I just returned to NYC from the most unbelievable trip. And it all
began with a ride on the Suzuki SV650 motorcycle.

I drove to Atlantic City to catch up with my parents and hitch a
ride to our hometown of Baltimore with them. Spirits ran high
at The Borgata, where the World Poker Tour was in town for
the Borgata Poker Open. I won a single-table no-limit hold em
tournament and earned $1,200 and the next day I won another
tournament at Showboat for another $1000 (The Cash, part one).

My father (Ashton Fletcher, known in poker circles as The Maestro
since he is a jazz bass player) was at the Final Table of a satellite
for the WPT Main Event. His buy in of $125 would win him an entry
into a tournament wherein the first prize would be $1.5 million if and
only if he could beat these last nine opponents. My mother and I held
our breath watching The Maestro take down pot after pot. With six
players left, I went outside for air. A sexy Polish girl handed me a
cigar and the label read "Ashton." Well, I took that cigar wrapper as
a sign. I had no doubt that my dad was going to win. I showed Mom
that cigar and watched her jaw drop to the floor. He took first place.

A few days later, my Dad went back to AC and played in the
Main Event alongside such poker studs as John Juanda, Barry
Greenstein, and Tom Frankln. Yes, these guys were all at my
dad's table and he lasted about as long as his namesake
cigar. They both burned out in about two hours flat. But it
was an experience he will always remember.

While dad was figuring out what to do with big slick in middle
position, I was en route to Omaha, Nebraska to perform at one
of my favorite clubs, The Funny Bone. I got to see my girl Colleen,
who runs the club (the Boss), and all my favorite Cornhuskers. We
had a great week of shows, but the highlight was my visit to the
Todd and Tyler Radio Empire. Tyler tells me live on the air that
the guys around the station all think my name sounds like a
perverted sex act, like a Dirty Sanchez or something. I thought
he was crazy but I went along with it. I told him it made me very
happy to think that men all over Nebraska would be high-fiving
each other at the water cooler saying "Yeah, man. I gave her
a Clayton Fletcher last night." Hey, whatever gets my name out
there, right? That was a really fun radio interview.

That night, we had a huge turnout for the show and many
audience members gave me suggestions for what a Clayton
Fletcher would entail. I will not print them here ;) I will say
it was really fun to meet the people of Omaha after the shows
and just submerge myself in the local culture. They love their
college football, steak, and wheat beer in Omaha, and it seems
to me they might just love stand-up comedy too.

It was so wonderful to be reuinted with Colleen. She is the boss
at The Funny Bone and she always treats me like one of her own.
The best thing about the road is the friends you make along the
way. The shows were great and I can't wait to get back to Omaha
and see Colleen again next year.

The next stop on my trip was Kansas City, Kansas. I was excited to
return to Stanford and Sons to work with Lynne Koplitz (The Goddess).
She is a very talented comic and, more than that, a great person. Now
Lynne and I have done a few shows together in NYC before, but were
not very close before this trip. Well, she embraced me as one of her
own and we bonded late night at an IHOP in Kansas my first night
there. I learned a lot about headlining from working with Lynne. She
is so warm and gracious, she learns everyone's name, she can only
be herself and she is the Anti-Diva. She gave the crowd her very
best every night, and she is a good person with a gigantic heart.
Everyone she meets falls in love with her. I am so inspired by LK.
I will take a piece of her with me when I headline and I will follow
her example of what it means to be the star of the show on and
off the stage.

On Sunday morning, I got up at 8AM!!!!!! You see, the club had
arranged for Lynn and me to go see The Kansas City Chiefs take
on the Minnesota Vikings at Arrowhead Stadium. The game is at
noon, so why do we have to get up so early? TAILGATE PARTY!!!
I have never eaten so much brisket or drunk so much beer before
the clock struck ten, but when in Rome...

The Chiefs won the game 13-10 and I really enjoyed my role as
translator. Ms. Koplitz is not exactly a football analyst so I tried
my best to explain everything that was happening. One thing that
really impressed me was the noise level in that place. On virtually
every play, seventy-eight thousand people were screaming at the
top of their lungs. If you have never gone to see a Chiefs home
game, I suggest you put it on your list of things to do before you
die. What a great day.

Sunday night, I did a guest spot at The Improv in KC, Missouri. I
love that room. The manager is a friend of mine and it was so
good to see him and his beautiful new wife, tell him about my
trip, deliver a wedding present from The Boss, and perform
on his incredible stage. I had a really good set and I hope to
return to that Improv really soon.

After that, I ran back to Stanfords to meet up with Lynne. She
was hosting a special engagement that night with Lewis Black.
Now Lewis Black is my absolute favorite comedian, so I was
understandably excited to meet him. Lynne insisted, "Of course
I will introduce you to Lewis. No problem!" Oh, I was professional.
Shook his hand, played it cool, tried to act like he is just another
comic to me, and I think I pulled that off okay. But inside I was
like a teenage girl at an N*SYNC concert! My head was spinning,
"Ohmigod! I'm sitting here talking to Lewis Black. He's like, totally
awesome! Ohmigod!!! OMIGOD!!!!!!!" He's lucky I didn't throw my
underwear at him. But like I said, I played it cool.

Mr. Black (The King) tore the roof off of that place. He totally
and utterly crushed. The man is one of the funniest people
who has ever lived, and watching him work moved me. I
have never felt so inspired as I did watching this man whip
that crowd into a frenzy of hysteria.

After the show, Lewis invited me back to his tour bus to feast on
barbecue with Lynne and his entourage! I was on Cloud Nine, just
sitting there having a beer with my idol and shooting the breeze
about life, comedy, and Janeane Garafolo. It was so much fun
and we all laughed so hard I hoped it would never end.

But it did. We all said our goodbyes and parted ways. It was
a night I will never forget. It made me wonder if Lewis knows
how strong an impact he has on up and coming comedians like
me, and how admired he is among the next crop of talent. And
if I will be in a position to have the same impact on another
young man someday years from now when I am hopefully at
his level in the business. I just pray that if I am I will handle
that opportunity with the same class The King did with me.

I stayed in Kansas City for an extra night to play in a poker
tournament at Harrah's Casino. Well, I won the damn thing.
Just when I thought that trip could not get any better, it did.
All told, I won $1,275 in Kansas and $2,650 in Atlantic City.

I am so lucky, and not just at cards.