Friday Sep 23, 2016
9:00 PM - 10:00 PM EDT
UC Illusions - UC 309
If you do not want to find out how the movie ends, DO NOT KEEP READING…
O.K…you have been warned….
Eric James O’Shea was born Sept 16, 19_ _ in New Haven, CT… he was an altar boy, SHY nerd, but future Dallas Cowboys QB/WR at St. Brendan’s School from K-8. From there and never having kissed a girl yet, he continued his dry spell attending an all boys high school at Fairfield Prep from grades 9-12 — again, no girls, but this is where his O.C.D. and A.D.D. became pronounced… what a stud. After this hell, he parlayed his manhood at Marquette University where he majored in Sports Broadcasting (the Dallas Cowboys thing didn’t work out when he found out he was allergic to pain)…. But after finding out he liked to TAKE HIS TIME with creating, the fast pace news business became a no-go…. But he still loved the stage and had “something to say”… what to do???!!! So on his birthday, he went up at the SAFE HOUSE and finished second to last in an open mic comedy compeition… but one joke DID work… and he was hooked on this thing where you can, “simply talk and make people laugh.”
…So for the next 3 years with his trusty Ford Escort (LX–sniff!), he traveled the midwest doing any show he could… paid or unpaid… then one open mic night at NYC’s Caroline’s Comedy Club, he got lucky and did the best 10 minutes he had…. It resulted in a coveted “holding” deal with ABC/DISNEY…. So he paid off college, moved to New York City, and discovered sushi….
When the deal ended, and still immature, he jumped into the wonderful, exciting world of the “college market”… 13 years later, he is still doing it, loving it, and won the “2007 National College Comedian of the Year” voted by over 5000 campuses nationwide…. He has kept busy traveling during that span, averaging over 70+ schools every year, along with CORPORATE SHOWS, FESTIVALS, and THEATRES—-and he can oddly place every highway on a blank U.S. map….
Then one night, tring to combine his broadcasting background with comedy, he created his “Songs for Commercials” bit, which not only got over 4 MILLION hits on YOUTUBE, but also a RAVE review from Mr. Steven Spielberg…. He was so honored and simply in awe of how fast the sketch spread all over the world…. People have even written from Dubai, Iraq, and Australia…. He doesn’t know where they are on a map….
But he does know where L.A. is…and thank goodness…when Eric was invited to perform his “Commercials” LIVE at the 2009 CREATIVE EMMY AWARDS! Walking the red carpet, hangin with some legends, and stealing celebrity gift bags–it was an amazing evening…(and got to perform with Carol Burnett, Betty White, Seth MacFarlane, Ted Danson, and Jamie Lynn Siegler, to name a few.)
Eric continues working hard, appreciating his family, health, and simplicity…. He is always trying to put a fun spin on things, while not losing sight of the most important thing–empathy for others…. He is so thankful to all that support him on his journey, stays humble, and gets better looking every year….
Now for how the story ends….
C’mon, he doesn’t know… did you really think he did?!?! He has no idea… but how bout this?!? Just keep laughing, and we’ll write it together….
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