He has a likable stage presence and has been featured on The Late Late Show, Law & Order LA, MTV Homewreckers, and more. As part of We Own The Laughs.com’s Comedian of the Day, have a few laughs and get to know comedian Peter Sers. The Los Angeles, CA native shares some of his favorite moments in stand-up comedy and explains how he always owns the laughs.
Name: Peter Sers
Hometown: Los Angeles/Ontario, CA
Instagram/Twitter/Facebook/Snapchat/Tik-Tok: @petersers
Years in Comedy: 12
Haven’t we seen you somewhere before: The Late Late Show, MTV Homewrecker, & my comedy special I Know What You Did Last Quarantine
Comedic Influences: Dane Cook, Chris Rock, Dave Chappelle, Daniel Tosh, & Bill Burr
Favorite Comedy Album: Chris Rock “Bring The Pain” This was a hard choice, but this album is so good it still holds up, and has some of the greatest comedic bits ever!
Favorite Comedy Special: Dane Cook “Vicious Circle” I know Dice did arenas before Dane, but I never really saw it until Dane did it. And to see someone perform at such an iconic arena, was so inspiring to me. Dane was literally a rock star, and my friends and I would quote bits from this all the time.
Favorite Comedy Movie: I don’t think I’ve laughed harder, than the first time seeing THE HANGOVER! Just non stop laughs, and I’ve probably seen that movie hundreds of times since. They probably could never make this movie now, but there’s a reason it’s the highest grossing comedy movie of all time.
Favorite Comedy TV Show: Impractical Jokers. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve watched this show while I’m in my hotel room, on the road, at the end of the night. It cracks me up every time!
Favorite Comedic Character: Jeremy Grey (Vince Vaughn) in Wedding Crashers. This is another movie I laughed so hard at, when I saw it the first time, and haven’t seen hundreds of times since. He had some of the most quotable lines in that movie, and it wasn’t too over the top. He played such a believable character, that’s what made it so funny!
Favorite City to Perform In: This one’s hard, because there’s are SO MANY cities I love performing in. If I had to pick ONE, I’m picking Edmonton, AB Canada. Those crowds are so hot and fun! The energy, the laughs, they all just come to have a good time. They don’t get offended, and no topic is off limits. I had one of my best weekends ever, when performing there.
Favorite Topics to Joke About: I really enjoy joking about my father, and his drug use/time in prison. It’s so therapeutic for me, to be able to make people laugh at what I’ve been through. I also find that so many people all over the place can relate, everyone seems to have that one family member that got caught up in drugs. It’s very important to me, that I share my story with others, because maybe I can inspire others who have overcome or are going through similar situations.
Favorite Type of Audience for a Comedy Show: Anytime I’m headlining somewhere, because I know those people bought a ticket to see me. Whether they know who I am, or not, they bought a ticket to see Peter Sers headline, and those are my favorite!
Favorite Comedy Club: My favorite club has to be HYENA’S in Fort Worth! I’ve never had a bad show there. A blue collar town, and they’re always laugh and I always sell lots of merch!
How did you discover your passion for comedy:
My earliest memories of comedy, are watching Eddie Murphy, Raw on HBO, when I was way too young. Even though I didn’t quite understand a little of of the material, I was enamored by how funny he was. The delivery, and the performance aspect were outstanding l. I also remember my cousins and I, at my grandmas house, listening to Richard Pryor records, and laughing out asses off at what we were listening to.
What do you remember most about your first time performing stand-up comedy:
I’ll never forget my first show ever. I got to perform in the Main Room, at the Comedy Store. I could not believe I was performing on one of the most iconic stages in history. Talk about setting the bar. I was so nervous and excited, and I’ll never forget the feeling of that first joke getting laughs. It was like a junkie getting that first taste. My life was changed forever after that night.
How would you describe your comedic style:
Infectious energy. I’m def more of a story teller, but I think my energy on stage is something people remember. It’s how I can get their attention quickly, even when they don’t know who I am.
Describe your process for comedic writing:
I write physically in my notebook, 30 mins a day. It starts there. Most of it is poop, but there’s will be little gems you find, when you’re constantly writing. I also film every set, because I’m very free and present on stage, and sometimes I say things I didn’t necessarily rehearse or write, but they are funny, so they then become part of the act as well. I cannot stress how many times I’ve said something on stage, a tag or just an off hand comment, and it ends up being funnier than how I wrote it. That’s why it’s so important to film or record sets. You never know what will come out of that mouth.
Describe the comedy scene in your area:
LA is one of the toughest, and best scenes in the world. We have the best of the best here. Famous people, and killers who aren’t famous. But because there are so many famous people, it can be hard to break through. Personally, I’m on the road so much, I don’t feel like I’m much of a part of the scene. I’m guilty of being shy as well, so it’s hard for me to introduce myself to people I’m on shows with. But our scene is great. I always say it’s a messing and a curse that I started in LA. Curse, because it’s very competitive with the best of the best being here. Blessing, because early on, I was able to see what the bar was. Nothing against other scenes, because there are good comics all over the place, but, I feel like people in smaller scenes don’t get to see what the bar is.
How do you judge success in the world of comedy:
For me, there’s two levels of success. 1. Being able to support yourself 100%, by doing comedy. It really doesn’t get any better than that. 2. Being a recognizable name that sells tickets. THAT is what separates most of us. There are so many funny people, but if the room is empty, it’s a moot point. The equalizer, is being able to sell tickets.
Who are some of your comedic peers that you enjoy watching perform or inspire you personally and professionally:
Watching the ascension of Ralph Barbosa is really inspiring to me. I lived in Oklahoma for about a year during covid(long story, ha ha), but I would go down to Dallas quite a bit and do shows, and was on a bunch of shows with him, and then he just blew up, and for me, it was like, “I COULD BE NEXT.” You just never know when something will take off, and your life will change forever.
What’s been your most memorable moment in comedy:
Filming my first special, during the pandemic. Being stuck on a farm in Oklahoma, during Covid, I took all my experiences and rented a barn and filmed a special about those experiences, and I’m so proud with what I was able to do with that situation. Instead of crying about being locked up, or in my situation, being stuck on a farm, I took all of that, and made this amazing piece of art, that no one will ever be able to take away.
What have you learned most from your failures in comedy:
For me, it’s networking. I suck at it. I spent so much time, trying to get on the road, and then going on the road, working, etc. that I didn’t network as much as ai should have, and while I wouldn’t say it’s a failure, it IS one thing I wish I could go back and change.
If you could change one thing in the world of comedy, what would it be:
I would make club bookers answer their f*#king e mails!! I can’t tell you how many e mails I send, that NEVER get answered! I know they are busy, but it’s literally their job, and I’d rather get a rejection e-mail, than get send hundred of e mails that NEVER get answered.
Best advice you’ve ever received from a comedian:
Don’t feel the need to always do “new” material. A very famous comedian told me this. His take, was that even though he’s famous, maybe 20% of the audience at his shows have heard all his material before. So why not tell old jokes that work. Sure there’s a need to write constantly and develop new material, but you also want ti give the audience a great show, especially those who are seeing us for the first time.
If you were releasing a comedy special this week, what would it be called:
This is a great question, because I’m gearing up to record my fourth album, in a couple months, and I don’t have a title yet. 😂 As of now, the working title is FOUR. I feel like that will change between now and then.
Funniest encounter you’ve ever had with a celebrity:
I once held a door open for MIKE TYSON, and he looked at me and said “THANK YOU MY n***a!” I’ve never felt more cool in my life!
Weirdest place you’ve ever performed any form of comedy:
I’d have to say a Laundromat. That show was very weird. At one point, a homeless dude walked in and yelled something. It was so scary and awkward, but I will also never forget that show.
If you could write an episode for ONE classic TV sitcom, which show would it be:
I would love to write an episode of SAVED BY THE BELL, and just have them all get high on ecstasy and have an orgy. I think that’s the only episode of the show we never got.
If you could choose ONE comedy club and THREE comedians to perform with on your perfect comedy show, how would it go:
If I could do one show, in my hometown, Ontario, CA at the Ontario Improv, with me, Chris Rock and Dave Chappelle. It really doesn’t get any better than that.
What’s next for you:
I’m recording my fourth album in Sept, which I’m very excited about! We are recording in New Orleans, my favorite city! As far as what’s next, I’m doing everything I can to take my career to the next level. I REALLY want to get to the point where I can sell tickets. So everything I do is focused on that. Once I can sell tickets, I will be the one with the leverage, and that’s when I can have even more fun, and be able to also put others on.
Why should a person always laugh at life:
Life is too short to be a sourpuss! Laughter has gotten me through so many rough patches. I’ve been through hell and back, and if I wasn’t able to laugh at things, I’d be in a very dark place.
Follow Peter Sers’ comedic journey on these social media websites:
Instagram/Twitter/Facebook/Snapchat/Tik-Tok: Peter Sers
Youtube: Peter Sers
