“Don’t stay home.”
In 1995, the band 311 had a hit with the song, Don’t Stay Home. Ever since, it has played in my head whenever I’m supposed to go out for an event and don’t feel like it.
This happened last weekend. Consider it for your weekend.
I had tickets to a movie premiere for The Road Dog, starring Doug Stanhope, but I had worked hard all day and I didn’t feel like I had the energy to go.
That song started playing in my head. I decided not to stay home.
If you don’t know, just like there are band’s bands in music, Doug Stanhope is the comedian’s comedian. He’s the natural successor to George Carlin. Even Joe Rogan has to pester him into coming on his show, because he wants more people to know about Stanhope.
He’s also fiercely independent.
Ever since he had a bad experience hosting a show on Comedy Central many years ago, he’s been determined to own and control everything he creates. He films and owns his specials. His wife, Bingo, sells his merch at shows. He lives in an Arizona border town instead of LA. He buys his clothes at thrift shops, which have given him his trademark look.
There’s a lot that independent creators can learn from Doug – worts and all.
The movie itself is sort of what the life of a road comic is like — depressing but honest. It’s got the same kind of issues most low-budget indies have, but I totally understand why Doug won a best actor award for it.
Doug Stanhope gave an acceptance speech that was on-brand.
Sticking to character, Doug and Bingo took an Amtrak to the movie premiere, signing autographs at stops, and bartering for booze when they ran out.
I arrived at the premiere by walking through an alley next to the theater.
To my shock, there they were! Doug and Bingo were taking a casual stroll through the same alley — no helpers, no fans, no pomp of any kind.
I said something about his socks. They both chuckled.
The “don’t stay home” tune in my head results in just as many failures as successes. This time it resulted in me making the comedian’s comedian chuckle. I consider that a “tell the grandkids”-level event.
Life achievement = unlocked.