What do your parents think of your job?
I’m very lucky. My parents are super supportive and very proud of me. Ever since I was little they have told me to follow my dreams. That’s why I’m now a professional nudist/trapeze artist. Kidding. They love that I’m a gay clown which is what they call my stand-up comedy career.
What’s the worst thing about being a comedian?
Telling people that you’re a comedian. The response is usually “prove it. Tell me a joke.” I find jokes out of the context of a stand-up show are not something you really want to say in conversation. When someone is doing bits at me when we’re just talking I’m often wishing they would stop lol. Most comedians I am friends with feel the same way. We just want to be people in real life and save the jokes for the stage.
I think you are very good at what you do (that’s why I’m asking these questions). What do you think of you?
I’m getting better about feeling good about myself. I think a lot of queer people (and probably a lot of comedians) have an inner voice that tells us we’re worthless. She’s in my head for sure but honestly the more stand-up I do the quieter she gets. Every time I do stand-up I feel proud that I was brave enough to get up and do it. That’s helped me feel a lot better about myself. I’d even venture as far to say that I’m in my confidence era. Especially because of this show. It encompasses every skill I’ve ever had and I have focused them into this very unique show that I am so proud of. I’m doing stand-up, musical comedy, improv and even a little drag. And I am REALLY saying what I want to say in a way that only I could. That feels fucking RAD.
How much do you earn and how much would you like to earn?
This past year I’ve started making real money from comedy. It feels amazing to know that people want to come out and see me! But because I book my own tours myself I spend a LOT of money on flights, hotels and Ubers so I’d love to get to a point where I am making enough money to know that I don’t have to have a side hustle job. I currently teach improv in rehab centers when I’m not touring my comedy show and I love it but I’d love to sit down and watch reality tv and focus on my jokes instead. So I am thinking somewhere between 8 billion dollars a year to 800 trillion.
How important is luck in terms of career success – have you had lucky breaks?
I try my best to avoid thinking about how important luck is because I can’t control it but the truth is its massively important in every aspect of the entertainment industry. I believe persistence and talent will take you far but I know a LOT of wildly talented and hard working people who are not as famous as they should be. I have been lucky many times. I got to be part of the original off-broadway cast of 50 Shades the Musical written by the amazing musical improv troupe Baby Wants Candy. I met some amazing comedy people through that job and it paid my rent in New York City for a year and a half, but when it comes to stand-up I am ready for my break. I am going to play Lucky by Britney Spears every day from this moment until it happens and I get to hold a fake Oscar and sit on a star throwing glitter on people like she does in that amazing music video.
Alan Davies has said that comedians fall into two categories - golfers and self-harmers. The former just get on with life, the latter are tortured artists. Which are you – or do you think you fit into third category?
In the gay world I am what’s known as vers. I think it applies here. I am versatile in my oscillation from tortured artist to someone who rolls with the punches. I believe I am getting better at not beating myself up and not taking this whole thing too seriously, but it does not come naturally to me. There is for sure something inside of me (not talking about gay positions anymore though this applies) that is extremely self-critical. That can be deeply hard (again not talking about being gay here but it also applies!). I think a lot of great artists are very self-critical, but the past few years I have challenged myself to worry less about how perfect my comedy is and just putting out as much as possible. That has helped me grow my online following and in turn I think I am getting better just from doing more. Anti-depressants have helped with that too! I think a lot of tortured comedians fear that medication like that may change your comedic voice. For me it kept my voice exactly in tact - it just offered some relief so I can speak a little kinder to myself and produce more of that saucy, snarky comedy I love to make.
Who is your favorite person ever and why – not including family or friends or other comedians?
There was this woman who worked at Starbucks on my university campus. Her name was Shawn and she was always in an amazing mood. We would chat forever when I came in and she just made me happy. Sometimes you meet people who you just click with and she was one of those people. She also was a STAR like she just had an it factor. You just wanted to be around this woman. And I love when someone is hilarious but doesn’t do comedy for a living. Shawn was so deeply funny.
Do you keep your drawers tidy and if not why not? (please think long and hard about this question, it's to settle an argument with my girlfriend. The future of our relationship could depend on your response).
Hahahaha first of all I love this question. It has been the source of many flights between my fiancé and I. My drawers are an absolute outright mess. Nothing fits. I am terrible at folding. My clothes are always wrinkled. For a gay man I have surprisingly bad style presentation, because of those messy drawers. I tell my fiancé that I thrive in chaos but I think the truth is I likely have undiagnosed ADHD and anytime I think to try and organize those drawers I move on to something else because I feel overwhelmed. Or I try to clean them up and approximately 4 hours later they’re a disaster again.
Tim Murray's ‘Witches!’ is at the Underbelly – Dairy Room – Bristo Square at 9.20pm from 2nd – 28th August (not 14th). For tickets go to www.edfringe.com
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