We recently connected with Ty Colgate and have shared our conversation below.

Ty, appreciate you joining us today. It’s always helpful to hear about times when someone’s had to take a risk – how did they think through the decision, why did they take the risk, and what ended up happening. We’d love to hear about a risk you’ve taken.

I graduated from UCF in 2018 with a state-of-the-art Radio-Television degree, and about 25k of debt. I had no idea what to do next, only wanting to be a comedian, while still putting my degree to good use. That, and a faint memory of a conversation I had with the only person I knew that worked in the TV industry… telling me that if they were starting today, they’d go to Atlanta. So I went to Atlanta and realized pretty quickly that working in TV/Film was hard and living in a city you knew nothing about was hard and also stand-up comedy was, contrary to my dumb ego, very hard.

My first Winter in Atl was particularly rough. I had gigs falling through and an old car that was starting to give out. I dwindled my savings down to a couple hundred dollars and bombed in every room that would let me be aggressively bad at saying “funny” things. I was prepping to get a job at Express because at least there, I could be a failure with nice clothes. However, life had a different plan. The Weather Channel reached out to hire me full time with benefits and paid vacation and the whole nine. I quickly accepted the position and called every person who doubted me to let them know I wasn’t going anywhere. That Ty Colgate finally got his.

Then came the first day of the job and I was told I was working nights… Until 9PM at night to be exact. I know that doesn’t seem terrible to a mentally stable adult, but I was a crazy person who wanted to do stand-up comedy. I NEEDED my nights off. But also, I NEEDED money to pay rent. I made a plan to stay there until I got on my feet and could focus on getting another job that accommodated comedy better. For the time being, I would still go out every night and be last at every open mic and eat McDonald’s by myself in my kitchen and go to bed at 1AM and do it all over again the next day. That was my normal until March 2020 happened.

Obviously Covid was hard for everyone. No one was a unique victim to it, but it felt like a Summer vacation directed by David Lynch for me. At first it was nice to be able to breathe and relax, but then it went on… And on… And on. I drank. I watched Netflix. I restarted an old podcast I did back in college. Hell, I started a second feature length script. None of it filled the void of doing stand-up. As soon as I was able to do stand-up comedy again and the very second Weather Channel got in the way of it, I did my next big risk. I quit my full-time, cushy job with benefits to pursue a career in what can only be described as one of the least financially fruitful industries any human can be in. And somehow, I’ve been able to pay my rent so far in it.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

I’m a stand-up comedian & show producer based out of Atlanta, Georgia. Originally, I’m from South/Central Florida where I would live with my mom and visit my dad on the weekends. Both of those worlds were very different. In South Florida, I lived in Port Saint Lucie (back before all the gentrification and NYC rejects took over). It was a small city with dirt roads and truly–and I do mean truly–nothing to do. I grew up pretty poor there. However, in Davenport (where my dad lived) it was an upper-middle class existence with video games and golden retrievers. Obviously I much preferred the one with things to do and basic needs being met without a monthly financial battle.

There’s a lot to unpack when it comes to my childhood, but the gist of it is similar to a lot of comedians you can meet. Crucial developmental pillars were missing, which led to me wanting validation through being funny. Stand-up comedians became a patriarch for me because I didn’t get to see my dad as much as I wanted. I would come home from school when I was 12/13 and turn on Comedy Central and watch half-hour comedy specials. I wasn’t a bright kid, so the whole time I just thought they were coming up with everything on the spot. The way they could hold so many people’s attention and tell interesting stories was like a super power to me. I’d be taking all these mental notes, then go to school and try and make anyone who would listen laugh. This, of course, got me into a lot of trouble. It also got in the way of school, which as my freshmen year algebra teach put it “I was apathetic towards.”

I eventually got out of Port Saint Lucie and moved to Orlando to study at the University of Central Florida. I took part in every club that was comedy adjacent. I graduated in 2018 and moved to Atlanta where I got into the comedy scene and within a year started my own rowdy bar show. Over the course of the 5 years I’ve lived here, I taught myself how to run a profitable show and how to tell jokes that could *usually get laughs.

Fifth Place Comedy was the name I settled on for a comedy promotion company and with the help of close friends I set up shows in bars, theaters, a condemned church, and ritzy apartment complexes. We now run a weekly showcase at Joystick Gamebar and produce private shows for companies all around the metro area. It’s truly a dream job and I can confidently say it’s the reason I’ve gotten to be as good as I am at stand-up comedy. I’ve learned what it means to be professional with a venue and how to garner a crowd that will follow you from place to place and those skills have helped me book tours all over the USA and Europe.

15 year old me was down and out in high school. Most of my teachers had low expectations for me. The theater department I was involved in saw me as a background character because I never had the money to afford singing or dancing lessons. And a lot of people saw me fall into substance abuse pretty early in life (product of being a South Florida kid with too much time on his hands). I didn’t even know what to expect of myself, but before I turn 30 years-old I now have an Emmy, an international tour through Europe, and one of the highest recognitions from my alma mater, a 30 Under 30 award, under my belt. And I can now confidently say, I’m just getting started.

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

A big lesson every comedian needs to unlearn, and unlearn fast, is comparison. You can’t rob yourself of your wins because someone else did it a bit better. You’re not competing against other people in this industry. You’re competing with yourself. Are you better today than you were yesterday? Is this year hitting higher marks than last year? Are you getting the most out of your drink tickets?!

You can’t let your ego ruin good things that are happening for you. There’s always a comedian somewhere that’s doing better than you, but you’re probably a comedian that other people are looking at, that are jealous of you, too. Just be happy with what you get and make sure you’re ready for every opportunity thrown your way.

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

The best moments are when you connect with someone in the crowd. When you say something that resonates with them and there’s this weird kindred spirit moment between you two. The human experience is shared, and it’s your job to let people be heard with your material. It can be a one-liner or a 15 minute story, but if it makes people feel like a part of them is being seen, then it’s always worth saying.

Stand-up comedy, like any other art form, isn’t necessary to survive, but it is needed to make you feel alive. This is very pretentious, but it’s true. Art speaks to one’s soul, and comedy is no exception.

Second to this, is anytime someone buys me a beer.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.fifthplacecomedy.com
• Instagram: @ty.colgate
• Facebook: Ty Colgate
• Twitter: @tycolgate
• Youtube: Ty Colgate

Image Credits
Shelby Paige Friedman Lola Scott