PAPA'S BACK
Tom Papa faced a full house at the Joy Theater on Saturday, July 21, delighting the crowd with his signature dry, deadpan humor during his Tom Papa: The Good Stuff Tour performance. His observational humor about life and the struggles to survive it filled the venue with laughter to the rafters.
"Life is Hard, and That Stuff's Fun To Do"
His act touched on themes the diverse audience could all relate to, such as a New Orleans crowd favorite, Interstate-10.
True to Tom Papa's exclusive interview with Where Y'at before the show, he also brought hilarious perspectives to other topics including:
-Empty nesting
-Raising kids
-Night driving among garbage cans
-Preparing kids for the world
-DNA and social media secrets
-Therapy and Mental health in modern day
-Shoplifting
-Killer clowns
-Importance of good dive bars
-Happiness of ugly people in rural
-Feeling good
-Self esteem
-Family and food
-Visiting parents
-Aging
-Information overload
-Pets
Comedian Paul Morrissey opened for the headliner with a similar delivery style, prepping the audience well and delivering on many laughs of his own. As co-host of Papa's popular podcast Come to Papa, he was a perfect pairing to springboard the performance.
Upcoming comedy shows at the Joy Theater on July 26 features Saturday Night Live 's Sarah Sherman (aka Sarah Squirm) for Sarah Squirm: Live + In The Flesh
AN INTERVIEW WITH COMEDIAN TOM PAPA
Tom Papa is a stand-up comedian who became an overnight sensation over the span of two decades. He is performing his show Tom Papa: The Good Stuff Tour at the Joy Theater on Saturday, July 20 at 7 p.m.
Where Y'at Magazine (WYA) had the opportunity to catch up with self-effacing funnyman Papa (TP) for an exclusive interview—between his baking loaves of bread—in advance of his Joy Theater performance this weekend.
Papa sells out venues across the country, as well as hosted TV shows, podcasts, cooking shows, has appeared in (as well as been cut from) major motion pictures, had several stand-up specials, and authored several books.
Come to Papa
A native-New Jerseyan growing up in a suburban bedroom community of New York City, Papa was bitten by the comedy bug in the early 1980s. Inspired by the humor of George Carlin and "wild and crazy guy" Steve Martin, Papa's trajectory has been a laser focused drive following his bliss—entertaining people.
Papa now lives in Los Angeles with his wife, two daughters, a cat, and dog, where he spends his downtime—if he has such a thing—writing and baking bread when not on the road playing to sell-out crowds.
Papa Don't Preach
WYA: Welcome back to the Big Easy! How many times have you been to NOLA?
TP: New Orleans is so uniquely it's own thing! I've been to New Orleans several times, the first was with Prairie Home Companion and another to open up for [Jerry] Seinfeld.
New Orleans has its own magic. Unlike other cities, it is a city that has a truly-true identity. It's like nowhere else.
WYA: Fans know you're such a foodie, having hosted a Food Network cooking show, podcasts that revolve around baking and eating, and more, so what's your take on Louisiana cuisine?
TP: Growing up in New Jersey, food was heavily Italian and Greek—pizza and diners. But I did a show that was three days of me eating in New Orleans at so many great places. The standouts were Gambino's king cake and Cochon's muffaletta with the 5-inch roll of muffaletta bread.
WYA: Your comedy is universal with "clean" humor that almost all audiences—regardless of demographics, culture, geography, and socio-economic status—seem to relate. Do you work at that by testing the jokes or do jokes that everyone relate to come naturally?
TP: I don't try to be a "clean comic," but as I get older I am taking pride in being that way. Society has become so crass. I was walking in New York and I passed a 9-year old dropping F-bombs. So how shocking is it in a performance when a kid is just saying it?
My family is all of my joy and all of my humor. The key to comedy is to be honest with yourself. So much of my performance is about my family life and I just don't curse a lot [in daily life].
WYA: What did you want to be when your grew up
TP: I knew I wanted to be a comedian when I was in seventh grade. I heard Steve Martin's Let's Get Small and George Carlin's Class Clown albums. I knew I was always funny, but once I realized it was a job adults can do, that was it. And when Eddie Murphy's Delirious came out, it blew everything up.
WYA: Where did you train to be a comic?
TP: I didn't want to go to college—I wanted to get out on stage, but my parents insisted. So, I went to Rider College in New Jersey, which had the distinction of being "down the street from Princeton," but it gave me the chance to grow up. I did theater and did all the plays—did every single play! It gave me the validation to keep going.
Papa Was a Rolling Stone
WYA: When did you realize you could make a living as a comic?
TP: At my first time performance on June 12, 1993 at the New York Comedy Club. The deal was if you brought enough friends, they would let you do five minutes.
I did five minutes to an almost-empty club and knew, "This is it. This is what I'm going to do." Then I got my first job making $5 a show and couldn't believe I get to do this and have money to buy a bagel in the morning with change. But goals change. (Laughs)
But then you're performing when others are living—I didn't realize how different it is. It's upside down from the norm. You're working when everone else is relaxing and having fun.
I was leaving rehearsal rushing home to a party we were throwing, but I stopped because I wanted to concentrate on learning my lines. That's when it hit me—It was more important to me to learn my lines than a party at my own house! I knew.
I said I'd never leave New York for Los Angeles until they came to get me. Then I did a spot on Conan [O'Brien's show] and the head of NBC saw me and brought me out to L.A. The kids are settled there now, so we stayed, but I come back to the East Coast once a month or so. I'm a New Yorker at heart.
WYA: Growing up in a bedroom community
of New York City, is your on-stage, suit-and-tie, Mad Men-esque persona
influenced by the Bridge-and-Tunnel commuters from your suburban youth?
TP: (Laughs) I'm always interested in hearing how I'm perceived. No, I started wearing suits because dressing "cool" was too much to think about, so I started wearing suits. I thought they must make me look like Spencer Tracy or Cary Grant—but I've come to realize I'm closer to Rodney Dangerfield.
WYA: Another great stand-up comic, so not a bad comparison! After over 20 years doing stand-up, what are your favorite shows?
TP: You know, I just love being on the road in general, but I find I really like the little places. I am wanting to go back to Red Wing, Minnesota. Tiny town, tiny theater—I just love it.
WYA: What would you be doing if you were not a comedian?
TP: I'd still be doing writing in some regard—funny columns in a local paper. Or baking bread. A bakery at the Jersey Shore making bagels early morning 'til close at 2 p.m. with the rest of the day to myself—Heaven!
WYA: Some say, "Happiness is where creativity goes to die." How do you stay fresh and current with your humor with all your success?
TP: There's no finish line, is what I've learned [over the past 20 years]. I have made interesting friends with a lot of successful people—household names—and I've learned that it doesn't matter.
There is no "making it" for them, however successful fans think they are. They
really care about their work. So, they're always unsettled. Always
striving. Always working. And I'm like, "Hey, maybe I'm not so different." It's not about getting anywhere, it's about doing. At this point, I need to keep creating stuff whether its writing comedy or baking bread.
I know people who are talking about retirement and getting out. It never crosses my mind. If I'm able to keep doing it and people keep coming and laughing, there's no way I can give that up. That's success.
