Stand-up Comedy Spotlight:
Sleazy Vegetable Joe
Sleazy Vegetable Joe
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Published by Sareth Ney on July 24, 2017 at 12:49 a.m.
Updated on July 24, 2017 at 2:01 p.m. |
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Photo credit: Caitlein Ryan
Sareth Ney: What inspired you to perform stand-up comedy?
SN: What was the feeling like, when you first performed stand-up comedy?
Sleazy Vegetable Joe: Let's see, questions one and two kind of go together. I hate to sound cliché but I was inspired by friends. They said I was funny and that I should try to do stand up. I was in a band that practiced very near to a club that had an open mic night. One day after practice, we went to the club (Tacoma Comedy Club) for a drink and to check it out. I saw a few funny people. Some were not as funny and thought to myself that I probably could do it. The place had about 40 people, plus the comics. So, I decided that the following week I would go up and try it. So much bravado. I saw the 40ish people and thought to myself that I had performed in front of thousands in my band, so this would be old hat. Simple. Boy, was I wrong. I wasn't nervous or scared. I had my set with me and when they called my name, I was eager to get on that stage. Then, there I was, alone and under a blinding light. My mind shut down. I stood there looking like a fool for about a minute and then left the stage having not said one joke.
In all my years of performing, I'd never had an experience like that. I mean, I've had some bad shows. I never was on stage alone, looking into a pool of darkness, terrified like that and it exhilarated me. I went back the next week, had a great time and have been doing as much stand up as I can ever since. I love the butterflies I get when it gets close to time for me to go up.
SN: What are your favorite comedy specials and record albums?
SVJ: I don't know that I have specific favorite specials. That's very hard to pin down for me. There are and were so many awesome comedians that inspired me that to pick just a few would feel like a disservice to them and me.
SN: What are your favorite sketch shows, sitcoms and comedy films?
SVJ: As far as sketch comedy—I loved “Monty Python”, “Saturday Night Live” and “The Kids In The Hall”, growing up. The last comedy film that I really enjoyed was “Tucker & Dale vs. Evil”.
SN: If you could go on tour with any comedian, which one would you choose?
SVJ: If I could go on tour with any comedian, it would have to be Bill Burr. I like the way he takes the audience for a ride and makes them laugh at things they didn't know were funny.
SN: If you could get roasted by five comedians (past or present), which ones would you choose?
SVJ: If I could pick the roasters, they would be: Roseanne Barr, Joan Rivers, Doug Stanhope, Sam Kinison and Bill Hicks.
SN: Which other forms of comedy would you like to venture off into?
SVJ: I suppose that eventually I would like to try my hand in comedic acting someday but being so new to the comedy thing, I really hadn't thought about it too much yet.
SN: What experience would you like for your audience to take with them, after a set is over?
SVJ: What I want an audience to take with them when they leave is that they just had a great time and that it would be something that they would want to go out of their way to see again.
SN: Where do you see your comedy career, in the next five years?
SVJ: In five years, I would like to be a solid 30 minute feature that headliners would enjoy have opening for them.
SN: Where can the readers find you online and on social media?
SVJ: I am still a newb, so I don't have a large online presence but I do have a YouTube channel with a couple of videos of me doing some stand-up. Some of my music located here Sleazy Vegetable Joe's YouTube channel and I do have an Instagram account at SVJ's Instagram.
Editor's note: This interview has been lightly edited and condensed for clarity.
SN: What was the feeling like, when you first performed stand-up comedy?
Sleazy Vegetable Joe: Let's see, questions one and two kind of go together. I hate to sound cliché but I was inspired by friends. They said I was funny and that I should try to do stand up. I was in a band that practiced very near to a club that had an open mic night. One day after practice, we went to the club (Tacoma Comedy Club) for a drink and to check it out. I saw a few funny people. Some were not as funny and thought to myself that I probably could do it. The place had about 40 people, plus the comics. So, I decided that the following week I would go up and try it. So much bravado. I saw the 40ish people and thought to myself that I had performed in front of thousands in my band, so this would be old hat. Simple. Boy, was I wrong. I wasn't nervous or scared. I had my set with me and when they called my name, I was eager to get on that stage. Then, there I was, alone and under a blinding light. My mind shut down. I stood there looking like a fool for about a minute and then left the stage having not said one joke.
In all my years of performing, I'd never had an experience like that. I mean, I've had some bad shows. I never was on stage alone, looking into a pool of darkness, terrified like that and it exhilarated me. I went back the next week, had a great time and have been doing as much stand up as I can ever since. I love the butterflies I get when it gets close to time for me to go up.
SN: What are your favorite comedy specials and record albums?
SVJ: I don't know that I have specific favorite specials. That's very hard to pin down for me. There are and were so many awesome comedians that inspired me that to pick just a few would feel like a disservice to them and me.
SN: What are your favorite sketch shows, sitcoms and comedy films?
SVJ: As far as sketch comedy—I loved “Monty Python”, “Saturday Night Live” and “The Kids In The Hall”, growing up. The last comedy film that I really enjoyed was “Tucker & Dale vs. Evil”.
SN: If you could go on tour with any comedian, which one would you choose?
SVJ: If I could go on tour with any comedian, it would have to be Bill Burr. I like the way he takes the audience for a ride and makes them laugh at things they didn't know were funny.
SN: If you could get roasted by five comedians (past or present), which ones would you choose?
SVJ: If I could pick the roasters, they would be: Roseanne Barr, Joan Rivers, Doug Stanhope, Sam Kinison and Bill Hicks.
SN: Which other forms of comedy would you like to venture off into?
SVJ: I suppose that eventually I would like to try my hand in comedic acting someday but being so new to the comedy thing, I really hadn't thought about it too much yet.
SN: What experience would you like for your audience to take with them, after a set is over?
SVJ: What I want an audience to take with them when they leave is that they just had a great time and that it would be something that they would want to go out of their way to see again.
SN: Where do you see your comedy career, in the next five years?
SVJ: In five years, I would like to be a solid 30 minute feature that headliners would enjoy have opening for them.
SN: Where can the readers find you online and on social media?
SVJ: I am still a newb, so I don't have a large online presence but I do have a YouTube channel with a couple of videos of me doing some stand-up. Some of my music located here Sleazy Vegetable Joe's YouTube channel and I do have an Instagram account at SVJ's Instagram.
Editor's note: This interview has been lightly edited and condensed for clarity.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Sareth Ney is the journalist for A Quarter and Dream Pictures. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Mass Communications and Center for New Media from Colorado State University-Pueblo. He is a former apprentice to master of horror, Clive Barker. He is a Wu-Tang Clan inspired superhero, Wu-Man Chu. He is an award-winning short filmmaker; his goal is to write 150 articles in select time zones, inducts every article into his hall of fame, is a stand-up comedian, motivational speaker, founder and co-host of Pueblo's Independent Multimedia Podcast and is the festival director at Sareth-Fest Music and Comedy Festival.
