The Show Must Go On

My fiancée has the day off from work today and I’ve got a doctor’s appointment this morning.  That sounds like a scene ripe for blowing off work.  It sets up as an ideal setting for skipping writing a blog, right?  But then the streak (consecutive Mondays writing a new blog) would end at 56.  So instead, number 57 is going to talk about cancellations.

Two times in what hasn’t even been a week now I’ve had to field concerns about cancelling.  One was why the person needed to cancel and the other was looking ahead to a situation where it was felt there might need to be a cancellation.

Sure, in the case of the ‘needed to cancel,’ the client in question has me as their manager and just gets to hang up the phone and put the pressure on me to handle it.  I’ve been known before to say that as against cancellations as I am, “have a competent replacement” so that the host isn’t burdened by your having to back out.  So I practiced what I preach and got in touch with my contact to let them know that who they booked wouldn’t be able to make it but that I already had someone else lined up to take that person’s place.

However, you have to keep in mind that even though it’s me, even though it’s Now Hear This making the call to deliver this news, you still run the risk – especially without a middle man to handle those types of calls for you – of the host making a mental note of the development.  Meaning that next time there is always the chance of them possibly being a little gun shy because they could possibly wonder if there’s a chance of you cancelling again.

The other scenario, looking ahead to a possible cancelation, is one I really don’t support.  While I get it that auditions are for all intents and purposes one-time opportunities (this one group is only holding auditions this one day for this one show), it shouldn’t supersede something that you’ve already made a commitment to – wait for it – where you’re getting paid.  Yes, the audition could be for a place that could also become a regular paying gig for you to.  Of course I get that.

But, when advertising is being done, when people are coming to see you, when, as I said, you are getting paid, plus, you’re making tips there that are 50 percent or more than what the host is already paying you, the expression “don’t bite the hand that feeds you” comes into play.

I even have a sort of third scenario – still from within what hasn’t even been a week now – of a cancellation of sorts, but it had more to do with not being able to show up for a media interview because of hospitalization due to food poisoning at, for all intents and purposes, the last minute.  Although, tough as it might be to focus on business then, the key is still to get word to your manager or the media outlet in a timely fashion so that there’s an understanding that it’s not you just flat out not showing up.

Blog number 57 is now complete.  It would’ve been easy for me to just pull out one I wrote previously and used it in place of what you’ve just read.  But, I appreciate those that look for this each Monday.  I didn’t want to ‘cancel’ this week because you shouldn’t either.