Being a writer, I obviously enjoy when people read my work, so it is natural that any chance I get to share it with someone – I will. I do this for one reason and one reason only – for the mere satisfaction that one more person is reading my work. Whether they enjoy it or not, I just appreciate the fact that they read it. So when I wrote my review for South Park – Bigger, Longer and Uncut, I decided to send a copy to Comedy Central. I just thought that they would like to see what one of their show’s fans thought of their movie. Basically, the idea popped into my head and I thought, why not? What do I have to lose?

I decided to go to www.southparkmovie.com and look for an e-mail address to send my review to. When I couldn’t find one there, I decided to extend my search to www.comedycentral.com/southpark, the show’s main site. Sure enough, I found out that they have something called the South Park Booster Club. As a member of the Booster Club, you receive two newsletters each day containing info on the latest goings on at Comedy Central, as well as secret downloads, contests and much more. So I decided to e-mail Joe, the moderator of the newsletter and send him the review. I attached the review and wrote something to the effect of, “I’m a big fan of the show and I just thought you would like to see this.”

I expected absolutely nothing from this. Rather, I hoped for nothing but a simple acknowledgement from my favorite show that they read my review and liked it.

What happened was inconceivable.

A few days later, I received an e-mail from Joe telling me that he thought my review was excellent and very well written. He then informed me that he decided to forward it to his supervisor at Comedy Central, and that it would be a pleasure to post more reviews from me on the new South Park episodes. Needless to say, I was in shock. My favorite show wants me to write a review for their newsletter every week? Considering the fact that I would have paid them to do it, I obviously said yes.

I cannot begin to relay to you the excitement I felt when I would receive the digest containing my article. I realize that anyone can join the Booster Club and get published in the newsletter, but when a show that I watch religiously, a show that I watch so much and know so well I could win any trivia contest asks me to write for them, it gives me the same excitement that a die-hard football fan would have if he were asked by the NFL to write a weekly review of Monday Night Football. I thought that writing for the South Park Booster Club Newsletter was so exciting that nothing at all could top it.

I was wrong.

Three weeks after I started writing for the newsletter, I received an e-mail stating that Joe will be leaving his position the end of August and that they are looking for a new moderator. They want someone over 18 who is available to work about two hours a day, Monday to Friday, have Internet access and e-mail, basic computer and writing skills, and – of course – someone who is familiar with South Park. After I read the e-mail, only two words popped in my head – why not?

I sent an e-mail along with my resume and a copy of my review to Comedy Central. Again, I expected nothing. I simply applied because I love South Park so much and what a thrill it would be to work for them. I hoped for an e-mail saying they found a moderator, but they appreciate the fact that I applied.

Again, what happened was inconceivable.

I received an e-mail from Shelly from Comedy Central telling me that she received my resume and checked out my web site. She then informed me that they are going through a bunch of resumes, but she wanted to touch base with me and see if I were able to work seven days a week for about one to two hours a day.

Now I started to freak out. This e-mail basically informed me that I was “In the running” for the position. At this point, I said to myself that whatever the position paid – if anything – whatever the amount of work was, no matter if I had to work every day – I didn’t care. All I knew was that I was in the running for a position with my favorite television show – and if they offered it to me – I would take it. I knew they still had resumes to look through, but I still was freaking out, because even coming this close was a thrill.

Little did I know that the thrills were yet to come.

The next day, Shelly e-mailed me again, she asked me if the job still interested me, informed me that there will be compensation, and told me that she would give me a call tomorrow if I was still interested.

I went numb. You mean to tell me that my favorite show wants to pay me to write for them? To be honest, I heard the news only four days ago and it still hasn’t sunk in. I can still remember the day that my friend Brian came over my house with a videotape and said, “This is that show South Park I was telling you about.” – and now – I am the new South Park Booster Club Moderator. I am responsible for determining the content of South Park’s two daily newsletters. I am required to sort through hundreds of fan e-mails from South Park fans all over the world each day and pick what I feel are the best ones for their newsletter. I am an official paid employee of the show that I have loved so dearly for the last year,

All because I said, “Why not?”

If there is one thing I have learned from this incredible experience, it is what I have always known – that when faced with a once in a lifetime situation, when given an opportunity that you will probably never have again, when you have the chance to get involved in something that you always dreamed of – do it – after all…

Why not?