"Life is too important to be taken seriously."
- Oscar Wilde
Glen Melin is a Colorado Springs stand up comedian who performs anywhere there is a microphone and an audience (seriously, he did a set over the intercom during an airline flight once).
He is a former Army Green Beret who believes that the best way through bad times is to laugh it off.
Glen is also a father of three tiny, beautiful monst... uh... children... so he doesn’t sleep much.
When not on stage, you can find Glen competing in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, boating on the lake, or being a better father than Darth Vader.
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MILITARY
I was in the Army for 11 years… enough time to get super beat up but not enough time to earn retirement. The Army is such a rich amalgamation of experiences that vary from “this is the most important lesson I have ever learned” to “I can’t believe we waste the tax payers money doing stupid crap like this.” That all said, I am extremely grateful for the time I got to serve and the things I was able to do while I was there.
I don’t personally think much more needs be said, but since most of my teaching and leadership experience stems from that time, I suppose I’d better supply some of my military credentials. A lot of it is military jargon. Main takeaways are that I was a Green Beret, I was busy as hell for 11 years, and I have years of experience in combat leadership roles.
BRAZILIAN JIU JITSU
I began training in martial arts shortly after high school. I trained for about a year and a half, until I earned a brown belt in Kenpo Karate. Thinking I knew how to fight, I went to an MMA club at my college. I promptly got blasted in the face.
Disillusioned with ‘traditional’ martial arts, I began to train sporadically in Muay Thai, Mixed Martial Arts, and Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. But I was still unconvinced that focusing on a grappling art was the best use of my time. Why would I fight on the ground?
Never-the-less, it became clear during my military service that grappling arts, specifically Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, offer the most realistic training. You can train against someone who really is trying to break you or choke you; it is only under that pressure that you can learn to actually apply technique.
I began training Brazilian Jiu Jitsu in 2016. I earned my Blue Belt in 2017, and my purple belt in 2022. I train 6-8 times per week with Team Chaotic - Combative Fighting Systems in Fountain, CO.
COMEDY
Looking back it makes sense, Soldiers always use humor, however dark, to get through suffering. I always loved stand-up comedy. I always tried to add a little levity into military briefings. I noticed my favorite military instructors were hilarious. “If you have a problem with your parachute, relax, you have the rest of your life to figure it out.”
About a year before I left the military, I attended a local comedy show. I watched the feature, a local comedian, as he told jokes about his divorce. I realized that comedy was for him cathartic, a way of making sense of the madness with humor. I recognized it from the military. After attending a couple open mics, I realized I had to try this.
Since then I have been doing comedy. I write everyday, attend open mics every week, and search for ways to talk about difficult or boring subjects using humor. I have done comedy shows, corporate events, and birthday party entertainment. I can tailor my act or speech to whatever audience and subject matter is required.