We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful BJ Lange. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with BJ below.

Hi BJ, thanks for joining us today. What’s been the most meaningful project you’ve worked on?

This is a tough one, but here’s the long story short.

I’m an actor and an improv comedy guru. Later in life in joined the Air Force Reserve part time between acting gigs (and comedy gigs/teaching).

I got cancer at 35, medically retired from the Air Force Reserve at 36, and found myself in the Air Force Wounded Warrior Program (AFW2), a DoD program for wounded, ill, and injured servicemembers and their caregivers. AFW2 had a resiliency program that had some healing arts attached. They had stand up – but no improv.

I became the comedy coach teaching improv to the same program that I myself was enrolled in. Now, I have a defense contract teaching improv comedy as a resiliency tool for warriors and caregivers. Instead of performed based improv similar to what I do professionally, and teach professionally (The Second City), I focus on the phycological and well-being benefits of non-performance based application of improv comedy. Helping others helps me. While I always knew that the arts can help us heal, it wasn’t until I found myself teaching it in THIS application that I felt truly fulfilled.

BJ, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

BJ Lange (MTV, The Rookie, General Hospital) is Los Angeles based actor, comedian, and TV host. A graduate of, and instructor at, The Second City conservatory program, BJ loves improv, but more importantly, he believes in it.

BJ Lange is a resident of Los Angeles and a native of St. Louis, Missouri. He is an alumnus of iO West (formerly improvOlympic West), Upright Citizens Brigade, and a graduate of The Second City Conservatory – where he is now an instructor. He has also studied at The Groundlings Theater.

BJ has been seen on MTV, Jimmy Kimmel Live, The Rookie, The Prank Panel, and General Hospital. He is a proud teaching artist at The Geffen Playhouse.

Early in BJ’s career, his talents led him to hosting national televised events and tours such as Maxim’s Spring Break in Panama City Beach, The World Series of Video Games (CBS Sports), and GameRiot (MTV2).

BJ’s on-stage career began in middle school theatre followed by high school, college, and into the community. He also found himself working in radio – landing a role as the stunt boy on the nationally syndicated Steve & DC Radio Network which, not surprisingly, got him arrested for many critically-acclaimed stunts.

Live events are where BJ continued to thrive as he kept audiences entertained hosting events such as the Simon© dTour Live! Presented by ABC Family, X-Games BMX Jams, and the LG National Texting Championship and Mobile World Cup. BJ also toured with famed Disney star Selena Gomez, collaborating as host of the Monte Carlo movie tour. BJ’s host and hosting and gaming background led him to host “Meet Your Makers” a 60 minute late-night talk show event for Electronic Arts at the GameStop Manager’s Conference.

BJ has performed worldwide, including performances in Germany for the U.S. Army, and in Blackpool England where he performed at the Pleasure Beach Amusement Park.

Around Los Angeles, you can find BJ playing with various groups such as his two-man comedy duo, Tacklebox Improv. The ensemble has performed at the Alaska State Improv Comedy Festival, Improvaganza! Hawaii Festival of Improv, the Omaha Comedy Festival, and the Baton Rouge Improv Festival.

Off mic, screen and stage his passions include beatboxing, riding motorcycles, aviation, barbecuing, and volunteering. BJ is a private pilot, a nationally registered EMT, and an amateur (HAM) radio operator.

Service is one of BJ’s core values. He proudly volunteers as a Public Affairs Officer in Civil Air Patrol (United States Air Force Auxiliary), where he is also an accomplished aircrew member. Through his volunteer service he received many awards including a Presidential National Disaster Relief ribbon, a “Find” ribbon for his Search & Rescue service, and Public Affairs Officer of The Year for both the Missouri Wing and the North Central Region of CAP. BJ is also a recipient of the American Legion’s Medal for Outstanding Heroism.

An avid veteran and cancer advocate, BJ serves on multiple non-profit boards including the Testicular Cancer Awareness Foundation, Combat Boots n’ Cancer and Mission Warriors.

BJ is a medically retired United States Air Force Reserve aerospace medical technician (Air Force medic) and a two-time testicular cancer survivor. He is an ambassador and mentor in the Air Force Wounded Warrior Program (AFW2), where he also serves as a comedy coach teaching applied improv as part of AFW2’s Wellness and Resiliency Program.

BJ is a proud past cast member of DIAVOLO Dance Theatre’s Veterans Project which performed at The Kennedy Center. He is the company emcee for Warriors For Peace Theater, a veterans Shakespeare Company, as well as a member of the Veterans of Comedy, and a leadership fellow for Veterans in Media & Entertainment.
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Learn more and watch BJ follow his dreams at:
www.bjlange.com
@bjcomedy

Any resources you can share with us that might be helpful to other creatives?

I believe everyone can benefit from improv comedy. It’s not just for actors and comedians. See if your local area has an improv comedy group that teaches, a theater that has classes, or an online class that you can jump into.

Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?

When my cancer relapsed in the summer of 2017, on the surface I was my normal self- but on the inside, I was terrified. I didn’t even want to be around people, and get out of bed. I became very depressed and felt like my life was unfolding. I found myself looking at the tenets of improv to help me through.

In the theory of improv we say “Yes, and…” to make our play on stage go. It’s the language of agreement. In the life skill and resiliency sense, it’s simply saying this terrible thing has happened (cancer) and I need to ground myself, accept it (even if I’m not happy about it) and put one foot in front of the other and move on (at my pace).

Contact Info:

• Website: www.bjlange.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bjcomedy/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BjComedy
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bjlange/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/BjComedy
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cVvSd6SW1Go
• Other: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1293295/ https://app.castingnetworks.com/talent/public-profile/19ac80f6-e595-11eb-91cb-ade260f02c80 Stories: https://www.airandspaceforces.com/article/make-em-laugh-helping-vets-through-improv/ https://www.dvidshub.net/video/731221/turning-laughter-into-resilience-tool

Image Credits
Airman First Class BJ Lange, USAF (Ret.), front, right, leads his comedy improv group — Showcasing Resiliency Skills Through Improv presentation at the Warrior Care Month Celebration “A Day Of Healing” at the Sunset Room at National Harbor on November 13, 2023. Photo by Mike Tsukamoto/Air & Space Forces Magazine DoD Photo: Air Force Wounded Warrior (AFW2) Getty Images/Albert L. Ortega