My Response to a Rejection Letter

Finding employment is much more difficult now than it was five years ago. For those of you actively searching for a job, you understand what I am talking about. At some point, you probably received a letter or email similar to this:

John,

We would like to thank you for your application for the position of Customer Service. We are unable to offer you an interview at this time.

We appreciate your interest in our company, and wish you much success in your future endeavors.

Best Regards,

Total Fun & Games Inc.

I received an email similar to this last night. I decided not to take no for an answer. I really want to work for this company, so I replied back. Here was my response:

Hello,

I am sorry that I was not chosen to be interviewed for the Customer Service position at your company. However, I do ask that you consider me for other opportunities. For instance, I can send out canned rejection letters to applicants several months after they apply. Can I be a recruiter?

John

I hope they write me back.

John Griggs

http://www.johngriggscomedy.com/

Expanding Your Social Network

A lot of comedians promote themselves by sending MySpace bulletins every time they have an upcoming show. Usually, they post the bulletin only a couple of hours before the show is scheduled to start.

This strategy falls short, and not just because the promotion should have started days beforehand. Out of everyone in your friends list, only a few of them will read your posting. If you're lucky, you may get a small percentage of the people reading your posting to actually attend your show. Do you see a problem here?

My advice to you is to promote your shows and content outside of your regular network. If you're a comedian, consider going to a Toastmasters meeting. You'll be able to promote your shows to people who most likely don't know about the local comedy scene. Another added benefit is if you join Toastmasters, you can help your public speaking skills, which will definitely translate into better comedy performances.

Get your own domain name and start a blog there. If you have a blog, you can register it through blogging social networks and blog registries. If you have entertaining or useful content that is updated regularly, you will attract readers. On one of your pages of your website, list all of the comedy shows that you will be doing. This way, your audience will find you through the search engines.

If you like to write, there are some websites that will actually pay you for your submissions. Associated Content, Ehow.com, Helium, and Hubpages are just a few of them. I am on all four of these websites, and I can assure you they are legitimate. You can find talented writers on these websites that you may not easily find on MySpace or Facebook, and add them on your network there.

Following these tips will help you get a following.

John Griggs

http://www.johngriggscomedy.com/

http://www.twitter.com/SexyJohnGriggs

Michael Jackson Died

Michael Jackson died today of a heart attack. So it's time for some new jokes!

What's the difference between Michael Jackson and a styrofoam cup?

One's not going to decompose for thousands of years, the other one you use to drink beverages!

John Griggs

http://www.johngriggscomedy.com/

Follow me on Twitter! http://www.twitter.com/SexyJohnGriggs

Comedy Video of the Week - 6/25/2009

The Comedy Video of the Week is Jim Holland's "Crutches / Neckbrace / Wheelchair Prank". It is hilarious to watch the reactions of the grocery store management to his antics. Jim Holland is a comedian here in the Phoenix area. I am actually in a few videos with him. You can see them and also check out more of his work here: http://www.youtube.com/jimholland8.

Here is the video:



John Griggs

http://www.johngriggscomedy.com

Passing a Psychological Test for Employment

Due to this economy, it is getting more and more difficult to find a job. Those prospective employees that are fortunate enough to make it to the interview process are screened much more thoroughly than they were a few years ago.

One of the tools an employer uses to screen applicants is a psychological test. I had an interview today for a low paying call center job and had to take one of these ridiculous tests. I was at the company for two and a half hours. Over two hours were spent taking tests and filling out forms, and less than half an hour was spent actually interviewing. You'd think I was trying to get into the FBI or something. What's next, are people wanting a job at McDonalds going to have to take a polygraph?

One of the test questions I was asked was "Have you been possessed by demons?" I am not making this up! I'm going to post some other questions that I was asked. That way when you apply for a job, you'll know what to expect when you take one of these retarded tests. I will also give my opinion on how the employer will interpret your answer.

"Have you ever stolen something?"

Pretty much everyone has stolen something in their life. I would say that answering yes to this question would give you a better chance of employment than answering no. If you answer no, the employer will think you're lying.

"Does it bother you to see animals suffer?"

I would say answering yes to that question would be the safest bet. Unless of course, you're applying for a job at a slaughterhouse.

"Have you been possessed by demons?"

If you answer yes to this question, the employer will think you're a lunatic and not hire you. I don't think that's right. If you tell the employer that you were possessed by demons, this is what you are actually telling them:

"I don't want this crappy job!!!"

John Griggs

http://www.johngriggscomedy.com/

Comedy Video of the Week - June 18, 2009

While looking at my favorites on Internet Explorer, I found a YouTube video I had favorited over two years ago! This video shows a human battling a stick figure. Funny stuff!



John Griggs

http://www.johngriggscomedy.com

The Best Way to Promote Yourself/Video of the Week

If you are a comedian, actor, or musician, you know how fierce the competition is to get on radio or television. In my opinion, getting your media on television or on the radio will certainly help you financially as of right now. However, just because someone is famous and is on television or radio doesn't mean that they are the best. It also doesn't guarantee long term success.

If you are a struggling artist, and want to become famous, your best bet is to promote yourself on the Internet. If you haven't already done so, buy a domain name. You can get one for less than 10 dollars for the entire year! MySpace, Facebook, and Twitter are also good places to promote. However, if you want to be taken seriously as an artist, you need your own website. The Internet is here to stay. The Internet will be around long after television and radio as we know it are extinct.

There are two videos that I have nominated for the Video of the Week this week. Both videos I am featuring were created by an artist who calls himself "Mastgrr". The first video is called "The Dance Beat Report Me-Mix by Mastgrr (The Colbert Report)". It's not really a comedy video, but the music is totally awesome! Here it is:




The second video I am featuring is also by Mastgrr. It's the Lazy Town remix featuring Lil Jon. I don't remember children's shows being like this when I was a kid!



John Griggs

http://www.johngriggscomedy.com

Follow me on Twitter! http://www.twitter.com/SexyJohnGriggs

Facts About Reincarnation

If you believe in reincarnation, there is something you should know. If you make fun of a certain type of person or people, there is a good chance that you will become similar to that person or group of people in your next life. For instance, if you make fun of a minority, you may very well be a minority in your next life. If you make fun of handicapped people, there's a good chance you will be handicapped in your next life.

That's why I make fun of celebrities.

John Griggs

http://www.johngriggscomedy.com/

Why Time Goes Faster As You Get Older

Remember when you were a child? When you were in elementary school, junior high, or high school, time seemed to go by really slow. Especially during the time when you were attending classes. A year seemed like it took forever. Now that you are an adult, the days seem to pass by more quickly with each passing year. A year doesn't seem like that much time at all now. I'm sure you can relate.

Why this happens is still a mystery. One theory is that when you were younger, a year was a larger percentage of your life. For instance, when you were 10 years old, one year was 10 percent of your life. However, if you are presently 50 years old, one year is only two percent of your life, and is less significant. This is one of the more common theories, but I don't agree with it.

From my own life experience, I can tell you why time passes more quickly as an adult. In fact, I can pinpoint the exact moment when time started going faster for me.

It was when I started paying my own bills.

John Griggs

http://www.johngriggscomedy.com

Comedy Video of the Week and Advice for Entertainers

When viewing bulletins on MySpace, I notice a trend among comedians, musicians and other entertainers. Almost every entertainer promotes their own shows and music. However, they neglect the value in promoting OTHER artists' music, comedy, and performance dates. If you help others like this, there is a possibility that the artist you are promoting will help you with promotion or gigs in the future.

With that being said, some of my blogs will be used to help promote other entertainers. My first effort will be posted on this comedy blog every Wednesday. It is titled "Comedy Video of the Week". Each Comedy Video of the Week blog will promote another comedian's stand up comedy or skits.

Here is the first Comedy Video of the Week - this was filmed by Jonathan Gregory. He is a stand up comedian here in the Phoenix Arizona area. He is by far Joe Rogan's biggest anti-fan. This skit is him playing Stephen Hawkings explaining who would win in a fight between Jonathan Gregory and Joe Rogan.

This video has over 100,000 views as of right now. Most of the comments on this video are very negative. You can view the comments yourself here. The people making comments on this video apparently don't like it because Mr. Gregory is making fun of a handicapped guy. They call Jonathan Gregory bad names. I think it is ironic that they think it's wrong to make fun of Stephen Hawkings, but it is perfectly all right to make fun of someone else.

My opinion is, if you are going to make fun of someone, you should make sure it is funny. In my opinion, Jonathan Gregory's video is hilarious, the comments insulting Jonathan Gregory are not.

Here is the video: What is your opinion?



John Griggs

http://www.johngriggscomedy.com

http://www.myspace.com/johngriggs