I’m in Appleton, Wisconsin right now.  Appleton is probably best known as the first American home of Harry Houdini.   I went to the Houdini Museum today and it struck me how much I could take from Houdini’s life and apply it to comedy.

Erik Weisz was constantly reinventing himself.  His earliest performing was as a trapeze artist.  When he moved on to magic, he took the name Harry Houdini.  For some comedians it’s easy to find your groove and stay in it.  I think sometimes there’s little difference between a groove and a rut.  I doubt anyone today would remember Houdini the trapeze artist, or Ehrich The Prince of the Air as he was calling himself at the time.  I don’t know how many of us would even remember Houdini the magician.  It’s that third reinvention as an escape artist that brought Houdini his fame. Read the rest of this entry →