Matt Kelly

Today I am interviewing Matt Kelly, a comedian born in Bloomfield, NJ who has been doing comedy for five years. To find out more about Matt, please visit his website.

Why did you start doing stand-up comedy?

Because I wanted to perform and I wanted to control what I said. I had done theater in high school and college, I even did some off off off (keep adding off until it is hilarious) Broadway plays when I first got out of college and they were great experiences but I didn't want to play another character on stage. I wanted to say what I thought not what was already written, not that I had anything profound to say (though I do believe the world needs to be reminded every now and then that Keanu Reeves is in fact a terrible actor). I just wanted to say funny things that popped into my head, then I found out you had to right them down and do them correctly over and over again to keep them funny. You watch any late night host and that is what got me into comedy (Letterman and Conan especially). They come up with the most random things and made me laugh, who would not want to be part of that.

What is the one thing you want people to know about you?

My one thing is a couple of things (at least from a comedy perspective). I am not using my act on you when I am talking to you. I am not going to mine you for jokes. I do take some things seriously. It's all just jokes.

How did performing stand-up comedy change you?

Well performing stand up helped me be a better stand up. I used to be this little comedy robot "Here are my jokes, there go my jokes, thank you good night." Every watch tape of yourself in the beginning? God, I'm always waiting for myself to throw up or black out, and in some cases that would be better than continuing. The more you go on stage the more you realize a lot of it isn't even what you say but how you project yourself to the audience. People want to like you, but they don't want to be forced fed your comedy, they want to be comfortable with you. Once they are you can say anything.

The other thing it did for me was make me realize how much you have to work for what you want. In stand up you have to take care of your writing, your performance and you have to sell yourself while trying not to become so jaded that some bitterness seeps into your act or life. That is a tough road to walk.

That second part seems kind of heavy huh? I didn't mean it to be. The comics I know, hang out with, all seem to pretty well adjusted for the group of glory whores we all wish to be.