We recently connected with Jay Boyd and have shared our conversation below.

Jay, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. How did you learn to do what you do? Knowing what you know now, what could you have done to speed up your learning process? What skills do you think were most essential? What obstacles stood in the way of learning more?

I think I learned standup from just taking risks and putting myself out there. I always felt like I had an affinity for it. It’s one thing though to be funny around your friends, versus making complete strangers laugh. It’s one of those things where you just have to do it, see what works and what didn’t, and then find the courage to do it all over again. You learn by trial and error. How can you make your jokes better? Whether it’s timing, delivery, adding or taking away words, adding or taking away certain movements, there is always a way to make it better. With comedy I feel like I’m always learning. You have to learn a lot about yourself as well. What do you believe in? What are your thoughts and opinions? What story do you have to tell? And the most important of all, how can you make that funny or relatable? That’s how I view it. I wish that when I first started out I knew everything that I knew now. Starting out, I didn’t know how to properly craft a joke. I just took my natural raw material and ability and just hoped for the best. And I was content with the outcome. I feel like if I wasn’t like that early on I would have picked up way more knowledge about the craft. Now, I’m always seeking ways to be better. One thing I also learned is to be authentic. Being genuine and authentic works for me. You have to find your own voice and for me that was an obstacle because for a while, I felt I didn’t have anything worth talking about. One thing I will say, once I found my own voice and learned what works for me, I have been constantly seeking out ways to improve. Even now, I’m not too proud to reach out to someone who has been in the business longer than me and ask for feedback. Having honest feedback from someone who understands the ins and outs of the craft will definitely help you. You have to be willing to learn and take criticism.

Jay, 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 doing stand up on January 8, 2018. I’ve always dreamed of doing it. The first thing I remember as a kid was watching a comedian on tv. It was always so fascinating to me. As I got a little older, I used to sneak and watch Eddie Murphy’s “Delirious”. That’s always been on of my favorites and I remember thinking “That’s what I want to do.” Just hearing the laughter gave me chills. Some of my friends always told me they felt like I could do it, but I just never had the confidence to get on stage because I have terrible anxiety. My mom would always tell me, “Jay, the people can’t hear your jokes from the page. You’re going to have to put yourself out there.” I’ve always believed that I had the ability to make people laugh, just had to get past the anxiety. I still struggle with it sometimes but I have learned how to push through and channel that energy. I feel like one thing that sets me apart is my vulnerability. I’m not ashamed or to talk about my life and finding humor in real situations. Lately, I feel like there has been an increase in topics like , drugs, sex and politics. That’s just not me. I’m not knocking anyone, because I genuinely believe that comedy is difficult no matter what the topic is, and if that works for other people then by all means go for it. Personally, I strive to be as genuine as possible. I’m imperfect and I embrace that. I feel like that has worked for me so far. None of my jokes feel forced or like it’s out of character of me because it IS me. You’ll hear about times where I’ve been awkward or been in a situation that brought it out of me. I’m very unpredictable when I’m uncomfortable and that’s where a lot of crazy stories come from. A lot of inspiration comes from real life instances or times I’m just being the over thinker that I am. I like to navigate topics like family, friends, relationships and just everyday situations that I find myself in. Also, I don’t mind letting people know I’ve dealt with mental health. It’s a tough topic but I like to feel that if I can take the hardest time of my life and make it into a joke for someone else to laugh at, then maybe other people can look at their situation and hopefully realize that there is a light at the end. Maybe if someone notices that I have the courage to talk about it, it’ll give them the confidence to want to talk about it too. Wishful thinking but hey, thats just me. I must say I’m proud of how far I’ve come but I also realize how much further I have to go. As for now, I’m enjoying the journey. God didn’t give me this talent for nothing, so I want to use it to be a voice for other people who are like me. The people who don’t care to fit in and just want to be themselves and be happy with who they are despite their flaws.

Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?

My main goal is to just be happy. I know that sounds cliche or lame but I don’t care. Its true. Comedy brings me joy. Making people laugh is a gift that I want to continue to use as long as I can. Not everyone is going to get it or like me. Which is fine. I just hope to continue to get better and go further.

We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.

I’ve been a part of many shows and competitions. There was this one in particular that completely humbled me. I remember vividly. I made it to the final round. Everyone there was hilarious. I lost and I was okay with losing because I give credit where it is due. After the show people are coming up to all of the performers congratulating us. This one lady came up to me and said “ Do you mind if I get a picture?”. I was flattered. So of course I said yes. As I go to walk towards the lady, she hands me her camera and goes to grab another comedian. She made me take a picture of them. That moment humbled me FAST! It definitely hurt my ego for a while. Imagine working a tough shift, driving almost 3 hours just to lose a competition and being asked to take a picture of the winner for a crowd member as if you never even touched the stage that night. That was the longest ride home in my life. That moment made me want to work harder. It made me want to get better. Without that moment I probably would’ve been complacent. Coming off of a line of consecutive good shows and a few paid gigs before that competition, I was definitely feeling good about myself. After that competition, I was in my head a lot. The struggles of an over thinker. I wasn’t as mentally strong then as I am now. Comedy can be humbling and not every performance is going to kill. Just have to keep going and try again next time.

Contact Info:

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