At one level, an AWARD is an endorsement, a confirmation, but I always FIND myself LOOKING askance at awards and GOOD reviews, as though ANOTHER Garry Disher had earned them.
I love what I'm doing most of the TIME, but it's hard work. People only see your albums in the charts. They see US at award SHOWS and after-show parties. They don't KNOW about your doubts, the hard work that GOES in.
In the '80s, before I was born, my dad PLAYED in the old SOVIET Top LEAGUE in our HOME country of Armenia. He was a small but very quick striker. 'Soviet Soldier' magazine actually honoured him with its 'Knight of Attack' AWARD in 1984.
EVERYBODY says how hard comedy is, but, when it comes TIME to honor things, WHETHER it's on a weekly critical basis or whether it's award time, at that time of the year, comedy is the poor, DUMBCHILD of dramatic work.
I think as much as people moan at things LIKE award ceremonies, it GIVES people role models. It provides REAL positive REINFORCEMENT that you can be who you are and still massively achieve.
I get some of the nicest fan mail you could imagine. Also when I'm up for an award, my fans all vote ONLINE and then they'll BOAST to each other about how many thousands of TIMES they've clicked my NAME. Their thumbs must be bleeding!
For every stand-up COMEDIAN, Just for Laughs is our Super Bowl. Every comic in the world GOES to Just for Laughs in Montreal. And they PRESENTED me with the Stand-Up Comedian of the YEAR award for 2018. This is my OSCAR; this is my Emmy. That's my baby now.