Stand Down: A Peek Behind the Curtain of Stand-Up Comedy
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Would you find it odd to get punched in the gut by a total stranger right before work?
Comedians don’t. Not really. It’s just something that comes with the territory, especially when working gigs downtown.
Being a stand-up comic is unlike any other job out there. Just ask Daniel Reskin, formerly known as the Godfather of Miami’s alt comedy scene who most recently got gut punched while crossing the street before our Pitch Lab workshop.
Actually, you don’t even have to ask him. You can simply tune in to episode six of his new podcast Stand Down, where I had the pleasure of being a guest. Daniel and I have known each other for years, and we had a great chat about, among other things, “Outgrowing Yourself.”
When Jay Met Daniel
The first time I met Daniel was 2010 in Miami. He had the longest-running mic in South Florida housed inside Sweat Records. Casa de Haha was the name of his beloved comedy showcase, born in this iconic record store.
Every Tuesday he hung different vinyl records on the wall behind the performing comedians. On my first night there he had George Carlin, Richard Pryor and Sam Kinision albums as the backdrop. I was psyched to share the stage with legends I grew up listening to with my old man.
Daniel has always been a comic’s comic and a true artist at heart. I’m lucky enough to call him my friend. And even luckier to have Daniel co-host our more memorable Pitch Lab workshops. He brings a ton of authenticity, perspective and well, jokes. Insanely funny jokes.
The Birth of ‘Stand Down’ Podcast
Recently, after 15 years of ups and downs, Daniel stopped doing stand-up to pursue other endeavors. These include producing television, short films and podcasts. As mentioned, his latest podcast is called Stand Down. But we didn’t mention how it got that name. In Daniel’s own words:
“Stand Down is a podcast about the love/hate relationship with comedy and why stand-ups stand down. Sure, stand-up comedy is a wonderful art form beyond compare, but it can shred some people up like tender barbacoa. There are countless incredible comics that had to stop because life happened. Sometimes, part of doing comedy is not doing comedy.”
I mustered up all my optimism at the start of quarantine to appear on Stand Down for a lighter episode where Daniel and I talk about why we get onstage, tips for making your next Zoom meeting better, and, yes, the time Daniel got punched by a total stranger right before our now infamous Pitch Lab workshop at AOR.
I’ve appeared on a handful of podcasts to date, but this by far was my favorite. If you’re even remotely interested in taking a peek behind the curtain of stand-up comedy, this episode is for you.
And if you don’t have 43 minutes but want the gist, here are a few highlights:
Why Anthony Jeselnik’s inauthentic persona is an anomaly @ 9:25
What I admire most about Chris Rock, Lewis Black and Bill Hicks @ 16:25
My biggest regret during my time on stage as a stand-up comedian @ 27:52
Or if you’d rather not look at my kid’s messy playroom in the background for 45 minutes, check it out on iTunes here.
