Brian Simpson had a singular journey to the stage: He was a foster youngster and served within the Marine Corps. Over ten years in the past, he attended a comedy present in San Diego that was so dangerous it satisfied him to present it a go.
Now, the host of the podcast BS with Brian Simpson is delivering tightly structured, hilarious units on his Short Wide Neck Tour. He finds contemporary angles within the acquainted. Just lately, Simpson instructed us about how he crafts his materials and how you can increase the bar for your self.
This interview has been edited and condensed for readability.
When did you do your first gig?
I did my first standup comedy in February 2011. It first grew to become an concept for me when all my pals and shit began telling me that I used to be humorous abruptly. So I began studying that I may make folks snicker once I was complaining about stuff.
How completely different was your materials again in 2011? Or was it fairly much like now?
I imply the primary joke I ever wrote, I nonetheless use, however most of it was… It wasn’t rubbish, nevertheless it was simply primary. All people begins out with jokes about fucking, and pissing, and shitting, as a result of that’s probably the most relatable topic. It’s simply bodily capabilities. I feel all people begins out form of in that vein, otherwise you attempt to be an edge-lord, and say, “The Holocaust didn’t occur,” or one thing silly like that. I used to be the man that was doing primary shit.
What have been among the first golf equipment you carried out at?
Effectively, it was two locations, actually. One was known as the Mad Home Comedy Membership in San Diego. And this different place was known as Queen Bee’s Artwork and Cultural Heart, they usually had an open mic there as soon as every week. These are my two fundamental locations the place I first began at. I obtained probably the most stage time in these locations, in order that’s the place I put most of my time in.
Had been they good experiences?
Nearly as good as they are often. Yeah. I imply, what expertise is all good? I suppose that’s what makes you a comic. I have a look at any expertise and let you know what’s fucked up about it. I’ll be at a marriage, simply scowling: “Oh, that is such a waste of cash.”
[Laughs] Do you continue to really feel that manner?
Yeah. I’m not a giant fan of pageantry, or issues only for present. They simply get beneath my pores and skin so dangerous. I don’t wish to be in a parade. I don’t wish to be at any form of ceremony if I might help it.
You look very snug on a stage in entrance of a crowd.
Oh, yeah. See, that’s completely different although. Being in entrance of a crowd and being in the group are two various things. Being in entrance of the group is barely scary if you happen to don’t know what you’re doing. However being in a crowd is frightening on a regular basis. Something can go improper. Perhaps that’s not an inexpensive worry. It would simply be crippling social nervousness.
You could have an incredible 30 minute set in [Netflix’s] The Standups Season 3. How’d you put together?
I feel I might need run the set possibly 20 occasions. However in fact, it was greater than that as a result of at first I used to be operating an hour, and I came upon it was half-hour. And so, it was only a half hour of that, and deciding what is available in and goes out. All of these little meticulous issues, which you don’t actually should do. Some folks wing it, nevertheless it makes me really feel snug as a result of it’s completely the factor that I’m not lazy about. I’ll do all of the little tips and measuring, and recording, and whiteboard, and all of these items to attempt to make it higher. Oh, and weed.
How does weed assist whenever you’re writing?
Effectively, what occurs is once I’m attempting to joke for the primary time, I wish to be excessive. I don’t wish to be excessive on stage loads of occasions, however once I’m attempting a joke for the primary time, I wish to be excessive. For some motive it simply places you in that inventive headspace. You try this on stage with one thing with a construction to it, and your thoughts simply goes locations. And that’s what you want.
You want the stress of the second and your thoughts going locations that it doesn’t usually go, bam. As a result of it’s like after you have an concept, you attempt to discover all of the angles. You realize what I’m saying? It’s like a online game. A few of these angles are hidden behind the weed key. A few of these, you want the mushroom key to unlock. So when it’s all stated and finished, I attempt to do each joke in each mindset, to see what I left on the bone.
Needing “the stress of the second,” that’s a pleasant technique to describe overthinking or paranoia.
Oh, yeah. You realize, that mentality has helped me. Edibles used to knock me on my ass. Or I’d get so excessive and simply want I wasn’t that prime. However then figuring out that, “Oh, that is simply me overthinking being excessive. I’m okay.” You realize what I imply?
Yeah. Normally I additionally attempt to say to myself, “Issues will likely be okay.”
Yeah, yeah. Or I take heed to music. It offers me one thing to deal with, aside from how excessive I’m. Yeah, it’s the most effective.
You stated you don’t carry out a lot whereas excessive, proper?
Oh, properly I do, however solely once I’m doing new stuff. The factor is I don’t thoughts being excessive on stage in different circumstances, and I’ve definitely finished it. However what I hate is that if I present up excessive and go up on stage, that’s fantastic, however I gained’t get excessive earlier than I am going on stage, as a result of what occurs is that if it kicks in whilst you’re on stage, it throws all of the power off. It’s virtually like your mind’s clicking into one other mode, however that cut up second between the modes, it’s like a tough reset.
I feel you’re feeling it extra as a result of whenever you’re on stage, your adrenaline is pumping so excessive. Even if you happen to’re chill, your adrenaline is up. And so, I feel you simply really feel that weed hit completely different, and it simply stops every part for only a cut up second, however the crowd can inform. They’re like, “One thing’s up.” That is simply me. I don’t learn about all people else. However when the weed hit me on stage, I’ve an issue. If I’m already excessive earlier than I am going up, that’s completely fantastic.
It’s humorous you stated how with comedy, it’s the one factor you’re not lazy at, however I discover that ironic contemplating your previous within the Marine Corps. I think about that requires an unimaginable quantity of self-discipline and exhausting work.
No.
No?
It’s identical to the rest. It requires an unimaginable quantity of self-discipline and exhausting work to be good at it, to not be there. It takes a minimal quantity of labor to be there. It takes loads of work to excel.
That’s an excellent distinction. Did you get loads of materials out of your days within the Marines?
No. Effectively, no, that’s not true. Yeah, I’d simply say the best way I see the world was very formed by that have. And so loads of my observations of… All of the issues I learn about white folks, I discovered within the army. I didn’t essentially write that joke again then although. It’s not even actually in a army setting. I suppose it must be as a result of I set it up that manner.
You talked about utilizing chalkboards, and simply actually nailing the construction … When have you learnt the construction’s excellent for a set, like for the The Standups set?
Oh, see, I didn’t nail it although.
Why not?
That’s why I can’t even watch it. I can’t even watch it. No man, properly, I left loads of pet phrases in there, loads of ums and uhs and mm-hmm. Would’ve been excellent. There have been in all probability 27 of them. That retains it from being excellent. I imply, completely as I need it.
Do you at all times really feel that manner after you carry out, fascinated about what possibly didn’t work as a substitute of what did work?
It’s torture. Yeah, I feel loads of comics suppose that manner too. It’s not good. I feel it makes it tough to take pleasure in your victories, as a result of your thoughts is so used to going there. Even after you triumph, your thoughts is used to going, “Proper. Okay. Effectively, what was fucked up about it?”
Have you ever ever walked off stage and thought, “That went nearly as good because it may have gone”? Do you ever really feel that manner?
Oh, yeah, yeah. I felt that earlier than, that’s uncommon although. That’s uncommon. Folks wish to throw across the time period “killing” and “destroying” rather a lot, however that’s so uncommon. Even the most effective on the earth don’t fucking kill, don’t destroy each set. You realize what I imply? It is perhaps extra typically for them that they kill, nevertheless it’s nonetheless, it’s not much more than half. Most comics, we do actually, actually, very well, however that’s not killing. Killing is all people’s useless. They finished. They snicker a lot, they end.
I do know it may be exhausting to pinpoint, however was there a second the place you thought, that is my voice and that is my type on stage?
I imply, there was some extent, however I don’t bear in mind precisely what that second was. However I bear in mind a number of occasions simply being like, “Oh man, I leveled up. I leveled up. I simply did one thing I wasn’t able to doing earlier than.” And see, and that’s the opposite factor. Killing adjustments with… As a result of whenever you begin and also you go from no laughs to some chuckles, that appears like killing.
So it’s just like the funnier you get, the upper you increase the bar for what’s killing. In order that’s why it’d really feel such as you killed, however you didn’t kill. You don’t know that till you go watch someone truly kill, and also you go, “Oh, okay.” Does that ever occur to you? You see a comic book that’s so a lot better than you, that you simply’re identical to, “Oh wow. I believed I used to be killing it. I obtained to return and write.” You realize?
Oh, yeah. I’ll suppose, possibly I’m doing fantastic, however then I’ll learn one thing incredible and really feel down, like, “Ah, I’m not doing in addition to I believed I used to be.”
No, however you want that. It’s obligatory. I imply, that’s why everybody strikes right here to L.A. or to New York. When you’re the large canine wherever you at, you must get the fuck out of there. I’m saying each second you waste round in rooms the place you’re the most effective comedian, you’re losing your time. It’s good to be round those that make you sharp. And with folks each night time [that] make you go, “Holy shit. I have to rewrite some shit.” You need that every single day, to see someone that’s higher than you.
So, when have you learnt you’re leveling up precisely? Is it simply based mostly on the laughs?
I suppose there’s no technique to quantify getting higher at comedy, however folks near you may inform. “Oh man, you’re higher now.” And whenever you get that … you inform your jokes in another way. I imply more often than not it means you’re telling them higher, however I’m positive if I take heed to that very same actual joke with the identical actual wording from 5 years in the past, it’ll sound completely different.