We recently connected with Tommy Lucero and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Tommy, thanks for joining us 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?

The long road of learning to put together comedy shows can seem never ending, but when you don’t know what you’re doing to begin with there’s always something to be gained from what you learn. I myself had to go on a few cursed trips with folks that I thought had at least a tenuous grasp on how it should all go. However by the end of the trip, id learn it was quite the opposite. Besides the fact that at least one of these producers I went on the road with was far less experienced at the whole thing then I’d given him credit for.

My first time on the road would prove to be both a blessing and a curse. I should have been aware of the novice level of the producer when after his roast battle he proceeded to cry in the tour van after his loss. Throughout that experience I would learn not only about humility but how you should be entirely clear and thorough when discussing your pay with a club owner. Since the producer I was with on this outing didn’t do so and the pay wasn’t what he wanted, his reaction was to pull the entire hanging rack of glasses down from above the bar. To this day I have taken that lesson and used it to always remember to have something in writing or perhaps just get paid up front before the show even starts.

At one other point he had stranded the headliner somewhere in Oregon and told him to “figure it out” because the producer didn’t want to leave a strip club he’d found. The culmination of this run was the producer hiding in his hotel room as the headliner beat on the door and tried to get him to come out. As problematic and stressful as the bulk of that experience was, I learned to find compromises whenever you can as to keep the drama low to virtually nonexistent. Most importantly, make sure and take people with you that you can stand to be in a car with for extended periods of time since you will undoubtedly be doing so.

Tommy, 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?

Doing comedy in the towns I’ve gotten to has given me an appreciation for performing that I originally didn’t have. Seeing people enjoy their night and forget what problems may be going on at the time gives me great personal joy. Knowing that I can provide them a night out free of whatever may be happening in their own lives also helps me forget anything that may have been frustrating me, into a long forgotten moment. The feeling of doing comedy itself is a great point of pride since I feel I was given more than one do over in my life.

I often get asked why my shows go by the moniker of “40 oz to Funny Comedy Shows” even though I no longer drink. The answer is that it’s a tribute to a friend that’s past on, she was both a confidant and someone that I’ll never forget. However her passing is what led to me starting my journey to clean myself up. The influence and friendship she provided me at that time in my life was a very nurturing and guiding one. We were never “involved”, but she was and still will always be one of my best friends.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

To be afforded the opportunity to express myself in the way I feel most comfortable. Having the capability to work on my craft while still being able to travel via my art. Most of all the fact that doing stand up comedy has given me the chance to be around so many like minded individuals I now call friends.

Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?

When I first started comedy everyone I looked up to was a “addict” on some level. Particularly alcohol which is ever present while doing shows any and everywhere. For a long time I though that’s what I had to do to be a “comedian” but all it did was hold me back. I eventually would only do shows that offered drink tickets or a comics tab for booze.

It took quite a bit for me to come to my senses and realize that I wasn’t making any progress. It wasn’t until I had drank myself sick that I had to straighten up or risk a slow demise. I had to have a doctor tell me that he strongly suggested I never drink again along with showing me a very scary MRI. It was at the point I decided I’d rather live to joke another day as opposed to being a statistic.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://instagram.com/tommytheroach?igshid=ZDdkNTZiNTM=
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tommy.lucero?mibextid=ZbWKwL
• Linkedin: [email protected]
• Twitter: @tommy_lucero
• Youtube: https://youtube.com/@Tommytheroach
• Yelp: [email protected]
• Other: Tiktok: tommytheroach420

Image Credits
Jacob Blaeser Photography Trez Mala of Las Vegas Goldrush Comedy The Price Is Right Ruben Benitez of Las Vegas