Joel Kim Booster

But then as I slowly started to, like, get, you know, more successful in that area and get called into, like, shows at Steppenwolf or The Good Men or something like that, like, the big theaters, this was, like, hmm. 15 years ago. Like, so it wasn't, we were not having the conversations about diversity and casting that we're having now.

And so the more higher up the parts that were, the less interesting they became. They became more about like, just like caricature-y and like just not interesting parts, you know? And so I was working on a play called Five Lesbians Eating a Quiche as a writing assistant. It was an original play and it's exactly what it sounds like. And the comedian Beth Stelling was starring in that play.

And so the more higher up the parts that were, the less interesting they became. They became more about like, just like caricature-y and like just not interesting parts, you know? And so I was working on a play called Five Lesbians Eating a Quiche as a writing assistant. It was an original play and it's exactly what it sounds like. And the comedian Beth Stelling was starring in that play.

And she's, like, a pretty big comedian, especially if you're a comedy nerd, like, right now. And she was the one who was, like, you know, you write and you perform. You should try stand-up if you're really frustrated with, like, you know, the parts that you're getting called in for. She was, like, you can just, like, do it yourself. And she was the first person who suggested that.

And she's, like, a pretty big comedian, especially if you're a comedy nerd, like, right now. And she was the one who was, like, you know, you write and you perform. You should try stand-up if you're really frustrated with, like, you know, the parts that you're getting called in for. She was, like, you can just, like, do it yourself. And she was the first person who suggested that.

And, like, up till this point, like... I didn't know that standup would be like a place for me. Cause like when I was in high school, like the biggest name in standup comedy was Dane Cook and no disrespect to Dane Cook made me laugh, but like nothing about what Dane Cook was doing said to me, Oh, this is for you. You know? And like,

And, like, up till this point, like... I didn't know that standup would be like a place for me. Cause like when I was in high school, like the biggest name in standup comedy was Dane Cook and no disrespect to Dane Cook made me laugh, but like nothing about what Dane Cook was doing said to me, Oh, this is for you. You know? And like,

every time I'd been to a comedy club, it was like, I'd never felt like, you know, the joke straight. Yeah. No, I never felt like in on the joke with them. I felt like a part of the joke. So, um, and then I went and started seeing like really like all comedy in like bars in Chicago and like real and seeing people like Beth and Kumail and like, you know, people who were in Hannibal in Chicago.

every time I'd been to a comedy club, it was like, I'd never felt like, you know, the joke straight. Yeah. No, I never felt like in on the joke with them. I felt like a part of the joke. So, um, and then I went and started seeing like really like all comedy in like bars in Chicago and like real and seeing people like Beth and Kumail and like, you know, people who were in Hannibal in Chicago.

And I was like, Oh, this is what standup could be. I was like, I had no idea. And so I started doing it and doing well. And it slowly became like it started as this outlet for me to be like, get creative, get creative again and like sort of like, you know, feel like myself on stage. And then it just slowly took over and became way more interesting than anything else I was doing.

And I was like, Oh, this is what standup could be. I was like, I had no idea. And so I started doing it and doing well. And it slowly became like it started as this outlet for me to be like, get creative, get creative again and like sort of like, you know, feel like myself on stage. And then it just slowly took over and became way more interesting than anything else I was doing.

So I moved to New York like two years in to like really pursue it and like.

So I moved to New York like two years in to like really pursue it and like.

way you've lived a thousand lives it's crazy like you're just mastering talents and then moving on no i mean like you're mastering these skills and then you're like well i'm at the top and it's boring up here i actually wasn't at the top when i moved to new york in chicago in fact a lot of people told me they were like you're too green to go to new york yet like you haven't done yeah xyz show in chicago you haven't done this theater in chicago blah blah blah

way you've lived a thousand lives it's crazy like you're just mastering talents and then moving on no i mean like you're mastering these skills and then you're like well i'm at the top and it's boring up here i actually wasn't at the top when i moved to new york in chicago in fact a lot of people told me they were like you're too green to go to new york yet like you haven't done yeah xyz show in chicago you haven't done this theater in chicago blah blah blah

And the thing about that for me was is I kind of like figured this but like I moved to Chicago or to New York with a bunch of like the top people in Chicago at the time like people many classes above me. And the thing is no one gives a shit what you did in Chicago once you moved to New York. Yeah. You know, like we all started from zero. Yeah.

And the thing about that for me was is I kind of like figured this but like I moved to Chicago or to New York with a bunch of like the top people in Chicago at the time like people many classes above me. And the thing is no one gives a shit what you did in Chicago once you moved to New York. Yeah. You know, like we all started from zero. Yeah.

And for me, I was a lot closer to zero than some of these other people I moved with. So it wasn't as big a blow to the ego. I was like, oh, I'm going last at the open mic. That's my life in Chicago, too. No, I love that about you. Yeah.

And for me, I was a lot closer to zero than some of these other people I moved with. So it wasn't as big a blow to the ego. I was like, oh, I'm going last at the open mic. That's my life in Chicago, too. No, I love that about you. Yeah.

Yeah. And I always tell people move a little bit before you're ready.