87: Nick Thune – How to Become a Successful Comedian
It’s one thing to want to do something and it’s another thing to just do it, whether or not anyone’s asked you to.
Today I’m talking to one of the funniest guys I know, someone I’ve known since my Seattle days, Nick Thune. Since our time in the Northwest, he has moved down to Hollywood where he has become a big time comedian. He has had specials on Comedy Central, has been on tour all over the world, and is writing and acting in movies and TV.
Today we’re talking about how he got his start in comedy and his growing career. Listen in to hear Nick talk about the importance of branding and social media, his writing process, and his advice for new comedians. Most people have a tenacity and a drive that really pushes them to reach the top of their game, and Nick certainly has that. His passion for comedy really shows, and I think that has been a huge part of how he’s gotten the success that he has today.
You have to be a maniac to think that you’re going to make it.
Some things we learn in this podcast:
- What he considers his first comedic performances [4:40]
- How he got his first job in TV [7:45]
- Getting serious about standup [11:00]
- The best advice he got from an acting coach [13:30]
- Why the year he spent doing over 500 shows was the best year of his life [19:40]
- How he works on his different careers [24:55]
- What it’s like to tour [27:45]
- How his brand has changed [33:25]
- Why it took him a while to be proud of his own work [41:10]
- What his writing process is like [43:20]
- How he pulls material from life [52:15]
- His advice for new comedians looking to get in the game [57:50]
- The role of social media [58:50]
- Why you have to be open to inspiration [1:07:00]
Links mentioned:
- Check out comedians Mitch Hedberg and Ron Funches
- Watch Nathan For You
- Watch Nick’s Disarmed video
- Watch Nick on The Tonight Show Part 1 & Part 2
- Music Credit: Castles by Appleby
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