The Humourdor | An Interview with Rob Delaney.

An Interview with Rob Delaney.

Rob Delaney has been described “as the funniest man on twitter” - which is actually a pretty big statement these days. What’s more impressive is that he’s as funny on stage as he is behind a keyboard. Delaney is an active player on both the LA & New York comedy circuit, and in addition to the aforementioned Twitter, he also writes a weekly column for Vice magazine about comedy’n’stuff, and is touring his new show “Naked and Bloody”. What separates him from the huge number of faceless aspiring comedians (other than his success) is the fact that he is straight up about comedy, he knows it, and as a result he’s naturally funny. Go watch a video, but read this interview first!

The Humourdor: Why did you want to get into stand up initially? Was it something you’ve always wanted to do?

Rob Delaney: My dad would play Bill Cosby albums on road trips with the family when I was a kid and we all enjoyed those very much. My sister and I loved to sit in the backseat and pretend we were Steve Martin and Dan Aykroyd as the Czechoslovakian swinger brothers on Saturday night live. So joking around was always seen as an asset in my family. My mom is very funny too and a big influence on my sense of humor. I thought to do it seriously myself after doing improv for a couple years and realizing I’d rather just say exactly whatever funny nonsense was on my mind. Nothing ever made me happier than making people laugh.

H: How would you describe your stand-up to those who haven’t heard of you?

RD: I don’t know; scumbag who reads a lot? I’m usually fairly dirty because I just plain enjoy saying things you’re not supposed to say in polite company. But I’m a “happy” comedian too; I’m not nihilistic or incurably angry, really. But I naturally talk about social issues like gender stuff and sexual politics and such because that stuff is endlessly fascinating to me. I’m also married and a dad so I talk about the stuff I learn in that arena that I’m worried about or curious about or frustrated with. I’m also aware that I look like a newscaster so it can be surprising when abject filth comes out of my mouth.

H: What’s the most important thing you’ve learned since you got started in comedy?

RD: Be patient, I suppose. OBVIOUSLY you have to work your ass off in the face of unbelievable odds and just be naturally funny to begin with. But even then it takes time to build a career and make a living and I think that’s what (rightfully) takes a lot of people out of the game. Also, be a nice person. I guess I “knew” that to begin with, but success in any career takes years and you’ll see the same people over and over, so be a cool person to be around. Why not, you know?

H: Who would you say your influences are? Do you ever see echoes of their work in yours?

RD: Bill Cosby and Steve Martin as mentioned above. But also Chris Rock, Richard Pryor, Maria Bamford, and Louis CK. With the exception of Steve Martin all those people talk about family, and God knows I do too. I try to retain the humility that Cosby, Pryor and Louis CK have about their foibles. Vulnerability and humility are indispensable in a comedian, as far as I’m concerned. A cocky comedian, wearing ”emotional armor,” so to speak, who doesn’t let the world really affect him is the worst thing there is. I hate that.

H:Even the greatest comedians have had nights where they’ve really bombed- how hard is it to come back to stand-up after one of these shows?

RD: As hard as it is to hit the bottle when you have a hangover. Necessary. I can’t wait to get back on stage after I bomb. OF COURSE you bomb sometimes if you do comedy. I first did standup about eight years ago, so I’m a YOUNG comedian. I still bomb sometimes. I think it would be weird if I didn’t. That’s the good thing about being married and a dad. I bombed? So what? Did my kid eat food that day? Can I
figure out why I bombed and repeat those mistakes? That is my responsibility.

H: Comedy is saturated: what do you think makes you stand out from the rest of the crowd? What makes your stand up different?

RD: I don’t know, I mean, I’m not curing diseases (or even getting Americans [or Africans] access to healthcare that could cure those diseases) so I’m aware that there are more important things in the world than my jokes. That said, I suppose I have my own proprietary blend of “smarts” and “filth?” Maybe? And within that, I believe what I’m talking about. I no longer do too many jokes that don’t involve a theme or idea that I really care about.

H; Are there any comedians,or styles, that you particularly admire? And any that you don’t?

RD: The people I listed above are great. And to restate what I said earlier, I don’t care about comedians who are just talking about pop culture or being “cool.” That drives me nuts. I’ve really enjoyed watching recent standup by Sarah Silverman. Everyone knows she’s great, but she continues to challenge herself and is delving into much deeper, more serious stuff about her life that is very inspiring to watch. And she remains an amazing, highly skilled joke writer so to see those two things together is to see some world-class, heavyweight standup. There is a lot of comedy I don’t like, but I wouldn’t waste anyone’s time with what that is. It’s not useful. When I find myself not liking another comedian, it’s time for me to go write some of my own jokes and not be a whiny little sissy.

H: Which do you prefer: writing or performing? Why?

RD: I need to do both. They both make me happy. And they depend on each other. I get a higher high from performing though. I write so that I may perform. So it’s important for me to say that while I may have more endorphins flowing when I perform, I couldn’t do it if I didn’t write it and prepare it first.

H: Where does the inspiration for your stand up come from? What is your writing process like?

RD: My inspiration comes from my personal life primarily. Be it what I’m experiencing on a day to day basis or what’s occupying my thoughts. I don’t watch a lot of TV and I don’t depend on what’s happening in the news. What do I want? What do I fear? What do I want to put my penis in? What do I perceive as wrong with me or in my life? What issues am I butting up against again and again? And what is funny about it? Why might anyone else possibly want to hear about it?

H: Are there any ideas that you find yourself returning to when writing your material? What do you think are you favourite things to talk about on stage?

RD: I talk about sex a lot. I talk about women’s and men’s bodies a lot and sexual politics. I am absolutely blown away by the differences between men and women. I cannot imagine fully tapping that source of material. I mean, half the world is men, half is women and we are so wildly, unbelievably different from each other and exploring those differences is certainly one of my favorite things to do. Plus after
my parents got divorced I lived with my mom and my sister and I’ve just always felt slightly more comfortable in the presence of women than men. I have plenty of men friends that are great and I love to be around, but for a big, hairy, blustery, alpha sort of guy, I really love to be around women and I think that’s evident in my comedy.

H: Do you think comedy is something that should be cerebral, that people should pick apart, or can it just be a bunch of silliness that people laugh at? What sort of comedy do you prefer?

RD: I don’t think someone can be truly, enduringly funny if they’re not smart. And I mean street smart and emotionally smart rather than having a high IQ. There are plenty of comedians who would be described as cerebral that I don’t care for. Obviously, I think about and analyze comedy all day every day, whether that’s good or bad. And I often laugh loudest at a club watching other comedians because I still so genuinely enjoy comedy. So I can turn my analytical mind “off,”
thank goodness and just enjoy. I guess I like comedians who are smart but have an even bigger heart than they do brain.

H: Your something of a twitter sensation- what is it you like about twitter and how useful a device do you think the internet is for comedians generally?

RD: To me, there’s a major parallel between the purity of Twitter and that of standup. You’re funny on Twitter or you’re not, just like on stage. There’s nowhere to hide. Plus it forces you to up your game when someone could very easily unfollow you when there are extremely funny people from all over the world, many, many of whom aren’t even professional comedians or writers. So Twitter helps me workshop ideas and themes that I’ll bring into my longer-form writing and standup. I use Twitter, as many do, as a gym to work out and get better as a comedian. But you’re still onstage in this “gym,” so you want to impress everyone by benching a lot of weight. It’s like working out with a bunch of partners rather than scribbling jokes in your basement with nobody watching. For that reason I’m very grateful we have Twitter. The internet is, as far as I can tell, indispensable to comedians today. Steve Martin is on Twitter. So is the guy who bombed at an open mic in Des Moines last night.

H: Are there any upcoming projects that you’d like to promote/shed some light on?

RD: I’m touring the country doing my show “Naked & Bloody.” Next stops are
Oklahoma City and Denver.