This is the second revisit of one of my initial posts. This is also my second interview with Mike and our 1st since he made the transition to the West Coast. From the Casino to California. Here is Take Two!
Mike Perkins
1) How long has it been since you left Philly?
What prompted you to take the leap of faith?
"I've been in LA now
for a little over a year which is crazy how the time just flies by. I've always
had the dream of moving out here and finally one day I was just like it's now
or never, I can't keep putting it off. So I just made it happen, planned
everything out to move, motivated myself got all pumped and really did just
take the leap of faith."
2).Compare the challenges of going from
behind the camera as a director to out front as a comedian.
"I've always felt it
was a lot easier for me to do comedy and be in front of the camera than behind
it. I just feel less pressure because you do your own thing and live in that
moment, it's all eyes on you. Whereas, directing and producing you're involved
in so much more and have a lot more to worry about than just what you're doing.
I do love producing though because you're hands on and involved with every aspect
of the film from start to finish."
3).Tell the readers your vision and plan when
you decided to go for it?
"I've always been the
funny guy all my life, constantly cracking jokes and doing everything to get a
laugh, so my vision always was to pursue comedy in some fashion. My vision and
where I want to be in the future though is having a full-time job just doing
comedy and making movies. I aspire to be like an Adam Sandler type where you
can put out movies from your own production company and make them with all your
friends. And basically just make a living doing what I love to do and making
people laugh."
4).Biggest star you met in California so far is
______
"I've met a lot of
comedians out here ranging from Dane Cook and then opening one night for Kel
Mitchell, which was insane, to meeting one of my current favorites, Natasha Leggero, who called me cute. I was like blaaah blaaaaah, just speechless
because she's super funny and beautiful.
 |
| Natasha Leggero |
When I first moved out here though I
had the opportunity to meet and talk to Chazz Palminteri, known from A Bronx Tale. It was surreal because he
was giving me advice on my career but for me it felt like I was in the movie
because he's like that in real life, doing the 3 finger talking move and all. Meeting
him was a huge inspiration for me to just put myself out there and live in the
moment."
 |
| Chazz Palminteri |
5).What steps did you take out there that you did not do here? (Perfecting your craft)
"I focused a lot more on my comedy and the art out here than I did back home. There are just so many more opportunities and avenues to take out here that just keep you motivated and focused. I've been involved and dedicated to improv comedy out here with The Upright Citizens Brigade and actually just finished the main program out here for the UCB Theatre in their training center. So now I have a certificate saying that I'm funny which is great to prove all those old girlfriends wrong right?!? I'm also part of an amazing improv comedy team named Hat-Trick and we meet once a week with our own team coach to hone those skills and practice. We also perform around the LA area consistently and get booked for different events which are incredible! Not to mention I'm getting booked for stand-up comedy shows which I love and are grateful for every opportunity I get."
Hat-Trick
@HatTrickImprov
www.facebook.com/HatTrickImprovComedy
6).How do you acquire material for your act?
"I really just come up with stuff that happens in my everyday life. I never take life seriously, so everywhere I go I find comedy in it and when something happens that I think is hilarious or great for a bit, I'll write it down and try to work it in somewhere. This works great for doing improv comedy because you bring these situations and experience out during your scenes. A lot of material comes from my love life and relationships…so ladies, if you were the girl that got away, you really just ended up in my set, so thank you for that one time where you….. come to a show and find out the rest!"
7).What do you miss most about Philly?
"I miss my family and friends the most, along with all the incredible Italian food and home cooking that the West Coast will never ever have. I actually miss the whole east coast vibe in general, it's way different out here. Besides around the comedy scene no one really gets the "breaking balls" humor that we have on the East coast."
8). Best club you've worked to since you've been in Cali?
Flappers Comedy Club
in Burbank is my home base. In my opinion it's the best and most supportive
club out here and I hope everyone else that goes and performs there feels the
same way. Everyone I've met from there is incredible and I've made so many
amazing friends just from hanging out there and getting booked for shows. There's
no other club in this city like Flappers, they're number one and always will be
in my eyes, hands down!
Flappers Comedy Club -
Official Website
9).Any new projects that you want to talk about?
I've mainly just been
focusing on my comedy with stand-up and improv around town. I'm always ready
for the next show so anyone can follow me on Twitter and all that good stuff to
find out when they are! Actually the last time we talked we were just getting
done our filming with our documentary I
Am Santa Claus. It's a documentary following around the lives of guys that
portray Santa all year long. It's now out on DVD and iTunes nationwide and it's
received amazing feedback from all different types of critics and people, so if
you haven't already everyone go check that out!
I Am Santa Claus -
Official Website
www.iamsantaclausmovie.com/
10).Create your Mount Rushmore of Comedians.
What 4 people are on it?
This is tough because there are so many great
comedians that could fill up mountains all over besides just Mount Rushmore. My
huge inspirations though have always been Adam Sandler, Jimmy Fallon, Will
Ferrell, and Tina Fey. Basically just put Saturday
Night Live on Mount Rushmore.
11). Do you have an agent?
"I don't have an agent
right now, but if anyone reading this knows a guy, hey I'm Mike Perkins and I'm
kinda funny! I've mainly just been focusing on stand-up and improv comedy
though. I've gotten auditions and callbacks myself, but for booking comedy
shows it's really about your own networking rather than someone submitting you
like it is for acting on all those websites."
12) Tell the readers about the importance
of networking and how it has helped you?
"Networking is the key
to anything that you do in life. To quote one of the things Chazz Palminteri gave
me advice on, is that 90% of the process is just putting yourself out there and
showing up, and that other 10% is living in that moment. If you don't go out to
these comedy clubs, or submit yourself, or talk to people that are involved in
the industry, you're robbing yourself of that one chance that you need to get
seen and be in that moment. You really have to make your own path, and then
follow it by being yourself."
13) When do you use social media and
how often?
"Besides looking at old
girlfriends from Philly and Jersey on Facebook at 2am, it's all about social
media. I promote every one of my shows on Facebook and Twitter and that's how
you keep in touch with people you meet at events too. Whenever they're doing
something it gives you the chance to know and support them and the same thing
where it gives them a chance to support you after that. I think that's what a
lot of people lack is that it should be a support system for everyone because
we're all in this together. Support each other and in my eyes that's the key to
networking and building relationships."
14).Close with encouragement for those
who want the next level. What should they do?
"Just live it man, just
live it. You're never going to get to that place unless you just go. Damn that
sounded really, really philosophical so if my old Philosophy teacher is reading
this can you please change my grade to a better one for my GPA because I get it
now! Honestly though, it's all about taking that chance and rolling with it
because you'll never know unless you do it. Live in that moment and just have
fun with it because that's what it should be all about. Don't forget why you
started doing this in the first place, and that was to have fun and better
yourself.."
Follow Mike as he shines on the West Coast!
