This interview took place at Chicago’s historic burger joint, Kuma’s Korner, where we talked about comedy, writing, and annoying mistakes that comics should try to
avoid.
BACKSTORY
You started in
Ohio. What was it like moving to Chicago for comedy?
I came here right after Hannibal (Buress) had just started making
national headlines, T.J. (Miller) had already been in a couple movies, and Kyle
(Kinane) had just gotten his first special. Me and a ton of other people showed
up at the same time, so comics already in the scene were like, “Who
the fuck are all these people?!” [laughs]
Did you have to
start all over?
Ohhh yeah. And the worst part is, you’re a rookie for at
least the first three years. And I used to feel like, “I wish I moved here sooner!”
or “I wish I had started in my teens!” but now I’ve realized you can start at anytime. The extra years are nice,
but then you have the different challenges of being the young shithead that
nobody wants to listen to. [laughs]
How do you think comedians
evolve from joking about ordinary observations to topics they truly care about?
When they start to see actual angles that people haven’t
noticed before. Also, I think it comes from actual experience. When you consume
a TON of comedy, you get burned out on easy bits. I like to follow “Open Mic
Comic” on Twitter, who posts the most currently hacky topics. The joke is
basically, “Don’t do these jokes, everyone is doing the easiest bit!” So, when
you’re around the scene long enough, you start to notice all of that. You
almost derive your own perspective just based on what all the other people aren’t
talking about.
How do you handle bombing?
I do not want to romanticize bombing. New comics do that too
much ‘cause they want to make themselves feel better. If you are bombing
CONSISTENTLY, you are a terrible comic! [laughs](Danny) Kallas and C.J. (Sullivan)
would say that you CRUSH-crush maybe 1 in every 20 sets. And a BOMB-bomb
hopefully happens 1 in 50 sets. It happens to everybody, but you better learn
from it and get better.
Why do you think
stand up doesn’t get more respect?
Let’s face it, stand up is not a respected art form outside
of stand ups. [laughs] You can’t
listen to it passively like you can with music. Also, people are exposed to it
in so many bad ways. But, the secret is that stand ups know how great it can
be. Of all performances, when you see the perfect room and everything aligns,
it feels like nothing else! But, then you see SO much bad stand up... [laughs]
What are your goals when you hit the stage?
My first thing is always: Funny over everything. But then, you see what other people find funny and the longer you go, the more it doesn’t even make sense. I mean, you could walk on stage and just taser your nuts and get laughs, but it’s like, “I don’t want them laughing at just anything, I want them laughing at what I think is funny.” And that becomes the goal.
Do you have any
plans on leaving for one of the coasts?
Well, I came to Chicago with the expressed goal of: I just
want to get good while no one knows me or sees me. I definitely said I’d move
by the time I’m 30, but at this point I’d be happy with another year or longer!
I mean, I fell in love with this city, so that’s hurts! [laughs] I really feel like THIS is where I started my life.
When a joke
doesn’t work, do you throw it away after a certain number of tries?
I used to, but now I don’t. Now, I keep most things in a
large vault and think about what has and hasn't worked, and why. That way, once
you start working on new bits, you find how the old stuff works into new
material. I've bolstered so many new jokes with stuff I’ve said three years ago
that I thought I’d never say again.
Advice on constructing an act?
I know a lot of comics that are all about getting that
perfect 15 minute set, and then taking that to where people will put you on TV.
But, I kind of like the idea of taking on different topics and just working on
them intermittently, and then building a whole act all across the board.
Being around so much comedy, what still impresses you when watching other comedians?
I have become more enamored with the idea of doing stand up
that connects with people. There is no better feeling than when you hear a joke
and go, “How have I never thought of that angle before?!”
What are some mistakes
you see new comics making?
I think a problem with most open-mikers is they think, “I’ll
get SO funny that someone will pick me up and provide everything for me, and
I’ll just handle the funny!” That is impossible. What’s REAL is cultivating
your own audience and using that as leverage for the rest of your career.
What is a mistake
you see new comics making on stage?
A trap people fall into unfortunately is a lot of comics try to strike a chord and be confrontational, without any jokes. And, that’s not
stand up. No one wants to see that. You’re just being a loud dick.
What annoys you
about younger comics:
Comics who don't LOVE comedy! There are people who do comedy, but they don't love
it, and it drives me crazy! Like, how are you not interested in seeing other
comedians? Watch comedy not just to see what you like, but also to see what you
DON’T like. There is comedy that I can recognize as good that I will never
like, which is okay. And I feel like less people in the scene own that
sentiment. When you close yourself off to
only the things that you like, then you’re annexing other tools that you could
be adding to your repertoire.
What advice do you
have on dealing with hecklers?
It’s hard to watch sometimes, but a lot of hecklers think
they’re helping. They want to be part of the show, and you can almost make them
a constructive part—unless they’re completely obliterated and just being obnoxious,
then they’re too far gone. But no matter what, you need to stay in control. If
you fall apart, then the heckler won.
You and Justin
Golak have a new mic on Mondays called ‘Trigger Warning’ at The Drop Lounge.
Where did that name come from?
I named it ‘Trigger Warning’ because I want it to be a safe
place for comics to come in and feel comfortable talking about whatever. And, I
want comics to feel comfortable with being ripped on. I want it to be an
environment where you’re funny, but also LOOSE. Where you realize it isn’t that
serious, we’re all here because of the same passion.
What made you want
to start an open mic?
Honestly, I don’t feel very connected to the scene right
now, which is a bummer because I want to know the new batch of comics that are coming
up. I want to know the new talent within the scene, and see who’s “bringing it”
and constantly growing. I feel like I don’t know enough, so I’m hoping to
reconnect with the scene.
Why an open mic instead of another showcase?
I’m already spread a little thin as it is with CYSK and
ChuC. I’d have to invest SO much time and energy for something like that. And,
I actually miss running an open mic. My friends are like, “You’re crazy! You’re
gonna hate it in two weeks!” [laughs]
But, it gives me an opportunity to play around on stage. Plus, there is a
comradery that I lost, that I hope to regain from doing an open mic again.
The Drop Lounge is
a 4AM bar, which means we could potentially be doing comedy until 4AM?
As long as it goes! I don’t imagine it going THAT late, but
who knows? [laughs]
WISDOM
What can comics do
to get the most out of an open mic?
Remember that open mics are there for YOU. Work on what you
want to work on. Don’t get into your head because then you think, “I
can’t do old stuff!” or “I have to bring something new that’s killer!” but the
open mic is there for you to work on the things you want to work on. If it doesn’t go well, who gives a shit? It really doesn’t matter.
Final thoughts /
words of wisdom?
My biggest advice to anyone is: Fail faster. If you can
present something that isn’t going to work, find out as fast as possible, so
you can learn from it that much quicker. It's a very weird thing to feel social pain, it’s
like a physical trauma. And it is very real. So I understand the fear. But, if
you realize that it is fleeting, and it isn’t the end of the world, then you’re
bullet proof.
Staff Writer: David Gavri
David Gavri is a stand-up comedian, writer and founder of the online comedy sites Gonzo Fame and Comedy Scene in Houston.
Staff Writer: David Gavri
David Gavri is a stand-up comedian, writer and founder of the online comedy sites Gonzo Fame and Comedy Scene in Houston.