If you sit with Kevin Fitzgerald long enough, it’s only a matter of time before the local legend is greeted by fans who recognize him. Case in point: During an interview at Denver’s iconic Cherry Cricket, a waitress pauses mid-shift to reminisce about seeing Fitzgerald open for George Lopez.
"Sorry to interrupt you," the waitress says. "But I saw you as a comedy show opening up for George Lopez at the Paramount. You were amazing, and that weirdo yelling at you only added to the show, because you told him off as he was being pulled out."
Fitzgerald chuckled, then says, "Yeah, he was like, ‘Fuck you, you're an ass.' I just said, ‘Let me start again.’ He was still yelling, and I said, 'I thought I told you to stay in the truck,' and he had this strange hairdo, so I riffed on that. He wanted to fight me, so I told him, 'I am going to beat you like a Sunday morning boner.' The crowd really liked that stuff."
"It was so funny," the waitress confirms. "I just love you. I've watched you on TV since I was little on Animal Planet, so it’s so nice to meet you." The brief exchange, marked by laughter and mutual appreciation, highlights Fitzgerald’s gift for connecting with people — whether through comedy, veterinary care or television.
Reflecting on his recognizability, Fitzgerald quips, “Well, I got a mug that you recognize, so yeah, people come up to me all the time. They've seen me onstage or I’m their veterinarian; I’ve stayed at the same place for 42 years, so that also helps a lot.” It’s this multifaceted life that Fitzgerald brings to the page in his newly released memoir, It Started With a Turtle: One Man’s Life on a Blue & Green Planet.
"It is kind of pretentious to think you have a book because, really, everyone has a story to share," Fitzgerald says. "Things have happened, and you have stories. Doing comedy is storytelling. I'm also Irish, so we're natural storytellers. In my family, it was like, ‘You better be able to tell a good story.' Over time, you have your favorite stories, so I decided to write them all down in one place."
The idea of writing a memoir first came to Fitzgerald back in 2009, when a representative from Simon & Schuster approached him after seeing one of his comedy sets. At the time, Fitzgerald toyed with the idea, jotting down anecdotes and reflections, but life kept pulling him in different directions. The seed had been planted; still, it wasn’t until the COVID-19 pandemic slowed the world down that he found the time and focus to finally put pen to paper.
“COVID happened, and there was no comedy and nothing to do,” he recalls. “A virus shut down the world, and I thought, ‘If not now, when?’ So I sat down and started writing.”
The book provides readers with a window into Fitzgerald’s remarkable journey through working in rock and roll as a bouncer, comedy, veterinary medicine and wildlife conservation. The title refers to Fitzgerald's first pet, a turtle named Sam, who was devoured by a large snapping turtle after being released into the Denver Zoo's turtle pond.
"That experience left quite the impression," he laughs. "What really stuck with me was my grandmother, Nellie, who kept insisting, 'That wasn’t our Sam. That was another turtle,' but even though I was a kid, I wasn't stupid. I knew my turtle had died — that was my first exposure to the wild world of animals."
Growing up in Denver in the 1950s, Fitzgerald honed his storytelling skills at family gatherings, where the ability to tell a good story was a ticket to a seat at the “big table” during holidays. The memoir is divided into five acts and told through a series of loosely connected essays about pivotal moments in his life.
"At first, I thought they'd be all veterinary stories," Fitzgerald says. "Then I thought it'd be a book about conservation. Then I thought it would be a book about bouncing, a book about growing up Irish Catholic or a book about comedy. Then I realized all these things are me, so that’s the book. People told me this is two or three different books, and I said, ‘No. I'm the common thread,' so I put all the stories in one collection."
The five acts guide readers through Fitzgerald’s formative years, college days and the twists and turns of his career. After a brief forward from Simpsons writer and producer Dana Gould, "Act I, The Beginning" introduces his family, his love of movies and the fateful day when Sam the turtle met an untimely end. In "Act II, Youth," readers follow Fitzgerald’s college adventures and his stint as a bouncer for legendary rock bands.
"Act III, Veterinary Medicine" provides a behind-the-scenes look at the veterinarian's forty-year career at Denver's VCA Alameda East Veterinary Hospital, including heart surgeries on dogs and treating exotic animals such as ocelots. "Act IV, Comedy" explores Fitzgerald’s passion for standup comedy, shares the way his act has evolved over the years and discusses his philosophy on comedy. The final section, "The World: Conservation," is perhaps Fitzgerald's most personal, chronicling his global adventures and heartfelt support for wildlife.
In retrospect, "I wish I had included more about Boulder than college and graduate school in the book," Fitzgerald admits. "I didn't get into vet school when I applied. I was put on the waiting list, so I stayed in Boulder and got a master's and Ph.D. in comparative endocrinology. It wasn't until later that I received my doctorate in veterinary medicine at CSU. ... I also never got married, but I'm serial monogamous. I wanted to write about that, but how do you write about that?"
It Started With a Turtle: One Man’s Life on a Blue & Green Planet is available through Archway Publishing, Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Tattered Cover. Fitzgerald also plans to sell copies at his comedy shows, including his upcoming St. Patrick's Day show at Comedy Works on March 16, giving fans the opportunity to hear his stories live and take a piece of his journey with them.
“I’m not an A-lister by any means,” he says with a smile, “but I think I’m like a session musician. I really believe that any show I’m on is better for me being there. Like a good session bass player, I’m going to lay down a good, solid beat.”
"Sorry to interrupt you," the waitress says. "But I saw you as a comedy show opening up for George Lopez at the Paramount. You were amazing, and that weirdo yelling at you only added to the show, because you told him off as he was being pulled out."
Fitzgerald chuckled, then says, "Yeah, he was like, ‘Fuck you, you're an ass.' I just said, ‘Let me start again.’ He was still yelling, and I said, 'I thought I told you to stay in the truck,' and he had this strange hairdo, so I riffed on that. He wanted to fight me, so I told him, 'I am going to beat you like a Sunday morning boner.' The crowd really liked that stuff."
"It was so funny," the waitress confirms. "I just love you. I've watched you on TV since I was little on Animal Planet, so it’s so nice to meet you." The brief exchange, marked by laughter and mutual appreciation, highlights Fitzgerald’s gift for connecting with people — whether through comedy, veterinary care or television.
Reflecting on his recognizability, Fitzgerald quips, “Well, I got a mug that you recognize, so yeah, people come up to me all the time. They've seen me onstage or I’m their veterinarian; I’ve stayed at the same place for 42 years, so that also helps a lot.” It’s this multifaceted life that Fitzgerald brings to the page in his newly released memoir, It Started With a Turtle: One Man’s Life on a Blue & Green Planet.
"It is kind of pretentious to think you have a book because, really, everyone has a story to share," Fitzgerald says. "Things have happened, and you have stories. Doing comedy is storytelling. I'm also Irish, so we're natural storytellers. In my family, it was like, ‘You better be able to tell a good story.' Over time, you have your favorite stories, so I decided to write them all down in one place."
The idea of writing a memoir first came to Fitzgerald back in 2009, when a representative from Simon & Schuster approached him after seeing one of his comedy sets. At the time, Fitzgerald toyed with the idea, jotting down anecdotes and reflections, but life kept pulling him in different directions. The seed had been planted; still, it wasn’t until the COVID-19 pandemic slowed the world down that he found the time and focus to finally put pen to paper.
“COVID happened, and there was no comedy and nothing to do,” he recalls. “A virus shut down the world, and I thought, ‘If not now, when?’ So I sat down and started writing.”
The book provides readers with a window into Fitzgerald’s remarkable journey through working in rock and roll as a bouncer, comedy, veterinary medicine and wildlife conservation. The title refers to Fitzgerald's first pet, a turtle named Sam, who was devoured by a large snapping turtle after being released into the Denver Zoo's turtle pond.
"That experience left quite the impression," he laughs. "What really stuck with me was my grandmother, Nellie, who kept insisting, 'That wasn’t our Sam. That was another turtle,' but even though I was a kid, I wasn't stupid. I knew my turtle had died — that was my first exposure to the wild world of animals."
Growing up in Denver in the 1950s, Fitzgerald honed his storytelling skills at family gatherings, where the ability to tell a good story was a ticket to a seat at the “big table” during holidays. The memoir is divided into five acts and told through a series of loosely connected essays about pivotal moments in his life.
"At first, I thought they'd be all veterinary stories," Fitzgerald says. "Then I thought it'd be a book about conservation. Then I thought it would be a book about bouncing, a book about growing up Irish Catholic or a book about comedy. Then I realized all these things are me, so that’s the book. People told me this is two or three different books, and I said, ‘No. I'm the common thread,' so I put all the stories in one collection."
Fitzgerald has worked at VCA Alameda East Veterinary Hospital for over forty years.
Courtesy of Comedy Works
"Act III, Veterinary Medicine" provides a behind-the-scenes look at the veterinarian's forty-year career at Denver's VCA Alameda East Veterinary Hospital, including heart surgeries on dogs and treating exotic animals such as ocelots. "Act IV, Comedy" explores Fitzgerald’s passion for standup comedy, shares the way his act has evolved over the years and discusses his philosophy on comedy. The final section, "The World: Conservation," is perhaps Fitzgerald's most personal, chronicling his global adventures and heartfelt support for wildlife.
In retrospect, "I wish I had included more about Boulder than college and graduate school in the book," Fitzgerald admits. "I didn't get into vet school when I applied. I was put on the waiting list, so I stayed in Boulder and got a master's and Ph.D. in comparative endocrinology. It wasn't until later that I received my doctorate in veterinary medicine at CSU. ... I also never got married, but I'm serial monogamous. I wanted to write about that, but how do you write about that?"
It Started With a Turtle: One Man’s Life on a Blue & Green Planet is available through Archway Publishing, Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Tattered Cover. Fitzgerald also plans to sell copies at his comedy shows, including his upcoming St. Patrick's Day show at Comedy Works on March 16, giving fans the opportunity to hear his stories live and take a piece of his journey with them.
“I’m not an A-lister by any means,” he says with a smile, “but I think I’m like a session musician. I really believe that any show I’m on is better for me being there. Like a good session bass player, I’m going to lay down a good, solid beat.”
