Image via The Laughing Tap
For Steve Gillespie, his artistry as a stand-up comedian goes deeper than merely providing his audiences with the means to decompress from life’s pressures or view its peculiarities from an askew angle. He wants it to be transformative for both him and his listeners.
“I believe that the very essence of stand-up is taking all of your pain and shame and transforming it into art that others can relate to and hopefully get some relief from their own shame and pain,” the Minneapolis declares before summoning an explanatory observation from one of greatest comedic minds America has yet produced. “What did Twain say? ‘Humor equals tragedy plus time.’”
In so far as Gillespie’s personal transparency producing hilarity that has made for a steady professional ascent over the past decade, he shares, “I’ve been very open about my lifestyle, not only in my stand-up but in general. I speak openly about my use of psychedelics and my, let’s say, ‘eccentric’ sexuality. I don’t think I’m out to shock anyone, although I do believe there is a place for it. It’s about being unapologetically honest. I want to talk about things that others are maybe afraid to reveal. And I want to do it in a way that helps others become more open and empathetic to the world around them."
He brings his honest, and honestly gut-busting comedy to The Laughing Tap (706B S. Fifth St.; 885-0129) Friday June 25 and Saturday June 25 for 8 p.m. shows that can be seen in person or livestreamed. And though the native Midwesterner should be plenty relatable to a Milwaukee crowd, the currently Los Angeles-based Gillespie understandably has special affection for his hometown of Minneapolis. And the comedy scene there that helped shape his creativity.
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Thought Provoking, Challenging
Of that scene, he says, “It has one of the best comedy scenes in the world with some of the most thought provoking and challenging comics I’ve come across. I definitely would not be in the place I am now without that city.”
Comparing the city’s comedy culture to that of a similarly feisty music, he adds, “There is and always been a very strong ‘do it yourself’ punk ethos in that scene, meaning that we don’t wait for anyone else to give us permission or to book us or to tell us ‘OK, you’re good enough to do this now.’ We built our own clubs, our own stages, produced our own shows. There’s something very empowering about that and without it I would have been crushed by this daunting industry long ago.
“Honestly, I never thought I would be a stand-up comic as a kid,” Gillespie admits of the industry that has yet to daunt him. “I enjoyed the art form. I loved watching it on TV, but I never thought I could do it.” Career dissatisfaction would lead him there, however.
“Then I got out of school and into the ‘real’ world and had a straight job. A pretty good one too, all things considered. But I could never overcome the nagging feeling that it was all bullshit and self-serving. It was empty. I was searching for something else. And then I went to an open mic in Minneapolis and completely fell in love with stand-up.”
As for how he would his means of merriment to be perceived in a world that doesn’t look to get any less crazy any time soon, Gillespie humbly offers, “Hopefully it can an offer a release and some understanding to people that feel and see the world the way I do. Anything more than that is just delusional ego-stroking.” Perhaps more self-promotionally, about those who may be occupying the proverbial fence about catching his act at the Tap, he suggests, “You’re going to die and there's no telling when. So, make up your mind and quit wasting your time sitting on a fence.”
Here’s Gillespie cracking wise, self-deprecating and a bit boastful last year:
