I Don’t Trust Any Performer Who Does Not Drink While On Stage.

I like this guy.  I had a lot of mixed emotions about Ricky Gervais years ago when he came to the States.  All you heard about was Ricky Gervais.  The problem was I never liked British humor.  But his humor is not British it's just humor. 

He's also tough on the toughest crowd in the world.  You are going up in front of the most famous, rich and powerful people in the world with the rest of the world watching and shows them no mercy.  The fact is most people's instinct would be to please these celebrities.  You want to be there buddy.  Most people would fold under those conditions and put on  a weak show and most do.  This guy has proven now for two years running he does not care what they think or care if they approve.  He does not want to be their friend.  He just wanted to put on the best show he could for you and I.

This brings me to the drinking on stage.  HUGE power move.  It's a non verbal way of letting the crowd know that you are going to do what you want and everyone better get out if they don't like it.  I have performed on stage many times with a drink in hand and it has come out two ways.  I either over indulge and blow the whole thing or I kill.  I think I have the recipe down at this point.  It does remind me though of a night where drinking on stage backfired big time.  I was in Asbury Park, NJ on a Saturday night in front of 3,000 fans on the Deadliest Catch speaking tour where I was the MC.  We had been in Long Island, NY the night before for another sold out show and we killed.  We celebrated the success of the show by partying till about 4am.  That was mistake number 1.  After waking up and peeling myself off the hotel room floor of Andy Hillstrand of the Time Bandit I showered and hit the road for Jersey.  It was the world's worst hangover.  We got to the hotel, went our separate ways and went to sleep.  A few hours later I got up, got dressed for the show and went to the venue.  I told Sig Hansen backstage what a terrible hangover I had.  He handed me a bottle of vodka and nodded at me while looking me in the eye.  I did what I needed to and fifteen minutes later we were on stage in front of a sold out house.  The first 30 minutes of the show were a blur but I was getting through it.  Then I directed a question to Sig Hansen one that he was apparently passionate about because he talked for about fifteen minutes.  At least that is what I was told later.  Apparently I fell asleep at about minute 14 in front of thousands of people.  Luckily I was the MC of a tour of Alaskan bandits or I probably would have been in trouble.  Andy Hillstrand woke me up on stage and 3,000 people clapped and laughed while Jonathan Hillstrand explained what a night we had the night before.  It was a running joke throughout the rest of the show and the tour.  It was a mistake I will admit but it was a funny one.  I still say I don't trust any performer who does not drink on stage.