A Fluffy Surprise

Before comedy, I had zero robes. Now look at my growing collection!

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This beauty came to me in the mail today from the HBO folks — my swag for being a part of the Bill Maher tapings. How neat! It’s always exciting to get a package from FedEx when you’re not expecting anything!

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Sorry but I’m not putting on makeup for you people. I’m working. And there’s no make-up in baseball!… Wait, huh? ;)

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And this is the robe I got when I did The Ellen Show. So pretty and comfy. I heart it. :) I’m  learning that robes are the currency of big-time comedy shows. I can’t wait to make it to the point where I can give away gifts like these after my big performances. The only difference is my souvies will be embroidered Snuggies.

Because well… you know. ;)

Just for Laughs Chicago and I heart TBS!

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So… YAY! I just got the word that I’ve been invited to perform at the Just for Laughs Chicago Festival! This is the American sister to comedy’s premier festival — Just for Laughs in Montreal — which I didn’t get into… But this is no NIT. This is the inaugural year of JFL in the US and as you can see it’ll take place June 17-21. So many big names — the fabulous Ellen DeGeneres, George Lopez, Louis CK, Lisa Lampanelli, Patrice O’Neal, Jimmy Fallon, Russell Peters…

What’s even cooler is that I’ll be participating in a TV taping while I’m out there. The festival will be broadcast by TBS and so I’ll have the opportunity to do some new stand-up on their network again! I am so loving TBS right now!!! Also I’m super excited about the location. After 31 years of never visiting Chicago, I get to go twice within a couple of months. I really liked it there. Can’t wait to go back.

Festival tickets are on sale now! You should totally buy some ;) My taping will be at the Zanies Comedy Club. More info as I receive it! Yay! ;)

Compromise vs. Acceptance

I recently came across this quote by Chinua Achebe:

One of the truest tests of integrity is its blunt refusal to be compromised.

And it really spoke to me. I’ve been struggling a lot lately with the direction I want to take my act in — not because I’m uncomfortable with my material or persona, but because my father has a huge problem with it.

I said the word “bitch” on Comedy Central. I think it’s the second bit in the clip below:

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Erin Jackson – Marrying Into Comedy
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After the show aired my father reamed me for cussing on TV. I told him that you can say “bitch” on the networks. But he wasn’t trying to hear me.

I see comedy nite in and nite out — all kinds of comics with varying styles. And I know that by comedy club/booker standards, I am not a dirty act. I say “bitch” in my act. I occasionally say “shit”. And when I’m referring to this particular incident (which is only of late) I use the “mother” of all cuss words. But only because I’m repeating something I overheard someone else say. And I believe there’s a bigger point to it.

I grew up in a pretty religious household. Nothing fanatical. But my dad was superintendent of the Sunday School and a deacon at our church. So yeah I was at church every Sunday, but my folks weren’t strict and I was always a good girl. But I haven’t gone to church on even a semi-regular basis since I left home to come to DC for college. I honestly felt awful about it in the beginning — I remember the first Sunday I didn’t go to church I felt like there was this big gaping whole in my world. But that feeling began to fade the more and more I slept in. Of course I still believe in God. And with all the blessings I’ve received just these last 6 months in both my professional and personal life, I KNOW I need to be back in church. I joined one about a year ago and I even have a new bit about my trip to church this summer. But I’m out of the habit. And now after a late show on Saturday, its way hard for me to get up and go.

All that to say that while I believe in and thank my parents and extended family for the Christian principles upon which I was raised, I am my own person. And I don’t think it makes me a bad person if I say “bitch” on stage. But my dad is worried that all his friends and former colleagues who see me will be offended by what I say and it’ll reflect poorly upon him.

Exhale. Continue reading →

Chattin’ about my worst day ever on my very best day ever

So maybe it’s a little extreme to say that Monday was my ‘very best day ever.’ I mean my wedding day and the birth of my first and third children should probably be at the top of my ‘very-best-day-ever-ometer…’

Wait… What’s that? I’m single and childless? You are so right…

Monday WAS my very best day ever ever! Here’s the part of the interview where I tell Ellen about my worst show ever. Feel free to laugh at my pain.

Erin & Ellen: An epic blog

OK guys, I’m gonna attempt to chronicle my entire trip so I’m warning you — this is gonna be an epic. Read some now, come back later for the finale. Really, don’t try to read it all in one sitting — your boss is already looking over your shoulder right now. OK well then the least you could do is open up an an Excel spreadsheet or a MS Word file for quick toggle access in case you get caught … Do I have to do everything around here? Sheesh :)

Here goes…

SUNDAY:

So when my flight got into LAX on Sunday, I headed down to baggage claim and who did I see but my soon-to-be fast friend Steve. He asked me if I wanted him to hold up the sign so I could take a photo, but I told him no worries ;)

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There was a really long wait between when we got to the carousel and when the bags were finally loaded so Steve and I spent some time getting to know each other. If you know me you know I like to get to know people and hear their stories — either that or I’m just way too nosey ;) Found out Steve grew up in Manhattan but had been in LA since he was 18. I told him I was from DC and he said that the last time he was in DC was for the March on Washington where Dr. King gave the “I Have A Dream” speech. Steve heard Martin Luther King, Jr. give the speech live. We talked about that some. Then we talked about Barack Obama. Steve was awesome. I wish he’d been the driver for the whole trip.

I stayed with good buddy Dawan Owens who moved out to LA about 2-and-a-half years ago to pursue his comedy and acting career. He’s done great out there and just bought the most adorable little house. The Ellen Show of course offered to put me up in a hotel, but I said “No thank you to that bridge to nowhere…” Oh wait… I mean, I said no thanks to the posh room in a fancy LA hotel. I’d rather kick D out of his bed and make him sleep on the couch ;) This is the part where I should probably insert a photo of this adorable house — but I didn’t take one. Boo for me ;(

After we watered the lawn (damn city condo living, I miss lawns… and being able to wash my car in my driveway) we went to the Hooters in Santa Monica where we had a waitress who totally could have been an SNL character. Think Molly Shannon on crack rock. But I digress… I turned in pretty early Sunday nite. Big day ahead. Continue reading →

Blog-jacking: The Ellen Show and The Female Orgasm

OK, so this is a link to a blog written by my friend Roy who will be coming with me to my Ellen taping. He is a comedian as well, and wanted to (uh…) share his concerns about being a guest in Ellen’s studio. Just to preface, he’s ridiculous ;)…

Click here to read and enjoy. Oh and please be sure to read the comments… Hilarity, I promise ;)