The Rick Bronson’s House of Comedy pre-show Q-and-A series give you 10 questions of insight into your favorite comedians’ minds.
Comedian Michael Malone’s introduction to comedy included listening to a Richard Pryor album on an old record player as a kid. Decades later, Malone is scheduled to release his next album through Pryor’s label. Malone has two top-selling comedy albums on iTunes, and in 2013 was awarded the titles of “Hot Comic to Watch” and Campus Activities Magazine’s Top Comedy performer. Malone will be performing at House of Comedy, located at 5350 E. High St. Suite 105 in Phoenix, on Wednesday, Oct. 29, through Sunday, Nov. 2. Wednesday and Thursday, Oct. 29 and 30, Malone has shows at 7:30 p.m. Friday the 31, there will be shows at 7:30 and 9:45 p.m. Saturday’s shows are at 7 and 9:30 p.m., and Sunday, Nov. 2, has one show at 7 p.m. Ticket prices vary by show and range from $13 to $20. Grab your tickets here.
When was the moment you realized you wanted to be a comedian?
I never knew it was even an option. I remember sneaking out to the garage so that I could listen to my mom’s old record player. She had one of those huge dresser type record players that looked like a dashboard to a space ship with tons of shiny buttons and switches. My mother had all kinds of comedy albums — Steve Martin, (Bill) Cosby, (George) Carlin — but the one I connected with the most was an old Richard Pryor album. I was 11 or 12 trying to stifle my laughter as Pryor told stories of owning a monkey, not only how wild it was to have one as a pet but he talked so open and honestly about how much it hurt when his pet monkey died. I remember him giving the neighbor’s dog a voice and a personality and it blew my mind. I had no idea how he got to travel around and tell stories like that, but I knew I wanted to do just that.
So I guess, 12 is when I knew I wanted to do whatever it was those guys were doing, but I didn’t figure how until I was 19. The crazy thing is, I turned 31 this year and I have an upcoming album being released on Uproar Records, who are responsible for putting out Richard Pyror’s first few comedy albums.
What was your best (or most embarrassing) moment on stage?
I think one of my best moments on stage took place at the Funnybone in Richmond, Va. It was around Christmas, so they had a tree on stage, decorated with presents under it and everything. I noticed that there was a Nerf gun laying under the tree. The Saturday night late show got a little rowdy, as they tend to be. This heckler started in with me, and I grabbed the Nerf gun. We continue to go back and forth and right before I pulled the trigger, I asked him what he did for a living. Turns out he was an ex-Marine-turned-cop. Yeah. So I did what anyone would do in that situation, I shot at him. The first dart fell short, the second dart whizzed by the seat next to him. With only one dart left, he stands up to give me a better shot, and he is massive. He stood at least six feet tall and was built like a retired pro wrestler. So, I lowered the Nerf gun to my crotch area and fired my last dart. It went soaring thru the air headed straight for his face when he Mister Miyagi’d the dart and caught it with his hands at the last possible second. The crowd erupted, and I sent that man a beer.
What’s one thing you want people to know about doing stand-up that nobody has ever asked you?
Believe it or not, the last thing we want to do when hanging out is trade book jokes back and forth. When people find out you’re a comedian, they tend to immediately want you to entertain them or to give you their own material that “you can use in your set.” I think I speak for all comedians when I say thank you, but no thank you.
Who is your comedic inspiration?
I appreciate the honesty of Ricard Pryor and Bill Hicks, and I strive to bring that to my own set. I still have a way to go.
What’s one thing you wished someone had told you about stand-up?
That there is no “corporate ladder.” There is no system in place, and it doesn’t matter if someone has been doing it twenty years or twenty minutes, they both could be on late night TV tomorrow.
What’s one item you never hit the road without?
Hair gel.
What is your favorite city to perform in and why?
This is a perfect opportunity for my to talk about how much I love performing in Phoenix, and I definitely do! But I’d have to say that Seattle has my heart at the moment.
Describe yourself in three words:
Hair gel.
If you had one day left to live, how would you spend it?
I don’t know all the details but it involves my girlfriend, my puppy, some
marijuana and lots of Cold Stone Creamery.
What did you do the last time you were in Phoenix?
I never miss a trip to Phoenix without getting breakfast at Crackers (and Company Cafe) at least once.
