E14 - Chris Mejia, Comedian on Passion During a Pandemic
Chris shares his experience and insight on not only pursuing what you're really passionate about as a career, but also the challenges in persevering through a pandemic with that passion.
Chris Mejia is a Seattle-based stand-up comedian and writer. He performs at theatres, clubs, and festivals (having won awards) along the west coast. He features for national headliners who can be seen on HBO, Netflix, and Saturday Night Live.
Instagram/TikTok/Twitter: @tophermejia. Facebook: Chris Mejia. www.chrismejia.com.
Show notes:
02:40 Where Chris's passion for standup originated.
04:34 Embrace "the suck!"
08:25 Michael Chae & Michelle Wolf, models of progressive comedy.
11:26 Using comedy as a way to introduce an opinion to an audience that doesn't agree with your point of view.
18:18 "Cancel culture" is not ruining stand-up comedy! Performers need to take ownership over their material.
23:05 Dark humor, racist jokes, and authentic comedy.
30:08 Keeping performance skills sharp without the ability to speak in front of crowds.
31:10 "Written" comics vs. "natural" comics; monologue vs. dialogue as a performer.
31:39 Ideally, a skilled comic will have a mixture of exceptional writing and an authentic stage presence.
37:12 Getting out of your own head, preparing, and getting loose for the purpose of developing a relaxed stage presence.
40:41 Robert Pidde and Jerry Seinfeld; using joke-writing as a primary strength to develop their acts.
