His comedy was never one to start a trend, but portraying his own truth made him a comedic original.
For many years, Kevin James Thorton has built a loyal following with his hilarious, heartfelt, and occasionally cringeworthy moments of self-reflection (with a splash of autotune) about growing up gay in a religious community. He has over 2 million followers on Instagram and TikTok, with combined views nearing a billion. From 2009-2012, he toured 3 successful one-man-shows nationwide to theatre festivals and comedy clubs.
In his new comedy special, Be Yourself, Kevin James Thornton takes the audience on a coming-of-age journey, talking about growing up gay in a strict church community, trying to be popular in school, and the relatable yet embarrassing stories we all share trying to fit into our own skin. All with a splash of autotune. Kevin is also an author (he just signed with Stimola Literary), a former writer for the Huffington Post, and has been selling out clubs and theaters worldwide. His unique perspective shines in this special shot at the El Portal Theatre in Los Angeles.
Recently, Kevin had an opportunity to sit down and chat with We Own The Laughs’ Tyson Paul to discuss his process of creating a comedy special, why he stayed original, and his thoughts on the current state of comedy.
Hey Kevin! Congrats on the release of “Be Yourself” now. This may be your debut special, but you’ve been making the audience laugh their a** off for a very long time. When did you first realize that you had the ability to make people laugh? How did that manifest itself, and what did that feel like?
It’s a common comic story, I guess, but I was the class clown. Constantly pulling practical jokes. I would run for class president so that I could get in front of the school and give a funny speech. But I never saw myself as a comedian when I was young. I wanted to be a “serious” artist, and I spent about 15 years in emo bands and doing dark, edgy theatre. I eventually just wore all that goofy shit out and started to have fun.
How long have you decided to name this special “Be Yourself?” Were there other titles that you had in mind during the process?
No, not really. That was the very first idea, and it just seemed to fit.
In this current world of comedy entertainment, people are starting a social media account one day, posting a few funny videos, only to be fast-tracked, headlining a comedy club, and releasing multiple low-quality comedy specials the next day. You’ve been grinding for years, building an impressive following, and selling out comedy clubs and theatres worldwide. How did you decide that this was the perfect time for you to release your debut comedy special?
Well, I wouldn’t say that I decided anything. Yes, I’ve been at it for a very long time. But the truth is, as the years went on, I started losing faith that some kind of break was coming for me. So, for me, when the social media explosion happened, that was the break I had never seen coming. After that, doors started flying open. After 20 years of work, I was an overnight success, as the saying goes. One of those doors was finally getting to record a legit special!
I know you taped the special in Los Angeles. How much thought do you put into where you will tape the special?
I started in LA. 15 years ago, I was trying to get up at a potluck at the Comedy Store and just generally struggling around Hollywood. It feels very full circle for me.
Were you inspired by any comedy specials from legendary stand-up comedians that you used to help put together “Be Yourself?”
My family bought the cassette of Bill Cosby’s “Himself” (I just realized the similarity of that title maybe I did that subconsciously), and that’s the first memory I have of rolling around on the floor cracking up at comedy. There’s a lot of comics from that era that inspired me with that brand of silliness. Also, Steve Martin and Robin Williams.
After production for “Be Yourself” was completed, where was your headspace? Did you feel validated or have more of a “let’s wait and see” approach to it?
No, it’s a total dream come true. And with my social media fans, that’s one of the unexpected benefits; they will be there for it.
For the past decade, LGBTQ+ has become one of the most controversial topics and one of the most popular genres in stand-up comedy. What are your thoughts on the recent history of LGBTQ+ comedy, and how much did that impact your debut comedy special?
I’m just being myself. I’ve definitely been surprised by some of the recent anti-gay attitudes that have emerged in our culture. I naively thought maybe we were past all that. But apparently not. I guess that gives my stories an extra edge I wasn’t anticipating.
What is the most essential thing you want viewers to take away from “Be Yourself?”
I want people to be themselves, guys. Come on.
Now that you’re done with the special, are you already working on the next one?
I am. That’s how it goes. I’ve done a new hour a handful of times now, albeit with notes in my hand.
Do you officially consider yourself to be a comedic superstar?
Oh god, no. (Laughs)
Is “Be Yourself” one of the best comedy specials of 2023 or one of the best comedy specials of all time?
Well, hell, I don’t know. There are some things I’m talking about in it that are new and have not been discussed this way before. But that’s up to other people, not me.
What advice do you have for younger comedians currently in the process of completing their own debut comedy special?
For me, the unexpected challenge was figuring out how straightforward I needed to be. In the clubs, I’m goof off quite a bit. For this, it felt like I needed to keep to tight. I found the balance, but it was tricky.
Now that the comedy special has been released and your “This Was The 90s” tour is scheduled to conclude in January 2024, what’s next for Kevin James Thorton?
We’re starting all over again next year. I do think I’ll probably take some kind of break after I get special number 2 in the can, though.
Checkout Kevin James Thornton’s “Be Yourself” Comedy Special on Comedy Dynamics HERE
Follow Kevin James Thornton’s comedic journey on these social media websites:
Instagram/Twitter/Facebook/Snapchat/Tik-Tok: Kevin James Thornton
Personal Website: Kevin James Thornton
Youtube: Kevin James Thornton
