Somewhere
else in the magical land of television, a local comic turned
worldwide celebrity over the summer.
--- West Jordan's own
Marcus went into the show Last Comic Standing and made it all the way
from being one of many at a Tempe audition to one of the final two on
stage at the end. Sadly, it was not to be as Marcus became the
self-proclaimed Second-To-Last Comic Standing. But all is not lost
for the comedic impressionist as national exposure has opened new
doors and given him hope to continue his career full time. But that
didn't stop him from prematurely spending all the "cash" he
didn't win on geeky spur-of-the-moment objects, like the KISS Pinball
Machine and a Humvee converted to look like the tank on Thundercats!
Now homeless for the moment and forced to apply for new jobs at the
Gateway Mall, I got a chance to take some pictures of his new life
and chat with the winner of the men's division about his experiences
with the show, as well as what he's up to next.
Marcus
http://www.myspace.com/marcuscomedy
Gavin:
What's up Marcus? For those who haven't
been watching television for the past two months, tell us a little
about yourself.
Marcus: Well, I'm a comedian and nature
lover. I enjoy movies, comic books and movies based on comic books. I
was on TV on this show called Last Comic Standing and that was
fun.
("You can't sleep here at night, sir."
says the LoveSac manager.)
Gavin: First off, you came
back this past weekend to perform two shows at Wiseguys as sort of a
homecoming. What was that like to come back and see all these new
local fans who most likely hadn't heard of you a few months
ago?
Marcus: It was great. Utah has been really good to
me. I have some amazing fans here and every time I perform back here,
they all show up. I have made some great new fans. I love my Utah
fans, they are the best!
Gavin: How did those shows go
for you after being on a national stage the past couple of
months?
Marcus: They were packed, it was ridiculous!.
It is weird that people think I'm famous now. Everyone wanted
pictures and autographs, I'm just the kid from West Jordan, you know.
I haven't changed, the way the world sees me has and it is weird. I
don't think you could ever get used to that. I am pretty laid back,
so I don't take stuff like that too serious, it will go
away.
(Nothing like a fresh handful of fountain water
to start your day.)
Gavin:
Being on Last Comic Standing, what was it like for you going up on
stage each week and knowing you were performing for a world-wide
audience every time?
Marcus: That was great, in fact
that was the best part. Getting to share what I love to do with the
world was amazing. I have received fan emails from all over the US as
well as the UK, it is crazy. I am very lucky to be able to have the
opportunity to do this as my job now, it is the coolest job in the
world!
Gavin:
Was there ever a point where you felt really overwhelmed by it, or
were you just enjoying the ride all the way?
Marcus: Oh
no, I had a nervous breakdown about 4 days in to filming in the
house. It was crazy trying to adjust to having cameras in your face
every minute of the day. I woke up one day to a camera crew filming
me sleep, it was too much. We shared one bathroom between 6 people,
slept in crappy bunk beds, nobody cleaned up after themselves, we
didn't have phones or internet, I just lost it. I couldn't handle it
at first, after I had my meltdown, I was fine in the house. I do have
to say that the stress leading up to the finale was pretty crazy too.
The whole thing was pretty crazy. I loved the experience, but I am
glad it's over.
(Applying for his new gig at Hotdog On
A Stick, Marcus demonstrates how to use condiments.)
Gavin:
With all the challenges you did like doing prop-comedy for Carrot
Top, performing for Playboy bunnies, dressing up like Wonder Woman...
what would you say was your favorite in the whole run?
Marcus:
The prop comedy challenge was fun, working with Carrot Top was cool.
He was a really cool guy. That was harder than it looks, trying to
find the funny in random props was really challenging, but I liked
what I did. It was fun to bring my sense of humor to things that I
don't typically do. Oh, and I don't think I will ever live down the
Wonder Woman episode... ever.
Gavin: Final winnings and
placement aside, of the other four finalists who did you feel was the
best of them and why?
Marcus: Well, Jeff Dye and me
have been friends for years, and I have watched and admired both
Louis and Jim, and it is great to be friends with them now. Although
the funniest person I have ever met, perhaps the funniest person
alive is Sean Cullen. He is a genius and to get to work with him
again would be an honor.
(Marcus studies the classics
to get his talents back on track)
Gavin: The day of the
final performance, what was going through your mind all day and how
you were feeling leading up to going on air?
Marcus:
Honestly I felt good. I was nervous until I hit the stage and then I
knew exactly what to do. Once it was over, I was happy with what I
did and knew that no matter what happened, there was nothing more I
could have done.
Gavin: I've heard on The Geek Show
that you're actually happy you didn't win because of the contract
setup you would have gotten. Can you go into detail about
that?
Marcus: NBC locks you into a holding deal where
they control what you can do for the next year. I got all the
exposure, but now I can do what I want and it feels great.
(Bushing
up on... other material)
Gavin: Does it shock you to
know you've got all these new fans from around the world now, or do
you take it in stride knowing this is what was going to
happen?
Marcus: I never expected anything. I just went
along for the ride. You can't let any of that become important
because it goes away. The only thing that matters is what happens
next. I have the exposure, now I have to go out there and prove
myself.
Gavin: Now that it's over, I see you're booked
on the LCS Tour which has you performing clear into February. Who
will be performing on that tour and why is there no Utah booking on
the list?
Marcus: Top 5 comics. There are a lot of
cities that they skipped, no idea why. I am going to be taking care
of Utah.
Gavin: I saw that! You're planning to do a
local performance in September that will also be a DVD recording. Can
you give us details on how that's shaping up?
Marcus:
Good. We are going to get the venue squared away with a day or two.
Should be a lot of fun. This will be huge, like 6 cameras, all HD,
the show will be at least 90 minutes and the DVD will be available
all over the world, so I am hoping that people will show up and be
just as excited about it as I am.
Gavin: A little
state-wise, what's your take on the local comedy circuit, both good
and bad?
Marcus: It is good. People are hungry and are
really working hard. I would say that if people are serious about
comedy, stick to the comedy clubs and stay out of the bars. I think
people start off with dirty material because it's easy. Challenge
yourself, try to write smart. If you want to do TV and radio, if you
want to be marketable, get into a club and work smart.
(Marcus
shows off his skills in basketball. Hey, the Jazz are
hiring!)
Gavin: Is there anything you think could be
done to make it better?
Marcus: Everyone needs to work
together. If one comic makes good, it shines a light on the whole
scene.
Gavin: Just curious, how many times in a day do
you get asked to do Christopher Walken? And do you ever get tired of
doing certain impressions, or do you view it as a chance to brush up
and perfect them?
Marcus: I don't do impressions when
people just ask on the street, that's like when someone finds out
you're a comic and they say "alright, then be funny", I
just blow it off.
(In an election year, celebrities have
influence. Time to get political!)
Gavin: Have
you ever gotten any feedback from the people you impersonate about
what they think of it?
Marcus: I was supposed to do a
bit with Gilbert Gottfried on stage live at the finale, but they had
to cut it due to time.
Gavin: I've seen the BET Star
Wars bit where you cast Bernie Mac as Obi Wan. What are your thoughts
on his passing and the influence he had on you as a
comedian.
Marcus: He was a great comic and will be
missed.
Gavin: I remember you saying once that your
show is mostly based around the music and movies and shows that made
you happy. Does it ever feel like you're material is for a selective
audience, or do you feel that there's something there that appeals to
everyone?
Marcus: At any given show, you will see
people of all ages. I think that if you write material that you
believe in, people will see the love you have for it and relate.
Cosby was a big influence on me, I related to him, and we couldn't be
more different. I guess in the end, funny is funny.
(College...
Nah!)
Gavin: A little on the tattoos, you've got
everything from Hulk Smash to a very well done Sinatra on your arm.
Are there any specific tattoos you have yet to do, and is there room
for them?
Marcus: I kind of play it by ear, I am sure I
will come up with some more crazy ideas. I have plenty of room
left.
Gavin: You've said in interviews that people may
be wary to hire you for rolls because you'll be the guy who will have
to "cover up" based off the artwork. On the flip side of
that, do you fear you'll be typecast because of that look?
Marcus:
No. I think that as far as my look goes, if people really want to
work with me, they will make it work.
(Hey, why not
give Channel 2 a shot?)
Gavin: With everything that's
happened and is in the works, is there anything specific you would
like to do with your career now that you're in the
spotlight?
Marcus: I would love to do SNL, that would
be awesome. I would love for anyone in the local Utah media to
acknowledge that I exist, that would also be cool.
Gavin:
Offhand, what has your family thought about the whole experience and
how far you've come?
Marcus: My parents are proud, my
family is excited. It has been a great thing and should continue to
benefit us.
Gavin: At the end of the day, what are your
thoughts on the career you've had so far and your outlook on the
future of it?
Marcus: It doesn't seem real. I am
waiting for it to all go away any day now. I am just going to work as
hard as I can and hope this lasts.
Gavin: Aside from
the tour and the DVD, what else can we expect from you the rest of
the year?
Marcus: That's really it for 2008, but 2009
will be insane. I have a whole bunch of things in the works, I can't
really talk about them too much, but let's just say that this is just
the beginning.
Gavin: Finally, is there anything you'd
like to plug or promote?
Marcus: Stay tuned to my
MySpace page for
details on the DVD filing and new tour dates.