John Oliver, The Daily Show’s resident Brit, who famously broke his nose in a field-piece mishap, is less known in the States for his witty and ever-so-slightly absurdist stand-up. After introducing his act to small rooms around the city (and killing at TDS’s ten-year anniversary show in November), Oliver, 29, sets his sights on a big-lights headlining weekend at Comix.
What do you consider your profession?
Most stand-ups, once they have done it, think of it as their default job. I’m pretty sure Jon Stewart still feels that way now. You are a stand-up first; other things come and go.
When can you call yourself one?
There’s a comedian, Adam Bloom. He used to say when I was starting out, “You can’t be a stand-up until you’ve done 100 gigs.” By then, you’re hardened: You’ve had ups and downs; you’ve had things said to you you never thought you’d hear. Even if you’re not making money yet, you’re entitled to continue. Once you’ve hit three digits, you deserve a gold medal.
What do you call yourself after a million sets?
Dead. You’d look like they do at the end of Blade Runner.
Have American and British stand-up styles melded as an effect of media sharing?
Not really. I mean, we have a lot of American stand-ups in England because you can make a living doing it. So, in some ways, we get the best American stand-ups—the ones who want to do only that. In England, it’s its own art form; you can subsist. In America, comics have honed sets that they do again and again in hopes of getting a sitcom. You tend not to get paid.
You’ve been doing mostly indie venues since you got here. Is this the first time you’ll be paid?
I got paid a few times…it’s not much. I really love stand-up. I’m more than happy to do it for nothing. I’ve come to America to do it for nothing. It’s the American Dream: Work for free.
Sounds like communism.
Yeah…what you ran so fast to get away from. But when you’re not getting paid, you’re entitled to think, “I owe you nothing.” And that’s pretty liberating. When people are paying for your work, that’s when you get people saying, “Oh, shut up, you’re not funny.” And you might think that’s wrong, but you can’t deny their financial right to say it.
What else are you willing to break for The Daily Show?
Anything. I will break anything. If the piece is in trouble, I’ll go down. That’s what I’ve learned. People hurting themselves: That’s what people want to see.
Besides Canadians, you were the first “minority” hired. How does that feel?
I am a pioneer who is breaking down boundaries. I have opened the doors, I have struggled. I am the Nelson Mandela of The Daily Show.
