NACA nationals is quite the experience.  It's where entertainers of all likes converge in one place in hopes of selling their talents to universities across this great nation.  Think of it as Vegas meets the bazaar from Aladdin.  You'll do a stage show then rush to the marketplace (fancy word for 8th grade science project esque booth space) where you hobnob with the every college kid who had been mentally judging you onstage.  It's really quite funny how many grown men's livelihoods are held in the hands of these 18-21 year old kids.  PLEASE BOOK ME!  I NEED HEALTH INSURANCE AND WOULD LIKE TO RETURN TO EATING SOLID FOODS! 

Sometimes I'll get into philosophical and in depth conversations with friends about the art and history of standup comedy but at NACA it's broken down to it's rawest form: entertainment.  Nothing is more glaringly obvious when your booth lies between a sumo wrestling suit vendor and a magician pounding nails up his nose.  The marketplace is an interesting environment and was a completely foreign concept to me.  I am a comedian and I am terrible at self-promotion.  Marketplace kind of requires much of the later.  At first I would move in on a group of college kids that one of the other diversity standup artists had lured in, I would observe their entire conversation while contributing nothing, then as the conversation was winding down, creepily outstretch my hand with business card in tow.  This worked for a while but I luckily, later incorporated actual words and coherent sentences.  After the first few marketplaces I really hit my whoring stride, chatting the kids up and managing to dump my materials into their bag ever so discretely.  I was gradually becoming the David Blaine of marketplace. 

ME: You thought I actually cared about how big your student body is?  Muahahaha! Look inside your bag. 

STUDENT: Noooooooo waaaaayy!!!!

I then held my breath for 15 minutes for no reason.  This got me more bookings than any of my comedy.

The shows themselves were great.  Nice venues, throngs of college kids who are just ready for a good time.  It was also good fun being in Boston with all the other NBC Diversity finalists soaking it all in together.  This was my first time ever being on the East coast and I have to say I'm a fan.  I love the history at every corner.  All I've ever known is West coast so it was a nice eye opener.  I only heard three people with ridiculous Boston accents though.  I was secretly hoping for more.  Maybe next time I'll try to hang around more firehouses and/or Fenway Park.  I'll be sure to let you know how that goes.