BACKSTORY
So, which comedy
scenes have you spent time in?
I started in Kalamazoo and Grand Rapids, Michigan. Once I
decided that comedy was something I wanted to take more seriously, I moved to
Denver. From there, I moved to L.A. and lived out of the back of my car and
couch surfed for almost a year. When I ran out of money, I moved to the Chicago
suburbs. I randomly left and went to Richmond, Virginia but I hated it, so
that’s when I came back to Chicago.
Didn’t know Richmond,
Virginia has a comedy scene...
They don’t! That’s why I left. [laughs]
CHICAGO, THE GREATEST
Of all the comedy scenes
you’ve been a part of, which one is your favorite?
Chicago, for sure!
What makes Chicago
better than the other scenes you spent time in?
I think what makes Chicago very successful as a comedy town
is, and I love to hate this answer but, no media outlets. There are unsung hero
comedians that are fantastic around here that no one outside of Chicago has ever
heard of—and they are destroyers!
What are the other
scenes missing compared to the Chicago comedy scene?
Setting up some structure. The great comics who leave Chicago
know that they need to fill that gap that they’re leaving. They share their
knowledge and they appoint somebody who will continue on a really great scene
to keep this cycle going. Set up a legacy program for your comedy scene. I
mean, seeing shows in Chicago that have been running for 8, 9, 10 years, that’s
crazy! They’re successful for a reason.
INTEGRATING INTO A NEW COMEDY SCENE
What is the best
advice for a comic who wants to integrate into a new comedy scene?
The number one advice I’d give to anyone who’s going to a
new scene is: Keep your mouth shut. Soak it in. You can’t be TOO eager. When
someone doesn’t know your face in a comedy scene, you cannot come off as that
kid at Christmas who wants to know what he’s getting. You can’t be begging the
entire time.
What are some Do’s
and Don’ts for “the new comic” on the scene?
Do be yourself. Do not feel bad for being yourself, because
you are a comic. You may rub some people the wrong way, so be yourself but
also be respectful. Also, stay in the room for other comics’ sets. If you want
support, show support. Don’t talk shit online. Don’t get involved in other
peoples’ business. And, don’t steal jokes. Don’t be pretentious. Don’t be
egotistical—most of us don’t care what your credits are. Don’t push people away
because they don’t have what you have. Do try to get your funny comic friends
booked. Everybody helps everybody that deserves it.
Normal people need to get the hell out of comedy. Leave it
to the weirdos. If you’re funny and you’re weird, you should be a comic. Stop
trying to be weird when you’re just a normal person.
David Gavri is a stand up
comic, writer, and creator of the comedy interview site Gonzo Fame.com