Cliches become cliches because there's truth to them. In fact, this very observation has become a cliche.
One cliche that has definitely proven to be true is "it's a small world." An example is that before I met Raymond Lambert, my co-author of the new book "All Jokes Aside: Comedy Is a Phunny Business," I met someone closely connected with Raymond.
The person I'm referring to is international businessman Chris Gardner, who wrote the foreword to "All Jokes Aside." Chris' life was the basis of the blockbuster movie "The Pursuit of Happyness," in which he was played by Will Smith. The movie, based on Chris' best-selling memoir, depicts his rise from homelessness with his son to being a top investment banker.
As Raymond describes in "All Jokes Aside," before he and college buddy James Alexander founded the legendary Chicago comedy club of the same name, Raymond also started as an investment banker. Having grown up on the East Coast, Raymond eventually made his way to Chicago to work for Chris' firm, Gardner Rich.
As Raymond describes in "All Jokes Aside," before he and college buddy James Alexander founded the legendary Chicago comedy club of the same name, Raymond also started as an investment banker. Having grown up on the East Coast, Raymond eventually made his way to Chicago to work for Chris' firm, Gardner Rich.
Chris became a friend and mentor to Raymond. While Raymond was working for Chris, Raymond and James got the idea to open a comedy club that would showcase under-used African-American comedians and cater to underserved black patrons.
Several years before I met Raymond through Washington Post reporter Wil Haygood (who Raymond originally approached to co-write "All Jokes Aside"), I actually met Chris Gardner when he visited my hometown of Columbus, Ohio, in 2007. I was working as a reporter for ThisWeek Newspapers, covering the schools in the northeast suburb Gahanna, and interviewed Chris when he came to speak at Columbus Academy. I found Chris easy to talk to and he shared that an attorney who handles some of his most important business lives and practices in Columbus.
A few years later, in 2010, I came across Chris Gardner again when he spoke at my alma mater, The Ohio State University. Chris' appearance at Ohio State prompted me to listen to the audio version of his motivational book, "Start Where You Are: Life Lessons in Getting from Where You Are to Where You Want to Be." I was inspired by his insights into how to achieve fulfillment professionally and in life.
In 2013, I finally had the opportunity to be around Raymond and Chris in the same room. I had driven to Chicago to work on "All Jokes Aside" with Raymond and met him at Chris' office. Chris said he remembered me from our meeting in Columbus.
It's interesting when worlds collide.
