Today we’d like to introduce you to Tom Clark.
So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
I’ve been doing stand up comedy for over 20 years. I was a shy and quiet kid and definitely struggled when I first started in comedy. Those first five years were really tough… I would bomb a lot. I’m not sure how, but I kept going. I think part of it was I just really loved comedy and wanted to figure it out.
Through time and hard work, I managed to slowly get a grasp on what I was doing on stage and eventually moved to LA in 2001. Since being out here, I’ve managed to do stand up on Comedy Central, CBS’s Late Late Show, and TBS’s Conan. I also have built a pretty good acting resume appearing on TNT’s The Closer and in the movies Big Miracle and Freaks of Nature.
I recently appeared on HBO’s Room 104 and soon will be on an HBO show produced by Drake called “Euphoria.” I also self-produced my most recent stand-up comedy special, “Outraged” which is now streaming on Amazon Prime.
Has it been a smooth road?
When I moved from Milwaukee to LA in 2001 that was a difficult transition. I moved to LA to appear on TV and movies, but the auditions weren’t happening. So I found myself spending more time on the road trying to make money doing stand up, so I could continue to live in LA.
When I lost my agent in 2011, I thought that was kind of it for me, and I’d have to move back to Milwaukee. I met my wife, Steph (Phillips, now Clark), in 2012 she really believed in my talent and helped me trust my talent. She encouraged me to submit for Conan again, even though I had gone through the process several times and never got really far in the process. It took a few taped submissions, but I finally got a set they liked and did the show in 2015. I don’t think I would’ve kept trying without her encouragement.
One big thing Steph taught me was that you have to love what you’re doing right now. If you’re only focused on some long term goal and you think that’s gonna make you happy–you’re wrong. Happiness comes from enjoying the now and what you have. I appreciate every little thing in my life, and when I get those bigger opportunities, they become that much more enjoyable.
The other thing she taught me is to do things on your own terms. You can’t wait for the opportunities you have to make them happen. We shot our own pilot back in 2014 called “Oak Park.” Nothing happened, but it was great to learn the ins and outs of producing, writing and shooting it on virtually no budget. We also started doing our own web series “The Clarks” which has been a lot of fun.
And at the start of this year we started our own podcast called the “I’m a Rescue” Podcast, where we interview people about what they’ve overcome in their lives –it’s part comedy and part self-help. Doing those things on our own, not only made us better performers but also has resulted in opportunities to meet and work with a lot of talented people.
We’d love to hear more about what you do.
I’m very proud that I recently produced my own stand up special. I see so many comedians making stand up specials, and they make very little money off of them because the production companies keep a lot of the money. So thanks to a lot of friends and favors (shout out to my director/editor Matthew Gossin and ComedySportz LA for letting me rent the theater) I was able to make one on a shoestring budget. It’s currently streaming on Amazon Prime, and it’s called “Outraged.”
In the first three months, it’s been streamed for almost a million minutes… I’m not sure if that’s good. It could just be one guy watching my special over and over–regardless I’ll take it. The thing I love about my special is not only was it entirely funded by me, it was only one show, so I only had one chance to get it right.
At one point toward the end of my show, a guy got up and walked right across the stage to go to the bathroom–he also might’ve been drunk–I left him walking out in the special and me reacting to it was really funny. I wanted to capture the spontaneity of my stand up and wanted that to come across in my special. I also don’t think stand up comedy is ever perfect and those imperfections are what I love with stand up–the idea that you never know what’s going to happen.
I am also proud that I teach stand up comedy on my own here in LA. You can find out more about that on my website at www.standupteacher.com. A lot of comedians look down on people that teach stand up and say stand up can’t be taught, but I disagree.
There were so many things I didn’t understand my first five years of comedy and no one really helps you understand it. I like being able to help people through those awkward beginning years and doing stand up for the first time is such a rush. I like seeing people overcome that fear of speaking in public and seeing them succeed on stage.
Let’s touch on your thoughts about our city – what do you like the most and the least?
Coming from Milwaukee, I constantly had to deal with the bad weather. I used to deliver newspapers in the dead of winter, and it was brutal. Sometimes in May, we’d still be getting snow. The weather here is always great (it’s just the fires and earthquakes that are the problems.) I live in Agoura Hills and right by the mountain where the helicopters flew in from the opening of MASH. I used to watch MASH as a kid, so seeing that in my backyard every morning is pretty cool.
Traffic drives me crazy, and if I had a 9 to 5 job, there’s no way I could handle it. Being a comedian, you can kind of work around the traffic because our schedules are pretty flexible. Another thing is the up and down nature of show business, but I try to take it in stride.
For example, last week I was told a part I played on a series would now be a recurring character on the show. This week I found out my character was cut at the last minute. It’s a bummer, but I try to look on the bright side. My part was only a few lines in the first episode, so the fact they even considered me for recurring is what I try to remember and appreciate. At least I know I made an impression.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.tomclark.com and www.standupteacher.com
- Phone: 310-709-7500
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/tomclarkcomedy
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/tomclarkfanpage
- Twitter: www.twitter.com/tomclarkcomedy
Image Credit:
Tandem Photo, Jenny Brezinski, Fresco Luna
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