Today we’d like to introduce you to Vargus Mason.
Hi Vargus, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I started stand-up comedy at the age of 15 winning a competition with HBO. Since then I’ve 25+ years telling jokes, having toured the world in over 40 countries entertaining the U.S. Military, been a VO artist for Disney, Nickelodeon, and Netflix. As well, I’ve appeared on multiple stand-up shows including Last Comic Standing, HBO Def Comedy Jam, Comedy Central, Starz, etc. I’ve been blessed enough to run comedy shows at the World Famous Comedy Store on Sunset, where I was made a paid regular by the legendary Mitzi Shore. Those shows have also allowed me to do philanthropy for multiple charities like the Make a Film Foundation, Save Africa’s Children, Liberty in North Korea, Chrysalis, etc. I live in Burbank with my wife and two teenage girls.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Nope, definite struggles. As a comedian, you start broke and you do it because you love it. This goes on for years as you develop your craft. When the day comes that you actually begin to make money or live off of your talent it is astounding. A lot of cash can come your way very quickly but then evaporate for several months. Learning the art of financial stability was a rough lesson. Additionally, my style of humor is not necessarily acceptable for television. I’m very physical and leap and jump do characters. The average stand-up show has a comic that stands stationary. There is an ebb of flow to the acceptance of this style. It’s been a blessing and a curse. A booker for Letterman once told me directly it would never get me on that show. This month it’s helped my DryBar hit 93K views in a week: https://youtu.be/bTL8w6ZfBAs?
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I’m really proud that I can give an opportunity to younger comics. Though I travel in and out of the country headlining, I’m able to give young comedians a safe place to develop. Often, this game is very harsh. I remember when I used to work weeks to get a spot at the improv or store. An A-list comic could come in and bump the entire lineup. Once that happened to me I decided to produce and run my own night, where a young comic wouldn’t just be scrapped. Strangely, I also get the chance to give what wisdom I can and what land mines to avoid stepping on.
If we knew you growing up, how would we have described you?
I was the class clown, obviously. I found out strangely that humor could save you. A bigoted teacher…I shouldn’t say “bigoted” because she was mean to brown kids, but also poor white trash kids… yet to the upper-class white kids, she loved to show favoritism. One year, I got in the school talent show dressing up in drag. I was in the 4th grade. That same teacher that played favorites to everyone who didn’t look like me, started to treat me like one of the chosen. I learned even then that a laugh could set you apart or even save your life. A lot of those brown kids didn’t make it. And I grew up in Denver, Colorado!
Contact Info:
- Website: vargusmason.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vargusmason/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/VargusMasonComedy/
- Youtube: @vargusComedy
