For nearly 40 years, Taylor Mason has traveled the world, making people laugh. A comic, musician and—most proudly—ventriloquist, Mason gathers his thoughts and memories in his wonderful book, Irreversible.
Mason has played 20,000-seat arenas, won $100,000 on TV’s Star Search, and worked with big names in showbiz. But he’s also seen the other end of the spectrum. “I’ve put my props together in public bathroom toilet stalls, while men no doubt wonder about the goings-on when they see what looks like children’s toys and shoes and pants scattered around…” The author, also a happy husband and father, estimates he has spent more than 10,000 hours on stage.
Readers will enjoy his stories, gems really, such as how he made his first puppet. One day, opening his clothes chest, he saw the socks his mother had carefully arranged. “The way she folded and twisted each pair meant the opening was on top on the sock/ball and gave each a kind of smile. So when I pulled open the drawer, a bunch of soft, round, happy creatures were grinning up at me. This day, instead of putting the socks on my foot, I pulled one sock on over my hand . . . and when I opened my hand . . . whoa.”
A solid writer, Mason does more than revisit his career. He also offers insight into the standup comic’s world: the bonds formed with agents, bookers and venue owners; the brotherhood of entertainers; the effort needed to perfect a routine. Reading Irreversible is like taking a short course in show business.
The narrative has some technical issues. Mason omits last names on occasion, and the phrase “DELETED PASSAGE HERE” inexplicably pops up on one page. There are dropped words, repeated words, sentence fragments, etc. – but these don’t detract from the overall narrative.
Want to be a comedian? Read this. And even if you have no ambition to perform, you’ll enjoy Mason’s entertaining, fun and inspiring book.
Also available in hardcover and ebook.
