DC Comedy Spotlight: Justin Schlegel

Justin Schlegel is one of the very few comics in DC/MD that can say "Yes, I am a professional comedian." In a town that continually asks "what have you done for me lately?" Justin has learned to take every opprotunity he can get. That type of fierce attitude has made him a familar face in DC's sketch, stand-up, radio and television (as the new local Toyota commerical spokesman) arenas. He has also has worked with Brian Regan, Lisa Lampanelli, Kathleen Madigan and Dave Attell. After you see him you won't be able to shake his image out of your brain. Justin is an animal.

[Updated with interview. Click the jump!]

Justin has just finished up a lengthy tour of Yuk Yuk Comedy Clubs in Canada this summer and continues to travel all over the country. When he is in town you can catch him performed at various DC spots such as; The Laughing Lizard, Riot Act Comedy Club[now closed], Cafe Rendezvous, Cafe Soho, The Hyatt in Bethesda, Wiseacres, Baltimore Comedy Factory, Arlington Cinema Draft House, The Comedy Spot, The DC Improv and almost any open mic that pops up.

This Thursday, Dec. 13th, Justin will be performing at the Arlington Cinema DraftHouse w/ Jon Mumma and Jay Hastings.
7:30pm
$10

Then you can catch them again at the Baltimore Comedy Factory Dec. 28th-29th.

Don't miss your opprotunity to see one of DC's most outrageous comedians before another city sweeps him away!



Bonus Video: Deadwood Pancakes

Justin Schlegel Interview:

*When did you realize that you wanted to do comedy?

I have always known that I wanted to make people laugh. Making people laugh (at work, at school, at home) always provided me with an instant sense of "This person laughing accepts and likes me", and thats a feeling that is hard to not want constantly. I realized I wanted to make a LIFE of it while I was working in radio. I worked for various radio stations for a few years (even shared a station with a one Larry Poon!), and after awhile I began to write comedy for some morning shows. After seeing how bad it was butchered to meet the standards and practices of the station is was to be broadcast on, I started just writing for myself, found some open mics, and let is slowly spiral outward until I was making enough money to get by on.

*Who were some of your earliest influences?

Some of my earliest comedic influences make NO sense when I write them down, but here goes...

JON CLEESE and SAM KINISON.

*What about them captivated you?

I loved the dry, backhanded, sarcastic wit of Jon Cleese, and all his Python troupe-mates. He was SO sharp, and so cunning with his humor, but at the same time, he was so willing to completely act like an ass and be dumb (see "Silly Walk" as an example). I think every "Alternative Comic" out there wants to be like Jon Cleese, but they take themselves way too seriously to do so. That's what Cleese did right, he never took himself seriously.

Kinison had an impact on me because it just seemed SO grown up to me, and SO violently over the top. This guy put on a spectacle, that regardless of what you felt about his material (which was VERY confrontational), you HAD to pay attention to and find entertaining. He blended the best parts of anger, humor, and rock-n-roll into one balls to the wall event with every show, and whether or not you were laughing, you DAMN sure were entertained.

*Where did you first perform?

Fraziers on the Avenue in Hamden, Baltimore. It's a greasy little hipster shit box that has no real sound system, and ZERO interest in ever doing comedy again.

*What was your first paid gig?

July 10, 2004. Jillians at Arundel Mills. I hosted for Sean Joxe, and Doug Powell.

*Do you prefer to write on or off stage?

I just like to write, it doesn't matter where. If I come up with something in my car, i'll jot it down. If I riff on stage, and it hits, i'll write it down. My problem is, ideas don't come all that naturally to me, so I write much less than I wish I did.

*Do you enjoy the process of writing?

I hate it. I get so frustrated by it. I see guys cranking out joke after joke, week after week, show after show, and I get jealous (a major problem of mine), and very frustrated. When something good DOES come up in my mind, I am very excited, and can't wait to get it out, but sadly, that is a rare occurance.
*What about performing live do you enjoy?

*Do you ever want to convey a message?

Never, I want to entertain. If you want to convey a message, write a book.

*What's hacky to you?

I'm not going to go into specifics about material, because as long as it's original, i'm for it. I do think that comics can have some hacky habits though, such as:

-Giving YOURSELF a nickname. I'd rather laugh at someone named Esther Gumpleman, that be tortured with shit material by "Mac Money dat Joke Masta".
-Calling YOURSELF "controversial". Ever notice how ACTUAL controversial comics, never intended to be?
-Calling a 3 show run a "tour". You're not Springsteen ass-hat.

...and fucking guitar acts. Unless you're Doug Powell, put down the 6-string, and tell a fucking joke.

*What is your day job?

Comedian full time. And JUST fucking barely.

*Where do you plan on moving next?

Some days LA, some days NYC, other days happy where i'm at. I'm too all over the place mentally to say for sure. San Fran sures looks nice.

*How do you feel about the comedy scene in DC?

Some days i'm very proud to be apart of it. I'm recently a transplant to this area, having just moved from a comedically barren Baltimore City. Though only 45 minutes apart, its meant the world to be closer to friends, open mics, and opportunities that just weren't available up north. There is a lot of great young talent around here that I want to see do well, and that DESERVES to do well. Other days i'm frustrated that the area has too many comics, not enough venues, and some of the venues that we do have are run by people that either FAILED at comedy (making them a shit judge of whats good and bad, and put a chip on their now power-hungry shoulders), or have no idea what makes a comedy show entertaining. (Hosts having 90 shit newbies ruin what could be a good show, and then begging you, the feature or headliner, to "Kick up the energy! I need you to save the show!").

*What would you change?

I'd want people in comedy around here to take a step back, and ask themselves, "Am I in this for the long haul? Am I going to do what it takes to make it OUTSIDE of DC?" ala Rory Scovel, Ryan Conner, Jared Stern, and Danny Rouhier. I see some funny people around here that are REMARKABLY talented, but will forever be making people laugh at open mics, freebie shows, and local one-nighters because they don't have the drive and hustle to move past this primordial ooze. DC is .0001% of what is out there that needs to be seen and conquered, and if you're just going to swim in the shallow waters of the open mic scene your whole "career", get out of the pool, because there are other people that need to do some laps. I'd rather see you support local comedy, that use up stage time at an open mic just to prepare yourself for another open mic...

*Who would you most like to kill, and bury the body of in a shallow grave in the desert?

Dimitri Martin. He's a hipster, pretentious, too-cool-for-the-room douche bag that is a white head on the rectum of comedy.