Meet Joey Johnson | Stand up comic

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

Hi Joey, how do you think about risk?
I feel dumb saying this but any good joke worth telling there is a risk involved. I’m not talking about punching down, but if a joke feels too safe, or too agreeable is it even really a joke? Jokes aren’t facts, while most are based in some sense of truth any good joke has to have some absurdity behind it. Meaning it gets laughs because of its state of ridiculousness or being unreasonable to some extent and sometimes there is a risk in unveiling that. The risk probably being that we live in such literal times I feel like. I don’t even think people are any more or less sensitive I think we have just become more literal. We all have so much access to so much information that any topic whether it be social, political, or whatever we all believe we are or at least have the ability to be somewhat of an expert on it. I’m not even talking about a joke making people mad, honestly sometimes you see someone in the audience just not even register what is funny about what you just said. I figure that’s because some people have been drilled with so much “literal” information they don’t see the absurdity or humor because in the back of their mind they are thinking “that’s not at all how it is”. If a joke doesn’t have a fun misdirect or a turn the audience doesn’t see coming then it’s just not fun for me to tell. That’s the risk I guess is putting yourself out there to either upset someone (no comic should set out to do this and those that do tend to be the absolute worst) or to just get a blank stare instead of a laugh. It’s all in all very silly because some people’s careers they walk out the door and may never see their family again. That’s a real risk. Meanwhile what I do the biggest risk is saying something into a microphone and in return getting a thousand yard stare that will destroy my self esteem for a good two to ten weeks.

Please tell us more about your work. We’d love to hear what sets you apart from others, what you are most proud of or excited about. How did you get to where you are today professionally. Was it easy? If not, how did you overcome the challenges? What are the lessons you’ve learned along the way. What do you want the world to know about you or your brand and story?
Other than I like to think I can roast with some of the best of them (I say this but the one roast competition I lost out of many I got straight buried) I honestly couldn’t tell you what sets me apart from other people in stand up. Not only is stand up comedy ever evolving but you as a comic are constantly growing and learning. They say it takes “ten years to find your voice”, meaning it takes a whole lot of stage time to figure out who you are in a sea of thousands and thousands of comedians (some of which are going through the same process of figuring out who they are). Honestly about eight years in and I am still learning something new every single time I get up. As the times change, as you change, its a constant learning experience. I guess that answers your next three questions. I got here by doing it as much as I possibly could over the past eight years and not a single moment of it has been easy. But it has been worth it each step of the way and any challenges I face on stage or even off can be solved/ helped by getting back up there and doing it again. Honestly that also answers the next two questions too. The lessons I have learned? To keep doing it, it gets better (we all don’t start out funny in fact pretty much every person ever to do stand up starts out miserably unfunny). In terms of my story, that is still currently unfolding. Talk to me five years from now, I may have a better answer or a better idea but honestly I cant imagine that I will. This industry is constantly changing and I can only hope to evolve with it. No one’s story in show business is ever done until (prepare for super cringe metaphor) the curtains actually close.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
My week tends to revolve around where the open mics/ comedy is happening. So I will incorporate that within my answrs I suppose.

Sunday: After a long weekend of shows and a nice payday my favorite Sunday spot for lunch has got to be 407 BBQ in in Argyle. That night I will likely spend at two of my favorite bar open mics in Denton, The Bearded Monk (a lovely craft beer off the Denton square) followed by the open mic at Dustys (a dingy, and I mean that in a good way, dive bar also off the square).

Monday: Monday’s tend to be my day of rest. A lot of ordering Chinese takeout and relaxing at home but for the sake of this fictional scenario where I have friends that want to come and visit me let’s say I take them to Deep Ellum. I am not much a drinker anymore these days but what a solid place to hang and catch a show where someone isn’t talking about their genitals (due to constantly being around comedy I wish I could attend more metal and/or hardcore shows).

Tuesday We are gonna start out for sure back in Denton, checking out a local favorite food spot Boca 31. Whatever special they are running that day is the go to. Just trust me. Tuesday night I don’t know. I tend to hit up the open mic at a new comedy club found in the Addison area called TK’s. An upscale comedy club/ bar/ restaurant with some of the best Shrimp and Grits money can buy.

Wednesday: We are doing more comedy. This time at the busiest open mic of the week, my home club Hyenas in Mockingbird Station (maybe go hit somewhere in Lower Greenville for a night cap afterwards but again not much of a drinker these days so I guess I will just watch).

Thursday: Thursday’s tend to be my busiest days of the week due to my live podcast I do at the Hyena’s in Fort Worth. Truly my favorite night of the week you have the pro show, followed by the open mic, all of which we set up our podcast equipment outside of an talk with whoever is there. Check out www.basementmanifesto.com for more info (shameless plug and in a sea of bad podcasts I am proud to say that this is not one).

Fridays and Saturdays: We will be going wherever I have shows at. If no shows and we can’t find something to do, guess what? I still end up spending my time at a comedy club (surprise). A lot of the time I go back to the Fort Worth Hyena’s and watch the show. Hang with some friends. Then dip out to some of my favorite spots around the area (see Scat Jazz Lounge or Dirty Murphy’s in the area).

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Other than whatever “traumatic events” that ruined my right brain hemisphere resulting in me feeling a compulsive need to crack jokes in the most inappropriate or sad times of my life, (I recently read an article about this and am not quite sure how to feel about it, but it most definitely explains why I am the way I am) I would say a lifetime of baseball made me who I am today. I played baseball most of my life, mainly as a pitcher. Being a pitcher involves a lot of downtime during what can be arguably a slow and sometimes boring sport. Most bullpens consist of a bunch of dudes trying to do anything to pass the time and entertain themselves. I really contribute a lot of my sense of humor to those times. So much so I was kicked off my college baseball team for “not taking anything serious”. So yeah shoutout baseball for that. Anytime I am doing some crowd work or am in a roast battle I like to think I am sort of channeling that chapter in my life. Also obvious shoutout to my family and friends who have supported me during whatever the hell I am doing here (the boring, cliche Oscar award winning answer but there are so many people I probably would be dead or in jail without their support). I would thank ‘the big man” upstairs or whatever but I honestly am not sure if we are on good terms.

Website: www.basementmanifesto.com

Instagram: @joeyquitscomedy

Twitter: @joeyquitscomedy

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/stfujoey/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCA7eB8vWNzDL0FhxOgf7eQg

Other: I am most actively posting about shows/ content on my Instagram so again follow @joeyquitscomedy to see where I will be next.

Image Credits
Diego Morales (@texaschuckle) Chase Otero (@chasesgramfam) Caleb Ray Scott (@calebrayscott) Sam Brand (@sambrandphoto)