Biggest Night of my Career

Last week’s post was a very popular one, about an event I did in my home state, where I received a very humbling/tepid response from an extremely quiet crowd. The LinkedIn crowd went bonkers over that newsletter. Must have struck a nerve.

That was following an arena tour across America where I received praise, standing ovations, and much love for an entire month.

Over the last 60 days I have lost more friends, clients, opportunities, and equally made more new fans, friends, followers, and advocates, than any time in my career.

Well, this week, on Halloween, I had the biggest opportunity of my career.

It was also the kind of event that was such a big deal, where taking the stage in a public forum, during the most tumultuous election of my lifetime, that there is nowhere to hide from knowing decisions are going to offend those who don’t agree with your choices, and also make those who are happy for you feel as if you’ve won the lottery.

I was asked, stunned, and honored, to open for the last minute planned arena show in Phoenix, AZ, of Tucker Carlson’s Tour, with his special guest, Donald J. Trump.

Ladies & Gentlemen – if you would have told me at the beginning of this year, what I was going to be able to share with you by the end of 2024, I wouldn’t have believed it myself.

Honestly, this blog was never meant to be filled with anything political and I was never going to talk about it in 2024. I’m serious! This is all crazy to me that this is happening, so if you are surprised by the content, so am I. I promise you, it will shift back to Promise messaging soon, as I would like it to continue to be what it is originally for.

At the same time, this IS MY PROMISE, to share with you what I am going through, experiencing, in the middle of, and it’s like trying to gently blow on a dandelion in a hurricane…I can’t help the power at which this is roaring!

Here’s my Instagram post announcing the opportunity. Enjoy the comments by clicking the screen shot – LOL!

For those followers I have lost, I am sad to see you go because of my choice of the cause for spreading joy across America and not hiding patriotism.

For those followers who are thrilled for me, thank you, it has been a most conflicted and wonderful experience, as I step into this space and make a choice that is important to me. As you well know, remaining silent is easier, because otherwise you’re attacked viciously, canceled, hated and despised, even when you respect and support those who choose differently, it’s fascinating and frustrating all at once.

What has our country come to?

As I continue to say – I respect wherever any of you stand and are coming from, and appreciate your willingness to respect where I stand and am I’m coming from. That is what is great about America, or at least, what it’s supposed to be like.

I make a Living as a Speaker, but make a Life as a Listener. 

I never thought I’d be in this position, it is actually the opposite of everything I ever thought I would experience and write on this blog, to even need to address it, but it is the time and place I am finding myself in, and you’re in it with me (if you’re still here).

I have no need to explain myself, other than to say I am so proud to be an American, grateful for our freedoms, thankful for liberty, happy we have differences and a democracy, and know we can be the greatest Country that has ever been, once again.

If you’re happy for me, you ought to take a moment and go read the amazingly kind things (believe it or not) that people are saying about my performance on X, the artist formerly known as Twitter

BREAKING: PACKED VENUE in Arizona for Donald Trump and Tucker Carlson’s event.

WOW. AZ = RED.

pic.twitter.com/feoTTGWtJ9

— Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh) November 1, 2024

If you’re upset with me, you should also have a great laugh at my expense and see how I am being eviscerated on TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube. Go read the comments – they are gloriously atrocious – and would make a weaker performer never step on stage again! LOL!

I am SO grateful for the fact that people can rip me to shreds – Freedom of Speech – bring it on. Hate all you want. I’m gonna keep on singin’.

Those in the audience loved it. Those watching at home wanted to scratch their eyeballs out. Thank God for America!

I came off stage to a hug from Nicole Shanahan, who said it was “Brilliant”, Charlie Kirk shouted, “That was unbelievable!”

In the back hallways I nearly collapsed to the ground in shock when Dr. Jordan Peterson, my mentor of the last half decade, whom I’ve never met, having read all of his books, enrolled in his Peterson Academy, and have longed to meet, came through the door with his daughter and CEO of his businesses, Mikhaila Peterson, as he congratulated me on my performance, saying he truly enjoyed it. I had no idea he had seen me or was there. I nearly melted at the very thought he was watching and that I was now shaking my hero’s hand. We took this photo.

I walked outside of the Desert Diamond Arena, sat on a bench and wept…

The very thought I had just met THE Dr. Jordan Peterson, the Man who has so influenced my life, writing, thinking, courage, speaking, and efforts more than any other person in my 40’s, and has led me to help so many men in my work…

How incredible is all of this? I don’t know what to say. It is what dreams are made of.

It is because I made a choice to be here.

I am so floored by the fact that those who disagree with my opportunities and involvement in this election season are sending me scathing messages or embarrassing comments on social media, have told me how wrong, despicable, and horrible I am because they believe I have chosen something other than what they think is right. For that I say – thank goodness we can disagree, live in this great country, and Thank God for America!

Think and say what you want, that’s your right, but man it hurts when it’s a personal attack. It’s really a shame, and I wish we could still be friends as I am the same guy, I guess I’ve just decided to open my mouth and hold it open for longer than usual (since the audience is still laughing).

If you can’t have civil discourse, listen to one another, agree to disagree, yet respect each other, then yes, there is a problem, as democracy demands opinions, compromise, and the right to choose something you believe in – and to figure out a way to live together somehow anyway.

I am so thankful for our Constitution. Our Founding Fathers. The rights we all enjoy and that have been fought over, to protect, for hundreds of years. It is the Great Ideal. It is The Promise of America.

So yeah, this is me, the guy being excoriated online as the opening act for the Trump event hosted by Tucker Carlson. But I can tell you – in person, having 18,000 people give you a standing ovation as an opener… laughing their heads off, waving their phones and cheering…it’s pretty special to be a part of.

Even Danica Patrick posted about it. Geez.

I took the stage and was told do 25 minutes.

Every time I got down to 5 minutes left, the time clock on stage added another 5, then 7, then 10…

The crowd was loving it, so my time kept going up.

I ended up doing 45 minutes.

They didn’t allow me to end with my standard at these shows, “God Bless The USA”, since that is Trump’s play-on song, so I closed with “What A Wonderful World” to a rousing standing ovation (LINK to video).

I was followed by absolutely incredible humans, far more important on the world stage than me, Legends in their circles and influence, whom I can now call friends and peers:

Nicole Shanahan

Charlie Kirk

Senator Mike Lee

Calley Means

Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.

Tucker Carlson

Donald J. Trump

And yes, I had the most solo time on stage of all of those Legends. What the heck is happening?  I’m still not quite sure, but it was the craziest thing that has ever happened in my career.

Can you be happy for me, even if you aren’t happy with me?

I think that’s kind of the American thing to do: Clap for the person who won, even if you wanted the other guy to win. Shake hands midfield, say good game, and be friends over a root beer at the hotel bar later.

Am I the only one who does this? I know you’re out there, so many who can cheer for someone having success even when it’s not the outcome you wanted. I don’t know, maybe that’s not how it is anymore, but that’s how I live my life.

Best of all – I was with my family.

My Dad, Founder of the most important health supplement ever created in Cardio Miracle, opened the door to it all and, as my life Mentor, continues to guide me every step of the way.

My wife, Tami, was there to witness this event, cheer me on, kiss me as I returned to my seat.

My kids are proud of me, as we are all still trying to wrap our minds around what is going on.

As doors slam in my face, others that are even wider are opening, following the Biggest Night of my Career, I feel extremely blessed by it all. Thankful for God’s hand over my life, family, and opportunity.

To share a show of G-Rated, Family- Friendly, Las Vegas quality, for an unsuspecting audience, thousands who had never heard of me before and were laughing until their ribs hurt, that is pretty cool. I don’t think I offended too many, or hurt the chances of the person I hope can lead America again, so I’m pleased with that. It is wonderful to see smiles, feel joy, and live in this great country.

Thank you for celebrating with me, and if this is the end of the road for us, I wish you the best, and please know that I’m always here to bring a smile if/when you’re ready to return.

I just can’t stay silent about it anymore – it’s out there, and this is my path.

This is My Promise.

May God Bless The USA.

~ Jason Hewlett

Husband, Father, Writer, Mentor, Hiker

• Speaker Hall of Fame * Award-Winning Entertainer * Mentor
• World’s Only Keynote Speaker utilizing entertainment, musical impressions, and comedy to teach The Promise
• Author of “The Promise To The One”
• President of Cardio Miracle.  Go to CardioMiracle.com to take your health back! Use coupon code HEW2024 for 15% OFF your order.

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