We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Drew Harrison a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Drew, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Have you been able to earn a full-time living from your creative work? If so, can you walk us through your journey and how you made it happen? Was it like that from day one? If not, what were some of the major steps and milestones and do you think you could have sped up the process somehow knowing what you know now?
I went full time comedian at the end of 2021, and graduated with a visual communications degree that following spring. I always wanted to be a full time comic and supplement my income with freelance video editing and graphic design. I expected more emails to come back on the freelance side at first, but the comedy emails have been far more kind this past 1.5 years. I have made a lot of great connections, and received some help from some higher up comics that i will forever be grateful for. I thought it would take me a little while to make comedy money, and that’s where the video/graphic money would help, but its been the other way around. The freelance work has been harder to get off the ground, and i am so happy with how comedy is going.
Drew, 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?
I started comedy back in 2011 in North Carolina. I didn’t know what kind of comic i wanted to be or even that there was sub genres within comedy. It took me awhile to find my place, as it does most comics. I have found a nice spot for myself as a fairly clean-ish comedian that doesn’t like to offend anyone, i don’t like to talk politics, or any of the topics that divides our country. Comedy is all over the place these days and i just want people to come to a show I’m on and just have fun. I want people to relate to me, see that I’m just making fun of the everyday routine. I have some fun stories i picked up along the way and i love to hear people after shows say they had a similar experience and found my version hilarious. I got to record my debut album in 2022 in Wilmington, NC..a place near and dear to my heart as its where i got my start, and the feed back I’ve receive from that project has far exceeded my expectations, and i couldn’t be happier.
Are there any resources you wish you knew about earlier in your creative journey?
I definitely would go back and just enjoy the early days more. Comedy is a tough business and you can easily get caught up in the business side early on, and worry about your place, and your ranking. Those early days where you are just having fun with fellow comedians at the same place as you are, are the best, and they are easily taken for granted. Those car rides with 4 other comics from your scene going to do an open mic in another scene..those car rides/road trips are so much fun, and you really build life long bonds on those adventures. So yea, i would go back and smell the roses a little bit more..
Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative?
A huge struggle that non-comics don’t understand is how ‘all in’ you have to be. If you want to climb up and develop a place for yourself in this crazy comedy world..all of your vacation time from your day job will be spent on traveling for comedy. There are no days off.. i missed out on a lot of my friends trips, fun vacations, family functions, and that’s well before you are on the road full time. A lot of friends didn’t understand when you have to plan a west coast trip because they have never seen you before than go on a beach trip and catch up. It can be alienating and i think that’s why comedians gravitate towards other comics for friendship.
Contact Info:
- Website: http://drewharrisoncomedy.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/laughwithharrison/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/drew.harrison15
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/harrison_comedy
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@DrewHarrisonComedy