Laugh Out Loud
My sister, friends and I recently went to see Coleman Green at the Laugh Factory, a comedy show in Hartford, Connecticut. There were several amateur and professional comedians there presenting their material. As the final comic, Coleman Green left the audience bursting. As he finalized the show, I anxiously waited to speak with him and ask him some questions. The last time I laughed that hard I saw Chris Rock at Comic Strip Live in NYC (he was practicing his material for the upcoming MTV awards).
Coleman Green has appeared on TV's "Evening at the Apollo" and has played some of the country's top clubs. He frequently appears in N Y C. This man will make you LAUGH HARD! Go see his show, it is always guaranteed laughs with Coleman Green.
Hey Coleman
Hi there.
What are your current goals?
More NY but cuz I live in Philly, sometimes that isn't feasible. Many others have made it without (NY). Taking more acting lessons, doing Cablevision commercials, the last commercial I did for them I played a color pixel but I can't really get into that right now because it hasn't played yet...
When did you decide you wanted to be a stand up comedian?
Twenty years ago, but it took me another ten years to actually do it, I took a comedy class, and my five minute stand up went really well.
Where was this?
At a Casting Agency in Philadelphia. The first real show was at a club called Bonkers, there were eight other comics there (from the class), and their family and friends were all there, about 150 audience members in total.
Highest pay per gig?
$1,500, the pay varies however from state to state, venue to venue and things like that. The more famous you are, the more money.
Ever been televised?
Auditioned for the Apollo, haven't seen it yet, did well though.
Would you consider comedy to be a stable job?
I can gauge my income, I budget, my wife works also, one month I could gross 4-5 (thousand) while others 2-3. It depends how known you are, the more well known, the more money...
Would you say, 'on the job training, you learn as you go'?
It takes a while to establish yourself, takes years. Some takes 10-15, while others can break in 3-4, exposure, movies, who you know, 'right place at the right time', these are all beneficial ways (to break in).
Would you highly recommend this job and if so, to whom?
For anyone who's funny: try it! It's an audience thing, if no one is feeling you...you realize quickly if it's for you, comedy is very black and white.
What are initial costs if any?
Advertising, Promotion, self promotion, agent and such. Right now I am my own agent although I have worked with agents before. The more people see you and want you the more agents approach you, until then you wait to be discovered. At the Montreal Comedy show I got close, this year I'm gonna break into it... (The Montreal Show is considered by many comics the "be all..." if you can make it there, you can make it anywhere). I got cards (business cards) and a web page, it was expensive (cards) but worth it. I made my money back, got a lot of gigs that way. I created those cards myself, I have experience in graphic design, and it’s my background.
These cards are cool! When is your next show? I can't wait! You are too funny; the audience couldn't stop crying (they laughed so hard there were tears in drinks, all over appetizers...).
Urban Salon, a local place in Philly, next week I'll in the Poconos for a show.
Were you influenced to do this (comedy) from any family members?
I have a funny family, but I'm the only one who took it to this level.
You write your own material?
It's based on my own life experiences, not fabricated, embellished, they're (jokes) not lies but fabrications of the truth.
You use the same stuff over and over, or...
Yeah, but right now I'm creating a new 30-40 minutes (new lines, new material)it has to come to me, I have notebooks all over the place.
The joke about the old lady you resuscitated when she had a heart attack after she realized you were her new neighbor, any truth in that?
My neighbors were initially nosy but we're cool now. You gotta play up on that, play with peoples' fears, you make exaggerations of the facts. You make a story of it, those people (prejudiced, narrow minded) have fear because of their ignorance, you build on these types of incidents you encounter and use it in your material. (The old lady is white, Coleman is black). I add in new jokes with the old ones and take out some of the old. But what it comes down to is doing all the jokes you remember in your joke arsenal.
Anything you'd like our readers to know?
Right now I'm writing a "mockumentary" with award winning documentary director Joe Fernandez; he's won several awards for his documentaries. If someone needs me, they need to sign up quick, soon I will be playing in major shows in NYC and I'll be all over the place (shows on television). When I get where I want to be (big like let's say, Chris Rock or bigger) you can get a cut (laughing). Why you in Hartford anyway?
Visiting my sister, I'll be going back to NY tomorrow, I want to see you at all the shows there, either way I'm checking you out August 2 at 8:30 pm at the Urban Saloon in Philly or August 8th at 10:00pm at Caesars Cove Haven (Lakeville, PA) or both!
Ok, gotta go, nice meeting you.
You too, bye. Check out more on Coleman Green by visiting his web page: COLEMAN@COLEMANGREEN.COM
His MySpace address is: www.myspace.com/colemanagreen.
This amazing and very funny stand up Comedian and Comedy Writer can also be reached at 215.677.8116 or 215.840.1778!
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