BY JACOB SCHLOTE
Contributing Writer
I was lucky enough to attend the stand-up comedy event performed by Paul F. Tompkins. The show was great, and I cried with laughter on several occasions throughout his hysterical show. The event was almost sold out and rightfully so as I don’t think anyone was disappointed. The show was as he put it, “based on the life and times of Paul F. Tompkins.” He told a semi-life story, and it just so happens that he has lived a very hilarious life so far. He is from a war family, and his dad fought in WWII; he noted that people were not supposed to talk about their feelings to anyone, and as a result, he kept them bottled up inside forever.
Tompkins explained that because he was from that generation, he had a hard time with relationships and wanted someone who literally wanted nothing to do with him. As a result, he had a difficulty with people, not just relationships with women. He received his first gig in the late 80s, opening up for more well-known comedians. He later moved to L.A. in hopes of making it to the big time. He had been in numerous movies, small roles although, but nonetheless he was in a few well-known movies such as Magnolia (1999) and The Informant! (2009). He took us through the hardships of the comedy business as well as becoming a comedian – how difficult it is for someone like him to have a healthy relationship. Paul spoke about meeting his girlfriend then (now wife) and how much she had changed his life for the better. Paul had learned so much from her, and as he “would not be where he is today without her.”
Later on, Tompkins moved to New York, as he got more credited as a “funny man” and was able to start a healthy comedic business. He told us how he asked his wife to marry him as well as shared stories of their endeavors of raising children which was extremely funny to say the least. He did not get a driver’s license until he was 42 which is so unorthodox. He closed the show with a go-to joke he shares in every show. The bit involved his wife and a “magic castle” – a hotel that housed an exclusive club especially for magicians. The joke had us rolling; at the end he thanked us for coming, and left. The audience tried for an encore performance but failed; however, the audience left fulfilled and wanted more from Tompkins. All laughed-out from a great performance, we exited the Hett.
