Boat Boy

People often ask the scoop about being a comic who often works on cruises…

Well, I’ve done more than my share, (and hope to continue…) and I must say that like anything else I’ve found in life, there’s good and bad. Great people, (most often folks on vacation are trying to have a good time), great locations, (people don’t cruise to visit sewage treatment plants, or leaking nuclear facilities) good working conditions, (you’re most often on a great stage, with an interested audience… although not ALWAYS.)

However, the tradeoffs are also big… you’re always away from home (I like my home and the family in it… if you don’t then maybe this aspect is a plus), there’s dangers at sea… (rough seas, rogue waves, hurricanes, fires on board, etc. etc.) and you’re often alone in a new environment… (don’t cry for me Easter Island… but visiting exotic locals by yourself doesn’t have the appeal of a vacation…)

With a ship, you’re gonna get to pay for your mortgage, but it’s not so easy to audition for that commercial, play, or sitcom. You can provide new material to new people WHEN you perform, but the demographic is spread far wider than any club I’ve ever done ANYWHERE. Audience members are from so many States, and several countries that some great edge to some material can alienate rather than incorporate. The age range can be from 8 to 80, subjects like “politics” and “religion” often divides, and often you try to find common ground and humanity to make fun of. The places visited often make a style of jokes easier, as it’s the common experience of the group, and then, of course, the next cruise you don’t go back there…

Which makes one of the biggest tradeoffs that it’s a specific job, SOME and often most of the things that work ON BOARD don’t export to land.

Long and Short, when you can make a living enjoying what you do, that is always a joy to find. To expect every aspect of it to be fulfilling, I’m not sure that is a reasonable expectation. Good days, and bad days are a part of any job experience. The great part about being a comic, is that the good days can be enjoyed, and sometimes the bad days can be made into jokes and material, so often you end up having good days and the rest are funny ones…