How to Become a Comedian – Wayne Federman

Comedian, actor, and comedy writer Wayne Federman wasn’t always comfortable in front of a crowd. So how did he transform from a ventriloquist with stage fright to a comedian working with Judd Apatow, Larry David, and Jimmy Fallon? How did identifying his true calling help him through periods of rejection and discomfort? He also shares his favorite quotes from self-help books and George Burns, explains the importance of setting specific goals, and reveals the benefits of being nice to college freshmen.

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TAKEAWAYS FROM THIS EPISODE / WAYNE’S KEYS TO SUCCESS:

1. You have to be active. Anyone can dream, but you need to put it into reality.

2. Expect rejection and disappointment. Fight through the no’s and you’ll get to the yes’s.

3. Polite persistence pays off.

4. It’s better to be a failure in show business than to be a success at making felt hats.

5. Just being alive is off the charts.

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

• Wayne’s Website

• Follow Wayne on Twitter

• Watch his reel

• Also watch a documentary starring Wayne, I Am Road Comic

• NYU’s TISCH

• Stella Adler

• Lifehacker‘s article on Jerry Seinfeld‘s “Don’t Break the Chain” productivity strategy

• Wayne’s fellow comedians at the Comic Strip comedy club – Adam Sandler, Colin Quinn, Chris Rock

• Tony Robbins’ self-help books

• Your Erroneous Zones by Wayne Dyer

• George Burns

• The Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz

1. Don’t take anything personally.

2. Be impeccable with your word.

3. Always do your best.

4. Don’t assume.

• Watch Wayne’s commercial reel

• Casting director Allison Jones

• The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson (what could’ve been)

• Late Night With Jimmy Fallon

• Wayne’s joke on Woody Allen: “I’ve come to really admire Woody Allen. It’s been 14 years, and he’s still married to the same daughter.”

• Wayne’s scene on Curb Your Enthusiasm with Larry David Wayne scene

• The Larry Sanders Show – where Wayne played Garry Shandling‘s brother

• Wayne met this college freshman / to-be comedy mogul at the Laugh Factory

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