A stand-up comedian based in Texas known for her dry, awkward charm and sharp observational humor. She’s been performing stand-up across comedy clubs around Texas since the late 2010s and has shared the stage with well-known comics including Steve Treviño and Andrew Santino. Appearing at various comedy showcases and festivals nationwide and has been recognized as a semi-finalist in the Funniest Comic in Texas competition. As part of We Own The Laughs.com’s Comedian of the Day, have a few laughs and get to know comedian Kirstie Hayden. The Houston, TX native shares some of her favorite moments in stand-up comedy and explains how she always owns the laughs.
Name: Kirstie Hayden
Hometown:
I grew up in the greater Houston area, started comedy in Dallas, and I’m currently based in Austin.
Instagram/Twitter/Tik-Tok: Instagram: @kirstiecomedy Tiktok: @kirstiecomedyy
Years in Comedy: 8
Haven’t we seen you somewhere before: Kill Tony
Comedic Influences: George Carlin, Mitch Hedberg, Dave Chappelle, Whitney Cummings, John Mulaney, Dane Cook, Kevin Hart, Lucille Ball, and Louis CK.
Favorite Comedy Album: George Carlin “A Place For My Stuff”
Favorite Comedy Special: Sheng Wang “Sweet & Juicy”
Favorite Comedy Movie: Superbad & Scary Movie 3
Favorite Comedy TV Show: What We Do In the Shadows & Schitt’s Creek
Favorite Comedic Character: Danny McBride in This Is The End. Danny Mcbride in anything.
Favorite City to Perform In: Fort Worth, they’re always ready for a good laugh.
Favorite Topics to Joke About: My life
Favorite Type of Audience for a Comedy Show: The ones that laugh loudly.
Favorite Comedy Club: That I’ve performed at: Addison Improv, Hyenas Fort Worth and Black Rabbit in Austin.
How did you discover your passion for comedy:
It was 2007, I was 12 and my dad took my whole family to see Dane Cook at the Toyota Center. I kept saying I wanted to be like Dane Cook because he was also in a lot of my favorite movies, so I would tell everyone I was going to be a comedian. When I got to High School, my friends put on a Kevin Hart special and I started thinking about it again. My sophomore year of college, I was at University of North Texas and I switched my major to Theatre Arts, even though I had no theatrical background. I enjoyed the performance classes so much and for one of our assignments, we got to pick a monologue to perform. The monologue I chose wasn’t meant to be funny, but when I performed it, the whole class said I was hilarious. Their laughter felt so good and the feedback I got made me realize that I’m naturally funny and that’s when I googled, ‘how to become a standup comedian.’ I found that Dallas Comedy Club offered standup comedy classes for aspiring comics who don’t know where to start. The class met once a week for 7 weeks, and at the end, we got to showcase what we worked on in front of an audience. That showcase was my first performance and after that, I gradually started hitting more open mics. Eight months in, I got to do my first paid performance which was 5 minutes on an all female showcase at the Addison Improv.
What do you remember most about your first time performing stand-up comedy:
My first performance was the showcase that followed the standup writing class I took. It was 2017 and I was 21 years old. Performing, in general, has never made me super nervous since I wasn’t a stranger to it. My first set was about farts that happen while you’re walking and when I said that ‘R*PE ME’ was my favorite Nirvana Song, in order to impress a guy. I definitely bombed, but I didn’t realize what bombing actually felt like until I had a good set, so at the time, I thought it went well. So well, that I posted the entire clip to Facebook. Luckily, the only people that saw it were all really supportive… besides one dou***bag from high school, but he’s dead now.
How would you describe your comedic style:
My comedic style leans more toward storytelling but with punches throughout. I love a good dead stare after a punchline, surprise turns, and call backs. I’m dark and dry with an overall chill cadence. My jokes are not all true stories, verbatim, but they’re all inspired by things that have actually happened, either to me or someone close to me.
Describe your process for comedic writing:
If the inspiration hits me on its own, fantastic. I’ll write out as much as I can and give it a go at the next open mic. Other times, I just sit at the computer or paper, and word vomit until I find something. Regardless, I can’t write without performing. I don’t mind performing in front of zero audience members, as long as it means I can get the thought out on stage without pressure. Some jokes, I believe in right away and some take a little more time. But I almost never throw ideas out entirely. Sometimes I’ll remember a tag that I put aside and realize it fits in a new joke 2 years later. Social media has helped me become a better writer as well, because everything on there does better if it’s condensed, whether it’s a reel or a written post. I always record my sets, sometimes video or just audio and I take note of what worked and if I want to keep it, alter what didn’t work, and repeat that cycle until I have a solid bit.
Describe the comedy scene in your area:
I’m currently in Austin and since moving here, I’ve learned to appreciate roast comedy more than I did when I was part of the Dallas scene, which caters heavily to clean and corporate-friendly comedy. Two of my favorite shows to watch live in Austin are Roast Battle and Banana Phone. Being able to roast is not a necessary skill in comedy, but it’s fun and can lead to cool opportunities. I love how so many comedians in Austin can rebuttal so quickly and it has inspired me to work on that skill as well. To sum it up I would say, it’s okay if it’s mean, as long as it’s funny.
How do you judge success in the world of comedy:
Consistency is the most important thing. If you’re consistently writing, learning, performing, taking opportunities, focusing on your career and what you can do to grow and contribute, then you’re on your way to success.
Who are some of your comedic peers that you enjoy watching perform or inspire you personally and professionally:
There’s an endless amount of talent in Austin, but to name a few:
I love when I get to see Lukas McCrary, Myles Johnson, Cristina Mariani, and Colton Jones. Additionally some of my favorite writers, especially for roast battle, are Sam Minney, Nick VandeVoort, and Michael Ridley.
Outside of the Austin scene, I’m always inspired by Jordan Jenson, Mark Normand and Ralph Barbosa.
What’s been your most memorable moment in comedy:
My most memorable moment was my first time getting booked for a 10 minute set at the Addison Improv. There were around 100 people in the audience and I was going up right in the middle. I was a year into comedy and had never done more than 5 minutes in front of a crowd that size so I was very nervous. I went up there with the only 10 minutes I had and I crushed it. I got an applause break, they were cheering, I had never experienced that before. I was doing okay at open mics, so I thought I had it pretty good, but this was on a different level. I had never felt so amazing. Afterwards, the general manager pulled me aside, told me how impressed he was since he’d last seen me and he offered me a job at the club. I worked there for over 5 years and it was a great place to start my career.
What have you learned most from your failures in comedy:
Best to avoid opening or closing with brand new material, but use your discretion.
How do people react toward you when they realize that you can make people laugh:
They’re usually shocked because I’m not ugly enough to be funny.
Describe building a career in stand-up comedy:
Write every day and once you get 5 minutes worth, take it to the open mics. Hit as many open mics as possible. Focus on getting a good 5 minutes that you’re comfortable telling, with solid punches. Be honest with yourself, be consistent, show your face, introduce yourself to people, be polite to everyone, show gratitude, and learn to love every part of the art form, not just the potential of getting rich and famous.
And don’t f*** the waitstaff.
If you could change one thing in the world of comedy, what would it be:
Getting booked is hard. I hate bugging people and I’ve been ignored a lot. I wish you could just be funny and get offers. I think that eventually happens, but it takes a while.
Best advice you’ve ever received from a comedian:
It sounds really basic, but “don’t forget to have fun on stage.”
I spent a few years at the beginning being so worried that what I brought to the stage wasn’t good enough, and I would constantly forget to have fun. We’re literally getting paid (or not getting paid…) either way our job is to make people laugh, we should always be having fun.
If you were releasing a comedy special this week, what would it be called:
“MISS THANG”
Funniest encounter you’ve ever had with a celebrity:
When I worked at the Improv, I was using the staff restroom and the door didn’t lock. Ron White walked in on me peeing. Ron White saw my ass.
Weirdest place you’ve ever performed any form of comedy:
A convenience store in Denton, TX.
A Kirstie Hayden Fun Fact:
For the past 2 years, I’ve lived through an app called Trusted Housesitters. I don’t have my own place, I just find people on the internet who need a pet sitter and I go from house to house.
Where would you like your laughs to take you:
My first goal is to be able to headline comedy clubs across the country and get regular spots at the Comedy Cellar, The Comedy Mothership and The Comedy Store. Ultimately I would love for my career to lead me to TV and movies, whether it’s a small part or a large part.
What would you tell a potential comedian if they ask you how they can own the laughs:
Confidence is really important. Work on being confident no matter what, and if you’re going to blame the crowd, do it off stage. Nothing is worse than standing up there blaming the crowd for not laughing, unless you’re Bill Burr, but you’re not Bill Burr.
What are your thoughts on the future of comedy:
I’m so happy the VR style comedy hasn’t really taken off. It seems like comedy will continue to be a popular live art form and I’m glad that comedians can still say whatever they want on stage. As of right now, I don’t see this changing but you never know. I’m just going to continue doing what I love and I know that I’m secure and confident enough to roll with whatever changes may occur. There’s no point in stressing about the future, just focus on what you can control.
If you could write an episode for ONE classic TV sitcom, which show would it be:
I have always wanted to write a comedic drama based on my time waiting tables and pursuing comedy simultaneously at the Improv.
If you could choose ONE comedy club and THREE comedians to perform with on your perfect comedy show, how would it go:
Addison Improv and I would love to bring Jay Legend, Annie Teicher, and Darius Bennett.
What’s next for you:
I have a 10 minute stand up special coming at the end of Spring produced by Only Fans so be sure to look out for that on LMAOFtv. I’m also going to produce my own comedy show in Austin, called Step Right Up at the Carousel Lounge, the first show is April 23rd at 7pm!
Why should a person always laugh at life:
The alternative is being sad, bitter, and miserable. Take time to mourn and grief, but don’t give your past so much power. I think the best way to cope with trauma is to make a joke out of it.
Follow Kirstie Hayden’s comedic journey on these social media websites:
Instagram/Twitter: Kirstie Hayden
Youtube: Kirstie Hayden
Personal Website: Kirstie Hayden
