Prepare to be tickled with laughter as we sit down with the hilarious Glen Tickle. Glen is a professional comedian with two specials available on YouTube. His first Dry Bar special has over 1 Million views! He takes us on his journey from a substitute teacher to commanding the stage with his comedy. You won’t want to miss how he honed his craft by testing his comedic chops on unsuspecting preschoolers – a humorous, yet enlightening revelation about on-stage material development.
Hold your chuckles as we pivot onto a more serious note, exploring the highs and lows of the comedy industry. I open up about my own experiences, from the adrenaline rush of immediate audience feedback to grappling with the uncertainties of an unpredictable career path. The illuminating discussion will unmask the joy of making people laugh and the reality of inconsistent work in the comedy world.
Finally, we play a game of Two Truths and a Lie while we reminisce about my high school soccer exploits, clownish adventures at children’s birthday parties, and a hilarious attempt to go to Space Camp. Also, Glen reveals how he spun his Dr. Mario World Championship and working stint with Bill Nye, the Science Guy, into comedic gold. So, brace yourself for an episode packed with humor, insights, and unexpected twists – all in the name of playfulness!
Find Glen Tickle on YouTube @GlenTickle.
(0:00:14) – Professional Comedian’s Journey and Impact (11 Minutes)
Glen Tickle shares his journey from substitute teacher to professional comedian. We start off with a joke about Tickle Me Elmo and the power of play. Glen also tells us a joke about a scarecrow and his new special. To learn more about Glen’s comedy special, check out his YouTube channel @GlenTickle. We also discuss Glen’s experience as a substitute teacher and his transition to performing. We talk about how the experience of teaching preschoolers was like developing material on stage, where he would have to refine his lessons for each individual class.
(0:11:04) – The Joys and Challenges of Comedy (12 Minutes)
We discuss how he found success as a professional comedian and how we managed to make a living in an uncertain industry. He shares experiences with working in comedy and my approach to dealing with inconsistent work opportunities. We also explore the appeal of stand-up comedy, the immediacy and feedback that comes with performing, and the satisfaction I’ve found in playing for a living.
(0:22:58) – Advice for Aspiring Stand-Up Comedians (10 Minutes)
Glen Tickle managed to turn a heckling experience into a joke and use it to make an entire audience yell his name. We explore how he incorporates different elements of his life into his act, such as his daughter’s toy robot, and how he turns seemingly silly jokes into ones that make the audience laugh. Glen shares his tips for making an audience laugh and explains how some of his material is more for himself than the audience. We also talk about how good shows have a balance of material that challenges us and makes the audience think.
(0:32:59) – Soccer Achievements and Falsehoods (10 Minutes)
We talk about Glen’s experiences of playing soccer in high school and putting his skills to the test with a game of three truths and a lie. We also explore his history of working as a children’s birthday clown and his attempt to go to Space Camp as a kid. Finally, we discuss his success in the Dr. Mario World Championship and working with Bill Nye, the Science Guy.
