Fall

New York in the fall has to be one of the most gorgeous sights in the world. From my many years touring I can remember seeing some amazing sights around the world but there's something about the way God paints his pictures on the trees in New York City (and the American Northeast) that leaves me breathless.

After performing the show five different ways on four different nights I feel like we have finally found the best way to tell the story I want to tell. It has been a lesson in compromise, a few angry outbursts and many 'devil's advocate' conversations. I have personally learned to trust my instincts as well as listen to the audience but not allow the audience to decide how the story is told. Two nights ago two elderly black women walked out a few minutes into the show because they couldn't handle the 'drill sergeant scene', which has a lot of cursing. Not the first time this has happened and it won't be the last. As the great Bill Cosby once said
' I don't know the secret to success but the secret to failure is trying to please everybody.' It made me feel bad to think that people can pass judgement so quickly but we live in a society where sometimes we judge a book by its cover.

I have to admire people who have gone before me (Sammy Davis Jr, Redd Foxx, Lena Horne, Richard Pryor) who had to deal with so much racism just to perform onstage. Whenever I get pissed off about people walking out (which doesn't happen very often) I think of how many people must have walked out on those guys. The good news is that Basic Training elicits a strong reaction one way or another and I am honored to have those kind ladies in the audience, regardless of their opinions or beliefs. I was much more nervous performing my show in Dubai and Abu Dhabi (the Middle East) where it played to sold out audiences.

Like my grandma says...the truth is supposed to hurt.