Stand-up comedian David Jin spoke about being a comic in the digital age, and he opened up about his forthcoming shows in July.
Sir Noel Coward once said: “Work is much more fun than fun.” This quote applies to David Jin, whose passion is performing comedy in a live setting.
Inspirations for his comedic routine
On his inspirations for his comedy routine, he remarked, “My comedic routine is inspired by real life experiences and observations.”
“I moved to China for medical school and was inspired by old HBO specials and promised myself from that point that I’d at least give myself the chance to do comedy once I came back to the states,” he elaborated.
July 3rd comedy show in Flushing, Queens
His July 3rd show is an “ode to a neighborhood” he worked in ever since he was a kid.
“Flushing hasn’t had comedy in a long time and there really isn’t any professionally produced shows past Astoria,” he said.
“Besides food, and shopping, there isn’t much to do in Flushing so we decided to bring comedy to one of the neighborhoods I’ve spent the most time in,” he noted.
“It’s called Mom’s Couch because my co-producer and I both lived on our moms’ couches when we came up with the idea,” he explained.
‘Lil Dumplings Comedy Show’ in New York City
Jin revealed that he will have his “Lil Dumplings Comedy Show” in Manhattan on July 13th.
“I do dumpling catering as a side hustle, and take the opportunity to bring hot dumplings, and even hotter comedy to Midtown Manhattan once a month,” he said.
“It’s the two best parts of the city, a pop-up and a comedy show,” he acknowledged.
The digital age
On being a stand-up comedian in the digital age, at a time when streaming, technology and social media are so prevalent, he stated, “It feels weird to be a comedian in the digital age!”
“I was inspired by old-school comedians, and I’m not the most media savvy person at all. It’s an uphill learning challenge to figure out how to gain traction and build an online audience,” he elaborated.
“Live comedy is still my favorite, but I think with the ability for anyone to put their comedy online now it makes it so not only do we have to be good on stage, we have to now also be good at telling jokes that’ll gain traction online,” he added.
Future plans
Regarding his future plans, Jin shared, “My plan is to have a comedy career that I can live off of.”
“I don’t necessarily need to be in stadiums but I’d love to be a comedian who can do it for a living. I love comedy and want to be make it my life,” he added.
Biggest influences in comedy
Jin listed Chris Rock, Dave Chappelle, Bill Burr, Jo Koy, and George Lopez as his greatest influences in contemporary comedy.
Advice for young and emerging comics
For young and aspiring comedians, he said, “To younger (I am young in comedy) and aspiring comedians, the currency of comedy is laughter.”
“If you’re not getting the crowd laughing be self aware,” he said. “It’s always okay to learn from a rough experience, just acknowledge it and find the angle. Also, be cool,” he exclaimed.
Success
Regarding his definition of the word success, Jin remarked, “Success, to me, is performing in theaters and large venues across the country.”
“Also, being able to support my family through a job that I love, and being able to live as interesting as a life as I can,” Jin concluded.
To learn more about stand-up comedian David Jin, follow him on Instagram.
