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What Childhood Trauma Led You To Be Funny?

9/4/2026

Oh man, where do I start. To begin with, I had a pretty amazing childhood. My parents were tough and stingy with their affection but they provided me with a roof and, later in life, spoiled me with material goods.

Being a middle eastern kid with huge buck teeth (later braces) and big nose was not easy but the biggest obstacle I faced was bring short. I was “traumatized” because I was so short. I remember vividly that for junior high graduation, we graduated by height because thats how the rows would line up on stage “best” according to the program director. I was 4 ’11 and there was one girl shorter than me but because she was allegedly going to wear heels, I was the shortest one in my class (by half an inch) so I graduated last.

I hated being short. When I got to high school I was so afraid that I would be stuffed into my locker because thats what my friend’s older brother said would happen to me and I saw it happen in movies. While that never happened, I was still made fun of for being short. And I had to act like it didn’t bother me so I would deflect as best as I could.

I was a late bloomer and always felt like an outsider so I just wanted to blend in. I just wanted to be part of the crowd and not singled out back then, so I would try to be funny and sarcastic and when I made people laugh, I felt a rush and for once, I felt…. tall.

But honestly, my friends were funnier than me (still are?) and being funny on stage is different than being funny in real life. And when I got older (and taller), I didn’t want to be blend it. I leaned into my differences and embraced them. Maybe those obstacles benefit me after all.

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Does What You Wear Impact the Quality of Your Set?

8/27/2026

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Sometimes. Obviously if its hot and I am wearing my signature “bomber jacket”, required when you do comedy after five years, I start to sweat and then I get nervous because people see the sweat and think I am sweating because I am nervous. It turns into a nightmare. On the other hand, I have a lot of tattoos on my arms with words on them, so when I wear a short sleeve shirt, I can feel people reading my tattoos, hence the bomber jacket. Damned if you do, damned if you don’t.

When I started, I wore button down shirts and that was “my look.” For a brief period of time years ago, I had to audition for a host role and I had to perform in a suit and tie. I hated it. It reminded me of going to court for years as a lawyer. I could feel my sets just drowning in stiffness. Maybe it was just the tie that I hated. I had a non-scripted comedy game show called “Everyone’s a Lawyer” where I hosted comedians acting as lawyers. I had to at least wear a sport coat so for THAT show and only that show, I did, but I also wore jeans and gym shoes. And no tie. I didn’t mind that.

Now, I go out of my way to match my shirt and/or my jacket with my gym shoes. It’s a look that helps me feel like I am ready to perform. I think it’s important to dress up for shows. People are going out, paying money to see you, the least you can do is shower and dress up. It also gives me some confidence to know I match.

Don’t get me started on comedians who wear shorts on stage. Come on!

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How Do You Manage the Ups & Downs of Comedy?

8/22/2026

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The last two weeks, I covered a good day and a bad day in comedy. Now its time for managing them, which was part three of the same question.

For me, I try not to get too down and also try not to get too up, maybe too much on the latter. I may not "smell the flowers" as much as I should or celebrate my wins loudly but I also am able to brush off the losses and failures. As a lawyer, I had to stay even keeled and grounded, even when tempers would flare or emotional responses would try to get the better of me. I am happy to say I got that mild and even temperament from my amazing father. He rarely showed positive emotions but the plus side was he very rarely yelled or lost his temper too. That's a win, right?

Staying in the middle has its benefits. When I have a bad show or a bad day, I sit in it for a bit and then am able to move on. While I don't celebrate the wins or enjoy my successes as much as perhaps I should, at least thats what I am told, I rather not be affected by them too much if it also means I won't spiral during the losses. Maybe it's emotional immaturity or keeping myself grounded. Maybe its personal safety, since stand up comedy is such a personal and difficult journey. It's the only career where you are reviewed every 30 seconds and if they don't like your product (jokes), its hard not to take it personally, since its just you up there and, at least in my case, its stories all about me. #standup #upsanddowns #comedy #journal #blog

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What's a Bad Day as a Comedian Look Like?

8/13/2026

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Last week I covered a good day, so it’s time for the bad. For some reason, this is easier to remember. During the actual daytime, it could be if your flight is delayed or cancelled and you can’t make a scheduled show. A worse day is a show that gets cancelled because of something out of your control, or worst ever, sales being low. Those hurt. Or you get moved from a show or a miscommunication about a show date turns into a show you no longer have. On the flip side, which is rare for me, is forgetting you had a show and getting a “What’s your ETA” message. That happened to me just once. Learning that you did not get into a festival that you auditioned for or any opportunity that you were hoping would happen is a sting that can lead to spiraling down a lane of negativity.

Some comedians report that getting a bad comment from a troll online can ruin their day, but I always engage with those idiots. Maybe it’s a sickness, but it’s cathartic for me. Especially if their comment was intended to make me “quit comedy” or be hurtful about my comedy. I alway engage because if they continue to respond and engage, it actually helps my algorithm and more people end up seeing me roast a jerk. Of course, I don’t have it as bad as women or trans comedians who get attacked for their appearance or just for being who they are. Those trolls need to be shamed but I can understand how that could be draining emotionally. Also posting a video on social media that you worked hard to write and edit doing poorly. That always hurts.

A bad night would be having set go poorly or getting interrupted by a heckler who derides a show. Those can sometimes hurt but bombing is part of the game at this point so a good bomb is something you can always find a silver lining in, unless the other items I mentioned above.

Of course, comedians are people too so personal drama or trauma can also affect your day, just as any in other career. Did I miss anything, fellow comedians?

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What Does a Good Day As a Comedian Look like?

8/7/2026

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First off, a good day is usually a good night. A new joke works, a set goes very well or you have an interaction or organic moment that is captured my video that you know will be a good clip for social media later. A good night can also be getting a compliment from a peer or an established comedian you respect or an audience member who says how much you made their night, especially if they really needed it. I cherish the messages or conversations I had with people who needed a laugh or a break from whatever struggles or sadness they were facing and told me I was able to provide that brief moment of joy for them.

As for a good “day”, it would be booking a show or a weekend at a club or an opportunity for stage time. It could also be a social media clip that goes viral and getting positive comments from fans.

The greatest feeling for a comedian is having a good set or having a new joke work. I have had a lot of “good days” and good nights outside of comedy including winning trials as a lawyer, having a small role on a national tv show or commercial, a first kiss, going to a concert with my best friends and performing music for a sold out show. But very few days compare to the days of my greatest shows as a comedian. I still think about the times where I “got the light” at shows which means I had to get off stage and I was sad because I never wanted to leave.