I love food. I love to eat great food, nothing fancy, necessarily but GOOD food…I want it to be flavorful, balanced and interesting. That could be a steak or salad or something really exotic. Just make it balanced.

I am a fan of the show “After Hours with Daniel”. Daniel is Chef-Owner-Author Daniel Boulud who is probably best known as Executive Chef at Le Cirque in NYC. The idea of the show is an after hours conversation with chefs, food critics, restaurateurs and celebrities. For someone like me…AWESOME!

The most recent episode I watched was Episode 1 of Season 2. Taped in Los Angeles at Pizzeria Mozza in L.A. which is the creation of Nancy Silverton, Mario Batali and Joseph Bastianich. INCREDIBLE stuff they are doing there including the creation of a Mozzarella Bar, sort of like a Sushi Bar but with exotic servings of Mozzarella…when I get to L.A. it will be one of my first stops. Guests on this episode included Chef Nancy Silverton, Chef Alain Giraud, Chef Hiro Sone, Restaurateur Lissa Doumani, Actor Josh Charles, Actor-Comedian Ray Romono and Comedian-Author-Producer Phil Rosenthal. What a perfect balance of Food, Comedy, Showbiz and conversation. At one point in the conversation, Phil Rosenthal was describing his passion for food and wondered why he wouldn’t be better at preparing food since he loves it so much. He also explained the motivation behind his love of food. Turns out his mother was a horrible cook and when he moved out of the house, he was able to taste what he had been missing.

Phil Rosenthal has written a book called “YOU’RE LUCKY YOU’RE FUNNY” which I have designs on reading very soon. In fact, one of the great things about livig in Columbus is that we have a great library system and I reserved my copy of “YOU’RE LUCKY YOU’RE FUNNY” to be picked up at the Main Library in the morning!

Phil also directed and co-wrote a really funny piece for the closing days of the Clinton administration back in 2000. Odd to see how different life was pre-911.

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I am a huge fan of Bob Hope.
I love to talk politics EVEN THOUGH those on the right and those on the left label whatever they don’t understand the other extreme.

I saw this on Google today and thought it was worth sharing.

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OK, this is the first post of 2008. I have the very best intentions of writing more regularly this year but if you look at the blogs I’ve had over the last 7 years…chances aren’t real great.

Browsing through the headlines today I see that Reggie Bush has already lost his mind…YIKES! Run, Reggie, Run!!!

At this minute the rage is “The Flat Belly Diet” which supposedly “All about food and attitude.” Is that the secret recipe the Colonel was talking about? I don’t think so!

So what did you do to ring in the new year? We had a quiet time of it with some friends and family and then came home and watched a movie..yeah, life at 40 is good!

Check back again soon to make sure I am posting.

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Over the years I’ve joked about some peoples dislike of mimes and of course when you think “MIME” you automatically think of Marcel Marceau so his name got dragged into the routine from time to time.

I just found out that Marceau passed away in France.

Even though mimes are the brunt of jokes in my set, I admire the courage that Marceau had throughout his life. He was a French Jew and risked death or deportation from France during WWII. He was allowed to stay in France and worked to rescue Jewish children from the nazis during that time of insanity.

Marcel Marceau was a inspired by Chaplin and Keaton who are masters of film making and physical comedy and an inspiration to generations of comedians, actors and entertainers around the world.

While the condition and cause of his death wasn’t revealed but I think it would be all too fitting if we find out that Marcel Marceau died “quietly” in his sleep.

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I don’t usually sign autographs at my shows. I just don’t like it. To me, it is a dead ritual that means nothing. Not because I dislike people but more because I know my own failures, shortcomings and insecurities that find me every day.

It’s been a couple years ago at a show in a BINGO HALL where a mother brought her son up to me after a show. Like always, I chit chatted with the mom and little boy who was adorable, brown hair, big round eyes, porcelain white skin…sort of like me without the mileage…His name was Benny and he was a very pleasant and smart young man who like many other young boys wanted to grow up and be a baseball player, fireman and policeman.

At the end of the conversation the mom asked me for my autograph, I explained to her that I don’t really sign autographs simply because I don’t buy into the celebrity thing for Christian entertainers. with a glance I knew this answer wouldn’t do any good, the mom looked at me like her eyes were lasers and told me that Benny had liver cancer and that one of the things he really wanted to do was meet me, get his picture taken with me and get my autograph. Funny how quickly perspective changes when you can look into the eyes of someone and know that this isn’t anything about ME but simply put it is about a mothers ability to meet the humble wishes of a child who she has a limited amount of time to enjoy.

I immediately whipped out one of my “Individually Warped” t-shirts and signed it for Benny and then we talked for another half hour before his mom prodded him away from me so that she and their friends could go get some pizza. With a forced smile and glistening eyes she told me thank you for making one of her sons dreams come true.

Since that night I’ve stopped looking at autographs the same way. Suddenly my signature is more than just words written across something to spell my name. In the same breath I still can’t explain why people treat comedians, singers, actors, pastors musicians or other performers like we’re so special. But in those few moments together, it didn’t really matter–in those few moments, telling jokes and signing a shirt made perfect sense.

Marty Daniels is a Comedian based out of Columbus, OH. He works with dozens of churches around the country every year and is currently filling his Fall/Winter schedule. You can learn more at his website at http://www.MartyDaniels.com

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