Yay! So I just got home from the National Convention for the National Association for Campus Activities (NACA) in Nashville, TN. It was held at the convention center in the Opryland Hotel so that’s where we stayed. It’s HUGE and gorgeous… Easy to forget you’re actually inside.
One of the many walkways where I got lost this weekend...
The waterfalls -- inside the hotel
The whole deal with the entertainment portion of the NACA convention is that campus activity boards and their advisors from colleges all across the country come and watch bands, poets, comics, motivational speakers showcase and then they choose which acts they want to come and perform at their schools. There are several regional conventions in addition to the National. I was selected to perform as an individual showcase and I’m part of the NBC Diversity package as well. College dates are how a lot of comics fill their calendars — and pay their bills. So I was super grateful to be invited. It’s pretty competitive.
The Sophie K. booth
The "K" team -- Meg, my agent Kate, and Bridget
This is the booth for my college agency, Sophie K. Entertainment. After our performances, we come back to the booth to meet the students and [hopefully] contract show dates.
I didn't say it...
This is me and Michelle Buteau. Hilarious comic, super cool lady. Check her out… Michelle is a NACA pro. I was trying to learn the game thru osmosis…
Tracette and Kendra -- from NBC Diversity
These two ladies are in charge of the NBC Stand-Up for Diversity Initiative I went out to LA for a couple of months ago. They’re both awesome, and work so hard. It was great to see them again and hang out!
Rob Stapleton, Michelle, me and Hasan Minhaj
Monday nite after the first set of booth hours were over, we all went to dinner. Rob Stapleton (left) actually won the Diversity competition. His Comedy Central half hour special just aired a couple weeks ago and he’s just so much fun. Looking forward to working some dates with him on the tour. Hasan Minhaj is on the right and he’s super funny too. He did great at the conference! He’s based in LA and he’s part of the Diversity Tour as well.
Me totally sober
Haha… You didn’t believe that for a minute, did you? FYI, 98-99% of the time when you see this tight-faced-cheese, Jack and Ginger are to blame ;)
Tee hee ;)
OK so, pretty much if I take a cute photo with any of my guy friends, I immediately make him my boyfriend… until I take a cuter photo with another one of my guy friends. Then we break up. Why, you ask? Well, I never seem to take good pictures with my ACTUAL boyfriends ;) so I figure maybe I’m doing it backwards… Tee hee ;) Here are my three boyfriends from Monday nite at NACA:
Boyfriend #1 - Hasan
Boyfriend #2 - Dan Ahdoot
Boyfriend #3 - Pete Lee
I’m not sure which couple is the cutest, so maybe we can try it Big Love Style ;) I hope their girlfriends don’t try and beat me up for this… Speaking of Big Love, I missed it on Sunday. If my cable’s on, I’m gonna watch it On Demand…
FOCUS, Erin.
OK. So all in all, it was a pretty good trip. I won’t know exactly how well I did until the dust settles, but I think things went well. It’s always fun for me to get to hang out with comics I like and respect and see people perform live I’ve never seen before. There were a few really good bands there and just other entertainers there as well… We met Fatman [Here we go, now! Here we go, now! ] Scoop and Shanda from MTV’s Man and Wife show — I heart that show! I know there were more folks than that, but I’m drawing a blank at this point. Anyways, fun times. Talk soon…
Good luck! I’m sure you’ll get hooked up from it, I can’t imagine the colleges not wanting to use you.
College tours are SO MUCH fun! I’d be fine not going back to any clubs and just rocking the colleges forever.
I dunno Jimmy… Colleges are cool, but IMO there’s something to be said for performing for adults… where you don’t have to censor yourself…
Yeah, there are pluses and minuses. I REALLY like having a sober crowd. And in general, student activities coordinators have been more accomodating to me then club bookers- I really like most of our local clubs, but I’ve got some road gig bookers be kind of dicks. I feel less lost in a crowd at colleges, I guess.