As part of We Own The Laughs.com’s Comedian of the Day, have a few laughs and get to know comedian Will Pepper. The Utah native shares some of his favorite moments in stand-up comedy and explains how he always owns the laughs.
Name: Will Pepper
Hometown: Utah/Los Angeles, CA
Instagram/Tik-Tok: @oofwill @willtpepper
Years in Comedy: 3
Haven’t we seen you somewhere before: National Amazon Commercial
Comedic Influences: John Mulaney, Kevin Hart, Jimmy O Yang, & Conan
Favorite Comedy Album: Tom Segura – Completely Normal
Favorite Comedy Special: Kevin Hart – I’m A Grown Little Man
Favorite Comedy Movie: Shaolin Soccer
Favorite Comedy TV Show: How I Met Your Mother
Favorite Comedic Character: Walter White
Favorite City to Perform In: Portland, OR
Favorite Topics to Joke About: Drugs
Favorite Type of Audience for a Comedy Show: People that like me
Favorite Comedy Club: Helium Comedy Club or Hollywood Improv
How did you discover your passion for comedy:
Needing validation from my parents, and not getting it, so I looked for it elsewhere.
What do you remember most about your first time performing stand-up comedy:
My heart is pounding really fast, and feeling something.
How would you describe your comedic style:
Storytelling and depression.
Describe your process for comedic writing:
Random sporadic thoughts while driving and pacing back and forth talking to myself in my living room an hour before shows.
Describe the comedy scene in your area:
I live in Los Angeles. The best of the best are here. People are nice and supportive, I’ve met some of the greatest people I know in LA. However, stage time is harder to get and you need to do a lot of things outside of stand up in order to get stage time.
How do you judge success in the world of comedy:
Building a really good hour that you’re proud of and having the respect of comedy peers.
Who are some of your comedic peers that you enjoy watching perform or inspire you personally and professionally:
Jason Cheny, Andrea Jin, & Nigel Ng
What’s been your most memorable moment in comedy:
Opening for Jimmy O Yang at Portland Newmark Theater
What have you learned most from your failures in comedy:
I don’t really see bombing as a failure. Obviously, certain rooms you want to do well in but the times I’ve bombed I also learn the most and if you’re hosting make sure they bring you up properly.
How do people react toward you when they realize that you can make people laugh:
They ask me to tell them a joke and I cry.
Describe building a career in stand-up comedy:
It’s like running a marathon, you know people have done this before and there’s a path but you gotta run it yourself. In the moment it feels like forever but you make some friends along the way, there’s like those people giving out water on the side, and everyone’s going a different pace but if you don’t stop you will see the finish line.
If you could change one thing in the world of comedy, what would it be:
More Asians going to see comedy.
Best advice you’ve ever received from a comedian:
Jokes have to come from a real place. Lying in the premise is not genuine and the audience can feel it, it takes away from everything else you say after.
If you were releasing a comedy special this week, what would it be called:
“House Of Pepper”
Funniest encounter you’ve ever had with a celebrity:
I went on the same cruise as JoJo Siwa, she was nice but it was kind of funny seeing her everyday and she had the wear the whole outfit the entire time.
Weirdest place you’ve ever performed any form of comedy:
Retirement home
A Will Pepper Fun Fact:
I grew up working in a nail salon – I was the Asian kid picking up the phone and working the Register.
Where would you like your laughs to take you:
I want to build the best hour I possibly can.
What would you tell a potential comedian if they ask you how they can own the laughs:
Learn how to be yourself on stage.
What are your thoughts on the future of comedy:
I think it’ll be a lot of comedians that are big in their own niche rather than one big comedian that everyone likes.
If you could write an episode for ONE classic TV sitcom, which show would it be:
Big Bang Theory. The episode would be every one gets replaced by Asians because let’s be honest in a show with scientists there should be way more Asians.
If you could choose ONE comedy club and THREE comedians to perform with on your perfect comedy show, how would it go:
The Comedy Store (Main Room), I would pick Bobby Lee, Jason Cheny, and Ali Wong
What’s next for you:
I’m doing my first headline show at Mic Drop in Arizona!! December 7th 2024.
Why should a person always laugh at life:
When something stressful or bad happens, the last thing someone would expect is to laugh. But laughing means you have the power. You’re not letting the bad thing dictate the way you feel or ruin your day, so to me, laughing at life is how we can get control back.
Follow Will Pepper’s comedic journey on these social media websites:
Instagram/Twitter/Facebook/Snapchat/Tik-Tok: Will Pepper
Youtube: Will Pepper
Personal Website: Will Pepper
