Monty Mitchell recently won the Funniest Person Contest at Harvey’s South Street Comedy Club in Jackson, TN. The Jackson Sun interviewed Monty about his comedy career and we’ve totally violated copyright laws by cutting and pasting the entire thing right here:
From left: Mark Anundson, Monty Mitchell and Kevin Green are seen at Harvey's South Street Comedy Club. Mitchell won the club's Funniest Person Contest.Monty Mitchell knew from the first time he made other children chuckle at the lunch table, he was addicted to hearing laughter.
The now 36-year-old’s comedic stylings won him the Funniest Person Contest at Harvey’s South Street Comedy Club, 559 Wiley Parker Road in Jackson.
Mitchell won the honor over 100 amateur and semi-professional comedians during a six-week period. Besides the title, Mitchell also won cash, a promotional package and stage-time on the New Year’s Eve show, as well as two more appearances in 2010.
The lifelong Cookeville resident travels weekly to Nashville and hits other spots to continue to build his stage presence.
“I got a paddling in schools so many times for acting out,” Mitchell said last week about his childhood. “I’d do anything I could to make people laugh. I just now was able to find a way to get on stage and figure out how all that works.”
On Jan. 28 and 29, Mitchell will host shows headlined by Cledus T. Judd at Harvey’s South Street Comedy Club.
Mitchell spoke with The Jackson Sun about his side job.
Question: You’re an insurance salesman and do comedy on the side. Do you find the two contradict each other, or does it provide you with some of your humor?
Answer: I kind of take on a different personality on stage, or maybe I’m a different person at work. Maybe it’s truly me on stage; I don’t know. I don’t mingle the two at all. Most people don’t know that I do this.
Q: How would you describe your comedic style?
A: I’m not sure. I’ve been told that it’s kind of conversational-type comedy. Mostly it’s true stories that happened to me. I’m not a one-liner kind of guy, so they’re kind of long stories, but they’re about 50 percent true. You start out with the truth and make it absurd at the end.
Q: How do you push yourself and challenge yourself creatively?
A: I write five new minutes every week, and it seems most of the five minutes, nine out of 10 times ends up being junk; I take it to the open mic and test it out, and it ends up going in the back of the comedy folder. But it keeps the creative juices flowing. I find that works best for me.
You can’t substitute stage time. There’s nothing else. You’ve got to get on stage, and there you develop what you call your voice. It really does develop slowly, and you find yourself.
Q: What comedians have or do inspire you the most?
A: Growing up, Eddie Murphy was my favorite. I listened to “Delirious” until I broke the cassette tape.
Now I like Louis C.K., Jim McDonald. These guys are continually writing, always updating their stuff. They’re really involved in it 100 percent, they’re always looking for new ways … I find that amazing.
