standupcomedian

Apr 22

Danny Johnson

By Chrissy Bernal Comedian, Podcast No Comments

You ever get into one of those conversations where you think you know the subject… and then suddenly you’re ten layers deeper than you ever expected to go? That’s what happened here.

This week on Here’s What We Know, we’re joined by Danny Johnson, a stand-up comedian making his mark in the world of clean comedy. We start by talking about the craft, how a joke is built, why timing matters more than the words, and how comedians actually think.

And then we keep going, because comedy is more than just about being funny anymore.

Now it’s social media, followers, clips, going viral, and pressure. The conversation gets more and more fascinating, as one question keeps coming up: If being funny isn’t enough anymore… then what is?

This episode is sponsored by:

In This Episode:

The rise of clean comedy and why it’s finding a bigger audience
How comedians actually write and build material
The pressure of social media and why it changes everything
The difference between being funny and being successful
What it really means to “make it” in comedy today
And why some of the funniest people you’ve ever seen might still be figuring it out

Quotations:

“My mind doesn’t stop thinking of the stuff of what I think is funny stuff.” ~ Danny Johnson

“You almost like interrogate your idea like a detective, who does this impact? Why does it impact them? How many people are doing it? How many people know about it? What do they feel about it? What does your family feel about you? Just kind of fire these questions at this idea and flesh it out.” ~ Danny Johnson

“Politics strikes me as more sad than anything.” ~ Danny Johnson

“There’s nothing I get a bigger kick out of than putting a smile on someone’s face. So, if I could do that, that’s success to me.” ~ Danny Johnson

Bio:

Danny Johnson’s hilarious, clean stand-up has entertained audiences in comedy clubs, corporate events, and churches nationwide for over 15 years. Danny’s work as a stand-up comedian has been humbly compared to Jerry Seinfeld, Kevin James, and Jackie Gleason, blending his original material with his now renowned facial expressions. Danny’s show is relatable, entertaining, and always evolving. Danny has starred in numerous TV commercials, Comedy Central’s Laugh Riots, Florida’s Funniest Comedian Top 10 Finalist, Winner-Carnival Cruise line Comedy Challenge, Finalist in Search for the One Christian Comedy contest, has a wildly popular Dry Bar Comedy Special (now available on Apple TV, Amazon, & Peacock), and has had the pleasure of sharing the stage with Chris Rock, Damon Wayans, Bob Saget, Billy Gardell, Richard Lewis, Rickey Smiley, Norm McDonald, Howie Mandel, and a variety of others.

Danny had the privilege of filming NateLand Live at the famous Zanies Comedy Club in Nashville, TN. NateLand Live is the brainchild of Nate Bargatze and features some of the best clean comedians touring today.

Danny’s latest comedy special, “Everything Bothers Me,” has taken YouTube by storm with over 100k views in its first month and still climbing!

His North Florida footprint is well known, calling the Comedy Zone his home club for almost two decades, performed at Murray Hill Theatre, The Florida Theatre and Ponte Vedra Concert Hall. Locally, you may have also seen Danny on his many appearances on the News4Jax Morning Show, Jacksonville’s River City Live, or his extremely brief/ distant appearance on season 4 of Netflix’s Cobra Kai (don’t blink).

Guest Contact Info:

Website: https://dannyjohnson.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DannyJohnsonComedy

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dannyjohnsoncomedy/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/comediandanny

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@dannyjohnsoncomedy

Nov 27

Love14

Jeremy Piven

By Chrissy Bernal Comedian, Film, Movies, Podcast No Comments

This week on Here’s What We Know, we sit down with the multi-talented Jeremy Piven—known for his Emmy and Golden Globe-winning role as Ari Gold in Entourage and his captivating performance in Mr. Selfridge. Jeremy takes us behind the scenes of his remarkable pivot from Hollywood actor to full-time stand-up comedian, performing 200+ shows a year.

This episode is sponsored by:

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In this Episode:

Discover how growing up in an acting family shaped Jeremy Piven’s journey and ignited his passion for the craft at just 8 years old.
Learn about the exhilarating highs and unique challenges of stand-up comedy, as Jeremy shares how he connects with audiences in over 200 live shows a year.
Explore the behind-the-scenes story of his upcoming film The Performance, a project 14 years in the making.
Uncover how Jeremy transforms pressure into a powerful source of energy and motivation in both his acting and comedy careers.
Discover the social relevance of Jeremy’s roles and why he believes storytelling has the power to spark meaningful change.

Quotations:

“I really love talking about myself. It’s what I do best.” ⁓ Jeremy Piven

“The harder you work, the easier it looks.” ⁓ Jeremy Piven

“We need to laugh right now. Everything is, you know, people are frustrated, so let me make sense of things and make you laugh.” ⁓ Jeremy Piven

“Once you do the work and you dig in and then you go to set, it’s time to play.” ⁓ Jeremy Piven

“Pressure is a gift. I love pressure. I thrive on it.” ⁓ Jeremy Piven

“I’ve been a drummer my whole life. So I understand rhythmically; if you tell me what the taps sound like, I know how to stick the landing.” ⁓ Jeremy Piven

“I’ve done something and I’ve achieved something that I’ve never done and that I thought I had in me and I actually do. So there’s an immense sense of pride.” ⁓ Jeremy Piven

“I wasn’t a great standup, but I was ready for the moment. I was prepared. And so I don’t let that stuff bother me.” ⁓ Jeremy Piven

“I feel ready for the moment and they can feel that you’re ready.” ⁓ Jeremy Piven

“Life is very interesting.” ⁓ Jeremy Piven

“It taught me a lot of lessons about balance, that you to have balance in this life otherwise you’ll burn out.” ⁓ Jeremy Piven

“Nerves and fear are an energy. It’s palpable. And you can either let it handcuff you or you can use it to propel you. It’s your choice. And it’s all how you label it.” ⁓ Jeremy Piven

Bio:

A household name for his 2x Golden Globe and 3x Emmy Award-winning performance playing the fast-talking, acerbic Hollywood agent ‘Ari Gold’ in the HBO series Entourage, actor, comedian, and podcast host Jeremy Piven also achieved significant success playing the title role in the British/PBS television drama series Mr Selfridge, the semi-fictional story based on the life of Harry Selfridge, who founded the London department store Selfridge’s. Piven has also appeared in numerous successful films, including Grosse Pointe Blank, Singles, Very Bad Things, The Family Man, Black Hawk Down, The Kingdom, Heat, PCU, Old School, Rock N Rolla, Serendipity, Smokin’ Aces, and Runaway Jury.

Piven appears as Joel Lapchick the man responsible for helping Nat “Sweetwater” Clifton break the color barrier in the NBA in 1950 in the movie Sweetwater, which dropped on Angel Studios on September 26th, soon to be available VOD. His next film, The Performance, is an adaptation of an Arthur Miller work due out in theaters on December 27th, 2024. The film is receiving rave reviews with Jeremy on the shortlist for an Academy Award for his role.

He was recently seen in the feature film Last Call opposite Oscar winner Bruce Dern and Orange is the New Black star Taryn Manning. Other recent and upcoming films include American Night opposite Oscar nominee Emile Hirsch, Jonathan Rhys Meyers, which screened at the Venice Film Festival, period drama film The Walk opposite Justin Chatwin and Oscar nominee Terrence Howard, and The System which teamed him up again with Terrence Howard and Tyrese Gibson.

Piven also released the popular podcast “How U Livin’ J Piven,” where he interviewed influential guests such as Jamie Foxx, Tiffany Haddish, Common, Mark Cuban and UFC stars Rashad Evans and Jorge Masvidal, in an intimate and in depth format that showcased his dynamic personality in a never-before-seen way. The show is available wherever you get your podcasts.

Piven now tours the country with his successful stand-up comedy show, flexing a comedic muscle that few actors have been able to transition over to. The tour will see him across the entire continental U.S. and also take him internationally to the U.K. and beyond.

Guest Contact Info:

Website:https://jeremy-piven.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jeremypiven/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jeremypivenpage

Twitter: https://x.com/jeremypiven

Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@jeremypiven1

Dec 06

Love11

Greg Warren

By Chrissy Bernal Comedian, Fun No Comments

This week on the Here’s What We Know Podcast, host Gary Scott Thomas had a fascinating conversation featuring the incredibly talented stand-up comedian, Greg Warren. Get ready as we take you on a rollercoaster ride through Greg’s comedic journey, from his daring leap into full-time funny to honing his craft on stage. Join us as we uncover the secrets behind his gut-busting jokes, share heartwarming tales of mentorship, and explore the vibrant landscape of stand-up comedy.

This episode is sponsored by:

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In This Episode:

Family and Humor: Learn about how Greg’s family reacts to being part of his comedic material.
Stand-Up Process: Discover Greg’s process for creating new content from journaling exercises to listening back on performances.
Comedy Influences: Hear about influential comedians in Greg’s career like Eddie Murphy and Bob Newhart.
Wrestling Background: Find out how wrestling shaped Greg’s work ethic and performance style.
Acting vs. Stand-Up: Understand why Greg chose stand-up over pursuing acting or sitcom roles despite opportunities.
Audience Interaction: Get an inside look at how audience engagement plays a role in shaping a live comedy set.

Quotations:

“In standup comedy, it’s a little different because it’s a long road, but I enjoy most performances and the writing process.” ~ Greg Warren

“The joy in standup comedy is like, it’s all the joy is always the new joke, the new premise, or the new thing you’re working on.” ~ Greg Warren

“You are around funny people and you start to develop a personality with some of your comedian friends off stage and being around funny people and that’s not intentional, but it just sort of happens. And, I think over time, some of that seeps into your act.” ~ Greg Warren

“Take the thing that’s doing the best. Take your best joke. And spend an inordinate amount of time on that. Cause that’s where all the gold is. Don’t hit a false bottom there. Just keep digging, keep, keep digging right there.” ~ Greg Warren

“We’re not humor columnists. We’re stand-up comedians. You know, we’re not writing something that’s mildly interesting or mildly funny.” ~ Greg Warren

“I think of it talking to the audience is a little bit more of a skill than an art. There are some guys that have made it an art form.” ~ Greg Warren

“I think comedy is like sort of this never-ending process of getting wider and narrower.” ~ Greg Warren

Guest’s Bio:

Greg Warren recently released his special The Salesman, co-produced by Nate Bargatze and 800 Pound Gorilla Media. The project tells the story of his post-college phase when he had a stint selling Jif and Pringles for Procter & Gamble which eventually led to his decision to become a full-time comedian. According to The New York Times, Greg “…has done for peanut butter what Jerry Seinfeld did for Pop-Tarts and Jim Gaffigan did for Hot Pockets.” An honest mix of self-deprecation, frustration, and an arsenal of lifelike characters highlight Greg’s colorful perspective. He can be seen in his Amazon Prime Special, “Where The Field Corn Grows”, Fish Sandwich on Dry Bar Comedy, Late Night with Seth Meyers, The Late Late Show, and Comedy Central Presents. Greg attracts a diverse audience spectrum, having performed as a finalist on BET’s Coming to the Stage and on Country Music Television. He is a favorite on the nationally syndicated Bob & Tom Radio Show, which led to touring theaters nationwide with The Bob & Tom All Stars Comedy Tour. Greg’s comedy has been a daily staple on Sirius/XM’s Laugh USA and Jeff and Larry’s Comedy Roundup channels for a decade. You can hear him guesting on podcasts like Nateland, Never Not Funny, Bertcast, Dumb People Town, The Adam Carolla Show, and many more. He’s performed as a New Face of Comedy at JFL, on Comedy Central’s Premium Blend, and on NBC’s Last Comic Standing.

Greg hails from St. Louis, MO, where his father was a high school wrestling coach and his mother made him play clarinet in the band. He has captivated audiences with anecdotes about the conflict inherent in meshing the two disparate high school identities of varsity wrestler and band geek. Greg was also a West Point Cadet, where he distinguished himself by amassing an impressive tally of demerits and endless hours of pointless marching. After moving on to the University of Missouri, he studied journalism and became an All-American college wrestler.