Written by: Joseph Santiago

This Easter weekend, I had the opportunity to talk to Stand Up Comedian Jamie Kennedy at Improv on Melrose in Hollywood, For the unfamiliar, he appeared in the Scream franchise, Malibu’s Most Wanted, the Jamie Kennedy Experiment, and much more.

James Kennedy was born in Upper Darby, Pennsylvania, on May 25, 1970. He became interested in acting at the age of 15, and appeared in a movie for the first time at age 19, as an extra in Dead Poets Society (1989).

1. What other jobs did you do before starting stand up comedy? read more

Written by: Joseph Santiago

Interview: We Sat down with Gregg Rogell at The Comedy Cellar in New York to Talk About How It All Started.

What other jobs did Gregg Rogell  do before starting stand up comedy?

I worked at a corrugated box factory, In Far Rockaway for four years, loading skids on the back of trucks before I did Stand Up Comedy.

How long have you been doing stand up comedy?

I started working professionally in the early nineties.

When did you know you wanted to be a stand-up comedian?

I was watching “evening at the improv with some friends and I thought the comics were pretty bad. I told my friends if they could get on TV, so could i. On a dare, I did an open mic night and it went pretty well. I continued to do weekly sets. Six months later I won “the funniest person on Long Island”  contest and used the credits to get paid work. I was able to make a living at it pretty quickly. read more

Written by: Joseph Santiago

It was your typical night at The Comedy Cellar, a sold our performance. Which is easily one of the best comedy clubs in the world. The Comedy Cellar is located in the heart of Greenwich Village in New York City.  It was a cold freezing night here in NYC. However, we decided to enjoy a night of laughs to warm up our soul.

We reach out to Danny Cohen one of our favorite comedians who was performing that night and pick his brain about life as a stand-up comedian in New York City. read more

By: Laura High @LauraHigh5

Linda Smith is one of my favorite people in this industry. This is a very harsh, cut-throat business, but Linda is the only one who never has a bad word spoken about her. She has an incredible resumé and teaches stand up comedy. Linda’s credits include: HBO Women of the Night, Conan O’Brian on NBC, Comedy Central, VH1, Stand Up Spotlight, Good Morning America, Today Show, and The Rosie O’Donnell Show.

To sign up for a class with Linda Smith, click here: http://www.carolinescomedyschool.com/ read more

By: Laura High
March, 3rd 2016

I just started stand up comedy and had no clue what to do. One comic suggested I audition for Late Night at Comic Strip Live. Comic Strip is the oldest comedy club in New York. I had seen performances there when I was a teenager. I was terrified because this was going to be the seventh time I had ever performed stand up. I got there and found out that there was a panel of judges who will ‘roast’ each of us and let us know if we pass (get hired) in front of a packed room. My heart went in my throat. I went up, and miraculously did well. I had no expectations. One of the judges asked how long I had I been doing stand up, I said this was my seventh performance. Then Richie said, “You’re passed.” I’ve been working on jokes there ever since. 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

Why strive to fit in if your goal is to be crazy funny? A recent study published in the British Journal of Psychiatry suggests that the secret to making other people laugh is having an unusual personality. Originally reported on Reuters, the study and the surrounding discussion offers some insights into what makes people so funny.

Basically, there’s a sweet spot between howling at the moon and avoiding intimacy that scientists have begun to identify as the best mental state for a career in comedy. To those in the business of making people laugh, it comes as no shock that you need to be a little bit nuts if you want to succeed. read more

Written by: Joseph Santiago

Interview with William Stephenson

As a first time writer for this website, I found it appropriate and best way to kick off my inaugural post was with one of the people I’ve come to realize was there for one of my wife’s and I’s first experience at live comedy in New York City. It really is one of those moments that stick, that giddy and excited feeling someone gets as a child opening a present. That was my experience tugging on my wife’s jacket upstairs of the Comedy Cellar before their late show on a week night. Looking behind me at all the comedians that I recognized at “The Table” and looking up at the closed circuit television to see Chris Rock finishing up a set. I don’t remember every performer that night, but the MC for the evening definitely stuck. It was someone with this truly amazing energy, that of a ball busting family member. Taking shots at the audience while still remaining relatable. That was William Stephenson. It was really an honor to get to chat with him for a while, a true veteran in the New York City stand up community while remaining truly humble and doing it truly for the love of stand up and performing

My wife and I got to check out the show Saturday January 9th at Broadway Comedy Club where he closed out a great show with Chris Murphy as the MC, Russ Menev, Wali Collins, Tommy Gooch, Jerry Shack, and finally Will. Afterwards, we got a chance to step outside and have a conversation with Will where we found out this was only his second time performing at this club and has been a while performing outside of hosting.

We’ve seen you multiple times hosting in the city, where did you start and was it hosting? read more

Written by: Joseph Santiago

The Comedy Cellar is consider the mecca of stand up comedy in NYC. Everyone needs a good laugh. New Yorkers are lucky enough to have an endless variety of comedy clubs both inside and just outside the Big Apple. One of the reigning legends in New York Comedy is The Comedy Cellar. From celebrity-studded birthday bashes to rare appearances from retiring television hosts, The Comedy Cellar is a must-see destination for tourists and locals new to the city!

That moment where Jon Stewart got his stand-up on… read more

Written by: Joseph Santiago

Emma Willmann can thank divorce for introducing her to comedy.

Kind of.

“My parents got divorced and I would watch TV at my dad’s place because he was the cool parent that had cable. I’d watch some comedy. I loved Bruce Bruce.”

The cable company, bringing comedians close to family.

Emma has a wide variety of comics she now loves to watch perform.

“I Love Brian Regan,, Cedric the Entertainer, Katt Williams, Wanda Sykes, Jerry Seinfeld, I love Seinfeld and I love urban comedy.” read more