USC film student will perform stand-up at local comedy club
Alexis Bradby is a media arts and practice major with big ambitions of becoming a stand-up comedian. During high school, she participated in Forensics Acting Speech Competitions. Her favorite events were Storytelling and Impromptu Speaking, and she received several awards for both categories. To Bradby, stand-up comedy is a combination of both of these events. While she is a self-proclaimed amateur who is just taking a chance on her dreams, Bradby is already on her way there. She will be performing on Wednesday at Flappers Burbank at 9:30 p.m. The lineup includes other performers such as Tess Rafferty, Topher and Laurie Kilmartin.
Photo courtesy of Alexis Bradby
Laugh track · Aspiring comedian Alexis Bradby has been a performer since high school. She will performing stand-up about her personal life experiences and her view on the world on Wednesday.
Daily Trojan: Why and when did you decide to pursue comedy?
Alexis Bradby: I performed my first comedy set at Tennessee’s Governor’s School for the Arts the summer before my junior year of high school, and even though I was terrified, I fell in love with the feeling of having a room full of people laughing. I decided to perform that day because it was the end of the camp, and I figured that if I didn’t try it with a bunch of people I would never see again then it would probably never happen. The real moment I decided to try and pursue comedy was when I took Intro to Stand-Up Comedy last spring with Craig Anton, the actor who plays the dad on Phil of the Future. During the first week of that class, I realized that this is something that I want to do.
DT: Did you consider other occupations before this?
AB: Everyone who knows me well knows that I have no idea what I am going to do when I graduate, and I’m starting to accept that feeling because there’s nothing wrong with uncertainty. I don’t like the idea of only doing one occupation since I have way too many interests. I like doing comedy, but I also like making videos and playing rugby.
DT: What is the topic of most of your performances?
AB: Don’t think I’m narcissistic for this, but most of my performances are about me and what I think about the world. Right now, I feel like a lot of the jokes I’m writing are about this weird transition to adulthood. It’s freaking me out, and I know that a lot of college students can relate to this feeling. At least I hope it’s not just me freaking out.
DT: What do you get out of performing and making people laugh?
AB: It makes me happy. I’m a very empathetic person, and if I ever read articles or watch the news, I cry about all the terrible things going on in the world. I just want to grab a megaphone and scream the Black Eyed Peas’ song “Where is the Love?” at people. But I don’t think that’s socially acceptable, so I just try to make people laugh so maybe they can forget about all the sadness in the world, if only for a moment.
DT: Tell us more about your show this Wednesday.
AB: Well, it’s this Wednesday. And with some really funny people. Laura House is the host. She’s hilarious. Laurie Kilman runs a very popular podcast with Jackie Kashan who opens for Maria Bamford. This is my first show that I’m booking outside of the Intro to Stand-Up class offered in the School of Dramatic Arts. I hope to make people laugh by telling relatable jokes about parents and what it means to grow up and become an adult.