They Didn’t Have My Subject In School with Steven Rogers

Steven: [00:00:00] That's what I felt like when I found standup. I was like, "This is how I was supposed to feel." They just didn't have my subject in school. 

Andrea: Yeah. Yeah. 'Cause 

Steven: I wanna learn everything about this thing. I wanna do all the home- like, this is what it is.

Andrea: How to Survive the Classroom. Hey, teacher besties. I am so excited to share with you that my book, They Never Taught Us That, is available right now. It is everything an experienced or first-year teacher needs to manage the chaos of a modern classroom, including some anecdotes to make you feel a little bit better, because if there is a way that you can screw up, I've probably done it.

It also has advice on how to build trust with families, how to manage grading and lesson plans and IEPs, and everything else that they never went over in your teacher prep program. They Never Taught Us That is available everywhere right now. [00:01:00] Hey, teacher besties, and welcome to How to Survive the Classroom.

I am Andrea Forkham. I'm 

Gerry: Gerry Patoka. 

Andrea: And today, we have a guest with us. We have Steven Rogers with us. Steven, thank you so much for being here. 

Steven: Thanks for having me, guys. I'm excited. 

Andrea: Uh, yeah, and you are, like, like, a big deal. Like, you tour- ... like, in big places that scare me a lot to do comedy in. So- Oh, wow

like, very big. Guys, if you are not familiar with Steven Rogers, he tours with, like, some of the biggest names, and headlines his own shows and all that. He's hanging out with, like, Nate Bargatze. He, he produced your special, right? 

Steven: Yes, he did. Yeah. Uh, B- Brian Regan and Nate, uh, produced it. It was awesome. 

Andrea: That is so cool.

So can you share a little bit about how long you've been in comedy and how you got into it? 

Steven: Yeah. Uh, I've been doing it, uh, 13 years. Um, I'm from Syracuse, New York, originally, [00:02:00] so I started up there. There's a Funny Bone up there, and, uh, I ... Right around the time the club started, uh, opened is when I was doing, like, just started doing comedy.

So I would do a bunch of, uh, mics or spots at that club, 'cause they needed locals, so I kinda took advantage of them needing people. And then I would drive ... Like, where I, where I'm from's a small scene, so I'd have to drive two hours to Albany, two hours to Buffalo, uh, Rochester, Binghamton. And so I was sort of a road guy just doing local spots, um, and, uh, did it for, like, four years, and then Brian Regan and I linked up, uh, and he started taking me on the road with him.

And then I saved up enough to move to New York, where I live now. 

Andrea: Okay. So I, I, I gotta know, what was broken that made you think, "I should go- And do stand-up comedy. [00:03:00] I should go stand in front of strangers who, like, haven't heard of me, don't care about my jokes, and try and make them laugh against their will.

Steven: That's the best way I've ever been asked that. That's great. Uh, I will say what's broken is h- how... I, I don't know what it is exactly. It's not my parents' fault. Uh- Uh, they're amazing. So I think it's unfortunately a profound obsession with the art of it. Hmm. I found it pretty early. My parents showed me this thing and it was like literally like, uh, Wendy Liebman was the first stand-up that really, like, I remember it was her half hour on HBO and, uh, she was, like, performing magic to, and from my eyes, 'cause she was making people on the other side of a TV screen laugh.[00:04:00] 

Like, my parents were in the room, they're laughing. I'm like, "They're, they're not even in the same room as this woman." Yeah. And it was just like, "What the heck is this? How are they doing this?" And, uh, and then I just ingested it like, just like candy. Yeah. And, uh, I remember being in my elementary school class and we had computers and it showed, I'm pretty sure it's when Dangerfield passed away and I, like, teared up in my classroom and no one else knew what the heck.

You know what I mean? It was like Yahoo- Yeah ... New- Yahoo News or whatever it was- Right ... and it had, like, the banner and it just showed Dangerfield died and then it swiped over to, like, the new Aladdin's out or something. Uh, uh, that, that, that can't be right, uh, chronologically. But, uh- Uh, and, uh, just, like, having this effe- huge effect on me where it just wasn't on ev- as much, uh, to everybody else.

Andrea: So the first time you did [00:05:00] comedy, what, like, when's that moment where you were like, "Okay, I c- like, I can do this"? Because you are in a very, very small group of humans that attempt comedy and are actually able to, like, make a, a living out of it. And especially in New York City. I, I don't, I don't think I've ever t- I've, um, told anyone this on the podcast.

I booked a show, and I've even, like, talked about it on here that I booked a show in New York City and I had to cancel it because I had so f- like, I c- I can host a show in Terre Haute, Indiana. I got, like, 150 people to come to it. I booked my show in New York City, one of the biggest cities in the world. I couldn't get more than a dozen people to buy a ticket because there are so many comedy, comedy giants in that city.

Steven: Andrea, I don't know if this is divine, divine intervention or whatever the right wording is. I had to cancel my show tonight in New York City- No ... for the same exact reason. So it's Uh, it's very [00:06:00] hard in, in New York. Yeah. And what the good news about it is you have people like ourselves where you're like, "You're not alone.

This is a very hard place to do it." 

Theme: Yeah. But 

Steven: what is great about it is the same thing that stinks. It's very hard. But, like, you come here, you do spots, and you get better. You really get better. And I'm not saying it's unique to New York City, but it, it is a place where that is easy for it to happen. Uh, I'm theoretically recording my special, uh, in December, uh, here, and, uh, definitely not the same venue.

Theme: Uh I was gonna 

Steven: say, different venue hopefully. Yeah. But, uh, it's, um... And I'm straying away from your question on the fact that I, [00:07:00] we just developed a very fast kinship. But, uh- ... it's, it's hard here. But, uh, that's because New York has so many other options, not even comedy. Uh, the Knicks are doing wonderful right now.

They're not playing today, so I can't blame them. But, uh- Right ... like, it's so easy to complain if you w- if you wanna go that route of, uh, in comedy. Everyone has to blow off steam. But I look at, at, at, uh, when people are blasting off online about this or that in comedy that's unj- like, unjust to them, and it's like, when you signed up to do comedy, did you think that it was going to be fair?

Yeah. Like, it, it's, uh... We're supposed to be beaten up so that we actually in- uh, appreciate when we have the wins. Yeah. This is not an easy thing. Like, it's hard enough to do the thing. People don't talk about how hard it is to continuously get people to come to your [00:08:00] shows and all that stuff. Uh- Yeah ... but it's always worth the struggle.

And that's why I'm broken, 'cause I'm given so many signs that I should stop and, and I refuse to listen to any of them. 

Andrea: I get... I totally get that. Gerry, d- I didn't wanna c- I know Gerry came with, like, actually very prepared questions, so I don't, I've, I don't wanna yap over Gerry. Did you have one of your questions you wanted to ask before I get my next one?

I, I feel like 

Gerry: we've covered 

Andrea: most of them 

Gerry: in the prepared questions. I, I covered them immediately. No. But, um, yeah, Steve, I'm, I've told you before, I've told pretty much anyone who asks who I'm a fan of, I'm a big Steven Rogers fan. Like, I'm a- 

Steven: Uh, thank you Uh, yeah, I- I don't know how to handle that. Not, not, not 

Gerry: the...

Don't handle it. Just- But just, just, just take it. Um. Yeah. Uh, that, that's nicer than anything I've probably said to Andrea, and she kind of- For sure ... employs me, so. 

Andrea: For sure. 

Yeah. 

But so much is- Isn't it, isn't it actually insane, though? Like, we, we work [00:09:00] on the business of people's attention, and, like, our currency is people's attention and people liking us.

But God forbid anyone tell us to our face that they like us- Right ... or they think that our content is good or anything. Like, there is nothing worse to me than someone being like, "Wow," like, "I just really admire you for what you do." And I'm like- Yeah ... "Please stop. Please, please never say that to me ever." I 

Steven: know.

Gerry just gave me everything I ever wanted, and I'm like, "Eh." I really don't know, 

Andrea: actually. Like... 

Steven: And Gerry, that means a, a, a lot and I'm sure I had the same reaction when I saw you in North Carolina. And it means a lot when, especially when it's a comic that's funny. Like, uh, like when a comedian thinks you're, gives you a compliment, we're in the rooms when comedians are talking about what they, they really think about people in the other way.

So it's always nice to hear- Yes ... that version. [00:10:00] Uh, so thank you. That means a lot. Oh, yeah. Um- Uh, definitely needed it today, and I, uh, I'd like, uh, I'd like a recording of just that line, uh, sent to me. I'll actually, it's on my phone, so we'll be fine. Uh. Perfect. There 

Gerry: you go. You can make it your ringtone. You get a text, and it's just like, "Steven, you're the man."

Steven: And then it's the venue going, "Hey, we gotta reschedule." 

Gerry: Uh. 

Steven: Let me preface that I, I'm joking. I am very fortunate. I do headline all that, blah, blah, blah. But I think it's important to... I could have easily ignored that y- you being vulnerable about your show. Which I almost came to your show, by the way. I saw- Wait, 

Andrea: really?

Steven: Yeah, I saw you were coming to New York. Kunal Arora, who's a f- a friend of mine, was- Yeah ... sharing you. And, uh, I was like, "Oh, I think I have, I could swing by that show." But, uh, it m- it might've... And now I know why I got lost in it. Well, maybe you should've bought a 

Andrea: ticket, [00:11:00] Steven, huh? Maybe, maybe then- ... I wouldn't have had to cancel my show.

If only. Hey. I would, 

Steven: I would kill for 12 people. I 

Andrea: would kill for... Oh my gosh. Oh, man. It, it is, it is a weird industry because, of course, on social media, especially amongst comics, like- Mm-hmm ... and for listeners who aren't, like, in the comedy world and all that, they just see people posting all the highlights and, like, really heavy rooms.

Yeah. Which, by the way, those of you guys who aren't in comedy I want you to know that every room, however many people you're seeing, that we cropped that so that it looked as full as possible. Yeah. The reason it's not further back is because as soon as the edge of that picture is, no one is there. 

Theme: Yeah.

Because, 

Andrea: because that, like, the- it's marketing, and you don't wanna make people think that it's not a good time and all of that, and it's, it is a weird, weird business. And so we have a lot of educators that- Mm-hmm ... listen to the show, and I think that one of the ways we could [00:12:00] hopefully inspire the next generation of writers and comics is through comedy because- Yeah

number one, I think, like, the social critique that comedy allows for us to have- Mm-hmm ... in a lot of different spaces, I think it's so incredibly powerful. Um- Yeah ... and I, I think also there is kind of a, a perception that the only way someone can be successful within the comedy world or within entertainment is through being very, very profane.

Um, and obviously you tour with Nate. I don't... Are you... Now, do you work clean- I'm- ... pretty exclusively, or just when you're with Nate? I'm 

Steven: exclusively clean. 

Gerry: So that was actually the question I was, like, intro-ing before I started glazing you, was- Dang. You work clean. Was the... Is there a point in time where you can remember, like, okay, I guess, like, did clean...

Did you choose to work clean, or did clean kind of, like, pick you in a way? Like, I know, um, we both have worked [00:13:00] with Zoltan Kaszas, and I've heard him say- Love Zoltan. Zol- Zoltan's the man. I've, I've heard him say, like, um, kind of reference his dry bar as- Yes ... being like, "Oh, I guess, I guess I do clean now." Do you have something like that, or was that just your goal from the beginning?

'Cause clean comedy gets 

Steven: work. Profane for me is just, uh, not the same as what is profane. But that's the thing. It's such a, uh, sug- uh, suggestive because I would say it's easier to be marked a dirty comic than it is a clean comic because everyone's definition of dirty is much more s- uh, easily identified than clean.

Yeah. Because what's clean for me might be different for Andrea, might be different for Gerry. But, you know, then there's obviously the o- the obs- uh, obvious principles o- of that. I tried, like, I had, like, a couple of, like, basically that I wasn't getting any action [00:14:00] jokes, so that was the- Yeah ... the closest I got to being dirty, and it just, they weren't working.

It, it, I, I think the audience, if you listen, and that's sort of what Zoltan's saying, if you listen, the audience is telling you who they, who you are. They're like- Yeah ... "I don't buy that, that. You don't have to give me that. I'm, I'm... But then this thing about o- over here, that resonates, and that seems like you to us.

Give us more of this," if you're paying attention. Um, and then I was obsessed with late night. All I've ever wanted to do, uh, is late night. And, uh, I've been lucky enough to do it a couple times, and I watch late night still. Uh, and it's just one of my favorite forms of ingesting standup, and it t- it's always clean.

So I, I would watch it a lot as a kid, and that just kind of, I think, informed my writing, uh, a lot. And then I realized dirty comics had to change their jokes for that late [00:15:00] night set, and why would I tell a joke a h- 200 times one way, and then for the biggest pl- platform it's gonna get, change it for one time?

Why would I mess with th- those, the, the math there? And then also, I just, uh, I don't swear much in my regular life, and when I do, I'm in severe pain or anger. It's not amusing. Uh, and then, uh, I have friends that are amazing dirty comics. I cannot do what they do, and I'm, uh, getting to a place, thanks to therapy, where I can say they can't do what I do.

Andrea: Yeah. It's, it's actually kind of funny because my parents love clean comedy. They don't like anything how they would describe as crass. My comedy is not 100% clean. Um, I have, uh... Because, you know, I'm a high school teacher, is what I did for most of my career, and so I'm usually telling stories about stuff like that.

Of course. And so I, I told [00:16:00] my parents they could not come- ... to any of my shows for my first few because I had to figure out, like, what am I okay with saying? What is my... Also, like, just how I... Like, standing up in front of a group of people and telling them anything about yourself personally feels very vulnerable, and if you're doing it for the laugh and it's, it's a good joke and it's well-formed and stuff, then that's great.

But if I know my dad is sitting in the back, that is going to interfere with whether or not I feel like I'm comfortable with telling the joke to a bunch of strangers. Um, but I have to tell you, when I first started comedy, the amount of... And my parents listen to this podcast religiously, so I, hi, Mom and Dad.

Um, the, the amount of, the amount of articles that my dad sent to me about Nate Bargatze, um, and how good he is, and Leon Morgan, and how good they are- Ah, so good ... and how clean they are. And like, "Do you see that that's where the money is, Andrea? And if you didn't have to, you don't have to be crass to make all of the money."

And I'm like, "Okay. I get it." Yeah. So for a long time... And I like Nate's stuff. [00:17:00] I think he's hilarious, and he just genuinely... Like, I'm rooting for... And, uh, and h- I'm somebody who roots for, like, all the comics. Like, I don't- Yeah ... see it as a zero-sum game. And so- I don't either ... right. 

Gerry: And so I'm like- I only root for Steven Rogers.

That's it. All right. Well, hold on. That's the ringtone. That's it. That's the 

Andrea: ringtone. Oh my gosh. But yeah, like, my parents were just constantly like, "Oh yeah, but like, you know, Nate's Nate's doing pretty well. And I, I will say that I've been watching this week Funny AF, and one of the things that I noticed with the comics, especially towards the later rounds, is that it seems like the comics that worked cleaner tended to get better feedback, both from, like, the audience and from, I mean, the votes.

And not that... Those of you guys who haven't watched it yet, I'm so sorry, but, uh, the, the comic who won was Ron, who's not a clean comic. Right. Um, but his comedy had variety- 

Theme: Mm-hmm ... and 

Andrea: was not [00:18:00] one-note in a way that allowed, I feel like, the audience to get to know him in a more meaningful way. And I do wonder if with clean comedy there isn't an element of, like, you are, you almost are more vulnerable in some ways because you're not relying on, like, the shock factor or, you know, se- like, I feel like sex jokes are, like, pretty widely, like, people are gonna laugh about stuff like that because it makes them uncomfortable.

Um- Yes ... whereas, like, I feel like the amount of skill it takes a lot of times to craft, like, just comedy that's fully clean, I think, I think it's harder. I'm having a hard time because I've only been doing comedy now for a little over a year. Oh, okay. And so I'm look- like I'm, yeah, I'm very new to this- Yeah

and I'm the ex- the exact person that, again, listeners who are not in the comedy game, comedians really hate influencers who become comics. Like, overwhelmingly. I 

Steven: mean, that says more about the comedian than it does you [00:19:00] because I didn't know this before you said it, but you already, to me, clearly care about comedy and are trying to learn about comedy.

You're the change that we'd like to see from the people that have burned us in the past. So- Yeah ... I will say, yes, comedians love to t- to tell someone that they don't belong. Yeah. A- a- and, uh, I'm not a, a... I'm trying to be the change I wanna see in the green room. Yeah. Uh, so we all don't hate influencers.

But I, uh, I, I love you already. You're great. 

Andrea: Yeah. Thanks. Thanks. I, I, well, and I, when I first started especially, because I started with 20 minutes, um, doing a comedy show with a, with two other teacher, um, comedians, and then went from that to a full hour, um, immediately, and it was terrifying, and not a good hour, but I, my best hour I could kinda come up with and wor- working really hard on the craft and [00:20:00] everything like that.

Um, and, and on the note of the actual craft of comedy writing and trying to work things, um, in a way that doesn't rely so heavily on, like, sex for the, the humor or the shock or anything like that, is there a process you go through when you write jokes that you find has been beneficial to you? 'Cause I feel like especially for, like- Teachers who are looking to try and encourage their students to write, knowing kind of the steps they could guide them through could also be helpful.

Steven: Yeah. Because I'm clean, I don't think sex jokes are bad. I don't think comics that are doing sex jokes are less than. I know some clean comics do think that. And, uh, you look at all of the people that made it to the end of Funny AF and all the people poking holes in their acts, try to follow any of them.

Right. Try to follow any of them. Yeah. And, and it's... And you can say whatever you want about their content. It's [00:21:00] killing. A- and you- Very clearly ... everybody can kill with a different arsenal. Uh, do I think when some people are doing sex jokes, it's because they're afraid to get more vulnerable? Uh, yeah, I do.

Uh, but it's... Do, do I think some people are doing sex jokes and that's who they are? Yes. We all... It's all fear. There's so much fear attached to it. The, the feelings you get from some comedians because you're an influencer that came into the club, they're afraid. You know, it's all fear. Um, now as far as, like, writing clean, that was the question, right?

I'm sorry. Yeah. Like, 

Andrea: or, or like what are the steps you take when you sit down to write a joke? Do you just, like, when you're walking around jot something down that you think is funny, or do you... 'Cause I mean, I've, I've read all of these books now about comedy writing where it's like you write down categories- Mm-hmm

and then you try and find stories for each category, and all of that. Like, how structured is your [00:22:00] process? 

Steven: My ex used to say that 40... or I forget the percentage, but it was like 50% of, of my process is, uh, coming up with the next process. Uh- Because I think it's order and chaos, I really do. I think, like, your process shouldn't be set in stone.

You should be open to there's many ways to come up with a joke. I like to show up and write, uh, but some days it is spir- I'm spiraling on the notebook. Like, uh, nothing worth saying on stage is coming out, but I'm emptying my brain. So the rest of the day, observations can happen instead of me going, "What?"

You know. 'Cause I wrote on that page earlier that day the anxieties of last night, so now I'm not walking around thinking about those things. So I... There's journaling that is very helpful for me. A big thing is I'm an [00:23:00] emotional guy. So there's the principles I read somewhere. If something changed your mood that day, that's grounds for a premise.

And just trusting yourself. Funny A- AF, you could see how it affected a lot of comedians and, and there will be another thing that comes after that that makes a lot of people that do comedy question, uh, if they're doing the right thing. And, and it's... Well, you have to remember that those shows aren't made for comedians.

They're made for the general population. 

Andrea: Yeah. Where 

Steven: they don't care what it does to you bec- uh, and they don't care how much you complain about it online. And guess who else didn't do any of that? The people on that show that made it to the end. 

Theme: Yeah. They 

Steven: showed up, and they went to work. So it's like, unfortunately, uh, there is no process that, [00:24:00] uh, you know, equals X.

Uh, it's all chaos, but that's what I think is kind of fun about it. Sometimes it's you wake up in the middle of the night, and you thought of something, you write it down. Uh, sometimes it's something I said to a friend, and I- they go, "Hey, you gotta, you gotta say that." A lot of them that I've noticed in my friends is when they're just saying something they really, truly feel.

Uh, and they're not trying to be funny, but they're saying how they feel. And I think, uh, uh, you can build so many jokes around a feeling. And also, I inj- I ingest a lot of stand-up and, uh, I mean, every app, uh, streaming service has stand-up at this point. So it's like- Yeah ... you can't not find something to learn from.

And also going on stage, I mean, you're doing-- you're still doing hours. I mean, I like to put in a couple of moments in Gerry saw it of like, like I- [00:25:00] I'll prove that I'm good at it, uh, and then I will s- pull out of my back pocket or whatever, uh, new jokes, and I'll go, "I think I've earned these. Let's, let's find out if these are good."

And they're- Yeah ... sometimes they're literally just a one line of a thought, and let's get scared together. 

Andrea: Have you ever wondered what I would say if my mother and my administrators weren't watching every single thing I do on social media? Well, that's exactly what my stand-up show is, and I'm gonna be coming to a town near you super soon.

You can get tickets at educatorandrea.com/tickets.

I think that's, that's such solid advice, and especially for the teachers that are sitting there with a group full of like middle or high schoolers who don't know who they are yet, haven't found their voice. I do feel like comedy is such a powerful place to find that. Yeah. Because sometimes when you hear yourself say something out loud, it does provide a [00:26:00] little bit of a Wait, is that actually how I, how I feel and what I believe?

Yeah. And it does. And h- comedy is this weird thing where it provides almost too much self-reflection at times. Yes. Because you become very s- like, because you are trying to be honest and you're trying to focus in on what you believe and what you think and all of that, and you have to kind of dismiss- Mm-hmm

in some ways, the f- the fact that people are not gonna like or agree with what you're saying, 'cause you are saying kind of quiet parts out loud, even in, in silly ways and with silly topics sometimes. But I think that that's really powerful because I feel like right now for middle and high schoolers, all they see is people like kind of like shying away from saying things out loud, especially like on a platform- Yeah

that could offend literally anybody. Like, they're so worried about that. And I think that's the beauty of comedy is it's like one of the places where we still can, if we do it well enough, we can say some [00:27:00] wild things on stage- Yes ... sometimes. And you can make s- like it ... Okay, so in Ron's, Ron's final set for Funny AF- I have a hero's cat.

Steven: Sorry, by the way. My hero's cat is now a- appearing. No, it's, 

Andrea: it's all right. It's all right. The cat heard you talking about it- Yeah ... and was like, "I need to come by." Uh. Um, in, in Ron's final set he spent like half of it saying that drunk driving shouldn't be illegal and like- Yes ... going into this whole bit.

And it was so funny. I was just looking at my husband and I was like, "How is he making me laugh at something objectively I'm against?" Yes. Like, I, uh, like everyone, right? It's like, and he even says at the end, he's like, "You guys shouldn't dri- like drun- get drunk and drive your car, obviously." Um, but I mean, I think that's the power of like really good writing and really good charisma and stage presence- Absolutely

is to be able to do that. 

Steven: Like in that joke, right, he's saying drunk driving should be legal. We know ... First of all, we know enough [00:28:00] about him 'cause we've seen him in enough episodes. So there's, there's something to be said there, like- There's trust There's trust. People wanna know who you are. People I wanna perform in front of are the audiences that are like, "Sh- show us who you really are, and don't be afraid to show us that, 'cause we actually relate to you more than you think."

Yeah. And, and, and I find, like, uh ... This happened to me a couple weeks ago. It was one of the best compliments I've ever gotten in standup. This woman came up to me and she goes, "I didn't relate to a single thing that you said and I had the best night." And I, I was like- Wow ... "Oh, okay." She's like, "I, I, I don't like cats.

I, uh, I'm married with kids." She doesn't have anxiety. Like all these thing, we're ... And we came from totally different places, but we still connected. 

Andrea: Yeah. And it's, 

Steven: um, I'm still figuring out that, but that's the goal is like- Yeah ... this is who I a- it's m- you're making friends if you do it in a certain way.

Like, people are [00:29:00] coming Like comedian, you know, I ha- I hate that comedians make you feel the way that you reference, but I under- I understand that how they are. Uh- Yeah ... you know? But like- Yeah ... you are one too. It's like, uh, they're jealous because you've figured out how to connect with people bef- We only know how to do it from th- the, the notebook, you know?

Yeah. You're like, "I can, I can do it in more than one way." And it's like, it's all like, how can we connect by being ourselves? And, and that's kind of what we were alluding, you were alluding to before, or at least what I took from it, which is like, it is more vulnerable to be clean because you can hide behind the shock and awe of, of these vulgar or political or, uh, anti-religion whatever.

You can hide behind a thing that you know a lot of people already agree with or already- Mm-hmm ... feel a certain way about, and you don't have to show who [00:30:00] you are, who you are behind it. And it's like, how long can you do that though? Yeah. Uh, we need to know who you are. I feel like you've asked me questions should, that should have a one-line answer.

And, uh- No. This is, 

Andrea: no, it's- It's, it's really honestly super, super fascinating to me because I am still relatively new in- Yeah ... in this world. And it's funny because, you know, I'm unfortunately I'm on like, what's it, Threads or whatever, and I'm on like the comedy threads or whatever, and so, and people have a lot- That's what I've been-

a lot to say ... alluding 

Steven: to this whole ti- It's all Threads. Yeah. I've all an- It's, it's all- Yeah. 

Andrea: Guys, if you wanna see- It's all I've- ... how mean comedians... 

Gerry: It's all I've seen the last couple of days, and it's terrible. And it made- Uh-oh ... it made me like rethink certain thoughts I've had watching people's sets or watching the show or whatever.

I'm like, "Oh, what? No, I'm not gonna be like that person." 'Cause like s- see, everybody's s- system is different. For [00:31:00] out- Yeah ... kind of going back to the root question is it's like you, if you're not changing, you're ki- you're getting left behind. Like if I still wrote jokes the same way that I did- Yeah ... 'cause I've only been doing it two and a half years.

I haven't been doing it long at all. This is crazy that- It's like if I wrote- ... you guys 

Steven: are youngins. I, you guys- You guys, uh, do not carry yourselves like new comedians. You, uh, you- I appreciate it ... doing much better than that. 

Gerry: Thank you. It's like- But, uh- ... if I- 

Steven: Keep going. I'm sorry. Can you, can you 

Gerry: say that again?

I think I'm gonna make that my ringtone. Oh my God. But- 

Andrea: All right. All right ... 

Gerry: it's, I've had to change my proc- I changed it a little bit today. I've, I was, I went from doing voice memos heavy to always writing in or doing notebook to voice memos, now I'm back to phone notes, and I'm like, I'm not even using OneNote anymore.

I have like 100 individual notes of- Yeah ... you know, I have three things that aren't related, and then you note So I'm like, "Okay, let me start [00:32:00] foldering these off." But it's al- I also thought about while y'all were talking is, um, given, like, this is, we have a huge audience of teachers who listen to this, the way you're describing how you write your jokes and the way you describe your process that you've been through through 13 years of comedy, it's the same thing teaching.

Like, we are constantly changing how we do things 'cause we're constantly changing with the world around us and the process around us. It's like if you- 

Steven: Yeah ... 

Gerry: if you stick to the one way you were doing something, you lose your connection. 

Steven: Yeah. Essentially. I, uh, you're right, I'm a lot like a teacher, and all the teachers listening should come and see me live.

But, uh- It's funny because, like, in school I was bored out of my mind, but I, the, the ones I got along with the most were actually the teachers. Uh- And I actually, like, my math teacher from, uh, [00:33:00] oh, she's gonna, she's gonna listen, 10th grade I think, uh, comes to every show I do and when I go home. Oh, wow. Awful.

And it's like, that's what I felt like when I found stand-up. I was like, "This is how I was supposed to feel." They just didn't have my subject in school. 

Andrea: Yeah. Yeah. '

Steven: Cause I wanna learn everything about this thing. I wanna do all the home- like, this is what it is. Yeah. And it's, uh, and that's what, what this Threads thing, man, like, it, it breaks my heart.

It really does. Because, like, I know most of the people that were on that show, they deserved to be on that show. Yeah. I was not on that show, okay? Does that bother me? Any time you don't get a thing, you're, it, it makes you think, feel a little something. But it's like, am I gonna take all this energy [00:34:00] and wish comedians, like, bad luck or less opportunity?

I don't understand it. And I, I, I do understand it, but you can take that en- energy and go back to work. Yeah. And it's, and, and I don't mean to sound like an old man when I say that. I'm, I'm trying to say it with love, which is like- Yeah ... you know, all the thing you just did on Threads, you know what that was?

That was writing. Yeah. Maybe. Maybe. 

Andrea: Crazy idea. 

Steven: Crazy, crazy idea. Yeah. Go in a different direction with it. And, and, and I, I'm all for people sharing their, their, their frustrations, but it's like, let's be on the same team. Yeah. Come on. And also- Yeah ... none of the general population cares. Yeah. They, they are watch- it's American Idol for stand-up.

Yeah. Yeah. They just got introduced to- I don't remember how many people did it in total, but like 100 new comedians 

Andrea: Which is [00:35:00] incredible for all of their careers. It's incredible. 

Steven: It's incredible. Yeah. Yeah. There, there's only two... There's only one late night left. Y- y- that, that, that, that they don't even do 100 spots a year.

Yeah. So that's not fair to, for you, for you to wish that to, that like there w- wish it success, there'll be a season two. Like- Right ... it's- Yes ... I, I don't understand it. I mean, I'll, I'll cop to it. In the beginning when, in the very beginning, so this is before your time, when influencers were starting to come into the clubs, all the comedians were doing what they're doing right now that we're talking about.

And I remember, uh, either a headliner or a club booker saying, "Yeah, but then they come, people come to see them, they have a good time, they come to more shows." Yeah. And it's, and it's, uh, the rise in tide lifts all boats- Yeah ... uh, thing. Right. 

Andrea: Exactly. And I, the, I think one of the, the biggest things that, you know, [00:36:00] I, because I've, I've talked to lots of, um, comedy friends about all of this, where I'm like, it, it is interesting because coming from the influencer world into comedy clubs- Mm-hmm

I had to write jokes every single day- Mm-hmm ... and post them every single day- Mm-hmm ... and get immediate feedback. If it bombed, it wasn't good- ... and no one ever saw it. Yeah. And if it was good, I would lean more into that for my next content. And so although I wasn't writing jokes and doing, you know, like a couple minute sets here and there, I was writing jokes every single day- Yes

getting immediate feedback, building a relationship with an audience. Um, and the thing, here's, here's the thing that really bothers me, because again, I wish success to all the comics that I meet. I'm like- Mm-hmm ... "Great. Good job. Great set." I always want them to do well. Um, and so, you know, when they then act annoyed that I am able to headline without the millions of open mics and all of that, I, I am then baffled when I look [00:37:00] and I see that they don't post anything online.

They are not doing anything. And I'm like, the internet is for free. Yeah. 

It's 

free. We can, we act- Like back in like when Seinfeld was coming up, when all of these like, like icons of comedy were coming up, the only option they had was hit open mics over and over and hope that people who liked them and were in their world and saw the world in a way that they could connect with happened to be in the club that night or were comedy fans or whatever.

And now I'm like, we have an algorithm that tells people, "This is probably somebody you're gonna like." How lucky are we? To be able to connect with the comedy- Yeah ... of people in that way. Like, what an absolute waste to not do something. And I'm not even saying, like, post your content online. Mm-hmm. Because I know people get really worried about burning their jokes and all of that, but, like, then do something w- like, slightly different.

Do a skit, do a whatever, and then you're connecting with people and building an audience- Mm-hmm ... that is gonna be rooting for you. Because that is, [00:38:00] I think, easily the thing that has helped me want to come back, is, like, my first couple times, like, ugh, my second time was so bad, but people were rooting for me.

And you could feel it because they came to see us 'cause they'd spent the past three years- Mm-hmm ... seeing me every day. And so even if a joke didn't d- like, totally land, it was such a gentle place to start comedy because they wanted to see me succeed. And then I've been- Yeah ... in rooms that cared far less, and I learned more lessons in 

those.

Yeah. But, like, that's huge. And so I, I've never understood, um, from the perspective of the comics who are doing five open mics a night sometimes and then won't sit down and post a single thing on- online to get- Yeah ... like, like build their online presence. Because I feel like these days that's kind of the way that we're able to blow up.

I mean, good grief, like Matt Rife and, like, all of those others that just blew up, like, after years and [00:39:00] years and years of practice. Yeah. It was, like, one post that he did and then all of a sudden blew up. 

Gerry: I, I know for me has been, given that I'm not even three years into this, it's been unique because I feel like new, in a way, new comics are like, are like little kids.

It's like you're, when you see the grownups that you respect and look up to saying a certain thing, you're gonna be like, "I agree with them. I'm gonna repeat that." 

Andrea: Yeah. Yeah. 

Gerry: And I've done that with the social media comedy before. And then, uh, having to also step back 'cause, I mean, me and Andrea have had conversations where I opened my eyes to doing, working, like working with Andrea and Phil and Gasper has changed the trajectory of what I'm on 'cause y'all pushed me into starting to post.

And, um, 

Andrea: and seeing, like- Because we sat in a green room with Gerry for 10 minutes and we're like, "You should be recording this, Gerry." You, Steve- Yeah ... Steve, you had, you, you had a green room experience with [00:40:00] Gerry, right? So you've actually- I have. Yeah. Well, 

Gerry: we, we, we were at a club that had them. S- Steven, you and Andrea didn't get the same green room experience.

Andrea: Were you, were you better behaved with him, Gerry? 

Gerry: Yes.

I just sat there- Yeah ... and listened. I was like, "Uh-huh, yeah." I was just- You just... Uh, but it's like, now it's like I've worked with people now in that field who s- um, people who have done standup and the content elevated them to be able to take their standup to a new platform. I've worked, uh- Now with, uh, people who have, um, started in content creation and then went into standup, and it's all this, like they're...

Again, they're, if why, why not do it, you know? Yeah. Like, if you, um, have that audience and you have that passion for it, it's like, do it and do whatever you gotta do to get there. I don't know if that makes sense or if that sounds- It makes- ... right. No. But it's like, like I, um, [00:41:00] now, and I'll, and I text Andrea probably every day about some- I'm like, I was texting her yesterday about, "Andrea, should I change my profile picture?"

She's like, "Dude, it doesn't matter." I was like, "Okay, cool." 

Andrea: He's like, "I don't know if I should." I was really going back and forth. Which I texted you the last time you 

Gerry: were, last time I was with you in, in Columbus showing you pictures, and you're like, "Don't do that." So that's why I text you. And then, and Andrea's just like, "Dude, I don't care if you change your pro-" I'd be like, "All right, man, I thought, but- I was like, "You're 

Andrea: re- you're really overthinking this.

It's not that serious," but 

Steven: Well, let me, I mean, at the risk of, uh... I don't, I don't have a, a podcast where I can learn from you, so I'm gonna do it at your own podcast. But, uh- ... um, it is me. But what would you say to, to comics that have to get to that way of thinking? Now I, I post and, and whatever I'm posting, I don't know how to, uh, to get into the algorithm, but it ain't going in there.

But like, I only know how to be a [00:42:00] standup. Yeah. So I don't know what to give people other than that part of me. Yeah. And I want the people to feel like they do when they see you, which is, uh, this is a comedian I wanna go see, but this is also a friend. Yeah. And it's, and it's like very, like I know I, I, I've, I've come to that way of thinking of like, this is something I would like to do, but every time you, I, I put a phone in my face, I gotta look at me and I'm like, "This isn't what you do."

And- Yeah ... a- and not from a point of pride, but from a point of like, you don't know what you're doing. And- Yeah ... it's, it's a strange, uh, way of, of writing. 

Andrea: Yeah. And it's also incredibly humbling because just like when I sat down to write jokes for the first time to actually do a comedy set, I had to accept the fact I was not gonna be very good at first.

Mm-hmm. And you have to let it suck, and it's the same [00:43:00] way with doing videos online, is just accepting the fact that like, it's probably gonna suck. Yeah. It's, it's awful watching your own face for, I would say, the first few months. Mm-hmm. Just staring at your own face, and it just is a bit of a nightmare.

Mm-hmm. But the one good thing with creating videos online is your worst videos are likely gonna be seen by so few people because- Yeah ... no one's gonna like them. And so the, the embarrassment is kind of minimized because until you start creating stuff that resonates, not that many people are gonna see it.

Right. Um, so that, that part was really helpful. Um, there is a comedian who, oh my gosh, I, I wanna look up his name because I am very jealous of what he, he is doing right now. Derek Cahill, do you know him? I 

Steven: know that name. Now I gotta Google it. He- I know of him. 

Andrea: Okay. So he does a series on his Facebook and on his Instagram that's called Fuck This House, and it is just him doing DIY projects around his house.

It is [00:44:00] so funny, and he's just narrating the normal frustrations of having a house and doing home repair and all of that stuff. So it's stuff he's already doing- Yeah ... but he's talking in a way that is so funny that, like, makes me feel like I know him, makes me feel like I wanna see his standup, because if he's this funny when he's doing something as monotonous as, like, fixing a drain in his backyard- Yeah

his set is probably hilarious. Right. And so I think that is one of the things, is just figuring out something you're doing anyways that you're comfortable with sharing with the outside world, um, that is gonna be somewhat relatable. Which I think the more of a more touring comic you are, the harder it gets because- Yeah

it's so much hotel and airline and all of that. Um, but it could just be, like, going and finding, like, the best pizza in each town or some- something- Mm ... that is, like, a consistent topic that you can go back to where people- Yeah ... will be like, "Oh, I wanna see it if they do it again." Um, and- Finally, a way to 

Steven: write off my pizza eating.

Andrea: [00:45:00] Exactly. Yeah. Honestly, and the amount of things that are a, a business expense if you're a content creator grows exponentially as well, which is helpful. So, you know, figure out what you wanna buy anyways and then create content around that. 

Steven: Yeah. It's- 

Andrea: That's 

Steven: the way to 

Andrea: do it ... 

Steven: it's like, I mean, I mean, he already made himself present, but this guy's my- Yeah

this guy's my life, and so is his- Yeah ... uh, less social sister. And it's like every time I go to do something with them, I'm like... It, it... I know that it's like, I bet you a hairless cat just doing a bit with my hairless cat's face right against mine would do great. And then I'm like- Yes ... or I could just sit and hang out with my cat.

It's har- It's hard. It's very hard. Yeah. It is. So I, I have all the respect for people that figure it out. 

Andrea: Yeah. And I, I think that is part of the thing that stops a lot of comics from doing the online stuff is it's a- Sure ... completely different skillset. It's so different. It is. Like, it's so different and it's so uncomfortable, and like you said, so much of [00:46:00] criticism, especially within the comedian world, is fear.

And it's like- Mm ... I don't wanna go and embarrass myself and look stupid. Instead, I'm gonna act like I'm too good to do those things. Mm-hmm. And because I'm out here doing, I'm doing the real work and I'm doing open mics, which by the way is insanely hard work and time-consuming and time away from family and kids and all of that.

Yeah. Um, which, which is why I don't do a whole lot of, or have never actually done an open mic um- Keep the- ... because- Keep the 

Steven: streak alive. Well, 

Andrea: like I, like number one, I've, I've talked to my comedian friends and they're like, "You, you, you get to try stuff because you, you're headlining and you're doing an hour."

So that is incredibly beneficial. You're do- Like, the amount of open mics people have to cobble together to get a, a solid hour is kind of insane. Um, and like I, I practice and I take it, you know, very seriously, but also I'm like, I have small kids. Like, I'm not gonna go down and do an open mic three times a week and miss out on [00:47:00] time with, with my kids.

Um, but yeah, I think, I think that's a really big part of it is like for comedians, it's like th- that's a different skill set. I don't want to focus my energy on that, but I do feel like in these days it is really hard to not do something with it at least- Yeah ... if you wanna build a platform. 

Steven: I completely agree.

Uh, and there's ways to... You, you can find out ways. Like I, for some reason, me just posting the threads I liked that I did this week all at once, they- people love it. Or, or at least- Yeah ... that's the stuff that people are paying attention to that I do. And it's like- Yeah ... you can figure it out. And I, I like what you said, is like where is your energy going?

Because it really is that. I mean, agreed, and I know that you've already had this thought. Y- your, your friends are going, "Well, you, you're headlining, you can just sneak in jokes that way," but you care about your show, so you're like, "Well, that is only so many new jokes I can do." [00:48:00] Yeah. But it's like not a unique to me thing to be like, "Hey, I've got ki- kids, I've got a life.

I, I haven't been able to try these jokes. Are we cool with me doing a couple new jokes?" And making it a segment of your show. Yeah. It, it, it's like we're, we were just saying back and forth, I'm only realizing it now, is like... And, and to what you were referencing before Gerry, is like you look at way th- everybody does it and you think that's, "Well, that's how I have to do it."

Yeah. And, and it's like you can learn from how they do it, but y- they don't... Everyone has a different life. So it's like- Yeah ... there's so many, uh... It's really just taking a little bit from everybody on how they do things and making it your own. 

Andrea: Yeah. And I am on Team you creating cat content, because I think that that is something the internet would love.

It is- Yeah, probably ... sharing your cats- I mean- ... with the world ... 

Steven: they're already my merch. I might as well make them my f- my social medias. 

Andrea: Especially because you- I [00:49:00] still have your 

Gerry: cat pen somewhere Oh, nice. 

Andrea: Yeah, and especially if they're part of your set, like people are gonna get beyond excited to see like the stars that- Yeah

they've heard about before, like on, on your page and stuff. That'd be amazing. Um, okay, well we are gonna let you go, but before we do, I would love to hear where people can come find you, and come buy tickets, and come see your show, and all of that good stuff. 

Steven: Yeah. I would love for them to find me, too. Uh, um, please follow me on, uh, it's Steven Rogers Comedy on all the socials.

That's Steven Rogers. It's S-T-E-V-E-N R-O-G-E-R-S, same as Captain America. I have specials on YouTube, uh, Before He Was Super, and then the latest Nate Land one is, uh, H- Half of We. Uh, and then I'm recording my next one in, theoretically, in New York City. Uh, it's looking like December 5th, but just follow me.

Go on my website. You'll see all that [00:50:00] stuff, and if you live in New York, please for the love of God, come. Or New York's great in December, just come. 

Andrea: Yeah. 

Steven: But yeah, I'm on tour all the time. StevenRogersComedy.com. 

Andrea: Awesome. Thank you so much. Um, Gerry, do you have any shows coming up that you wanna shout out?

Gerry: Nothing. I, I do, but I don't know if... It's nothing that's gonna move the needle if I promote it here. Nothing. Wow. Rob, how many listeners do we have in Sanford, North Carolina? Like- Hey, all of them. All of them 

Andrea: listen. 

Steven: All right, I gotta change my special recording to Sanford. There you go. 

Andrea: Exactly. Exactly.

Well, uh, I will shout out the fact I have a show, um, June 6th in Batavia. Batavia? Batavia? Batavia. Uh, the- thank you. Batavia, uh, at the Comedy Vault. They, uh, just added it, and it's only a month away, so hopefully more than 12 is what we're going for. Um- That's a lot of r- 

Steven: where I, I'm near where I'm from, so I'll send p- Nice

yeah. 

Andrea: I'll tell some people Yeah. Let, let everybody know. It'll be a good time. [00:51:00] Um, and then I've got a g- I've got a got. I've got a show in Terre Haute, Indiana in July, and then San Diego in August. So- Nice ... um, you guys can check out my tickets, educatorandrea.com/tickets. Oh, I 

Steven: forgot to do one other plug. Oh.

I'm sorry. Yeah, go 

Andrea: ahead. 

Steven: Uh, it's not a clean podcast, 'cause my other two co-hosts are not clean comedians, but, uh, it's a very fun podcast. It's called He He He. Uh, I do it with Peter Wong and Taylor Yarish. It's just- Nice ... three best friends being idiots. If you like that stuff, check it out. Awesome. Warning, it is not clean Uh, they are not click That's good.

Andrea: Mom, Dad- Yeah, yeah ... that one's not for you. You're not gonna be a fan of that one. 

Steven: All 

Andrea: right, awesome. And guys, if you have any thoughts about what we chatted about today, or any questions, you can contact me, andrea@human-content.com, or you can contact me @EducatorAndrea. Um, or you can contact the whole Human Content Podcast family on [00:52:00] Instagram and TikTok @humancontentpods.

Um, and thank you so much for those of you guys who have left reviews, and if you wanna catch those full video episodes, they're up every week on YouTube @EducatorAndrea. Thank you so much for listening. I'm your host, Andrea Forkham. 

Gerry: I'm Gerry Patoka. 

Andrea: And our guest today was Steven Rogers. Our executive producers are Andrea Forkham, Aron Korney, Rob Goldman, and Shahnti Brooke.

Our editor is Andrew Sims. Our engineer is Jason Portizo. Our music is by Omer Ben-Zvi. To learn more about How to Survive the Classroom's program disclaimer and ethics policy, and submission verification and licensing terms, you can go to podcastorandrea.com. How to Survive the Classroom is a Human Content production.

Theme: How to

Andrea: Survive the Classroom. Thank you so much for watching. Want more of How to Survive the Classroom? You can watch more episodes right now. Just click on that little box over there. You see it? And if you haven't yet, please subscribe. Okay, bye.[00:53:00] 

Human Content.

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