Natalie Whalen is a comedian working in Chicago, Illinois! 🔥 Catch her LIVE at a venue near you and hear if she's had any more encounters with Everett from Trader Joes 👀
In this episode, we discuss the difficulties of doing stand-up in front of your parents, how Natalie lost her tooth, Dry January and the wonder of dreams, the difference between humor with friends VS. humor onstage, how there is no such thing as normal, why it's so important to love what you do (whatever that may be), and much more! 🔥
___TIMESTAMPS:0:00 - Intro1:30 - Natalie Whalen2:39 - Natalie’s start in comedy: Amsterdam to Chicago3:44 - Weekly open mic scenes: Mickey’s Park5:59 - Comedy communities and the importance of variety9:03 - Building jokes through practice and experimentation12:13 - Merch and Patreon plugs: Supporting the show14:03 - Making your comedy stand out15:01 - Natalie’s missing tooth story19:04 - Finding passion and creativity through self-expression21:27 - Freestyling, improv, and saying yes to ideas24:07 - Random topic: Hairless cats and their quirks27:41 - Thoughts on giving to the homeless and daily choices31:34 - Moving to the city and adapting to a new lifestyle36:09 - Thrifting stories and sustainable fashion40:02 - Comedy and substance use: Staying sharp46:02 - How substances affect creativity and focus50:27 - Developing discipline and consistency in comedy56:06 - Natalie’s comedy origins1:00:56 - Adapting to diverse audiences in Chicago1:03:19 - College material vs. city material1:08:01 - Performing in NYC and testing new jokes1:10:05 - Surprising audiences with unexpected humor1:12:28 - Parents in the audience: Navigating awkward jokes1:16:05 - Dreams and the subconscious1:22:24 - Carl Jung and understanding dreams1:27:25 - Neuralink, technology, and the loss of humanity1:30:58 - The moon landing1:36:00 - Accent appreciation and cultural quirks1:39:20 - The myth of being “normal”1:41:52 - Life as curation1:45:02 - The importance of mindset in ps1chedel1c experiences1:47:00 - Subconscious revelations during tr1ps1:48:45 - The fleeting nature of inspiration1:51:20 - Art and hyperfocus1:55:00 - Lessons from Buddhism and living in the present1:57:30 - Animals as the ultimate example of living in the moment2:00:45 - Comedy as emotional control and healing2:06:12 - Finding your voice in comedy2:09:00 - Building confidence and refining jokes through bombing2:14:30 - The difference between comics and casual audiences2:19:00 - Comedy competitions and high-pressure environments2:24:40 - Hosting and producing comedy shows2:31:22 - Building a comedy community and networking2:38:27 - Loving what you do and shaping your perspective2:44:01 - Closing thoughts: finding purpose and joy in creativity
