Arj Barker Interview

Have you read Born Standing Up?

A few pages...I've started it, but kind’a got hooked on another book and can't put it down at the moment. (Blood Meridian, by Cormack McCarthy)What stuck out to you?

I only got a couple chapters in, so not much so far. He's still working at Disneyland when I left off.

How old were you when you started comedy?
I was about 19.7 or so...

How long did it take you before you felt like you were funny onstage?

I'm not bragging, but I think I got real laughs on my first show. I didn't kill, but I could feel a potential there and I was hooked instantly.

What is the best advice you ever received?

Never encourage a college audience in Idaho to send you shots onstage. You'll live to regret it - if you're lucky. I never actually received this advice, but I wished I had.

What do you think is funny?

That which is unexpected which makes me laugh, so given this, further detail is not possible. And farts.

What advice do you have for up and coming comics?

Don't worry too much about what other comics are doing - it can be a slippery slope. No one can do what you do, so work on your own shit. Never stop trying stuff out. Never think a joke can't get better or longer. Try out new material as often as possible and don't worry if it doesn't kill it at first - I find that a mediocre or downright crappy premise often leads to decent or exceptional one (NOT ALWAYS THOUGH :))

Why don’t comics support other comics more?

Because they're scared that they'll get shown up and no one will love them. In reality though, when you help other comics out, it will come back to you double (unless you are doing it solely for this reason in which case the magic might not work)

If you ever had a bad set, how did you deal with that?

The easiest thing is just to blame it on the audience. Otherwise, I just try to shake it off, and do another one as soon as possible to get the taste out my mouth.

What are your future aspirations?

Get me a little macadamia farm in Australia and have me a few dogs, maybe a wife.

What is the difference between a good comic and a great comic?

A few drinks.

Describe your writing process?

Don't rightly have one that I can say. It's a combination of jotting ideas down as they come and trying them out onstage, the combination of which forms my act. I think.

Who do you see as a new and up coming comic?

Nathan Habib out of the Bay Area. Look out for him


My main website is: ArjBarker.Com
My cartoon series is at: ArjAndPoopy.Com
http://www.myspace.com/arjbarker