Interview: “Nobodies of Comedy”
Everybody is somebody, even if you are a nobody. That seems to be the consensus of the comedians who are appearing in two touring shows this weekend: the “Nobodies of Comedy” at Easton’s State Theatre and the “Laughter Arts Festival” (LAF for short) at the Keswick Theatre near Philadelphia.
This Friday is the first ever “Nobodies of Comedy”. Michael Mills, whose Mills Entertainment produces both shows, hopes to use the series of “Nobodies” presentations to give exposure to seasoned comics who have not yet become household names. “The name ‘nobodies’ is actually tongue-in-cheek,” says Mills.
“They are more nobodies to people who don’t know anything about comedy,” says Jamie Lissow, a “nobody” who was the MC of last November’s State Theatre Laughter Arts Festival. All four comics who will be appearing at the State this Friday have many credits that include appearances on NBC’s “The Tonight Show”.
The name does not bother the performers. “I don’t like taking myself seriously, and I can see the humor in it,” says Eric Lyden. Lyden was requested to be on this Friday’s show after he did well opening for Joan Rivers at the State. “That was my first real theater gig,” he says.
“I know I’m somebody,” says Mark Gross. Gross says that many of the “nobodies” are writers who work behind the scenes. He adds, “There’re the best bunch of ‘nobodies’ that you will ever see.”
This is the fifth year for the Laughter Arts Festival, which rotates performers who generally have had a lot of television exposure. Each show presents three or four comics. Mills calls them “a comedy buffet.” “The number of comedy clubs have been declining,” he says, “and these shows are a way for people to see their favorite comedians doing the best of their material”.
Carie Karavas laughs that she should be a “nobody”, since she is not as well known as the other three LAF comics she will be appearing with. But she adds that after each show, “You are a somebody.”
The better known LAF comics are not resting on their laurels, however.
“I’m never a somebody. You can’t think of yourself like that. I just keep working to pay the bills,” says Kevin Meaney. “You never take it for granted,” says Dom Irrera. “You’re only as good as you are that night.”
Meaney says, “I’ve been doing this for twenty-three years, and it gets easier every year. But there are still horror shows. There’s always that one show that makes you think, ‘Why did I do this?’”
Comics are more focused on work than on fame. “Nobody” Modi says he headlined in New York clubs after doing comedy for only a year. But he also states that he works seven nights a week when he is in the city, performing at multiple clubs on the weekends. “It’s not an easy business,” he maintains. “There are a lot of disappointments.”
Irrera admits that becoming successful is a struggle. “Anything that involves fun and adventure is tough to do in life. It’s hard enough to get a shit job. You have to be talented.” Gross recalls that he often had to sleep in his car when he was starting out.
Most agreed that success comes gradually, and there is no such thing as an “overnight success” in the business. Irrera felt that he had made it when he did not have to work an outside job. “It’s a great feeling to not have to get up in the morning,” he says.
Karavas says, “Comedy is a craft that you have to really work at. No one is naturally that cool and polished on stage. It took me ten years to become natural.”
“Most comedians that are successful have been doing comedy forever,” she adds. She tells the story of one comic who had a family and had been doing comedy for fifteen or seventeen years. “He was always complaining that the young guys were getting all the breaks. Then four minutes on David Letterman made all the difference,” she says. That was Ray Romano, star of TV’s “Everybody Loves Raymond.”
All the performers agree that love of comedy overrides all concerns about success, money, or overwork. “It’s nothing but fun if you don’t have unrealistic expectations,” says Lissow. “I love to perform for all types of crowds, all over,” says Modi. “I’ve never been happier in my life,” says Lyden, a New York City resident who got his start in Philadelphia. “I’ve always loved the attention that went along with making people laugh.”
“Nobodies of Comedy”, March 28, 8 p.m. State Theatre, 453 Northampton Street, Easton, $20, 610-252-3132 or 1-800-999-STATE, 24 hour charge at 1-800-999-STATE, order online at www.statetheatre.org.
“Laughter Arts Festival ‘03”, March 28, 8 p.m., $32.50, Keswick Theatre, 291 Keswick Avenue, Glenside, PA, box office and 24 hour charge at 215-572-7650, order online at www.keswicktheatre.com.
--Dave Howell, 3/03
(This article first appeared in The Morning Call newspaper.)
This Friday is the first ever “Nobodies of Comedy”. Michael Mills, whose Mills Entertainment produces both shows, hopes to use the series of “Nobodies” presentations to give exposure to seasoned comics who have not yet become household names. “The name ‘nobodies’ is actually tongue-in-cheek,” says Mills.
“They are more nobodies to people who don’t know anything about comedy,” says Jamie Lissow, a “nobody” who was the MC of last November’s State Theatre Laughter Arts Festival. All four comics who will be appearing at the State this Friday have many credits that include appearances on NBC’s “The Tonight Show”.
The name does not bother the performers. “I don’t like taking myself seriously, and I can see the humor in it,” says Eric Lyden. Lyden was requested to be on this Friday’s show after he did well opening for Joan Rivers at the State. “That was my first real theater gig,” he says.
“I know I’m somebody,” says Mark Gross. Gross says that many of the “nobodies” are writers who work behind the scenes. He adds, “There’re the best bunch of ‘nobodies’ that you will ever see.”
This is the fifth year for the Laughter Arts Festival, which rotates performers who generally have had a lot of television exposure. Each show presents three or four comics. Mills calls them “a comedy buffet.” “The number of comedy clubs have been declining,” he says, “and these shows are a way for people to see their favorite comedians doing the best of their material”.
Carie Karavas laughs that she should be a “nobody”, since she is not as well known as the other three LAF comics she will be appearing with. But she adds that after each show, “You are a somebody.”
The better known LAF comics are not resting on their laurels, however.
“I’m never a somebody. You can’t think of yourself like that. I just keep working to pay the bills,” says Kevin Meaney. “You never take it for granted,” says Dom Irrera. “You’re only as good as you are that night.”
Meaney says, “I’ve been doing this for twenty-three years, and it gets easier every year. But there are still horror shows. There’s always that one show that makes you think, ‘Why did I do this?’”
Comics are more focused on work than on fame. “Nobody” Modi says he headlined in New York clubs after doing comedy for only a year. But he also states that he works seven nights a week when he is in the city, performing at multiple clubs on the weekends. “It’s not an easy business,” he maintains. “There are a lot of disappointments.”
Irrera admits that becoming successful is a struggle. “Anything that involves fun and adventure is tough to do in life. It’s hard enough to get a shit job. You have to be talented.” Gross recalls that he often had to sleep in his car when he was starting out.
Most agreed that success comes gradually, and there is no such thing as an “overnight success” in the business. Irrera felt that he had made it when he did not have to work an outside job. “It’s a great feeling to not have to get up in the morning,” he says.
Karavas says, “Comedy is a craft that you have to really work at. No one is naturally that cool and polished on stage. It took me ten years to become natural.”
“Most comedians that are successful have been doing comedy forever,” she adds. She tells the story of one comic who had a family and had been doing comedy for fifteen or seventeen years. “He was always complaining that the young guys were getting all the breaks. Then four minutes on David Letterman made all the difference,” she says. That was Ray Romano, star of TV’s “Everybody Loves Raymond.”
All the performers agree that love of comedy overrides all concerns about success, money, or overwork. “It’s nothing but fun if you don’t have unrealistic expectations,” says Lissow. “I love to perform for all types of crowds, all over,” says Modi. “I’ve never been happier in my life,” says Lyden, a New York City resident who got his start in Philadelphia. “I’ve always loved the attention that went along with making people laugh.”
“Nobodies of Comedy”, March 28, 8 p.m. State Theatre, 453 Northampton Street, Easton, $20, 610-252-3132 or 1-800-999-STATE, 24 hour charge at 1-800-999-STATE, order online at www.statetheatre.org.
“Laughter Arts Festival ‘03”, March 28, 8 p.m., $32.50, Keswick Theatre, 291 Keswick Avenue, Glenside, PA, box office and 24 hour charge at 215-572-7650, order online at www.keswicktheatre.com.
--Dave Howell, 3/03
(This article first appeared in The Morning Call newspaper.)