Meet Amanda French | Standup Comedian

We had the good fortune of connecting with Amanda French and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Amanda, how do you define success?
I define success as forward progress. I know in terms of my standup comedy, it’s about being further down the line from where I started. If I am growing and becoming a better comedian, that is success for me. Of course, I do have goals that I am constantly reaching for, but I also want to acknowledge the journey.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I am a standup comedian and I just really love being on stage and making people laugh. The process of that is incredibly rewarding when everything hits and I am able to connect with the audience. I love writing and seeing it all come together in the performance.

Most people in my life would not expect that I would be a standup comedian and I love to be able to surprise them. I started improv and then standup comedy as a way to help with public speaking, but I just loved being on stage and making people laugh. I started with classes and then with improv jams and open mics. Networking like in many other professions is crucial.

The journey definitely has many challenges. Networking is not my strong suit and I often don’t feel seen. Technology and social media are important for the business side of comedy. However, I am older and not a fan of the different platforms and apps needed to achieve various tasks.

My comedy is personal and most of the jokes come from my real life experiences. It’s fun for me to be able to share my life on stage. I don’t love bombing on stage, but have been told many times that it’s actually good to do so. Comedy can really trigger much growth if you don’t run from it. There is a therapeutic aspect to it as well. One of the hardest things to overcome is seeing peers having opportunities that I would like to have. It’s an exercise in growth to focus on the good things I have going on in my journey and not get caught up in other people’s journeys.

I am proud of how I have progressed on my comedy journey. It’s important for me to keep working on being the best comedian that I can be and to keep getting out there. One thing that has helped me when I felt opportunities eluded me was to start producing and co-producing comedy shows. This has been super rewarding for me. I love providing stage time for others and putting on a quality show for the community.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
This is a hard one for me because I am not super social as far as going out. If I go out, it’s usually to one of the many comedy clubs in the DFW area. I do like to get out in nature and go to a place like Ray Robert’s State Park in Pilot Point or the Arbor Hills Nature Preserve in Plano. I love country dancing so maybe some place like Cowboys Red River in Dallas could be on the itinerary.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I have had some great support along the way, but I want to dedicate the shoutout to my husband Steven. Without his support on multiple levels, I would not be chasing this dream of standup comedy.

Website: https://amandafrenchcomedy.net/

Instagram: https://instagram.com/amandafrenchcomedy

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/amandafrenchcomedy

Other: https://www.gigsalad.com/amanda_french_comedy_denton

Image Credits
Sam Brand Photography Arnie Diaz Photography Katy Alley