Photo Via Evan Hull - Facebook
Evan Hull
“I am just a neurotic dude trying to explore all of life’s little nooks and crannies.”
So says comedian Evan Hull says of what brings him to Milwaukee in the briefest of elevator pitches. But he elaborates. “I like to imagine my act as a conspiracy theorist’s bulletin board, with pieces of red string connecting a handful of random topics, and all tracing back to the words ‘Nervous and Pent Up’ in bold letters in the middle.”
Hull is scheduled to work off some of his nervous energy to generate chuckles at The Laughing Tap for a 7:30 p.m. show on Friday Jan. 17 plus 7:30 and 9:30 p.m. performances on Saturday, Jan. 18. For the benefit of those who may not be able to attend or simply prefer comedy on screen, Hull will record his shows.
“My initial interest was to make an album,” Hull confides, “but in today’s world you really can’t make an audio medium without also recording it. Comedy exists online and on social media. So, we are filming it, and it will be edited into a special. Where that will be released is yet unknown, but at the very least it will be on YouTube for the masses to see and comment hateful remarks on as they see fit.” The self-effacing funny man sees making a video document as a way to make a material statement from a pursuit that's otherwise difficult to make concrete.
Tangible Product
“I wanted to record this just for the sake of doing it. I always felt like comedy is the only art form without a tangible product,” Hull explains. “If you are a writer, you can show people the writing that you have done. But, in stand-up, people say, ‘What do you do?’ and you have to say ‘Well, you have to come to Scruffy Murphy’s on a Tuesday and see,’ or whatever. So, I just wanted to make a thing. I am not sure what I want out of it, career-wise, or if it even has the capability of doing anything for me. I just wanted something tangible that I could say ‘Here is what I have done.’”
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What Hull will do is imbued with a transparency that leads him to a level of candor that not all comics are up to summoning. For example, though he may broach the topic at the Tap, there’s a certain routine healthcare procedure Hull found, let’s say, unduly stimulating.
“I think it’s important to be honest in comedy,” Hull declares “We all live in the same world, and we all have at least a handful of shared experiences, especially when it comes to our bodies, sexuality, and medical appointments. I think to acknowledge those uncomfortable things, and cut the tension a bit, is possibly the biggest and may be only important thing that comedy has to offer the world.”
Parental Guidance
Fortunately for Hull, unlike many other parents who have a comedian for a kid, his parents are supportive, no matter his great transparency. “They never wanted anything for me that I didn’t want for myself,” he enthuses over his Methodist lawyer father and Jewish novelist mom.
“It feels almost lame, in a way," Hull admits. “I think that being unencumbered by expectations has only allowed me to flourish more because my pursuit is righteous and validated by them.” Hull senses that, in the line of work he hopes will soon fully replace his current staffing job, “there is a constant theme of personal strife for comedians. But for me, at the end of the day knowing that my family has my back has only made this easier because I don’t constantly feel like I need to be defensive about it. It also helped me get through those early years where I truly sucked, because no one ever told me to quit and do something else.”
The uniqueness of the comedy Hull shares with the support of his folks comes down for him to his uniqueness as an individual. “The only thing anyone has to offer is their own personal take on the world. I only talk about things that I find interesting and funny, and if that resonates with the audience, that’s all I can ask for.” However, he can ask people to see him first.
“Come to the show. Even if you don’t like my act, you’ll have some amount of fun by hating it. Have a little whimsy in your life, why don’t you?”
Here Hull relates his uncomfortable attempt to join a gyn heat didn't know is only for children:
