Starting tomorrow - Tuesday, March 1st - and continuing every first Tuesday of the month, Helium will be hosting "Bird Text Comedy Show." The show (which starts at 8pm and is only 10 bucks) features the Philly-based comedy group Bird Text. They perform and produce live shows, digital content and a weekly podcast and consist of Helium regulars Tommy Pope, John McKeever and Luke Cunningham. In addition to the Bird Text performance, this week will also feature performances by Nikki Glaser of "Last Comic Standing" and Jesse Popp of "Premium Blend."
Helium had a chance to catch up with rising Philly comedian and Bird Text-er Tommy Pope to chat about performing stand-up, where he gets his material from, and why he likes performing in Philly.
Helium Comedy Club: How long have you been doing stand-up?
Tommy Pope: Close to three years. My brother talked me into going to Helium’s Tuesday open mic and I haven’t stopped since. I love him for that. My mom still encourages me to get a “real job with insurance”.
HCC: What has been your favorite moment as a stand-up? Least favorite?
TP: The first time I hosted at Helium stands out. It was for JB Smoove. I was in the green room, staring at the door to the stage and blacked out from fear. I still don’t remember my first 2 minutes. That creepy Helium jingle was playing loudly and I suddenly forgot my set list. It reminded me of that scene in Gladiator where Russell Crowe is waiting for the Coliseum gate to open, and a chunky beast in a helmet is swinging a spiked ball on a chain. I expected to be slaughtered but it went great. What a feeling. I felt like calling all my ex-girlfriends and apologizing.
One of my least favorites was this past December. Urban Outfitters had just finished a holiday party and decided to stick around to infect everyone with there hipster chest tattoos and imaginary sense of importance. I got heckled 30 seconds into hosting and lost control. I told her she looked so ridiculous the Kensington strangler would pass her up. Relax, you're not in fashion, you're just a clerk with an ironic record collection. They angrily left, and I will forever remember Doogie Horner yelling “Oh C’mon!” as I walked off stage without telling one joke.
The great experiences by far out weigh the bad ones, but you never forget the bombs. A lot of comedians embrace the bad shows and learn from them. I go home and blindly stare at my microwave while contemplating a career in carpentry.
HCC: Have you played other cities besides Philly? If so, how do they differ?
TP: Yeah, I’ve played in a few other cities. But none of them has perfected the goatee like Philadelphia. There's just something about the hairstyles on our face that perfectly expresses our love for violence.
Every city differs in some way. But what stays consistent is how great Philly truly is. This city loves comedy and has an amazing comedy scene. There are so many great mics every week with packed audiences willing to listen and want to laugh. My NY comic friends are blown away by the attendance and support of Helium’s open mic, but it happens everywhere here. In other major cities, comedians are used to telling jokes in front of only other comedians and just a couple patrons. They come here and are blown away by the opportunities.
Philly is an amazing place to be right now as a comedian. All the comics are very supportive of each other and it continues to grow with talent. We probably take it for granted, but all you need to do is take a trip outside the city to understand the growing potential of Philadelphia, and carpenter jeans. A shit load of carpenter jeans.
HCC: Where do you find you get most of your material from?
TP: From my dad. I just wait for him to say things and I report it. So shit my dad says. That’s a great idea for a show. I get material from personal experiences. I try to talk about things that make me laugh. As long as I find it funny, I give it a try.
HCC: What's your writing process like?
TP: Everyone has their own method and there is no right or wrong way. I write down ideas in a notebook then type it out. Eventually I try it out and continue to improve it. If the joke doesn’t work, I’ll email it to someone on Facebook, and ask them for their opinion over and over until they unfriend me.
HCC: You are very high energy on stage - how similar are Tommy Pope the stand-up and Tommy Pope the person?
TP: I’d like to say I'm exactly the same I'm not yet. “Finding your voice” is so cliché, but the idea is to perform until you feel like yourself. The easiest way to be original is to just be you. I think that comes with experience. I remember a friend interrupting me after a show while I was telling a story. And he said, “Why don’t you do THIS, on stage?” Yeah, that’s the idea Dad. But when you first start, you might get 3 minutes and get a light 60 seconds to wrap it up. You're trying to be funny and NOT shit yourself at the same time. It’s a great experience to learn structure, but it was difficult to be myself. Because I like to dance when I talk.
HCC: What are your goals as a stand-up?
TP: It would be nice just make a living doing it. I keep my dreams to myself about Comedy Central specials and festivals. But honestly, I just want to do it and be able to live. There aren’t many shows when you are dead.
HCC: Where do you see yourself in 10 years?
TP: In 10 years, I see myself in a senior position, maybe a team leader, having more responsibilities, coaching other employees and managing more people.
I am interested in pursuing my career based on this company’s goals. Ugh. I am so glad I'm done with that shit. I guess writing and performing at some level and trying to get better. I love watching great comedians because it reminds me that there is always room for improvement.
