As part of We Own The Laughs.com’s Comedian of the Day, have a few laughs and get to know comedian Macey Isaacs. The Austin, TX native shares some of her favorite moments in stand-up comedy and lets us know how she always owns the laughs.
Name: Macey Isaacs
Hometown: Austin, TX/Los Angeles, CA
Instagram/Twitter/Facebook/Snapchat/Tik-Tok: @maceyisaacs
Years in Comedy: 7
Haven’t we seen you somewhere before: In the short film “Pink Trailer”
Comedic Influences: Tig Notaro, Maria Bamford, Steven Wright, Tina Fey, Kristen Wiig, & Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Favorite Comedy Album: Gary Gulman’s “The Great Depresh”
Favorite Comedy Special: Zach Galifianakis’ “Live at the Purple Onion”
Favorite Comedy Movie: Bridesmaids
Favorite Comedy TV Show: I Love Lucy & The Golden Girls
Favorite Comedic Character: Elaine from Seinfeld
Favorite City to Perform In: Los Angeles, CA
Favorite Topics to Joke About: Myself
Favorite Type of Audience for a Comedy Show: Conscious
Favorite Comedy Club: The Comedy Store in LA
How did you discover your passion for comedy:
After watching Bonnie McFarlane’s Women Aren’t Funny, I knew I wanted to be in comedy in some way.
What do you remember most about your first time performing stand-up comedy:
I blacked out because I was so nervous, but I remember worrying a lot about what I was going to wear. Women…am I right?
How would you describe your comedic style:
Slow and steady
Describe your process for comedic writing:
I have a note on my phone to jot down ideas, and then I try to flush them out in a journal. I had a professor who said there’s a direct line from your brain to the pen, and I don’t know what that means, but it makes me feel better about writing on real paper.
Describe the comedy scene in your area:
My friend Bryan Burris also filled out this questionnaire, so I’m going to copy his answer: “Being in LA means that the comedy scene can be whatever you want it to be. Other comics around me that are hustling in many different ways such as hitting mics and shows every night, recording podcasts or creating videos, inspire me constantly.”
How do you judge success in the world of comedy:
I think still being able to do it is a success.
Who are some of your comedic peers that you enjoy watching perform or inspire you personally and professionally:
My screenwriting partner, Jenny Leiferman. Bryan Burris. Avery McKinney. Scotty Cav. Nicole Blaine. Caitlin Benson. Matt Durndak. Bijan Zarrabi. Crystal Marie. And so many more, but these are the ones who won’t be weirded out if I mention them. They aren’t my peers but Dean Delray and Taylor Williamson have been very supportive and helped me out so much.
What’s been your most memorable moment in comedy:
Performing during the pandemic at Tammy Jo Dearen’s Magic Asphalt at the Magic Castle was very special. Hardly anyone could perform, and I was lucky enough to be able to because of that. I was checking in Kevin Nealon for the show, and he did this bit where he would say a few words and then zoom off in his car, and then I ran after him so he could finish his sentence. He did that a couple of times.
What have you learned most from your failures in comedy:
No one cares as much as I do about how I do.
How do people react towards you when they realize that you can make people laugh:
I think strangers are usually surprised to hear I’m a comedian, and they want me to tell a joke to prove it. I’ve learned that I can say, “No! Well, maybe just one? No, no thank you.”
Describe what it’s been like building a career in stand-up comedy:
These questions are really hard. You end up doing things you thought you would never do like shamelessly plugging your podcast Invade the Decade! A new episode drops every Tuesday anywhere you get your podcasts!
If you could change one thing in the world of comedy, what would it be:
The slotted sign-ups for open mics really changed the comedy world for young comics. That wasn’t my idea, and it already happened, but I still wanted to mention it.
Best advice you’ve ever received from a comedian:
I had the privilege of taking a drop-in improv class with George Wendt, and as we were walking out he kindly complimented me on my scene. I said, “I really don’t know what I’m doing,” and he said, “no one does.”
If you were releasing a comedy special this week, what would it be called:
“Is Louis CK ‘Sorry’?” But I will never bring it up during the special!
Funniest encounter you’ve ever had with a celebrity:
After having mouth surgery, I saw Kelly Clarkson at Panini Cafe. I was waiting for the drugs to wear off and the swelling to go down while trying to eat soup. I told her I thought I knew her from high school but then realized who she was and that I voted for her every week. If I could redo that moment, I would.
Weirdest place you’ve ever performed any form of comedy:
I performed at a halfway house very early on in my career. It was so fun, and I didn’t expect to do well at all. Afterward, I was thinking about how nice everyone was to me, and I backed up into a truck and dented the back of my car. The truck was fine.
A Macey Isaacs Fun Fact:
This is my go-to fact, my front 8 teeth are fake because of a high school basketball accident.
Where would you like your laughs to take you:
I would love to be able to keep doing it for the rest of my life.
What would you tell a potential comedian if they ask you how they can own the laughs:
I would tell them my George Wendt story. I would also tell them to read Steve Martin’s Born Standing Up and to listen to the podcast “The Jackie and Laurie Show.
What are your thoughts on the future of comedy:
“When I look into the future, it’s so bright it burns my eyes.” —Oprah
If you could write one episode for one classic TV sitcom which show would it be and give a brief detailed sentence on the episode:
I would write an episode of The Golden Girls where all of the girls get into Pickleball, and they get the self-proclaimed Pickleball King banned from the courts because he sexually harasses the women.
If you could choose 1 comedy club and 3 comedians to perform with on your perfect comedy show, how would it go:
The Comedy Store with Wanda Sykes, Joan Rivers, and Kathy Griffin, and it would be awesome because Joan Rivers would come back from the dead for it!
What’s next for you:
I’m producing a show at the Crow in Santa Monica called Picture Day. It’s every third Wednesday of the month. Check it out—@thepicturedayshow! Also, don’t forget about my podcast @invadethedecade.
Why should a person always laugh at life:
Because it’s painful.
Follow Macey Isaacs’ comedic journey on these social media websites:
Instagram/Twitter/Facebook/Snapchat/Tik-Tok: @maceyisaacs
