As part of We Own The Laughs.com’s Comedian of the Day, have a few laughs and get to know comedian Gabby Gutierrez-Reed. The Denver, CO native shares some of their favorite moments in stand-up comedy and lets us know how they always own the laughs.
Name: Gabby Gutierrez-Reed
Hometown: Hanford, CA/Denver, CO
Instagram/Twitter/Facebook/Snapchat/Tik-Tok: @shishgabab
Years in Comedy: 6
Comedic Influences: aria Bamford, Jackie Kashian, Janeane Garofalo, Tig Notaro, Wanda Sykes, Jo Firestone, Aparna Nancherla, Melissa Villa Señor, Jenny Slate, Molly Shannon, Demetri Martin, Nick Thune, & Bo Burnham
Favorite Comedy Album: Maria Bamford’s “Ask Me About My New God!”
Favorite Comedy Special: Natalie Palamides’ “Nate”
Favorite Comedy Movie: Superbad
Favorite Comedy TV Show: Los Espookys
Favorite Comedic Character: Aubrey Plaza as April Ludgate in Parks and Rec.
Favorite City to Perform In: Denver, CO
Favorite Topics to Joke About: My life
Favorite Type of Audience for a Comedy Show: LGBTQ+
Favorite Comedy Club: The Comedy Fort
How did you discover your passion for comedy:
My babysitter growing up was the tv, so my friends were the characters in movies and shows on Comedy Central, VH1, Adult Swim, etc. I always loved being silly, but I sought out performing comedy because I was lonely in college. Open mics were the perfect place for people to be lonely together. The people in improv and stand up gave me a sense of community that I could not be more grateful for today.
What do you remember most about your first time performing stand-up comedy:
It made me feel like I was doing something worth my time. After the mic, someone stopped me on the street and said, “Hey, you were funny.” It kind of reassured me that I should give this a shot.
How would you describe your comedic style:
Playfully confessional with act-outs.
Describe your process for comedic writing:
I go to open mics with a premise and work my jokes out there.
Describe the comedy scene in your area:
I love my scene. There are shows every night and they pay! I love the amount of indie shows as well and the crowds are down for all types of comedy.
How do you judge success in the world of comedy:
You can’t. It’ll make you miserable. Just have fun and stop comparing yourself goddamnit. At least that’s what I try to tell myself. But really, I just want to work with my friends and make cool shit.
Who are some of your comedic peers that you enjoy watching perform or inspire you personally and professionally:
Salma Zaky, Kate Strobel, Lee Robinson, Hayley Beacon, Kate McLachlan, Kelsey Rosen, Katie Bowman, Miriam Moreno, Hannah Jones. These people are hilarious and are always fun to hangout with when we’re on shows together.
What’s been your most memorable moment in comedy:
I got to open for Jackie Kashian and she was awesome! Seeing her run an hour full of new material was very fun. Then she featured me in The Jackie and Laurie Show as Comedian of The Week. It was an all around great weekend.
What have you learned most from your failures in comedy:
Don’t take yourself too seriously. I also got sober.
How do people react towards you when they realize that you can make people laugh:
It totally depends on the person. Some people are super nice about it. Some people immediately demand that you prove you’re funny or else.
Describe building a career in stand-up comedy:
It’s easy! Have rich parents, go to Harvard, and have familial ties to the entertainment industry.
Jk! There’s so many ways to build a career in comedy. Make your own path, keep working hard on your craft, and collaborate with people that you work well with. You’ll eventually reach goals you thought were so cool when you first started. Then you’ll evolve and come up with new ones.
If you could change one thing in the world of comedy, what would it be:
Continuing to make the world of comedy more accessible and enjoyable to everyone who is not a straight cis white man.
Best advice you’ve ever received from a comedian:
Maria Bamford once told me, “Don’t wait for someone to give you permission to make the thing you want to make.”
If you were releasing a comedy special this week, what would it be called:
“Why Today?”
Weirdest place you’ve ever performed any form of comedy:
At a kink show where there was rope play at the same time as the comedy. I loved it! I got to learn things about the kink community and the crowd was super fun. It makes me happy when comedy brings people with different life experiences together and that night it was the kink community and very vanilla stand up comedians.
A Gabby Gutierrez-Reed Fun Fact:
I used to play roller derby! I was the jammer and got thrown around a lot. There’s something special about releasing anger and rage in a healthy way like that. Now I roller skate at skateparks and the only thing I hit is the pavement when I fall.
Where would you like your laughs to take you:
I’d love to be an actor, voice actor, and writer for television and film. Hopefully these things will take me around the world.
What would you tell a potential comedian if they ask you how they can own the laughs:
Be true to your voice. People won’t think you’re funny if you don’t think what you’re saying is funny. You gotta believe in yourself.
What are your thoughts on the future of comedy:
I hope it gets weirder and more out there.
If you could write one episode for one classic TV sitcom which show would it be and give a brief detailed sentence on the episode:
It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia-“The Gang Goes to the Skatepark” The gang is forced to face off with some teenage kids in a skateboarding competition.
If you could choose 1 comedy club and 3 comedians to perform with on your perfect comedy show, how would it go:
My best friends in comedy are Kate Strobel and Salma Zaky. It would be an album recording for all three of us.
What’s next for you:
I’m going to keep producing my show Firecracker Comedy (@firecrackercomedy) with my friends Kate and Salma. We’ve built something really cool and I want it to last as long as it can. I’m happy to have shows through April and I’m looking forward to working on sketches and screenwriting with friends.
Why should a person always laugh at life:
Whenever I’m laughing, I know I’m in the right place.
Follow Gabby Guterriez-Reed’s comedic journey on these social media websites:
Instagram/Twitter/Facebook/Snapchat/Tik-Tok: Gabby Gutierrez-Reed
Youtube: Gabby Gutierrez-Reed
Personal Website: Gabby Gutierrez-Reed
