How top Assume a Positive Point of View

Back when I was a stand-up comic, I had a club owner short me on my pay by such a paltry amount that it made me wonder why he even bothered to rip me off.

Of course, if I couldn’t believe he cheated me for so little money, I had to wonder if it was worth it for me to walk back into the club and confront him in front of a bunch of other comedians and audience members, and be known as the guy who raised a stink over so little money, especially when I couldn’t actually prove that the amount he gave me was less than promised.

I chose to just let it go as the fee it cost me to know I never needed to answer his phone calls again.

And, because I know you’re asking, I really did have no way to prove he had shorted me. No, I couldn’t just point the sum on my “paycheck” to demonstrate how didn’t match the amount I was promised in my “contract.” Most of the comedy industry back then just didn’t work that way.

And by “that way,” I mean “in a legal or ethical manner.”

Example: I once had a club owner promise me a certain amount of money for a gig. I turned down other paying work because I had his gig on the books. Then, two hours before showtime, he called to tell me there was a problem, and I would not receive the money I was promised. Instead, I would receive pizza as payment. Not a whole pizza. He intended to split a pizza with me.

When I told him what I thought of that offer, he told me, “I can see that somehow you’ve got this twisted around in your head so that I’m the bad guy.”

As always, thanks for using my Amazon Affiliate links (US, UK, Canada).