Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 47:36 — 43.6MB)
Stephen Rosenfield and I had a great conversation about comedy, how one can learn the craft, how comedians prepare and how he got his start.
Stephen is the director and founder of the American Comedy Institute where folks with the comedy bug can receive great training either by way of their monthly comedy classes or in their year long program.
I happen to know Stephen from working on the website for the school. It’s a great resource if you’d like to know more about how you can join in!
Topics covered in the interview:
- Intro (0:00)
- How we met through Ted Greenberg and The Complete Performer (2:13)
- How it all began, working on the writing (4:58)
- Growing up and being funny and the need to express yourself (7:39)
- Being well rounded as a comedian, Louie CK (10:11)
- Taking note of subjects and attitudes that are working (15:50)
- Comedians that have reinvented their persona (19:48)
- Comedians who seem to be making it up on the fly have worked hard to prepare (22:03)
- Stephen’s role as teacher, how to create a hyphenated career (25:50)
- The One Year Program at American Comedy Institute (27:06)
- Doing “bringer shows” (bringing in an audience to the clubs) and when comedy was “rock and roll” (32:45)
- How to build and audience as a performer (39:15)
- Keeping warm after bombing (42:07)
As usual my buddy Sal Clemente (of Ultrasonic Rock Orchestra) who wrote the podcast theme song, “Here We Go Again,” plays us out.