch that I will hopefully post next week and my stand up tour heads to Salt Lake City for Valentine’s Day week - Feb. 14 to 19 at Wiseguys Trolley Square.  I really feel like I’m in a groove with my stand up. I’m really staying in the moment on stage and being playful.  Headed to Wisconsin and Illinois in early April.  For more info check out: www.tomclark.com.

Here’s a video I did with my friend Vito Gesualdi. I play an annoying party guest who won’t leave and vomits a lot…just watch it.

As time goes on I realize I’m not using Tumblr exactly right…I don’t think it’s a blog site, but I’ve gone through a Friendster Blog, a MySpace Blog and now this blog…so I’d rather not create a whole new blog site.  Anyways this is my end of the year wrap up, just like they do on Entertainment Tonight.

This year I didn’t land very many acting gigs compared to last year. I did go out for one series regular show for the producers of The Closer, which was nice, but didn’t get the part. Would’ve been nice because the line I had in the pilot was a true classic: “Pants?”.  I’ve also gone into a few producer sessions…well two producer sessions this year. Didn’t get the parts, but it’s good to get the experience because it can be nerve wracking to be in front of a table of casting directors, producers, and writers.

I realized this year that it’s up to me to start doing some things on my own.  My agent can only do so much.  I did write a pilot, which is great.  Not sure where it will go, but I may shoot it myself, which I think is a good idea.  I’m also gonna do more casting workshops.  Where I actually get to do a workshop with casting directors who book jobs.  It’s a chance to do more longer form stuff with them in the room.

Also, I’ve been doing more one on one stand up consulting this past year, which I’ve enjoyed.  I’m still teaching my classes, but the one on one sessions are good and I can focus my attention on one student as opposed to 10 students over the course of 3 hours.  I’m going to make my own website for it. I’ve never made my own website, so that will be a good skill to have.

If I haven’t mentioned it the movie I was in “Everybody Loves Whales” is now called “Big Miracle”. I’m not sure if my scene is in the movie.  When I saw a cut of it back in June my scene was cut out.  I guess I’ll know for sure in February if it’s made the cut, but since it’s not a vital storyline I don’t think it’ll make the cut.  I think it will make the DVD deleted scenes.  

Headed to Stillwater, Oklahoma for New Year’s Eve and then Scottsdale, Arizona the following week.  The next few months look to be pretty good booking wise, just need to secure some stuff for the summer.

It’s been a long time since I blogged at you. I’ve been on the road “a whole peckin” as a young 5 year old illiterate Tom Clark once said.  It’s been good. I did a college up in Salem, OR, then the following week was up in Santa Clara performing at a Catholic school fundraiser with my friend Patrick Keane. Got to hang with my cousin Shawn while I was up there. He lives in Santa Cruz…FUN FACT: The amusement park there is where they shot “Lost Boys”.

Then I spent two weeks in Chicago. Got to see my cousins the O’Learys…the most drinking-est, Irish-est, Catholic-est people you’ll ever want to meet. There’s like 40 of them in the family, so you’re guaranteed to see one anytime you’re in Chicago. That’s one thing that I love about my job is that I get to spend a lot of time with family. Actually in two months I’ll be performing at my cousin’s bar in Tempe, AZ.

It was also good to be in the Chicago area to see my parents up in Milwaukee as well. My dad had some health problems, but he is doing well again. 

Auditioned for The David Letterman show a couple Sundays ago in Chicago. It was okay, didn’t knock it out of the park, but the showcase overall was rough.  No one really nailed it.  Talked to the booker afterward and I think I have a 5 minute set he likes.  He felt my writing skills were stronger than my performance skills. I do feel like when I get in that audition mode I do tend to be a bit more uptight. When I’m doing a longer set or a set where I feel I have nothing to lose I feel like my performance skills are very strong. It is definitely something I need to continue to work on, the big thing is to keep getting the opportunities.

Old Milwaukee did set the record for Cage Match wins…53!  The streak actually continues, we’re going for number 56 tonight.

I know I’ve mentioned my pilot in previous posts and it’s nearing the point where I think we’ll have a public reading of it.  I really like it, it’s just not quite there. My goal is to do a couple more table reads and then before the end of the year do a live table read to an audience.  Anyways, hopefully next time it won’t be so long in between posts.