As part of We Own The Laughs.com’s Comedian of the Day, have a few laughs and get to know comedian Adam Mamawala. The Aurora, IL native shares some of his favorite moments in stand-up comedy and explains how he always owns the laughs.
Name: Adam Mamawala
Hometown: Aurora, IL/New York, NY
Instagram/Facebook/Tik-Tok: @adammamawala/@mamawalacomedy/@adammamawala
Years in Comedy: 18 since my first open mic, probably about 13 since I started taking it seriously.
Haven’t we seen you somewhere before: Comedy Central, MTV, BET, Amazon Prime, & SiriusXM
Comedic Influences: Mitch Hedberg, Gary Gulman, Russell Peters, Dane Cook (Harmful If Swallowed still slaps)
Favorite Comedy Album: Mitch Hedberg “Strategic Grill Locations”
Favorite Comedy Special: Gary Gulman “Born on Third Base”
Favorite Comedy Movie: Superbad
Favorite Comedy TV Show: Curb Your Enthusiasm
Favorite Comedic Character: George Costanza
Favorite City to Perform In: NYC
Favorite Topics to Joke About: My life and/or observational stuff that affects my life.
Favorite Type of Audience for a Comedy Show: Intelligent Millennials
Favorite Comedy Club: In NYC: New York Comedy Club East Village Across the country: Zanies Chicago, Comedy Works Denver, Vermont Comedy Club, Last Best Comedy Club, Laughing Skull Comedy Club
How did you discover your passion for comedy:
It was something I started doing as a freshman in college on a recommendation from a friend of mine and I took to it immediately. I think the real power in comedy is its ability to help you (and by extension, your audience) get through the heavy moments in life. I found this to be particularly true during my divorce and during the pandemic.
What do you remember most about your first time performing stand-up comedy:
My first time doing stand-up was at an open mic night at the Stress Factory Comedy Club in New Brunswick, NJ, in January of 2006. I remember being incredibly nervous and inviting friends of mine to come to the show so that I had a safety net in case I bombed. As I recall it I did pretty well for my first time, but I’m sure if I could watch that set now I would be horrified.
How would you describe your comedic style:
I would describe it as largely autobiographical, with elements of storytelling and observational humor. I want my act to feel very conversational.
Describe your process for comedic writing:
I have never been the sort of comic who sits down and writes out full jokes in a notebook. At this stage of my career, I mostly just write down ideas in the Notes app on my phone, and then I work them out onstage. Whenever I try to write out full jokes, I start to hate my material. It’s just not the process that works for me.
Describe the comedy scene in your area:
Living in NYC, I’m in what I consider to be the strongest comedy scene in the country, arguably the world. The caliber of rooms and comics is insane here, and it can crush you or let it motivate you to get better. I try to do the latter. It’s wild to live in a city where, on any given night, there are probably 50+ comedy shows going on simultaneously.
How do you judge success in the world of comedy:
I think it’s a combination of your following and respect from your peers. The game has changed a lot so you have people who never really cut their teeth going from obscurity to headlining based on their online following and honestly, good for them finding a way to circumvent the traditional route. Having said that, I feel like I got so much stronger because of that grind and I wouldn’t trade it for anything. Personal success for me would be going to any city in the country and having enough of a fan base to fill seats once a year. I don’t need to be Dave Chappelle; I just want to have my people who mess with what I do.
Who are some of your comedic peers that you enjoy watching perform or inspire you personally and professionally:
Living in NYC, I’m surrounded by some of the most talented, hardest-working people in the business. Some of my favorites over the years have included, but are certainly not limited to: Kevin McCaffrey, Mark Normand, Sam Morril, Carmen Lynch, Joe List, Roy Wood Jr, Gary Gulman, Rachel Feinstein, Jo Firestone, Jeff Arcuri, & Kenny DeForest (RIP)
What’s been your most memorable moment in comedy:
It’s hard to narrow it down to one singular moment but my first time headlining Carolines was pretty special because it was such a historic club and I had never headlined a show in NYC prior to that.
What have you learned most from your failures in comedy:
I think I have learned that no one is harder on us than we are on ourselves. I constantly feel like I’m not doing enough or that I should be further along and then I think about some of the places I have gone and things I have accomplished and I feel ridiculous for spending so much time comparing myself to others. I do think that the constant rejection makes you stronger and more determined though, so at least there’s that.
How do people react toward you when they realize that you can make people laugh:
I think sometimes people are disappointed when I’m introduced to them as a professional stand-up comedian because I’m not one of those people who’s on all the time, but being able to make people laugh is somewhat of a superpower for sure.
Describe building a career in stand-up comedy:
The thing about comedy is that it’s a lot more cumulative than people think. Sure, there are some people who get a break early on and it launches their career, but generally speaking it’s being really consistent and good for a really long time and more often than not, you get your shot.
If you could change one thing in the world of comedy, what would it be:
I would love to never see another video where a comic asks an audience member what they do for a living. (I’ve done it too, I include myself in this criticism.)
Best advice you’ve ever received from a comedian:
Be kind to the people you meet on the way up because you’re going to run into the same people on the way back down.
If you were releasing a comedy special this week, what would it be called:
“What Are You?”
Funniest encounter you’ve ever had with a celebrity:
When I was in high school, my parents and I came into NYC from NJ to see a Broadway show. We’re waiting to walk across the street and my dad noticed Dave Chappelle standing there with his family. He starts shaking me and goes, “Adam! I think that’s Chris Rock!” Can’t make that up, an all-time dad moment for sure.
Weirdest place you’ve ever performed any form of comedy:
I mean, it’s a very long list, but during COVID, I did stand-up on the subway in NYC. Even though I’ve done shows in pizza places, barbershops, half pipes, and outdoors, the local 1 train is tough to top.
An Adam Mamawala Fun Fact:
I once won $500 hitting a 3-pointer at Madison Square Garden during a fan contest. One of the great moments of my life to be honest.
Where would you like your laughs to take you:
Conservatively, I would love to be able to draw throughout the country and overseas and make enough money to live very comfortably doing what I love. If I’m letting myself dream, Netflix specials and touring theaters.
What would you tell a potential comedian if they ask you how they can own the laughs:
Write. Get up. Tweak. Get Up. Repeat. Don’t Quit.
What are your thoughts on the future of comedy:
I feel like a lot of the discourse on this topic recently has been in relation to AI, and I get why people are concerned but I honestly think stand-up is less susceptible than writing is. If the pandemic taught us anything, it’s that our desire and human beings to share a common experience in the same space is incredibly strong. I think it’s a big reason that comedy is in such a great place right now. The future of comedy is bright, as far as I’m concerned. I just want a piece of the pie.
If you could write an episode for ONE classic TV sitcom, which show would it be and give a brief detailed sentence on the episode:
I started writing a spec script for an episode of Curb Your Enthusiasm where Larry feels that he doesn’t have “old privilege” because he has aged too well. The episode starts with him getting infuriated at being stuck behind an elderly woman at Trader Joe’s who is taking forever to pay and culminates with him arguing with Richard Lewis about how it’s not fair that he’s being punished for taking care of himself.
If you could choose ONE comedy club and THREE comedians to perform with on your perfect comedy show, how would it go:
Damn. I gotta go with the Comedy Cellar because it’s pretty much the only club I haven’t worked in NYC, but I’m gonna host the show and bring up Mitch Hedberg, George Carlin and Chris Rock. (I’m assuming in this scenario we get to bring people back from the dead.)
What’s next for you:
More shows in NYC, more touring, more online content (barf), and maybe a special in the next year or two. Join my mailing list!
Why should a person always laugh at life:
I wouldn’t want to live in a world without laughter. Life is hard and ridiculous and a complete mystery to most of us. If you can’t laugh through the good and the bad, it’s gonna be a long, depressing life. Don’t take things so seriously.
Follow Adam Mamawala’s comedic journey on these social media websites:
Instagram/Twitter/Facebook/Snapchat/Tik-Tok: Adam Mamawala
Youtube: Adam Mamawala
Personal Website: Adam Mamawala
*Checkout Adam Mamawala as the lead role in the scripted series called Under Cover Comic which is currently available on Tubi.
