How My Birthday Party Became a Comedy-Concert Mashup

My birthday party this year was one for the books, and I’m still grinning about it. I’m a total comedy junkie—give me a good stand-up set, and I’m happy—so I knew I wanted to kick things off with some laughs. I hit up Headline Booking (yep, the celebrity agency pros at https://headlinebooking.com), and they delivered a comedian who absolutely slayed. He had the whole family in stitches, roasting my obsession with dad jokes and my now infamous dance moves. My cousin Mike laughed so hard he snorted his beer, which is now my new favorite party memory.

But the night didn’t stop at punchlines. I’d heard whispers about this local guy, Jamie Reese—a scrappy, low-key vocalist who’s been strumming his guitar at dive bars and open mics around town. Not exactly a headliner, just a dude with a beat-up acoustic and a voice like he’s smoked one too many cigarettes (in a good way). I asked Matt from Headline Booking if they could track him down for a wild-card slot, and boom, there he was. Jamie shuffled in after the comedian, looking like he wasn’t sure if he’d wandered into the wrong gig. Then he started singing—this raw, haunting take on “Wicked Game” that hit me right in the chest. My friend Lisa kept nudging me, going, “Who is this guy?” and I just shrugged, loving every second of the surprise.

To top it off, Headline Booking brought in a pro singer to close out the night. She was unreal—smooth, soulful, and had us all swaying like we were at some fancy concert. It was the perfect mashup: the comedian got us rolling, Jamie threw us a curveball with his gritty charm, and the singer tied it all together with pure class. Matt, you’re the real MVP—thanks for turning my birthday into a comedy-concert dream. I’m already scheming for next year, and who knows? Maybe Jamie Reese will get a callback. That guy’s going places. Matt! I told you I'd write about it. Hahahaha!