Today we’d like to introduce you to Steven Alan Green.
Hi Steven Alan, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I’m a stand-up comedian and writer (and sometimes an actor) from the Golden Age of The Comedy Store in the Eighties. I was a “Paid Regular” performer and emcee, as well as joke writer for the likes of Jay Leno, Arsenio Hall, Jimmy Walker during a time when the other regulars were Robin Williams, Richard Pryor, Roseanne Barr, Sam Kinison, Andrew Dice Clay, and the recently departed Richard Belzer, just to name a few. It was a magical time, not just for me personally, but without exaggeration, I believe it was an important transformative period in our collective cultural history, commensurate with the 1950s Chicago jazz movement and the existentialist movement on the Left Bank in Paris in the 1920s. For the last seven years, I’ve been driving Uber part-time, performing at local comedy clubs, and selling jokes to more famous-er comedians.
A few weeks ago, I picked up a young man and woman on La Cienega. We had some immediate laughs (“Welcome to Uber Airways…Please put your tray tables in the upright position…And by the way, I took Acid 20 minutes ago”) and then they wanted to talk to each other so I put on some jazz and quietly did my job. Times are tough for Uber drivers, what with gas prices. Since I had been doing pretty good on tips to make up the difference (including a $1,000 tip on a $12 ride!) I figured the best way to grease the wheel was to not just make them laugh but to be sincere with my passengers and show interest in them so that they might be reminded I’m an actual human, not just an app.
“So, what do you guys do?”
She said she was a producer.
Rolling my eyes to myself, as I thought: “Yeah, I’m a producer! But, right now? I’m driving an Uber!”
“What do you produce?”
She said documentaries. I work for a company that provides content for Netflix and Hulu. A light bulb went off. I looked at the clock and it was 2 minutes to destination.
“Can I give you a quick 75 second pitch?”
She said sure, and then, with my eyes on the clock, the map, the road, and occasionally through the rear-view mirror, I fired one straight out of the cannon and plugged my ears with my fingers so as not to hear the impending destruction. I held the wheel between my knees.
“So, I’m really a comedian. Comedy Store ‘legend’, old school, name up on the wall. Self-named ‘Legend’ because of my foolish and daring comedy adventures. After five years of making them laugh but getting nowhere, I went up on stage, told the crowd I was leaving showbiz – which I was completely sincere about – and as soon as I did, I was free again. I was no longer concerned with the consequences. I was funnier than I ever had been. At the end of the set, I told the audience that they were so great I would come back tomorrow night and do one more ‘farewell performance’! Standing ovation. Soon, three national and Canadian tours, interest from Letterman, a near book deal, and 16 years of 5,000 farewell performances later, I moved to England, where I quickly established myself as a headliner, played every club, was on television 6 times, hosted Comedy Central UK, managed by the same company that handled John Oliver, and created and produced three giant comedy galas to benefit Turning Point Scotland, the drug and alcohol charity launched by Princess Diana, the last one broadcast on British television.
‘High On Laughter’ featured George Wendt, Zach Galifianakis, Jim Gaffigan, Emo Philips and many many more. The third HOL took place at the legendary London Palladium, was broadcast on Bravo UK, and starred comedy legend Jerry Lewis, whom I was giving a lifetime achievement award. Although I believed at the time we became fast friends, Jerry proved nothing but trouble, tried numerous times to sabotage the show, then very dramatically faked his own death (getting international press) which cost me over a quarter million dollars, and as a result, I lost my home in London, came back to LA, where no comedy club would hire me anymore. I was told I was “over 30 and not famous”. Meanwhile, an Oscar-winning producer wanted to make a film based on my life and we had interest from Jack Black to play me and an Oscar-nominated director. The film never happened and being broke and out of work and too much focus on me and Jerry Lewis, I was starting to have a serious nervous breakdown, and when I couldn’t get a therapist because I only had National Health from England, and living in my mother’s 20 story building, I started having very dark and dangerous thoughts. Recognizing the urgent situation, my family found me a great affordable intern therapist, gave me a bicycle to get around (the city took my car) and six months of dedicated focused intense therapy, I walked out of that 20-story building, rather than jumping off of it.”
“Recognizing that I needed a new dream, as well as giving my trying times meaning, I started The Laughter Foundation. A non-profit to get comedians preemptive therapy and to build The Comedy Museum. A world-class museum to study and exhibit the art, history, and science of comedy. We had the Hollywood Bowl with an incredible array of comedy stars aligned (Roseanne Barr was the first on board before her scandal), but alas had no financing. After dealing with homelessness (couch-surfing, Korean spas, hostels, a few times sleeping in my car) and clinical depression, I gave up The Laughter Foundation seven years ago, instead putting my focus on surviving, finally getting on my feet again through ghostwriting and driving Uber. In a used car, The Comedy Store’s Comedians Assistance Fund paid for, which I will remain forever grateful. Six months ago, I was asked by another comedian to drive him to a gig for cash. Once there, I was asked to go on and killed and was seen by the new owner of The Ice House comedy club in Pasadena. He invited me in for a meeting to discuss something he found by Googling me. In that meeting, he committed to helping me revive The Laughter Foundation after the club reopens, which it did in February.
And with the perfect timing of a good elevator pitch (except my vehicle went forward; not up and down), I pulled the car to a stop at their destination and turned around as I finished the pitch.
My two passengers were in tears and OMG-ing. Turns out one of them works for a production company that provides content to Netflix and Hulu. We exchanged phone numbers, then began texting, then emailing ideas and script ideas and all I can publicly say at this point is that there is some sort of series in the early stages of development about me, the Uber driver who is really a successful comedian. Or “was” successful. Even if the show doesn’t happen, the experience and new dream is perhaps the best tip I ever received driving Uber because it gave me hope. The 2008 Kia Optima I was able to purchase thanks to The Comedy Store and The Comedians Assistance Fund is truly my magical comedy vehicle.
I have no idea what the future will bring or even if the present represents prologue or mirage. All I know is I can confidently say without equivocation, that I am probably in fact the funniest Uber driver in Los Angeles. And ya know what? Finally. I can live with that as I get to re-know my city of origin both as a comedian and a citizen, deeply, constructively, lovingly, with my fuel being hope and imagination, and always with a sense of adventure, not to mention humor.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Convincing other comics, club owners, and agents that I had succeeded in the UK and to therefore be impressed with my British credits and help me get work here back in Hollywood proved mildly effective. Even hosting The Paramount Comedy Channel in England (later rebranded Comedy Central UK) would not be enough to get every agent, club owner, etc. to be running to me. Just the opposite.
For clarification (not that it should matter) but I hosted South Park Weekend, but in character as an American Televangelist warning everyone in England not to watch South Park.
Age has been not just a roadblock but a giant brick wall. But I’ve had to learn to rebrand myself as a comic who is older and wiser and still the bit of the fool. Hence calling myself a “legend”, with a wink of an eye.
I was 40 when I moved to the UK and was on the circuit with comics of all ages, including ones in their 70s.
In England, I made regular money with stand-up, acting, and voice-overs; here, not so much. Most comedy gigs in Los Angeles, unless you are famous, are either done for free or are self-produced. They’re often fun, and a great place to work out new material before hitting the major clubs.
Living in a town where everyone, including myself, could be lying at any given moment (and they may not even know it), it’s hard to keep up with what’s real and what is simply a meaningless waste of time. That’s why I’ve learned to embrace the un-embracable. Driving Uber for example. I love it. I get to meet new people every day, non-showbiz people, and have great conversations and learn new things. Keeps me grounded.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I’m a comedian and that morphs into many forms at any given moment. Every good comedian acts within their comedy act and I do as well but also have been acting in small and medium parts off and on all my life. I was a child actor and never forgot how freeing it felt the first time. I believe in “transferable skills”, and so my improv training helps me write, my directing experience helps me act, etc. When I directed “Little Things” in London, I often sought advice cross-departmentally.
My standup is very specialized. I often work off the top of my head, even though I bring new and proven jokes and “stretches” (routines) to the stage. When I was all about standup, I refined my “farewell performance” act, telling the crowd I was addicted to the laughter and have to quit. As a former coffee house singer/songwriter, I incorporate comedy songs and since I’m a former Comedy Store emcee, I work the crowd a lot. There’s always something new to mine there. I’m all about rewriting on stage. My jokes have appeared on The Tonight Show, The Arsenio Hall Show, The Joan Rivers Show, but for me, the action is in breaking convention on whatever level you’re currently focused on.
I’m proud of creating and producing a series of giant comedy galas in England and Scotland, which benefitted a drug and alcohol charity launched by Princess Diana. The last show was held at the legendary London Palladium and was broadcast on British television. No matter where I’m at today, driving Uber or doing a 5-minute comedy set somewhere for free, I was the guy who did that. Makes me a rather interesting Uber driver when you think about it. Though I remember when I lived in New York City, a cabbie might tell me he was king of a small African country.
I think what keeps me going is my willingness to try new thinking and new worlds. I knew nothing about the British comedy scene when I moved there. In fact, I knew nothing about standup when The Comedy Store first hired me. And now knowing the differences in British and American English is a huge advantage in that I can see through the holes of communication if that makes sense. If life has taught me anything it’s that you never know the true value of any experience until much later and to find the balance between focusing on what is happening and what could happen tomorrow can be quite invigorating.
I’m equally proud of a short film I wrote and directed in England. “Little Things” is about a bomb disposal agent for the police who has Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. It’s a “Zomedy”, a zombie romantic comedy. Producer was Roopesh Parekh, who is now the Executive Producer of the series “Willow” on Disney +. Roopesh was out here recently for the premier and we grabbed some sushi and caught up. Great guy! The film won multiple online film awards, including Best Dark Comedy and its hidden message was about watching 9/11 happen from abroad.
http://www.stevenalangreen.
The conversations with famous strangers I’ve had is just amazing. Whether I meet them at a screening or in the backseat of my Uber. From Ronan Farrow to Quentin Tarantino, I can hold my own and that’s always surprising to me.
As a writer, I believe words are more powerful than people. Words have meaning; whereas people are constantly in search of meaning. When I write for other comedians, I literally put myself in their head, even to the point of “playing them” like an actor plays a character.
Before we go, is there anything else you can share with us?
I would just say this. Anything is possible if you can visualize it.
My mother was fired from nearly every vocational school in the city. She went out on her own and after 20 years, built it up to a $10 million business, educated and “placed” (provided employment after graduation) over 37,000 nurses, dental assistants, and secretaries. Gloria Green was honored at City Hall by the Mayor of Los Angeles. My father was similar as a business executive who was also a very successful inventor and entrepreneur.
Bottom line: If you don’t like the world you live in, create a new one.
I co-produce two comedy shows. Comedy Dish is a weekly online comedy conversation show, co-hosted comedian Brian Seff (Rick from Rick and Ruby) who lives in England, and me from Hollywood. Wednesdays from 2pm Pacific. Can be found on Facebook, Twitter, Linked In, and YouTube. http://www.
The other show is Real Comedy Stories. Comedians, comedy actors, comedy writers, show-runners, agents, all tell real life behind the scenes stories. A monthly show at various comedy venues around L.A. The next one is at Genghis Cohen on April 17.
http://www.stevenalangreen.
There’s a plan in the works for a tour of old-school comics from the 80s, including me. “Comedy Boomers” stars Mark “Skippy” Price (from Family Ties), Rick Overton (Groundhog Day, HBO, Showtime) and lille ole me.
Probably the weirdest thing that ever happened to me was being “homeless” couch surfing in an empty apartment, sleeping on an inflatable mattress that kept deflating, making a mocking farting sound as the air let out, waking up one day and seeing on Facebook that I was on Conan last night. Turns out I was. Conan and I acted in an industrial film back in the early Eighties. He broadcast it on his show. I was couch-surfing homeless and on national television. Go figure. https://www.youtube.
Contact Info:
- Website: http://www.stevenalangreen.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stevenalangreen/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/steven.a.green.7/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/steven-alan-green-a48a3614/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/sagman
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-qSG97-EZJc-FCZxQJ6ZZA
- SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/steven-alan-green
- Other: http://thelaughterfoundation.org/
- Upcoming show: https://dice.fm/event/
y63np-real-comedy-stories- hosted-by-steven-alan-green- 17th-apr-genghis-cohen-los- angeles-tickets
Image Credits
FROM LEFT TO RIGHT BY ROW: Me on stage at The Comedy Chateau. With Quentin Tarantino at The Comedy Store after a fun evening of hanging out. QT even “directed” me on telling a joke better he thought was too violent!! Last time I saw Robin Williams. Backstage @ Throckmorton Theatre. Seated is legendary political comic Mort Sahl. Troy Conrad’s photo of me in Comedy Store for his “Hallway Series” Steve Jenkins photo of me onstage at The London Palladium while producing the show and Jerry Lewis backstage causing all sorts of trouble. Little did I know what lie ahead… Sept 8, 2002. With cast of You’re Just Projecting, which played at The Hollywood Fringe. I played Beat Poet Allen Ginsberg. Friends, fans, whomever, pointing up proudly at my name on The Comedy Store Wall of Fame. Real Comedy Stories generic poster. Next RCS @ Genghis Cohen April 17. Show poster of upcoming comedy tour
Headshot: Rosie Tran
