Tom Rhodes
Veteran comedian Tom Rhodes has a CV that’s nearly as diverse as the stamps in his passport. He’s an accomplished travel writer, television host and podcast helmer who has produced three half-hour specials, three albums, a top-rated live DVD and an NBC sitcom. He speaks with Sean Hebert in the lead-up to his four-show stopover this week, sharing his feelings on the state of comedy, performing abroad and the craziest shit he’s seen.
HK Magazine: You’ve been interviewed lots and now you interview comedians on your podcast, “Tom Rhodes Radio.” Is there one interview question you despise?
Tom Rhodes: There are two: How do you come up with your material, and how did you get started as a comedian? Every comedian hates both of those questions.
HK: Why don’t you like explaining the source of your material?
TR: Well, what do you say? “I do voodoo. I sacrifice a goat. I pay some midget.” It’s not too complicated: I think funny thoughts and write them down, or I’m having a conversation with friends and I say something funny. I also keep a comedy notebook so I can remember—
HK: I feel bad. Now you’re actually answering the question...
TR: I am, I am. I see what you did there. You asked it in a smooth, roundabout way.
HK: How has the public’s perception of comedy changed in the United States since you started out?
TR: The first big stand-up boom was in the late 80s and early 90s, and it was more generic comedy. All of these comedians wanted to be like Jerry Seinfeld—be clean; get on television. Comedy never went away in the States, of course, but it just wasn’t as popular as it is now. It’s on fire again, thank God. There’s a real resurgence, and I think the explanation is simple: the economy is in the toilet. I read a Harvard University study 20 years ago that said comedy in America thrives in times of recession and war. I always wanted America to do well, but I never realized how a slide could help my industry. The popular style is different now, though: there’s a lot more alternative comedy, edgy comedy and angry truth speakers.
HK: You’ve performed all over the world, and even hosted a talk show in the Netherlands. Do you have to adjust your material to suit the country you’re in?
TR: You have to adjust to a degree. References won’t work, but what you lose in references you gain in observations about the place. You’ve got to be smart and you’ve got to be culturally aware, but for me, travelling the world and playing different countries is exciting. It’s fun to make the mental adjustments and mix it up a little bit.
HK: You must have seen some crazy shit over the years, doing all these shows on the road.
TR: Oh yeah. I’ve seen it all. If you’ve seen“The Wire,” you’ll know that Baltimore is a tough city. I was there doing a show once, and this drunk white woman in the front row just wouldn’t shut up—interrupting my jokes and ruining the whole show. All of a sudden this black woman on the side gets up casually, walks over to the woman without saying a word, and slaps the living shit out of her. She’d had enough, and just smacked this woman so hard it put her on the floor—beautiful leverage! All hell broke loose, the bouncers jumped in and the cops showed up, and I was on stage the entire time narrating. Bless that black woman.