English and theater major Lucas O’Neil ’12 is making a name for himself in the world of stand-up comedy, although he describes himself as more of a “dramedian.”
O’Neil recently brought his latest show—Emotional Man—to the Bowdoin campus, where he performed in front of a small group of lucky students. The show, he explains, deals, with what has happened in his life over the last few years, including the global pandemic and the death of his mother. As a result, he says, not all of it is funny. Enjoy this interview with Lucas O’Neil:
How and why did you get into stand-up comedy? (is it true you took to the stage because you were cut from the basketball team?)
The rumor—which I started—is partly true. I was cut from the basketball team during my first year, which created a nice little identity crisis and void to fill. I filled it with comedy after taking a theater course on improvisation with [theater professor] Davis Robinson that spring. We were required to see the Improvabilities show (we only had one comedy group back then), and I remember thinking, “This is fun to watch, but I think it’d be more fun to do.” And the following fall I auditioned, and that was that.
Is there more to that answer, but you’d like me to break it up with another question?
Yes, I would. Thank you. So then, I got into stand-up after the improv group produced a stand-up night and didn’t ask me to do it. And seemingly I’ve dedicated the rest of my life to proving how much of an oversight that was. (I also always liked stand-up, and wanted to do it, but everyone loves a story of vengeance.)
What comedians have influenced you?
There have been different influences at different stages of my life and career. When I was twelve, my father got me a subscription to satellite radio, and so I would actually fall asleep listening to the comedy channel. I feel like that ingrained the rhythm of stand-up through a wide range of comics, from the Smothers Brothers to Chris Rock to Ellen (before she was mean) to Sam Kinnison. But if I were to try to look at my work and ask, “What comics do I see ?” I’d say John Mulaney, Hannah Gadsby, Mike Birbiglia, Maria Bamford, Daniel Kitson, and then all my peers I have tried to make laugh. They are probably the biggest influence of all.
How much work goes into producing a show?
More than I would have ever agreed to do. My sister described this show [Emotional Man] as “my baby,” and while there are many issues with that comparison, she is correct in that it was worth doing but I understand why people would choose a life without having one.
"I chose to do stand-up based on my real life and completely forgot that bad things could happen in my life. Maybe I’ll become an absurdist comedian next."
How do you cope with nerves before going on stage?
I try to keep my preshow routine the same. Right before I go on, I press record on the voice memo app I use to record my sets, so I can listen to it the next day and realize the show went better, or worse, than I thought. Then I take a couple of deep breaths, shake out my limbs, and smile.
Tell us about your show, Emotional Man, and why not all of it is funny.
I think about the show as an exploration of the people who make you who you are, and who you become without them. Basically, most of my material over the years was about my family and my role in it, and then two things happened: My mother passed away, and we endured a global pandemic. And it felt like a pretty hard “before” and “after” point for me. So, I tried to structure the show in that way: there’s jokes, jokes, jokes, and then The Bad Thing happens, and we all contend with that together in real-time(ish).
The moments that are sincere revealed themselves in doing the show and working on it. How can you bring in heavy topics and address them with care and comedy? I was struck by how socially acceptable it is for people, especially men, to publicly miss their fathers. But I didn’t see that same ease with mothers, and so I tried to make a show that countered that tendency in some way. The short answer is: This is the show I could make at that time. I chose to do stand-up based on my real life and completely forgot that bad things could happen in my life. Maybe I’ll become an absurdist comedian next.
Are you working on a new show?
Yes. That is all I can say right now because it is a secret and coming along great. (And not because it has no clear theme or animating idea and is mostly a collection of unrelated jokes incompletely saved in my notebook and four or five note-taking apps.)
How do you deal with hecklers?
For the most part, audiences are encouraging and want you to do well. But in the rare instance a heckler reveals themselves, I normally just tell them their thoughts are actually not needed, but thanks for offering. The main thing is to be an advocate on behalf of the other audience members who are having the show disrupted by this person. Rather than acting like you are being personally attacked. Because you normally aren’t. It’s normally just an insecure man.
Are you a funny person in social situations, or do you tend to sit back and take notes? Or somewhere in between?
Despite being a comedian, I find it hard to write “I am funny.” But I have been known to be funny in social settings. I think you’re also asking, “Are you a comedian who is ‘always on,’ or can you be a regular person in a group setting?” And I feel really confident in saying that you could meet me and not know I’m a comedian.
Do you have a favorite Bowdoin memory?
Yes, but I can’t remember it right now.
Any advice for budding comedians out there on campus?
Perform as much as you can. Watch as much comedy as you can. Transcribe jokes from your favorite comics to figure out why and how they delight you. Read books. Write by hand in a notebook. Take walks without your phone. And, most importantly, have fun. I cannot stress enough how easy it is to forget that last one. It turns out, this is actually all advice that I need to follow, but hopefully it'll be helpful for budding comics, too.
What exciting plans can you share about your future?
I’m currently editing my first special, Emotional Man, which I filmed in Chicago this past November. Hopefully, that will be released somewhere on the internet this summer. I will also be the opening act for Trey Kennedy on his next national theater tour, which begins July 31.
