We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Karen Morgan a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Karen thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Do you wish you had started sooner?

Absolutely not. I started my career as a professional comedian at the age of 40. Before that, I was a trial attorney. Before that, I was in advertising & marketing. Before that, I was in graphic design. And before that, I was a lifeguard & swim instructor. All of these life experiences led me to my latest (and longest lasting) job as a professional comic. I am very grateful to have started in comedy when I did. Had I started sooner, I would not have had the life experience that I draw upon when writing material. I also may not have had the confidence to be myself on stage. As the years go on, I am more comfortable with writing what I find interesting and funny rather than trying to overthink what other people want to hear. Comedy is an art form. It’s subjective. You have to write for yourself first, and with age comes the wisdom to know what that means.

Karen, 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 was born and raised in Georgia but have lived in Maine for 27 years. I graduated from the University of Georgia (Go Dawgs!) and Georgia State University College of Law.  I began my professional comedy career in 2005 as a Finalist on Nickelodeon Television’s “Search for the Funniest Mom in America.”  I had taken a break from my law practice when I had kids, but staying home with 3 kids under the age of 3 inspired me to get out of the house once a week. My friend suggested a standup comedy workshop at a local comedy club. I would have taken underwater basket weaving, but thankfully the comedy workshop also fit the bill. Around the same time, Nick at Nite was having their Search for the Funniest Mom in America. My comedy teacher suggested I send in my tape from our graduation show. I was selected as 1 of 7 finalists from over 1000 entries nationwide. I didn’t even know it at the time, but my career path had taken a permanent turn. I’ve been working as a professional comic ever since. I keep my law licenses current, but I am sticking with comedy full time.

I work mostly as a clean comic and have 2 Dry Bar Comedy specials. I have 2 albums, “Mean Candy” and “Cocktails in Pajamas” that can be heard on Sirius XM Radio. I have a podcast called “The Purple Bike Podcast,” which covers pop culture during the 70s & 80s.  My primary schedule includes live shows in theaters & performing arts centers as well as corporate events and non-profit fundraisers. I also produce live comedy events, including PAC stage shows and comedy festivals. I am currently in the planning stages to start the Athens Comedy Festival in my home town of Athens, Georgia. I am still licensed to practice law in Maine and Georgia, but comedy has been my full-time job since 2005. I am married and have 3 kids. I love living in Maine, but sadly we have no Waffle House here.

We’d love to hear the story of how you built up your social media audience?

As an elder GenXer who did not grow up with technology or social media, I’ve had to work hard to learn social media in order to share my work and interact with my community. My skills in audio/video editing and graphic design have been very helpful. I used social media managers in the past, but my growth on social media came after I started posting on my own. It is time consuming, but the process of doing it myself allows me to speak in my own voice to my community who can tell if the humor and POV are genuine. I do work with an amazing consultant who has been invaluable as a sounding board and for strategic advice, but all posts and comments are done by me personally. I am not a huge creator by any means, but my community is loyal and appreciative. And they buy tickets to my shows, so I am always happy to meet them in person. 

Here is my advice for anyone starting a social media presence:

1. Be yourself.
This is the same advice I give to people starting out in comedy. Don’t copy others in hopes of fast growth. If you create a persona that is not genuinely you, it will not be sustainable long term.

2. Be patient.
It takes time and persistence to find your community. But the wait is worth it, and when it happens – it is real.

3. Be informed.
Do your research before you start. Learn what you can about the platforms upon which you are posting content. Learn how to create interesting and unique content that is personal to you (see #1). Look at other accounts, not to copy, but to see what you like about them that speaks to you.

4. Post for One Person.
This is a hard one, the most important one to me. Most people post to gain a bazillion followers for immediate growth. But if you focus on reaching just one person, then you have done your job. If I get just one comment that says, “You made me laugh today. I really needed that,” then I know I this is what I am supposed to be doing.

What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?

The greatest joy I have in standup comedy (besides reaching the One Person on social media) is standing on stage and seeing people in the audience nodding in agreement or poking their friend or partner sitting with them. When I see that, I know I have spoken about something with which they identify and agree. Life experience, whether good or bad, seems sweeter when shared. We all have everyday frustrations; buy we feel less alone knowing others are also going through the same thing. And what a joy it is not to just acknowledge that shared experience, but also to laugh about it.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.karenmorgan.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/karenmorgancomedy
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/karenmorgancomedy
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/karenmorgancomedy
• Other: Tik Tok https://www.tiktok.com/@karenmorgancomedy

Image Credits
Stewart Smith