Interview with Eric Myers

Chris White: You come from an artistic background -- both your parents are artists, right? Do you consider stand-up comedy to be an art?

Eric Myers: Not only do I know comedy is an art but I think it is the most underrated art. People don't and will never understand how hard it is unless they do it. Yes, being funny is no different from writing a hit song. If you wrote a romantic song you would use romantic melodies and words that would paint that kind of picture. When you write a joke you need silly words and outrageous or comical imagery to get people to be in that silly mood. Laughter comes from a childlike place. When you’re laughing hysterically, it's like you are totally letting your guard down, which is the hardest thing for people to do. We all have our guard up all day so we don't get hurt or look silly, and to lose yourself in laughter is like totally letting go. It's the most real moment.

You can't force or fake hysterical laughter, so in order to get people to let their guard down, you have to charm a crowd and make them love you and feel safe with you. If they’re gonna come with you on a journey, they have to trust you’re not gonna lead them too far down a path where they won't get a treat -- the punchline. You act onstage, you paint pictures with your words, you dance with your movements, you sculpt ideas, you make rhythms with your cadence and tones, when you use different emphasis on a setup or a punchline it's like when the music picks up between a verse and a chorus. You are the ultimate artist, and to make people like you is the ultimate subconscious goal. We all wanna be accepted. When you make people laugh, they are saying “we love you we accept you” and it gives you a power. I think making people like you is how you are gonna get anywhere in life. It's like the ultimate art form.

I have so much love for people that come out and see me and tell me, “oh I love this joke or that joke.” It makes me almost want to cry when I can feel a connection with people. It's such a beautiful thing. I have been told I'm not the easiest person to talk to, but I talk with my comedy. That's how I express myself, and if people dig my comedy I feel like they understand me and we have a bond. Having people connect with your art and believe in you, having fans, is so awesome words can't express it. It makes my heart blow up like a balloon.

Interview with Eric Myers / dcstandup.com