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Towards the end of March I noticed almost an instant change in the way businesses were advertising:

“We’re all in this together.”

“We can help you be safe.”

“Let us provide for you in this time of need.”

Did you notice it, too?

I think the constant barrage of hashtags and clickbait and soundbites has exponentially increased my level of cynicism in recent years, but in this case I think it’s wholly justified.

Don’t for a second think that these business have your best interests in mind. They don’t. It’s all about their bottom line, plain and simple. It’s all about the bag.

This is part of the reason I dropped social media last year. There’s a need for “influencers” and “brands” to weigh in on every single issue and event. It’s exhausting. They have to change their profile pictures and bios, release a statement, and go live on instagram so they can “be visible” - oh, wait, I mean “take a stand”. You saw brands do it with coronavirus and now they’re doing it all over again with Black Lives Matter.

Take HBO Max. Did you even know what HBO Max was when it came out? Of course not. It was confusing and no one was really talking about it. Then they remove “Gone With The Wind” to address some concerns for a while and suddenly everyone was saying “HBO Max Removes Gone With The Wind” From Their Platform.”

I could almost hear a corporate executive screaming, “Yes, we did! And that’s HBO MAX…M-A-X…sign up now!”

Companies finding ways to market themselves during a time of crisis make me sick. It’s a disgusting, awful way to do business and yet, many people seem to be celebrating corporations instead of seeing through the thin veneer of their opportunistic virtue signaling.

Recently we see this with the companies boycotting Facebook’s advertising platform. Russell Brand had some good thoughts on the matter and, as usual, said them in a much more intelligent way than I could:

The problem with all of this is that people are fed up with Facebook and are probably posting about their frustrations with them right now on THEIR FACEBOOK FEEDS. I’m not even on there but I guarantee you its true.

Everyone I know hates their social media. It makes them anxious and takes up too much of their time. They get in disagreements on it or find themselves getting more and more depressed. But, they’re convinced they can’t leave or even better, might be able to stay on and make some change.

But, if you really think any of these companies care about you then think again. They don’t. The social media companies don’t care and neither do the ones boycotting them. It’s all about the bag.

Whether they stay on the platform or not, the companies are all getting press out of it and we’re all forced to sit here and celebrating them for being “brave” and “supporting the cause”. And it seems hopeless, like there’s no escape.

But there is…

Don’t celebrate the brands. Don’t support the platforms that give them a message. Delete your social media. And don’t fall for shameless marketing that takes advantage of the current political climate.

Opt out.

In The Moment

The best part about what I do is that it requires me to be fully in the moment. Since my act involves audience participation I have to be engaged and present for each and every show.

I work hard to remember people’s names and pay attention for little moments that may occur during my performance. Sometimes people spill a drink or call out a funny joke. Sometimes they say something silly or can’t follow simple instructions. Being in the moment allows me to comment on those situations and often those tiny ad-libs become the most memorable part of the show.

I’m acutely aware of how many people in the world are NOT living in the moment. I go through the checkout line at the store and the cashier doesn’t even look me in the eye. People run into me on the sidewalk because they can’t look up from their phone. Everyone is distracted; thinking about something else, doing two things at once, planning for the next thing.

I feel alive when I’m doing my show because I’m hyper-aware of my surroundings. I can hear who’s laughing the hardest and can see when someone isn’t enjoying it. And I choose to comment on those things to bring people closer together. I want them to think to themselves, “Wow, this is special. This is new and different…and only for us!”

I was talking about this to another performer recently and commented on how hard I work just to remember people’s names, let alone other details about them and special moments in the room.

He said, “Oh, I never bother to remember their names. It’s too much work. The second they say their name I’ve already forgotten it.”

TOO MUCH WORK? You have an opportunity to make people happy and give them a feeling of joy and amazement and you say it’s “too much work”? Unbelievable.

To me that performer’s outlook seems to mirror our daily lives. Most of the time we’re just a number in line at the DMV or the randomly selected person who gets an extra screening when going through TSA. Those moments aren’t personal. Our whole life is becoming an endless string of absentminded baristas, lazy store clerks, and unhelpful receptionists. No one is willing to do the work to be present for one another.

The job of a performer is a true gift to the world. We get to connect with people in a way that they so desperately yearn for. They want to be seen and heard and feel like they were truly part of something. You can’t do the same show you always do because the audience will see right through it. You can’t phone it in and not show up. You have to be in the moment.

I don’t care how amazing the new iPhone is. I don’t care what latest gadget is on your wrist or turning on your lights. I don’t care what’s happening on Twitter or Instagram. Those things are poor substitutes for living in the here and now. But, as we continue to settle for mediocre customer service and distracted friends and coworkers, we’ve forgotten how amazing it feels to really be part of something in the present.

Being present is an incredible feeling, but you have to put your phone down and look around. You have to really see what’s going on. That’s why I love what I do and try to be onstage as often as possible. And I’ve been taking that feeling offstage and trying to make the most out of every moment of my everyday life, too.

Those texts can wait. The e-mails aren't your biggest priority. I promise you. Put your phone on silent and pay attention to what’s happening in front of you. All that matters is this moment right here and right now…and I’m fully immersed in it.

Are you?


Other Thoughts:

  • This past Saturday I woke up at 3am to watch Eliud Kipchoge run a marathon in under 2 hours. Tears were streaming down my face when he finished the race. It was one of the most incredible things I’ve ever seen so if you haven’t seen the last kilometer yet check it out here.

  • What I’m Reading Right Now: “So You’ve Been Publicly Shamed” by Jon Ronson.

  • Check out this week’s video below…and be sure to subscribe for more!