Comedy - Judah Friedlander: the champ is here

Comedian brings his stand-up tour to ATL

For some, stand-up comedy is a career. For others, it is a hobby. For Judah Friedlander, however, the stage is the ultimate proving ground.

Known for his thick-lensed glasses, trucker hats, and general unkemptness, Friedlander has established himself in the comic scene in part by making such pompous claims that he is indeed the best on the planet — at anything.

Friedlander, while maybe not being the world’s greatest athlete or the sexual desire of every woman as he routinely suggests, has taken his career in stride as an actor, author, and animator. He has appeared as a regular in popular shows like NBC’s Emmy-winning series “30 Rock” and has emerged on the big screen in films such as Zoolander and The Wrestler. Though he has penned an inspirational book, How to Beat Up Anybody, and quarterbacked ventures in animation, the multifaceted Friedlander finds himself unable to turn his back on stand-up just yet.

In town for his World Champion stand-up tour, Friedlander talks with Creative Loafing about his humble beginnings, hectic schedule, and thoughts on teaching karate to astronauts.

How did you initially become involved with stand-up comedy?

Well, I’m 45 now. I started when I was 19 and I’ve been doing it ever since. You know, I’ve always liked comedy. I used to hear it on the radio some and on TV some. When I was around 16, I realized you can actually become a comedian as your career. So I started writing jokes at 16 and then when I got to be 19, I started getting up on stage.

When you were younger, were you thought to be the class clown in school?

No, I hated school. I was always miserable in school and looked at school like a prison. To me it was like, “Be on good behavior and then get out.”

What kinds of jobs did you have before you hit it big in the comedy and entertainment scene?

I’ve had all different kinds of jobs. Many of them I had before I started doing stand-up. The first job I ever had was as a paperboy. From there, I was a fry cook at Roy Rogers. I was a busboy at Bob’s Big Boy — I had all kinds of jobs.

What could you see yourself doing if you weren’t in show business?

I don’t know ... probably teaching karate to astronauts so that they can fight aliens. They need some sense of security, dude. You don’t know what’s out there. Sometimes you have to create your own job, you know?

You’ve said before how stand-up is your true love and that you prefer it to acting because on stage is where you feel the most at home, but where do the cartoons, comics, and your other animation projects fit into the mix?

I’ve always done it. Before I did stand-up, I actually used to do animation as a kid. I was in 9th or 10th grade when I began doing my own animated stuff. And I always did drawings and stuff. Right now, I’m actually working on a book of drawings. I don’t have any animation projects where I’m doing the animating at the moment, but I am voicing one of the main characters for a new show on FOX that is going to be executive produced by Seth MacFarlane, so it’s a lot of the same guys that do “Family Guy.” It’s called “Bordertown” and that’ll be out early next year. It’s still an on-going process, but we’ve done a bunch of episodes so far.

Apart from those projects, are there any other noteworthy things that you’re currently working on?

The big ones are my stand-up album and my stand-up concert-film. Those are two projects that I’m working on right now. Most of what is used for both will probably be from shows I’ve done in New York, but I haven’t figured it all out yet.

You’ve done a large number of your shows in New York City ever since you started out and even continued to do a few shows per week while you were a cast member on “30 Rock.” Is there anything in particular that feeds your love of performing there?

New York’s good. I mean, the culture’s small, which is nice. And the crowds are very diverse, which I really like. I like a diverse audience and they’re from all over the world, so it’s really cool.

On your tour schedule, are there any specific places that you mark on your calendar as somewhere you look forward to performing?

Not one more than the other necessarily. It all depends venue by venue and city by city. Each place is different. I go to Europe a few times a year to do shows — I love doing that. I like going to big cities like Atlanta, but I can’t really say that one place is better than the other.

Being that you’ve successfully made a name for yourself in this business, what does a day in your life usually entail?

You travel a lot so you have to book for where you’re going. You have to make time for press, and you have to go on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook to promote your stuff. Years ago, there was so much less promotion tied to what you’re doing, back when there weren’t so many avenues to promote, but now there’s so much time spent on promotion. And then there are a million other things. I’m talking to different producers about some new shows they might want to develop for me. I’m working on new jokes. I’m talking to an editor, trying to get some footage synced up with some audio that was recorded. I mean, there’s about 50 things I’m doing today, and I have two shows in New York City tonight — one at the Comedy Cellar and the other at the Stand. So I can work nonstop for seven days a week, just doing the business side and not even the creative side. It’s pretty crazy. It can be a big juggling act sometimes.

What kind of advice would you give to someone aspiring to be a comic?

Do it only if you love doing it and feel an unbelievable need to do it. It’s a crazy business, so I only recommend it if you love it. I certainly don’t like the business side of things; I love the arts side of it all. The other thing is that you have to do it a lot. You have to be out there at least five nights a week doing stand-up. You can’t just do it every once in a while.

If a biography were to be made about your life, what would you want the title to be?

The Greatest Winner.