Opening Act

Ever since he was a kid, Larry Noto dreamt of being a comic. And eventually his dream of a career in stand-up came true . . . sort of. He s performed in New York and Las Vegas. He s worked in TV and radio. He s opened for the biggest names in the business, including Brian Regan, Lewis Black, Paul Reiser, Bob Saget and Richard Lewis. But while he s been lucky to hone his comedy chops with the greats, Larry admits he never really went for it. Never moved to Manhattan or L.A., never played every soul-sucking open-mic night and 1 a.m. gig in front of 50 drunks, hoping it would be his ticket to success. That s what this book is about, too. It s about having a dream, getting a taste of it, but always knowing you weren t willing to risk it all to get to the very top. It s about finding happiness in what you ve accomplished, versus dwelling on what you haven t. It s about discovering a life purpose and defining success based on that not the judgment or perception of others. It s about remaining the opening act and finally finding a quiet joy in oneself.