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The Genius of Dry: Five Questions with Todd Barry

The Genius of Dry: Five Questions with Todd Barry
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Photo: Julie Glassberg

In the world of stand up comedy, you have a varied mix of comedians.  Some are silly, some are vulgar, and all are intelligent and quick.  But, the dry humored comic doesn’t really seem to exist much today.  Comedian Todd Barry is definitely dry, but he’s also one of the sharpest and funniest comics going today.  After releasing albums and touring non-stop, Barry did an entire tour and album based on strictly crowd work.  You have to be pretty amazing and pretty much a comic genius to convince people to pay you to experience a show with no prepared material.  In January, Todd Barry will bring his podcast and his dry humor to Warehouse Live for the Come and Take It Comedy Festival.  FPH was lucky enough to get his attention for five questions on his past, his present, and what he has in store for Houston in January.

FPH:  You got started in the late eighties in Florida, doing rooms that had open mics during the shows; and now you’re kind of on fire with various festival appearances, a pretty non-stop touring schedule, and the praise of fellow comics like Louis CK and Jerry Seinfeld…does it feel like you’ve “made it” or does it still feel like those early days in Florida?

TB:  I definitely feel like I’ve made it on some level. I’m earning a living as a comic and have done some nice TV and film stuff, and traveled all over. But you can still have a bad show. That never changes.

FPH:  You’re doing an episode of your podcast, “The Todd Barry Podcast” when you’re here in Houston.  You’ve had musicians like Jon Wurster and MC Chris, as well as comics like Sarah Silverman and Aziz; what’s the dynamic like for the live podcast versus the regular podcast?  Do you plan on interviewing comics from the festival?

TB:  I haven’t booked any guests, but it will probably be a couple of comics from the festival, and hopefully a Houston comic. Live podcasts are fun because there’s an audience there, so you tend to go for the laugh. But they’re also a bit scarier because an audience is there. You tend to focus a little more on the momentum of the conversation.

FPH:  For people who have never caught the brilliance of your regular stand up show, or people who missed the intense nature of your crowd work show; how would you describe the “Todd Barry experience” to them?

TB:  I would tell them to look me up on youtube, and hopefully they watch a clip I don’t hate.

FPH:  Do you have a preference on the types of venues you perform in nowadays, or is it whatever works?

TB:  I’m less inclined to play a multi-night comedy club (although there are good ones). I prefer to book one show and get people who really want to see me, and hopefully add shows if that sells well. Lately  my shows have been in music venues (I have them put chairs down) and small theaters.

FPH:  The last time you were here in Houston, you did a crowd work show; is that what we’ll see at the festival, or will you be doing new material?  What should people here expect?

TB:  I’ll probably do mainly new material, maybe a few classics, and a little bit of crowd work.

 

You can catch both sets from Todd when he performs on the Come and Take It Comedy Festival January 24th and 25th at Warehouse Live.  The festival will utilize all three stages at the venue, and will also feature a slew of Houston comics alongside Maria Bamford, Norm Macdonald, and Duncan Trussell.  The tickets range between $45.00 and $99.00, and the festival will more than likely sell out, so get your tickets sooner than later.