Like actor Rodney Dangerfield, Don Parkins says he got no respect when he started out in show business.


The 51-year-old Spokane resident began his comedy career working as a janitorial supplies salesman and performing a few open-mike gigs in Reno and Las Vegas during the 70s, until he hurt his back and stepped into the spotlight full time.


Now, after more than 20 years of traveling and hobnobbing with celebrities, hes performing about 150 shows and booking 225 acts a year through his Spokane-based entertainment company, Uncle Ds Comedy Underground Inc.


They say James Brown is the hardest-working guy in show business, Parkins says. Well, hes notI am. Hes too rich to be called hard-working.


Parkins, a 1971 Rogers High School graduate, operates Uncle Ds from his home in East Spokane. The company books comedy, magic, and hypnosis shows primarily in the Northwest and occasionally throughout North America. Hes performed comedy and stage hypnosis acts across the continent, including in Alaska, Massachusetts, Mexico, and all but two provinces in Canada. He works 60 to 70 hours a week, and makes about $70,000 a year in commissions through Uncle Ds and his own performances.


Its not unusual for Parkins to juggle 10 comedians performing eight shows in three countries during one weekend.


I cant say Im a star or a millionaire, but Im busy, he says.


Uncle Ds books entertainers for events at casinos, hotels, company parties, nightclubs, and other venues. He charges anywhere from $350 to $5,000 for his services, which include booking performers, promoting events, and providing stage equipment if needed. Costs vary based on what level of services are needed and how many people are expected to attend.


Parkins interest in comedy began as a child, when his parents urged him to try playing the violin. Watching the Ed Sullivan and Bill Cosby shows on TV encouraged his interest in entertainment.


Don Rickles, Richard Pryor, Foster Brooksthey all took comedy to another level, he says. And Johnny Carson knew how to turn a bad joke into a good situation.


Parkins moved to Nevada in 1974 to be near relatives who had bought property and moved there. He dabbled in comedy while working in janitorial supply sales. After he suffered a back injury, he switched to working as a blackjack dealer and begged casino managers to let him perform comedy. He worked his way up the entertainment ladder, from opening act to headline show.


Along with refining his comedic skills, he learned stage hypnosis and incorporated it into his act.


As Parkins produced and performed his comedy and hypnosis routines across the country, he says audience members told him they wanted to see more acts like his. He returned to Spokane in 1980, and later expanded his one-man business.


He launched Funny Farm Entertainment in 1985, then changed the agencys name to Uncle Ds when he bought a Spokane nightclub called Comedy Underground seven years later. Partnering with his wife, Michelle, and his father, Don, he incorporated the business. His nephew called him Uncle D, which inspired the companys name.


Parkins has arranged shows for numerous regional comedians, including Rod Long, Geoff Young, Eric Haines, and Bob Bailey III. Hes also worked with country singer Ricky Skaggs, the Marshall Tucker Band, and Tommy Chong, of the comedy team Cheech and Chong. Additionally, he has partnered with a friends Cleveland, Ohio-based agency, called Hysterical Management, to expand his network of entertainers.


To keep comedy fresh, you have to have fresh faces, Parkins says.


He says corporate events now account for 60 percent of Uncle Ds business, since strict enforcement of drinking and driving laws has slowed down nightclub business. Also, hotels and casinos are pursuing new ways to attract more visitors, which has created opportunities.


Theyre learning if you want people to come to your establishment, you have to provide entertainment, he asserts. You need a host for the party.


Other than some language and content restrictions for corporate shows, Parkins gives entertainers basically free rein during their 90-minute acts. He says hes rarely received complaints since he holds Uncle Ds to the same high standards as other companies in the service business.


Thats what we all sell, whether its T-shirts, planes or toilet paper, he says. You have to excel in service.


Uncle Ds business has picked up in recent months, after a lull when the war with Iraq curbed demand for entertainment services, Parkins says.


My business came to a screeching halt, he says. The phone didnt ring for a month and a half.


Parkins survived the downturn by focusing on hypnotherapy services, which he started offering about five years ago after earning certification.


This year, he says hes helped more than 100 clients accomplish behavioral changes ranging from quitting smoking to reducing stress.


Its one of the most powerful things Ive ever done in my life, Parkins says.


Being in the entertainment business has exposed Parkins to famous comedians, actors, and other celebrities. He says hes met George Carlin, performed with David Bowie, and played pool with Maury Amsterdam on a table Amsterdam won from Jackie Gleason in a bet. The wall in his office sports autographed photos of comedians, a napkin from the Riverside Casino in Reno signed by Jimmy Durante, and a photo of George W. Bush that accompanied an invitation from the president for a dinner at the White House.


For Parkins, celebrity encounters and the thrill of live performance make traveling worthwhile.


Ive worked in some of the most prestigious places, he says. How many guys do you know from Hillyard whove been to (and performed at) the New York New York in Vegas or the Radisson in Miami?


Parkins plans to continue performing at far-flung venues, but intends to limit his traveling in coming years. Im gettin tired of the highway, he says.


Parkins hopes to open a full-time comedy club in Spokane next year, and says he has found some potential investors. He also plans to expand his hypnotherapy practice and open a clinic here.


Though Parkins might cut back on road trips, he says he wants to keep performing live because hes hooked on show business.


Its like being in love with the most beautiful woman, who gives you all the emotions you can experiencelove, anger, disappointment, and aspiration, he says. Theres nothing like the feeling you get from a live audience.