DELRAY BEACH – At some point in their careers – usually near the start – most comedians experience feelings of inadequacy and jealousy.
Joe Rogan is the latest famous comedian to admit battling those issues.
A famous podcaster, television host, actor and comedian, Rogan obviously managed to overcome those issues and experiences immense success.
How did he do it? Rogan re-discovered a love for what prompted him to take the stage in the first place: a love of listening to stand-up comedy.
By changing his mindset, Rogan became a better comedian while simultaneously enjoying the success of other comics. It’s a lesson worth sharing.
Also in today’s Stand-Up Spotlight there are stories about comedians Vir Das and Maz Jobrani who are including biting social commentary about their native country – India and Iran, respectively – in their stand-up comedy sets. There’s also news about Marc Maron’s upcoming HBO special.
Let’s get after the funny, folks.
STAND-UP SPOTLIGHT – Jan. 26, 2023
Joe Rogan Recalls Being Jealous and Insecure During the Early Days of Doing Stand-Up Comedy & How He Overcame It
Renowned commentator and podcaster Joe Rogan is a man with multiple endeavors. Besides commentating in UFC and hosting the world’s biggest podcast, he also has indulged in performing stand-up comedy. However, everything wasn’t always mellow for Joe Rogan. The 55-year-old has come clean about his early struggles while doing stand-up comedy. Rogan is not known to be the best comedian in the world, but has had his fair share of success. He has several comedy specials to his name, including shows with Netflix. Rogan states that he loves watching comedy and considers it to be the best type of art form. He said, “It’s a fun art form, man. It’s still my favorite thing to watch after all these years.”
Vir Das Was Called a Terrorist for Telling Jokes. It Only Made Him Funnier.
In this episode of The Last Laugh podcast, Das breaks down how he managed to turn one of the most painful experiences of his life into his strongest hour of stand-up yet in Landing, which premiered on Netflix this past December. He opens up about what it felt like to be labeled a “terrorist” for speaking out against injustice, shares how he pulled off the “magic trick” at the center of his special, and responds to American comedians who complain about getting “canceled” but have never been threatened with imprisonment for telling jokes.
Along with the jokes, Maz Jobrani offers some insight about upheaval in his native Iran
Maz Jobrani has been a comedy star for nearly 25 years now, with key roles on network sitcoms including “Superior Donuts” and “The Kings of Prosperity.” He’s also had several successful stand-up specials, including “Immigrant” (2017) and “Pandemic Warrior” (2021).
He will be performing three shows this weekend at the Den Theatre in Wicker Park. While he’s intent on serving up plenty of laughter on life as an immigrant, overcoming the pandemic and his wife and family, this time around he will also spend a few minutes at the end of each show discussing a decidedly serious topic with the audience: the massive protests currently taking place in his native land of Iran.
‘Marc Maron: From Bleak to Dark’, HBO Stand-Up Comedy Special
Comedian and podcaster Marc Maron stars in his first-ever HBO comedy special filmed in front of a live audience at New York City’s Town Hall. Over the course of a hilarious and deeply personal hour, Maron explores such universal topics as getting older, antisemitism and faith, and the superiority of having cats over children – especially during the pandemic. The comedian also opens up about the loss of his partner in 2020 and reestablishing his complicated relationship with his father. Funny and fearless, “Marc Maron: From Bleak To Dark” showcases the comedian’s expertly layered cynicism as he deftly weaves humor and pathos into his signature style of storytelling.
