Jen Kirkman, a stand-up comic, TV writer, and actress, discusses her comedy, social media, pitching TV shows, and weathering the ups and downs of the business. They also delve into the challenges of the TV writing industry, the potential for diverse content in cartoons, the importance of exploring character complexity in TV shows, and the emotional impact of personal stories in comedy.
Jen Kirkman emphasizes the importance of persistence, self-assuredness, and the desire to connect with people through live comedy performances.
Jen Kirkman reflects on the ever-changing landscape of networks and platforms in show business, emphasizing the need to adapt and explore different perspectives when pitching TV show ideas.
Jen Kirkman discusses the challenges of defining her personal brand in the comedy industry and expresses her desire to appeal to different audiences by exploring a variety of topics in her comedy.
Deep dives
Building a Career in Comedy
Jen Kirkman discusses her journey in the comedy industry, including the challenges and ups and downs she has faced. Over her 22-year career, Jen has had steady writing jobs in show business, done two Netflix specials, and faced the uncertainty that comes with the industry's focus on numbers and ratings. She shares her experiences of pitching TV shows and her aim to create relatable content that appeals to a broad audience. Jen emphasizes the importance of persistence, self-assuredness, and the desire to connect with people through live comedy performances.
Navigating the Challenges of Show Business
Jen Kirkman discusses the intricacies and uncertainties of show business. She talks about the odds and challenges of selling TV show ideas, the ever-changing landscape of networks and platforms, and the difficulty of predicting which shows will become successful. Jen recounts her experiences of pitching various show concepts, including an unsuccessful venture into animated programming. She reflects on the importance of the pitch and the need to adapt and explore different perspectives when presenting ideas to production companies.
The Complexity of Personal Branding
Jen Kirkman shares her thoughts on personal branding within the comedy industry. She reflects on the expectation for female comics to focus on sex humor to gain attention and explains that she has chosen not to conform to that stereotype. Jen discusses the challenges of defining her personal brand and the difficulties of not fitting within a specific box or category. She expresses her desire to appeal to different audiences and explore a variety of topics in her comedy, even if it means not attracting new fans or easily fitting into a specific brand.
Observations on Aging and Relevance
In this podcast episode, the speaker discusses the feeling of getting older and becoming obsolete in society. They share humorous anecdotes about asking for matches and how younger generations may not be familiar with certain things. The speaker reflects on the challenges of staying relevant in the comedy industry and finding ways to connect with different age groups.
Process of Comedy Writing
The speaker provides insights into their process of comedy writing. They explain how they come up with new material by thinking about their opinions on various subjects. They give an example of using the disappearance of matches as a way to discuss growing older. The speaker also discusses their approach to writing scripts and the importance of not being overly attached to perfection in comedy.
Stand-up comic, TV writer and actress Jen Kirkman talks about her comedy, social media, pitching TV shows, and how to weather the ups and downs of the business.
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