JRE 2202 · September 16, 2024

Tom Segura

comedybusinesspsychology

Who is Tom Segura?

Recorded on : September 11, 2024

Topics and Timestamps

01Tom Segura discusses his comedy career and the evolution of stand-up in the modern era
02Conversation covers Tom's podcast work with Christina Pazsitsky on Your Mom's House and Two Bears, One Cave
03Tom shares stories about touring, performing, and the challenges of being a working comedian
04Discussion touches on Tom's book I'd Like to Play Alone, Please and his writing process
05Tom and Joe explore the comedy community and relationships with other comedians
06Talk about balancing family life, podcast responsibilities, and stand-up performance schedules
▶Tom opens up about his current projects and where he is in his career0:00:00
▶Discussion of podcast work and managing multiple shows with different formats0:10:00
▶Tom talks about his book and the essay-writing process0:35:00
▶Conversation about touring life and the physical demands of being a working comedian1:05:00
▶Tom reflects on comedy community and relationships with other comedians1:45:00

The Show

Tom Segura sits down with Joe on JRE 2202 to talk shop about comedy, podcasting, and the life of a working stand-up. Tom's been grinding for years now, building multiple income streams through his stand-up tours, two podcasts with different co-hosts, and his writing work. The conversation naturally flows between his comedy process, what it takes to keep material fresh, and the unique challenge of being a comedian in an era where everything gets recorded and shared online.

One of the central themes is the grind of modern comedy. Tom talks about the demands of maintaining Your Mom's House with his wife Christina and Two Bears, One Cave with another collaborator, while still hitting the road for stand-up dates. It's a real look at how top-tier comedians structure their careers these days. The podcast game has changed things dramatically compared to when Joe was just starting out, and Tom's navigated that landscape pretty successfully.

Tom gets into his book I'd Like to Play Alone, Please, discussing what it was like putting essays together and how that differs from the immediate feedback loop of stand-up or podcasting. Writing for a book is a slower, more deliberate process, and Tom appreciates that different creative challenge. The essay format gave him space to explore ideas beyond the typical joke structure.

The conversation touches on relationships in the comedy world, touring life, and the reality of trying to maintain a sustainable career as a performer. Tom's honest about the ups and downs, the travel toll, and what keeps him going after all these years in the game.