Written by: Joseph Santiago on Feb 21, 2020

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We met up with stand-up comedian Rojo Perez at the original New York Comedy Club in Midtown located on 24th Street in Kips Bay in Manhattan. Here is what Rojo Perez had to say about the comedy scene in NYC. What other jobs did you do before starting stand-up comedy? I freelanced for a newspaper out of college, worked as a valet parker, bartender, server, delivery guy, and 3 days as an exterminator. Stopped that because I was paranoid I had bed bugs at every apt we went to and was making myself itchy.  How did you know you wanted to be a comedian? I didn’t, I’d write in college, shoot silly videos but had no idea what to do with some of the stories. A buddy invited me once to an open mic, went terrible, and that was the drug.  If you weren’t doing comedy, what would you be doing? I think I would’ve found a way to be in sports as a journalist or commentator. Or maybe I’d be 10 years into my exterminator career and had at least 3 employee of the month awards.  Where are some of your favorite places to perform? I have a few spots I love, club wise I think Comedy on State (Madison), Acme Comedy Co (Minneapolis), Standup Live (Phoenix) are where I’ve had the most fun and they get how to treat comedians. Scene wise New Orleans, Austin, Atlanta. The way the comics run shows in these cities I love. Who are some of your favorite up-and-comers in the comedy world? Oh man, not even sure what an up-and-comer is anymore since everyone who is 4 years in with 5 mins has already been “seen”. But these are some New York comics I genuinely enjoy watching: Lizzy Cassidy, Ariel Elias, Ben Katzner, Gordon Baker-Bone, Xazmin Garza. What’s the best advice you’ve ever gotten? I forget where we were at or why I was included in the conversation, but about 10 years ago Jesse Popp said “When you realize the worst that can happen is silence, everything else slows down”

When did you feel like you were a professional comedian? read more

Written by: Joseph Santiago

I had the pleasure of interviewing one of my favorite people in the industry, Caitlin Jones, casting director for Liz Lewis. Caitlin is one of my favorites for many reasons, but the biggest one is that we are actually friends outside the industry. Caitlin and I went to Nazareth College together. We were one year apart, but worked on many different shows together either acting in them or hanging lights. Caitlin worked her butt off in the theatre along with getting top grades. She is now one of the most successful alumni from our theatre department. I was very lucky I could get an interview with her, since she works non-stop. She even said, “Laura, if it wasn’t you I probably would have rescheduled three times by now.” It probably helped that I’ve also walked her dog. read more

Written by: Laura High
March, 4th 2016

I’ve been performing with Neko White for four years. He’s the hardest-working comic I know. Not a night goes by where he isn’t working and re-working a joke. When he announced that he had booked his first show at The Apollo Theater, I couldn’t have been happier. Neko White’s credits include: Fox’s Laughs, Elite Daily Gen Why, Award winning documentary “One Mic,” MTV Hip Hop Squares, One Hour Special: Introducing Me. read more

By: Laura High

I was extremely excited to interview the highly regarded comic Jeffery Jay. Jeffery is based in L.A., although originally from Texas. Jeff is also a trans male, which means Jeffery was born a woman but identifies as a man. Jeffery is constantly on the road performing at colleges. He is also currently on the podcast “Good News and Bad News” available on iTunes.

Laura: How long have you been doing stand up comedy?
Jeffery: I want to say six years.

L: How did you get started in stand up?
J: I was eighteen when I started, and still a girl. I was not good. I was pretty, my family had money, I had no problems. I was twenty-one when I transitioned, and I thought comedy was over. I thought I was too weird, but a year after I transitioned it was still something I wanted to do. Plus, I had a story that was unique. I then picked a date for my first open mic. I promised myself I would do it. On the day of the show I didn’t let myself off the hook. I told trans jokes and they went over extremely well. I then decided to take a stand up class. The teacher said I couldn’t do trans jokes because I hadn’t earned them yet. What happened next was miraculous. Another comic named Tone Bell dropped by the class and heard what the teacher said. Tone Bell said, “You’re wrong. I saw him at this open mic. He has to do trans jokes.” Thank God he said that, because if he hadn’t, I don’t know if I could’ve continued. At that time, being trans was still so sensitive and raw for me. That gave me the momentum to continue down this path. read more

Written by: Joseph Santiago

Key Lewis is a very talented Stand-up Comedian. He has performed, and headlined in various top venues as well as numerous appearances on television. Key Lewis is very eclectic with his comedy, and is able to connect with any audience. He has also served in the Navy, not only has he served our country, he continues to serve other Veterans by performing live stand up comedy by bringing them together in unison through laughter, and alleviating stress. He recently toured as part of a comedy team who are all veterans, The GI’S Of Comedy, the producer of the GI’S of comedy is Thom Tran. They traveled as far as Jordan, Egypt, Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, Italy, Japan, Korea. read more

Written by: Joseph Santiago

                                                                                                             

Note From Me:

Another day of self-doubt and discontent. Another day of societal chaos. Another day of propaganda. Another day of world-wide-violence. Well, just another fucking Saturday. I’m sitting here in a touristy coffee shop, on the corner of MacDougal and Bleecker Street, with my good friend Nick Whitmer to discuss his life in the world of Standup Comedy. To set the mood for you: it’s freezing cold outside, the streets are cluster-fucked with obnoxious drunks and the barista is a fucking asshole. Ergo, this leaves a lot of room for optimism in this interview. Self-awareness is a bright disease and Nick has it. I’m excited to hear some genuine thoughts and opinions. Let us begin. read more

Written by Gary Miller

“There is a thin line that separates laughter and pain, comedy and tragedy, humor and hurt.”-Erma Bombeck

Chicago comedian Sean White has walked the line night in and night out, the erudite comedian has found ways to make audiences across the country laugh doing so, highly touted in the city of Chicago by other comedians and the press, he was voted as one of 16 comics to check out by Chicago Magazine. A skilled comedian with a unique voice, Sean had been doing comedy for five years when his sister died. Then a few months later, his mom died, and then a few months later, his brother died. Then a few months later, his other sister died. In the middle of that was when he got divorced. read more

By Leo Goodman

Most people think the only way to be a success as a comic is to be a household name.  Comics know the truth, which is that if you can support yourself doing what you love, without needing a day job, you’ve pretty much made it and anything after that is icing on the cake.  Towards that end, Jeff Lawrence has carved himself a place in the New York comedy scene . Along with performing regularly at clubs throughout the city and beyond, he also is the owner and the Director of Laughing Buddha Comedy, which encompasses the productions as well as the school giving many rising comics a chance to be seen and develop. read more

Written by: Joseph Santiago

One of the beautiful things about Manhattan, other than the wildlife (pigeons are cute and you know it), is the fact that on any given night you can get a quality live show.  Places like the Comedy Cellar and Caroline’s, to name just a couple, have comics who’ve been on Comedy Central and the late shows trying out the stuff that hasn’t been on TV yet.  Steve Hofstetter’s decided it’s time for these folks to come out to Queens.

Steve Hofstetter performs regularly at clubs across the country, two of them his own.  Along with business partner and fellow comic Marshall Chiles, Steve owns and books Morty’s in Indianapolis and The Laughing Skull in Atlanta.  Figuring he just wasn’t busy enough, his third venture is a nice little place called the Laughing Devil. read more