Veteran stand-up comedian Greg Warren chatted about his new comedy special “The Champ,” which is out on Nateland’s YouTube channel.
In this new comedy hour, Warren goes on the offensive, taking down poison ivy, snakes, and pretty much the entire great outdoors. He also blows the whistle on the chaos of late-night customer service at his favorite retailers.
With the veteran storytelling skills of a seasoned comic—and former collegiate wrestler—Greg revisits the coach who’s been living rent-free in his head for over 30 years.
Yes, high school fishing teams are real. So are their cheerleaders. And with a routine you won’t forget, “The Champ” sticks the landing and scores big laughs.
How did “The Champ” come about?
Well, when my previous special, “The Salesman” came out, I had to start over, as all comedians do. At that point, you are searching for any grain of an idea. I remembered a story from the early years of my college wrestling career that I had told my comedian friend, Tommy Johnagin.
I lost very badly in front of a sold out crowd at the University of Northern Iowa. My coach was disgusted with me and never forgot that night.
For several months, Tommy would randomly text me, “You remember that time when you laid down in Northern Iowa?”
What inspires your comedic routine?
Anything that interrupts the normal continuum of the day.
How does it feel to be a comedian in the digital age? (Now with streaming, technology, and social media being so prevalent)
I fought it at first. Like a moron. It has turned out to be one of the best things to happen in my career. People like watching one minute clips of comedy and I have a bunch of those.
What do your plans for the future include?
It’s always about creating the next hour of material. If I get too far from thinking about that, I am usually wrong.
What is your advice for young and emerging performers?
If you have an idea for a joke, it is more than likely a good one. It may take a while for you to crystallize exactly what you are trying to convey.
It may take some time the audience see what you want them to see, but trust your gut. It’s a good idea.
What does success mean to you? (My favorite question)
Continually creating original content that a lot of people enjoy. I’d also like to feel like I deserve a vegetable tray in every green room.
I could probably get a few vegetable trays right now, but I’m pretty sure I don’t deserve them.
What would you like to tell our readers about “The Champ”? (What’s the one thing you want them to get out of it)
I hope they laugh. Anything else is silly. It would be cool if they had a favorite bit, too.
To learn more about stand-up comedian Greg Warren, follow him on Instagram.
