Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Evan Wecksell. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Hi Evan , thanks for joining us today. When did you first know you wanted to pursue a creative/artistic path professionally?
I was enrolled in a sports marketing seminar at NYU after wrapping up an internship at the National Hockey League. Not totally sure what to do with my life. During the final presentation about the WNBA I included hand-puppets and other unconventional elements. Thankfully the professor laughed, the class laughed and in lieu of feedback I was told to get on stage.
Evan , 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?
As a comedian I try to do a variety of things. Obviously, #1 is be funny, but what sets me apart is that the audience is so much of my show. I customize every show to them. I’d say only 1/3 of my show is just me doing my act. I need an audience’s input, I need them on stage, I need to know their backstory. The audience is more important than any of my schtick or venting. If I strike the right chord with an audience I keep the bit in my act. What folks should realize is that there is a big grind behind the scenes that I enjoy. I do a lot of outreach on my own, I handle my own contracts, logistics and bookkeeping. You learn a lot by being your own boss and there’s no one to point the finger at but yourself.
What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?
The most rewarding aspect of being an artist is creating moments for the audience. Because of how I structure my show, I probably have 2-3 occasions per show where the audience is filming with their phone. That lives beyond the time when I am just on stage.
Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?
During Covid, I lost several gigs and really needed to pivot. People didn’t try virtual entertainment just yet because all I saw was fear being pumped into the society. It felt like societal paralysis. Drawing on past experience and my years as a Scientologist, I created from scratch a powerpoint on how to handle the dangerous environment and what to do when things felt as helpless as the dad during Covid. Delivering that presentation they did during Covid was just as rewarding as any live comedy show I ever did.
Contact Info:
- Website: funnyevan.com
- Instagram: instagram.com/evanwecksell
- Facebook: facebook.com/funnyevan
- Linkedin: linkedin.com/in/evanwecksell
- Twitter: x.com/evanwecksell
- Youtube: youtube.com/@evanwecksell
- Linktree: https://linktr.ee/evanwecksell
- Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/472LxPV5wHklcul79Bz9dT
Image Credits
Evan Wecksell