With a warm smile and a face you can trust, he has been doing stand-up for almost a decade. He’s had the pleasure of working across the country with greats like Robert Kelly, Shane Torres, and Tig Notaro. As part of We Own The Laughs.com’s Comedian of the Day, have a few laughs and get to know comedian Danny Killea. The Goldens Bridge, New York native shares some of his favorite moments in stand-up comedy and explains how he always owns the laughs.
Name: Danny Killea
Hometown: Goldens Bridge, New York / Boston, Massachusetts
Instagram/Twitter/Facebook/Snapchat/Tik-Tok: @dannykillea @dinner.at.your.place
Years in Comedy: 9
Haven’t we seen you somewhere before: “Dinner at Your Place?” podcast of course.
Comedic Influences: John Mulaney, Tig Notaro, Kyle Kinane, & Ron Funches
Favorite Comedy Album: Patton Oswalt “Werewolves and Lollipops”
Favorite Comedy Special: So many, but recently I’ve been going back to all of Joe List’s specials. “This Year’s Material” especially I think is really great.
Favorite Comedy Movie: The Nice Guys or Kiss Kiss Bang Bang
Favorite Comedy TV Show: Community
Favorite Comedic Character: Rewatching Modern Family right now and Phil Dunphy has been making me laugh pretty dang hard.
Favorite City to Perform In: I haven’t been back to Burlington, Vermont, in a little bit but whenever I go back it always feels nice to be where it all started. Crowds up there are friendly, attentive, and smart. Good people to perform for.
Favorite Topics to Joke About: Mental health, family stuff, whatever makes me raise an eyebrow.
Favorite Type of Audience for a Comedy Show: Whites only? No, anyone willing to listen and laugh. Maybe 21 and older I guess.
Favorite Comedy Club: Vermont Comedy Club and Off Cabot in Beverley Massachusetts
How did you discover your passion for comedy:
Acting in college playing comedic roles, re-writing jokes, and then accidentally walking into a conversation about stand up that two friends were having. I asked if they had any recommendations, one of them said, “I don’t know why people like Patton Oswalt, but he’s popular” and I thought “well I’ve never liked you, Teddy, so I’m gonna go check out Patton Oswalt.” I went home and listened to the album “Werewolves and Lollipops”, and when it was finished I said to myself “you should listen to more stand up comedy; actually, you should just try stand up comedy.”
What do you remember most about your first time performing stand-up comedy:
The host asked me after I was done if it was my first time. I mumbled yes and asked if it was that bad. They told me no, they just didn’t recognize me and knew everybody in the Burlington scene. I think I did some dumb jokes about my college girlfriend. It was probably really bad. Thanks for being nice, Natalie Miller.
How would you describe your comedic style:
Friendly and warm. And funny too.
Describe your process for comedic writing:
Pen to paper. I would take notebooks and legal pads from my first job as a receptionist and I’ve stashed them away like a little squirrel.
Describe the comedy scene in your area:
You get really good in Boston. I’ve seen solid national touring acts come through here doing their A material get buried by openers because it’s a grindhouse that makes you better.
How do you judge success in the world of comedy:
Are you happy?
Who are some of your comedic peers that you enjoy watching perform or inspire you personally and professionally:
Carmen Lagala, Will Noonan, Corey Rodrigues, Kelly MacFarland, Dan Boulger, Ryan Ellington, Kendall Farrell (to name a few) When I first started doing comedy in Vermont I would try to follow Kendall at open mics as much as I could because he was so polished so quick.
What’s been your most memorable moment in comedy:
Whenever someone tells me after a show “you made me forget about a bad day” it means the world to me. Also opening for Tig Notaro and having on recording her saying “hey great set” when I was coming off is also a pretty cool memory.
What have you learned most from your failures in comedy:
There will be plenty more and they will all hurt just as bad. If you care you’ll keep going.
How do people react toward you when they realize that you can make people laugh:
They laugh?
Describe building a career in stand-up comedy:
Like trying to make a snowball out of mud.
If you could change one thing in the world of comedy, what would it be:
I don’t know, call me a loser, I just think calling things gay or retarded is pretty weak. There’s a lot of words that sound funnier and probably won’t hurt someone’s feelings.
Best advice you’ve ever received from a comedian:
You’re never too good to work the door.
If you were releasing a comedy special this week, what would it be called:
“This Seems Sudden”
Funniest encounter you’ve ever had with a celebrity:
Eric Andre was standing outside Berklee College and people were taking pictures of him. He was just kinda standing there so instead of taking a picture I found a path to say I’m a big fan. He gave me a high five and told me “don’t waste your money here.” I told him “I already wasted it somewhere else.”
Weirdest place you’ve ever performed any form of comedy:
The backyard of a 60 year old woman’s house for her surprise birthday party at 1 o’clock in the afternoon. I still remember how good the deviled eggs were.
A Danny Killea Fun Fact:
People are really surprised when they learn I box. I guess everything about my look doesn’t really say “fighter”
Where would you like your laughs to take you:
Am I happy? Also do I have a roof over my head because of jokes. That would be nice.
What would you tell a potential comedian if they ask you how they can own the laughs:
Really listen to what’s getting laughs; during your set, during other sets, and listen to what’s not going well. Be honest with yourself and set the bar high for what really is a kill.
What are your thoughts on the future of comedy:
Of comedy in general? It’ll be around. People always will need a laugh. Stand up will hopefully move back to more written jokes and less crowd work clips so you can go viral, but that’s just because I want my algorithm to go back to people posting their butts.
If you could write an episode for ONE classic TV sitcom, which show would it be:
I’d rather see one of my own ideas come to life; like Counter Help. I’ve been writing that for about 5 years and it has gone through so many iterations, but the premise has stayed the same: two counter workers at a deli learn their day job has more to it through a series of blunders with customers.
If you could choose ONE comedy club and THREE comedians to perform with on your perfect comedy show, how would it go:
Take the four from before (Mulaney, Notaro, Kinane, and Funches) and draw straws for a lineup because they’re all killers. At Vermont Comedy Club of course, and then we can all go to Manhattan Pizza up the street after the show.
What’s next for you:
More of the same. Get into new clubs, make more people happy, and keep putting one foot in front of the other.
Why should a person always laugh at life:
Because it gets really sad if they don’t.
Follow Danny Killea’s comedic journey on these social media websites:
Instagram/Twitter/Facebook/Snapchat/Tik-Tok: Danny Killea
Youtube: Danny Killea
Personal Website: Danny Killea
