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I'm Melinda Hill and I have a comedy show called Tiger Lily.
I found an alley out back where I asked people what they wanted to be when they grew up.
This is All Growz Up.
Hi.
What did you want to be when you grew up? I just wanted everybody to like me.
I remember having a very, uh, distinct... What job is that?
...fantasy. So far not this one. When did you know you were funny?
The first time I made people laugh on purpose, I was at a party
of adults and there were these three women standing around me and they were
like asking me questions and stuff, I was like five years old, and
one lady goes, she goes, oh my god you are so cute.
and I said, my mom said I could sleep over.
And they cracked up and I knew I was joking
and I was like, ooh is this something. I like this feeling.
I didn't sleep with that lady but I probably could've.
What advice has helped you become a successful comedian?
Whenever you think you should be getting something, that next
show, or that next gig or that next opportunity,
wait another year. And that's what happens. So when you think you're
supposed to get it,
you don't. So you're never happy. What advice would you give aspiring comedians?
Only do - and I made this mistake in the beginning, so that's why I know from experience -
Only do what YOU think is funny.
And let them come around. Because if you start doing stuff to make people laugh
you will become forgettable in no time. What is your writing process?
I think of something funny during the day and then
I don't think about it at all. And then I go on stage and think about it again like
it's fresh
and then I work it out with the crowd there. And they give me the energy to think of
better stuff than I could have thought of by myself.
So basically what happens is, I bring up an idea, which is like jumping off a cliff,
and then I try to build my parachute
before I hit the ground. And sometimes you do! And it's a great landing,
and a lot of times you just, you die.
You splat. How do you you deal with bombing? Bombing changes over your career.
In the beginning when you bomb it's the worst thing that can happen you, and you're
like I'll never survive and I gotta get outta here.
And then once you know how to work a room that like, if you're really bombing
like they really don't like you and you've been doing comedy for ten years,
you almost are like, this is exciting.
It's like a... a roller coaster and you didn't, you don't have the bar down and you're like oh my god.
[music plays]