No matter where you are, from the office to a family party, there is always one toxic person trying to ruin it for everyone. At least that’s the theme of comedian and SNL alum Colin Quinn’s newest standup special One in Every Crowd.
“I’ve been thinking about it all of my life that there’s always this one person everywhere that does this,” Quinn told me. “You can’t seem to escape them, even in a job, if they leave somebody else steps in. It’s a phenomenon.”
Quinn’s most recent work has revolved around race. In 2015, Quinn wrote The Coloring Book: A Comedian Solves Race Relations in America. His one-man show, The New York Story, was based on experiences he had while writing the book. This time around, he says “I’ve weighed in already,” and wants to go beyond race. “Whether you’re in Black Lives Matter or a NASCAR rally, there’s a toxic person,” he said.
One in Every Crowd is Quinn’s first standup special in seven years, and was delayed further by a heart attack he suffered in February. “My heart goes out to all the people who bought tickets to my show,” he said at the time. “Literally. My heart went out.”
During Quinn’s hiatus from standup, he wrote and starred in a number of critically-acclaimed one-man shows. The ability to tackle big issues without having to worry about getting a laugh every two seconds is an element of these shows Quinn said he is bringing to his standup. At the same time, he said his standup instincts don’t allow him to get as “indulgent” as other productions.
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“I’ll take bigger issues to make my jokes about,” he said. “Right now I’m working on a bit about tribalism. It’s the kind of thing where before I would say, ‘You can’t be that broad. What is it about tribalism?’ Now I know it’s there. I just have to trust and do it.”
No matter how long he has been performing or what new tricks he learns, Quinn understands that comedy is not an art that can ever truly be mastered. “That’s why you keep going out and working the crowd,” he said. “Part of comedy is trying to convey what you’re saying. A lot of what I think will get a laugh and what will make the crowd laugh is in the setup. It’s not just the punchline.”
Colin Quinn will perform at Turner Hall Ballroom on Friday, Aug, 3. You can purchase tickets here.
