Check Out Alan Zak’s Story

Today we’d like to introduce you to Alan Zak.

Alan, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I’m a stand-up comedian, actor, writer, and host of The Midnight Bar, a comedy podcast series. I was born and raised in West Hollywood, California. My family’s Ukrainian heritage shaped me. For most of my childhood, I was seen as the underdog; this perception came from my friends, role models, and peers. When dealing with this treatment, it gave me the sensation that I was being pushed out of social circles, which was my first indication that I was meant to follow my own path.

Following a unique path is not unique to my immediate family; both of my parents migrated here in the late nineties to escape the economic downturn in Ukraine following the collapse of communism. Growing up as a first-generation immigrant in the United States, I suffered all the stereotypes that come along with it. Both of my parents needed to work to keep the house afloat while trying to provide me with the best life possible, which kept them both extremely busy. Their business left me alone at home for long days while they were at work, and I had to put in extra effort to get their attention when they were home. During my alone time, I found myself watching loads of comedy specials by Robin Williams, Bob Saget, George Carlin, and Maria Bamford. Robin Williams was a rapid-fire, gifted improvisationalist whose undeniable energy grabbed and held the audience’s attention. Bob Saget, a raunchy and vulgar storyteller, was dynamic, delivering details that would keep the audience on the edge throughout the entire show. George Carlin, a political figure among my inspirations, is a straightforward individual with his beliefs, but he’s never failed to crack me up. Maria Bamford, the comedian who brought me into the world of alternative dark comedy. Her sense of self, surrounding doom and self-deprecation, has been a significant influence on my sense of humor and on how I write professional jokes.

After many years had passed, I got older and then attended elementary school, where I didn’t have a bunch of friends growing up because I got bullied for being skinny almost every day, just trying to fit in with my peers. I had a tough time in school, struggling with subjects such as mathematics. I did have a passion for drawing cartoons during recess, escaping into my own world. I did have one good friend whom I considered my closest in elementary school, and his name was Shinji. We both wrote stories together and created fun imaginary worlds. Sadly, during my fourth-grade year, I lost touch with my closest friend because he moved far away. The bullying was mentally rough till I got transferred to a new school. I discovered my interest in playing basketball and European football there, as a fifth grader. The approximate time of my life when my parents decided to get a divorce, which changed my life. On top of this, my younger baby brother was clueless. However, that didn’t last long, as kids would now challenge my intellect. So, when I got home after school, I’d sit on my Game Boy, trying to focus on the video game so I wouldn’t think about the bad day. I started watching several old comedy films, and later that year, I joined a few plays, where I performed in The Wizard of Oz as the Cowardly Lion and The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn as Tom Sawyer during my sixth-grade year. A few years later, I moved to Tarzana in the valley to attend middle school, where I tried to make friends during my two years there. I spent most of my after-school days drawing cartoons when I got home to relax from essays, which was a complete nightmare as a child. I had an art teacher who disliked that I was very good at drawing cartoons, so she tried to fail me on almost every assignment or project in her class, out of jealousy. I graduated from Gaspar De Portola Middle School with honors roll for both years.

High school was a different experience for me at Canyon High School. I moved to Santa Clarita to live with my relatives. I was a member of the track and field team, specializing in long-distance running. I placed 3rd in my heat against 33 of the fastest runners at the Meet of Champions at Azusa Pacific University, running a mile time of five minutes and twenty-five seconds. I also took AP courses simultaneously, juggling school, sports, and other activities to stay busy. When I graduated from high school, life was shifting in a strange direction. I decided to attend the College of the Canyons to pursue a degree in Civil Engineering, but it didn’t last long because Calculus destroyed my self-confidence. I changed my major twice before I officially chose to pursue Sports Medicine. I reconnected with an acquaintance, and we started hanging out and writing ideas for TV shows, comedy sketches, and skits. We decided to start a YouTube channel where we both did funny skit content. In the next few months, we became best friends. I created a series of funny challenge videos and skits almost every couple of months, until one day I left my uncle’s home after a nasty fight with his girlfriend. I packed my things and moved out with my best friend and another friend, whom I call Lenny.

When I finally moved out with my best friend and Lenny, I thought everything was going to be heading in the right direction. But I was wrong, cause I started working at a fast-food restaurant with my best friend, who got promoted to manager during the pandemic. I worked at a fast-food restaurant, and when I got home, I would sit in my room, writing new ideas for the YouTube channel on the whiteboard. I noticed after two months of my best friend’s promotion, he had changed as a person. He didn’t want to make YouTube videos; he just made excuses. Then Lenny invited his friend to stay with us, who was homeless at the time due to a crazy ex-girlfriend. The friend was very friendly and respectful, and protected our home from any intruders while sleeping on the couch downstairs. I became good friends with Lenny’s friend because we found out we’re both creative people. The following week, one of my friends decided to throw a kickback, which turned into a full-blown party with over fifty people at my townhouse. The party lasted for two weeks straight without any person wanting to go home. I eventually got evicted by the property managers, alongside my best friend and Lenny.

My best friend suggested that I stay at his mother’s place. A few days after this occurred. I called my grandmother and discovered that, for some reason, she had stopped walking. I was shocked, and I worried that this might be cancer. We lived at his mother’s place for three months till I had a terrible accident that caused me to attend physical therapy. My best friend showed his true colors. He didn’t want to monitor me sleeping as required by the doctor, and described me as a weak and useless human being. I got into a big fight with my best friend during the week of my birthday in December, and things shifted in our friendship. I got kicked out by my best friend on New Year’s Eve, who told me that he doesn’t care what happens to me cause I’m human garbage and a user. I lost my best friend of five years to a girl who spread lies about me. I had to sleep in my car that very same night with no food or money in my pocket. I had a dead phone and I felt alone. I spent a few nights writing down stories on my phone to keep my sanity. After a few days, I called my uncle and he mentioned that my grandma has bone cancer.
I rushed over to my uncle’s place, and I spent a year and a half taking care of my grandmother while living in the loft. I had to wake up early every morning to feed the dogs and my grandma, then drive her to the doctor’s office a few times a month. I had a rough time dealing with my grandmother because if you think cancer is scary, then you have no idea what it’s like dealing with a person taking opioids. I got a job at the IP Law Firm while taking care of my grandma. I started a podcast in 2023 called The Midnight Bar, a comedy series about the unexpected moments in my life. My friend Michael Olson helped sound engineer each episode while being stuck in bed. Afterwards, I attended the Limelight Acting Studio for 2 years, where I studied acting and voiceovers with Kristin Pitts and Tania Gunadi. I felt reconnected to my passion, and my acting coaches always encouraged me to try stand-up comedy. I discovered that landing a single role was difficult because my voice sounded younger than my age, and my facial features didn’t match it. I left my acting school in 2024. I moved back in with my father to start over after my bad past. I decided to give stand-up comedy a chance because I fell in love with storytelling and writing comedy sketches.

The first time I performed at an open mic at Hollywood Comedy, it was weird because every comedian in the room had a look of confusion on their face, as if they were being judged. I went back a few more times now, this time with entirely written jokes and stories as well. I was miserable at those open mics. I came home disappointed, having made no one laugh, till I auditioned at Flappers Comedy Club and met Coby Talley, a good fellow comedian. He texted me one day to visit Comedy Blvd, where he was hosting an open mic. I really had a great time at those open mics, and I made a new friend, Bo Bigelow, at Comedy Blvd. They even booked me for my first comedy show. I performed at that venue for many months as a new comedian. I got laughs from my jokes, which I couldn’t even believe with my very eyes. Then I reached out to my new friend Bo, who gladly helped by introducing me to two funny local comics, Shawn Zapp and Mason Hajj, who booked me for a show called THE BATCAVE at Flashback Studios in Van Nuys.

I performed at the Ice House in Pasadena for Laugh Bombs, Hotel Cafe in Hollywood for WAGMI, and Guyz Nite in North Hollywood. I spent many months from that point on doing shows at that venue while becoming friends with Shawn Zapp, Mason Hajj, Misha Perez, Ben Cuddy, D’Angelo Himes, Steph Hawkins, Nick Durvasula, Elise Feyedelem, Nicole Dan, Chuck Friedman, Ben Cuddy, Alexander Panagos, Wyatt Pershing, Shane Morgan, Demetri Mitch, Brent Butler, Gabe Cohen, and my closest friend, Uriel Moon. But I hit a few bumps here and there because I’m a weird comedian. I discovered that some comedy show bookers wouldn’t give me a chance unless they really liked my comedy style.

I have performed in numerous comedy shows over the past two and a half years, doing stand-up comedy. I got betrayed by an amateur comic who tried to pass himself off as my best friend to get booked on bigger shows. I know who I am as a person, and no one can take this away from me. I survived a dark past with a manipulative and toxic friendship, which has shaped my personality. I’m a very straightforward person who prefers honesty and doesn’t lie to your face. Today, I’m performing in local comedy shows around Los Angeles and co-producing an experimental comedy show called Comics United In Mischief with Uriel Moon. I was always told by my peers and teachers that I wouldn’t amount to anything. I have been an outcast in sports, acting, and stand-up because people never wanted to see my progress in my life’s journey. I still have people who like to challenge my comedic skills. I have respect for people who work hard on their craft and stay true to themselves.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Financial stability has been something I have struggled with. Being the firstborn child of new immigrants to the country, the road has been quite rough terrain. One of the struggles that many families new to a country face is finances, because credentials often do not translate from one country to another. Socially, I was not much better off; I always found myself sidelined when it came to joining social groups or working on projects with people, both socially and professionally. I got betrayed by many people in the past, so I have limited trust in others. During my early twenties, my goal was to start a podcast where I would share stories about the crazy life experiences I had while living with my roommates and so-called friends during the pandemic. Later on, I decided to try something I had always wanted to do: attend an acting school in 2023. Through that experience, I found myself the outlier in the group. I have never been selected for a single voice-over or acting role in any of the auditions I have participated in over the past years. I wanted to evoke the emotions of the crowd. I made a decision that inevitably widened the wedge between me and my peers. However, it set in stone that I would utilize my twisted sense of humor to develop my own unique comedy style.

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I’m a comedian and host of The Midnight Bar podcast comedy series. I am mainly known in the local comedy community for performing weird, dark, vulgar, aggressive, and alternative comedy. I’m proud of how far I’ve come since I began my career as a comedian in 2023. I’m known in the comedy community as a niche comedian because my comedy style is particular. I perform a new set of jokes at least once a month. Sometimes I don’t belong in the comedy world because people don’t understand what I’m doing on stage. I get rejected by producers and comics cause they don’t understand my sets. I know I’m not a clean comic; I don’t follow the rules because most rules are meant to be broken in comedy. If I want to grow as a comedian, I must follow my passion and showcase it on stage.

Are there any books, apps, podcasts or blogs that help you do your best?
Podcasts: Distractable, Ear Biscuits with Rhett & Link, and The Midnight Bar. Books: The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes by Arthur Conan Doyle, The Lord of the Rings by J. R. R. Tolkien, & For Whom the Bell Tolls by Ernest Hemingway

Contact Info:

• Website: https://linktr.ee/alanzak
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alan_z_a_k
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thealanzak
• Twitter: https://x.com/alan_zak_
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@AlanZak

Image Credits
Andy Rooney (headshot photos) Josh Pimentel (‘Ice House’ image) Chris Suleiman (‘Comedy Blvd’ image) Chuck Friedman (‘Flashback Studios’ image) Crystal Cruz (nature image)