Meet
Casper Ryder
Hello everyone! My name is Casper Ryder. To quote the second greatest comedian of all time, The Joker, (Mitch Hedberg being the greatest) “I used to think my life was a tragedy, but now I realize it’s a comedy.” There is only one legitimate reason that the first part of my life can be described as tragic, as I struggled with continuous failures. The reason, is solely because I am an exceptional listener. Let me explain, when I was 4 years old, I received the worst advice ever given to a preschooler.
My father told me, “to always take the harder path, otherwise the path of least resistance will be chosen for you.” So starting at the age of 4, I did. It also needs to be said, I received this advice over the phone, sitting across from my father, separated by a glass partition. He was no philosopher, he had this quote tattooed upside down on his forearm. He told my mother the tattoo was done by his “celly” then quickly turned to me and corrected himself, telling me his co-worker did it. With each failure and misstep, that came as a result of me taking the “harder path” I began to question if, all this time, I had been going in the wrong direction.
Then one night, everything changed. I had my first stand up comedy bringer show. I’ll never forget it, as not one of my 7 friends showed up. Fearful that the club manager wouldn’t allow me to do my set without the 7 customers I promised to bring, I continued to follow the advice given to me 20 years earlier, from an inmate residing at Wallkill Correctional Facility in Ulster County, NY, that bore a striking resemblance to me. I went up to the bar, I bought, then drank, their 14 drink minimum requirement. I then got up from the bar stool, walked to the restroom, and passed out on the floor between two stalls. I missed my 5 minute stage time that Monday evening, and even though I never told one joke that night, it is my love for stand up and following bad advice that every once in awhile I will do a bringer show, and purposely forget to invite any one of my friends.