We reached out to stand-up comedian Sarah Garner during the COVID Quarantine to interview her about stand-up comedy and here is what she had to say.
What other jobs did you do before starting stand up comedy?
I was a preschool teacher. You’d be surprised how well the skillset transfers. Hosting a show is not that far off from a class of 20 3 year-olds. I was also a nanny and taught music and other stuff. I’ve worked in education for most of my career. Now, I still do some work in education. I have a Master’s degree in Special Education.read more
We met up with Natalie Cuomo after her show at the New York Comedy Club in Midtown and asked her some questions about stand-up comedy, being a comedian, and here are her answers.
What other jobs did you do before starting stand-up comedy?
Before doing stand-up, I was a classically trained actor. I studied under the great Wynn Handman, and I completed the conservatory program at Stella Adler Studios in NYC. While doing comedy, I managed a coffee shop in Williamsburg called Variety. I would wake up, do my shift from 6:30 am-2:30 pm, take a nap, and go out and do shows around 7 pm. It was quite a time.
How did you know you wanted to be a comedian?
I’ve loved performing since I was a little kid. I think the moment that energy funneled into comedy was when I began writing my own jokes while I was in the acting conservatory.
If you weren’t doing comedy, what would you be doing?
If I wasn’t doing comedy, I would live in the middle of nowhere on a mountainside, with sheep and goats, and a vegetable farm.read more
We met up with stand-up comedian Jeffrey Leach at the Comedy Cellar in Greenwich Village right after his performance at a sold-out comedy show in NYC.
What other jobs did you do before starting stand-up comedy?
My parents instilled a work ethic in me from a young age and I’ve had a job to pay my way since I was 11 years old when I started a weekly paper route.
Since then I’ve produced live shows, worked in commercial radio, been the booker of major music venues, DJ’d at major festivals, and produced remixes for Island Records and Ministry of Sound, I was also a television presenter and actor prior to trying my hand at stand-up comedy 8 years ago. Now I pursue all things written, performative, and creative.read more
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
The US stand up comedian John Witherspoon dies at the age of 77 by Joseph Santiago
The US stand up comedian and actor John Witherspoon will be best remembered for his role as rapper Ice Cube’s father in the comedy trilogy Friday, who has died at the age of 77.
Born John Weatherspoon, he started out as a stand-up comedian back in the 1970s.
His first film was back in 1980 The Jazz Singer and was seen in Hollywood Shuffle, Boomerang, Vampire in Brooklyn and The Ladies Man.
The reason for his death is not known. Relatives and celebrity friends have been paying respects to Witherspoon.read more
We met up with Stand Up Comedian Pedro Gonzalez at one of his comedy gigs at the New York Comedy Club in Midtown to discuss all things comedy.
1. What other jobs did you do before starting stand up comedy? I worked at Big Lots, Dunkin Donuts, doing wiretaps for the DEA, and as an interpreter at Legal Aid.
2. How did you know you wanted to be a comedian? I didn’t, someone at work told me I never shut up so I should go try to do that for a living.
3. If you weren’t doing comedy, what would you be doing? I’d be teaching Spanish at some college and drinking heavily.read more
Kevin Barnett, the NYC stand up comedian has passed away. We just saw an announcement on The Stand NYC Instagram profile page. Among the other comedians was Yannis Pappas who shared a tweet sending his condolences to his friend and fellow comedian. He wrote “RIP another comedian who was a great dude. Seriously a great dude. @Fatboybarnett rest easy Kevin.” Other comics such as Chelsea Peretti took to her twitter account and wrote “ I am so sad”
Now there is no known cause of death made to the general public.read more
1. What other jobs did you do before starting stand up comedy?
Great question!
I had a tough job working as a Black Man and Muslim in post 9/11 America.
I had two jobs.
Very arduous journey.
The Pay was lousy.
Long hours with very little upward mobility.
I should be collecting Social Security ya know?
You think I have grounds for a claim?
2. How did you know you wanted to be a comedian?
I didn’t. It was always said to me, “you should be a comedian” when I was younger, but I held the art form in such high regard I never thought I could do it. My sister told me my sense of humor was different and I should go on stage. I went on stage when I was 11 and got a standing ovation but never got on stage again until after my mother passed away. I was using comedy as a coping mechanism and found it cathartic.read more
We Sat down with Adam Bloom at The Comedy Store in Central London about other side jobs, some of his favorite comedy clubs in London, advice for younger comedians and much more.
1. What other jobs did Adam Bloom do before starting stand up comedy?
I was a cocktail bartender, that’s all I really did before being a comedian. I loved it.
It was actually similar to being onstage, especially when the bar was busy. I’ve
always been an extrovert, so any large group of people was an audience to me,
especially a classroom or school bus. If a teacher gave me a detention for messing
about, I’d see it as an encore.read more
I was very excited to interview Brian Scott McFadden. I saw Brian perform stand up when I was eighteen at Comic Strip Live. He was absolutely hilarious. His set always stuck with me. So here I am, many years later, interviewing him at Comic Strip. His credits include: The Late Show with David Letterman, and The Late Late Night with Craig Ferguson. Follow him HYPERLINK “https://twitter.com/bscottmcfadden“@bscottmcfadden
Laura: How long have you been doing stand up comedy?
Brian: Too long. Way too long. Over twenty-five years.read more
Kevin Barnett, the NYC stand up comedian has passed away. We just saw an announcement on 
