JRE 1400 · December 13, 2019

Tony Hinchcliffe

comedybusinessphilosophy

Who is Tony Hinchcliffe?

Tony Hinchcliffe is a stand-up comedian, writer, and actor. Tony also hosts his own podcast called “Kill Tony” with Redban, and it’s available on iTunes and and YouTube at: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCwzCMiicL-hBUzyjWiJaseg

Topics and Timestamps

01Tony Hinchcliffe discusses his comedy career and the evolution of Kill Tony podcast
02Conversation covers the comedy scene in Los Angeles and touring as a stand-up
03Tony talks about writing for other comedians and his experience in the entertainment industry
04Discussion of podcast growth and the unique format of Kill Tony with roasts and audience participation
05Tony shares stories about memorable moments from live shows and comedy events
06Joe and Tony explore the creative process behind stand-up comedy and joke writing
▶Tony discusses Kill Tony podcast origins and growth0:05:00
▶Joe and Tony talk about the LA comedy scene0:15:30
▶Tony shares stories about touring and stand-up0:35:45
▶Discussion of writing comedy and developing material1:05:20
▶Tony reflects on the creative process and comedy career1:45:00

The Show

JRE 1400 brings Tony Hinchcliffe to the studio for a deep dive into his comedy world. Tony's been grinding in the stand-up scene for years, and this episode really gets into what it takes to build a comedy career from the ground up. He talks about Kill Tony, the podcast he hosts with Redban that's become a cultural phenomenon in comedy circles. The whole thing started as this wild idea of doing roasts on a podcast, and it exploded into something way bigger than anyone expected.

Tony breaks down the difference between writing jokes and performing them, and how the live audience aspect of Kill Tony changed everything for the show. There's this interesting dynamic where comedians and personalities come on and get absolutely roasted by Tony and the audience, but it's all in good spirit. The podcast has become this thing where people actually want to get roasted because being on Kill Tony means something in the comedy community now.

The conversation digs into touring as a stand-up comedian and what that lifestyle is really like. Tony's been on the road constantly, and he talks about how different cities have different comedy crowds, different energy. LA is where he's based, and he discusses the comedy scene there in detail. Joe and Tony trade stories about comedy events, memorable shows, and the grind of putting together material that actually lands.

There's also discussion about writing for other comedians and how that's shaped Tony's approach to comedy. He's worked behind the scenes in the entertainment industry, and that experience informs how he sees the whole landscape. The creative process comes up a lot, how you develop jokes, test them, refine them, and know when something's actually working versus when it's just falling flat.

Throughout the episode, you get the sense that Tony genuinely loves comedy and the community around it. He's not just chasing fame or money. There's this passion for the craft and for building Kill Tony into something special. The podcast success has opened doors, but Tony's still deeply committed to stand-up, which is where it all started for him. It's a solid conversation about the comedy business, the creative side of stand-up, and what it takes to make it in this world.