Catching Up in With T.J. Miller at New York’s Comic Strip
T.J. Miller is a very rare talent. He describes himself as a “vaudeville comedian” but that doesn’t do him justice. He’s a one man variety show all by his lonesome, … which is an expression he himself might use!
I first met him back in 2013 up at the Just for Laughs Festival when Gotham Comedy Club owner Chris Mazzilli told me that T.J. was someone I should know. And he was right!
Since then T.J.’s done so much from playing Tuffnut Thorston in How To Train Your Dragon, to Weasel in both Deadpool movies, to one of my favorites when he played Ehrlich Bachman in HBO’s Silicon Valley, to Big Hero 6, The Emoji Movie, She’s Out Of My League and more, and then there’s his new film with Drew Barrymore called “The Stand -In” which was supposed to premiere at the Tribeca Film Festival but was another victim to Covid 19.
I had heard he was touring during the pandemic which is a ballsy move so when I heard he was doing three shows at The Comic Strip I knew I’d have to leave my house which is no longer easy for me to do psychologically. I’m so used to staying home that I question every opportunity to leave to see if it’s important enough. So if you see me somewhere you know I think it’s important.
He was scheduled for a 5, 7, and 9 P.M. show so I showed up around 5:30 after everyone would be seated because with the restricted audience levels I don’t want to take away a seat from any paying customer. Needless to say every show was sold out. I went into the showroom and found a seat at the very back of the room.
T.J. not only does comedy and funny stories he also engages the audience with interesting things, like a weird contest where he plays the nosewhistle, which is exactly what you think it might be, and has people guess the song for a prize. I love stuff like that, cause I admire individuality. I like people who are different. And I used to do something similar by snapping out songs by plucking the elastic band of my underwear, and having the audience guess the song, but I never thought to give out a prize.
He’s very conceptual and in one bit analyzes the way people laugh in different parts of the country, he makes up words, then he juggles in the light and then in total darkness when he had the club manager turn out all the lights so he could tell a scary story. He even asked him to turn off the exit signs but the manager had to refuse explaining that it was against the law.
In total darkness, after he finished the scary story he juggled balls that lit up in the dark and it was really cool. He also juggled cigar boxes and did some other really fun and difficult stuff while wearing what he described as “ a young boys tie.” It was a short tie that seemed to be on an elastic that he could move up and down.
He read from a book of statistics and then announced he was bringing up a friend which turned out to be a dummy wearing a mask. That led in to him doing some ventriloquism while drinking water through his own mask. Of course the water dribbled down his jacket, and it was funny.
So after it was all over I went backstage to congratulate him thinking he had no idea I was there. He told me he had spotted my hair from the stage, which proved once more to me that it’s not possible for me to sneak in anywhere.
One time at Radio City during a taping of America’s Got Talent, Joey Kola was already in the midst of warming up the audience as I walked in through a door all the way in the back, and as I entered this huge room he shouted me out from the stage. After the show I asked him how he knew I was there and he said, “ What are you kidding? Who could miss you? I noticed you as soon as you came in!”
Speaking of looks as you’ll see in the attached photos T.J. has changed his appearance many times over the years, mostly with longish hair and some semblance of a beard. I’m always fascinated by people’s choices when it comes to things like that so I asked him why he shaved off his beard and cut his hair shorter. Let me preface his answer by saying he looked great.
He said it was for his new movie with Drew Barrymore, called The Stand In, and then added “ I play a guy named Louis, and I just kept the look because you can’t have beard if you’re wearing a mask during the pandemic and short hair is just easier to manage, plus Kate likes it more.” Then as an afterthought he added, “ And there’s less for her to pull when we get in a tussle!” LOL
In the trailer for the film I also saw Ellie Kemper, Michelle Buteau, Andy Cohen and Jimmy Fallon.
I asked T.J. what it was like touring during the pandemic and he said it was “very dangerous” but more rewarding than anything he’s done before. He went on to say “ It feels like people need stand up and live entertainment, laughter and escapism from the severity of our global situation. We as comics feel like the psychological frontline workers, mental health being a priority immediately after physical health, and even better the audience can drink the entire time too! Plus the menus at comedy clubs allow people to eat like a nine-year-old. Now that’s comfort. Chicken tenders and a bucket of beer!”
And on that note I left him to prepare for his next show.
Hope you’re all safe and well and hope to see you out there laughing in person in a comedy club very soon! Also hope you will check out and join my new Patreon page which has lots of fun backstage videos.
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