“The minute I get a chance to get on stage in front of people that have never seen me before and make them laugh, it’s the greatest feeling in the world. If you could bottle that you would be a billionaire.”
What would you say if I asked you to get up in front of a crowded room and give a speech? Statistics say that you would probably not be too happy about it. Public speaking is the #1 fear in America; more than bugs (which is mind blowing to me), more than heights, clowns, you name it. Now multiply that fear times the fear of trying to make a room full of people laugh and having them just sit there, wondering when you’re going to be done so they can get their night back on track. If only the fear study had asked people about doing stand up comedy, surely it would be in a class all to itself. Today’s guest, Quincy Johnson II, knows all about that fear, the horror of not having people laugh at your jokes, and the amazing feeling of completely killing it onstage and bringing a whole room together. So what are those highs and lows like, and would it be worth trying out?
“The first time I got paid for comedy it was 7 bucks...and that was the craziest feeling in the world because even though it’s only 7 bucks, it’s 7 bucks to do what I love to do.”
“Either you’re going to tell yourself I love this and I can never not do it again, or you’re going to hate it completely. There is no in between.”
Contents
1:25 – How/when/why Quincy got started.
3:15 – Doing standups and not getting laughs.
5:15 – Developing your own voice.
10:40 – Still doing standup after terrible experiences.
12:35 – The love and praise you get.
13:40 – The different vibes of different rooms.
17:15 – Getting heckled on stage.
21:45 – Being from the hood.
26:35 – The joke writing process.
30:28 – The depressing part of being a comic.
34:25 – Making a living as a comic.
38:30 – Why has Quincy not moved from L.A?
42:45 – Advice
Links
Performing Under the Influence (Awesome comedy show Quincy hosts in L.A.)
