Mark Normand on Kevin Hart, Jerry Seinfeld, Dave Chappelle, & Getting Jumped In NYC I CLUB SHAY SHAY
Quick Read
Summary
Takeaways
- ❖Mark Normand's 'I'm Kevin Hart' bit started as a way to avoid shame after bombing early in his career.
- ❖Perfecting a comedy special takes years, with material needing to 'marinate' and be honed through extensive touring.
- ❖Growing up in a dilapidated mansion in a poor, predominantly black New Orleans neighborhood, he learned to be funny as a defense mechanism.
- ❖His childhood nanny, Enus, a black transvestite, taught him essential life skills like shaving, fighting, and driving stick, and even helped him retrieve a stolen bike.
- ❖A home invasion where his family was tied up prompted their move out of the New Orleans neighborhood.
- ❖Normand believes modern dating is over-saturated with options, leading to indecision and difficulty settling.
- ❖Jerry Seinfeld advised him to 'move around more' on stage and 'perform more' to enhance his delivery.
- ❖His first comedy special was self-released on YouTube after being rejected by major platforms, eventually garnering 13 million views and launching his career.
Insights
1Origin of the 'I'm Kevin Hart' Bit
Mark Normand began closing his sets by saying 'I'm Kevin Hart' early in his career because he would often bomb with crazy or offensive material. Ashamed to use his real name, he'd attribute the performance to the famous comedian, leading to confused audience members believing they had seen Kevin Hart.
Normand states, 'I used to bomb quite a bit... I didn't want to say my real name after the set. So, you put it on Kevin. Kevin Hard. You've heard of him. And you have these white Norwegians in the crowd going, 'We saw Kevin Hart tonight.''
2The Rigorous Process of Crafting a Comedy Special
Creating an hour-long Netflix special involves years of developing and refining material. Comedians build jokes over time, then structure them into a cohesive hour with a beginning, middle, and end. This 'tight package' is then toured extensively to hone it to perfection before pitching to platforms like Netflix.
Normand explains, 'You just build material over time and then you have an hour and then it has like a beginning, middle and end... Then when it's killer, honed, and perfect, ready to go, humming, then you go, 'Hey Netflix, you want to see this?'' He adds that some comedians release material 'too early' and it needs to 'bake' like a marinade.
3Childhood in a Predominantly Black New Orleans Neighborhood with a Transvestite Nanny
Normand grew up in a dilapidated mansion in a poor, predominantly black New Orleans neighborhood. His parents hired their neighbor, Enus, a black transvestite who did burlesque at night, as his nanny. Enus taught Normand essential life skills like shaving, fighting, and driving stick, and even retrieved his stolen bike, displaying unexpected toughness in a homophobic 90s environment. Enus was later tragically killed.
Normand recounts, 'My dad got a wild hair up his ass and bought an old dilapidated mansion in this poor black neighborhood... they hired a black guy named Enus who was a transvestite... he showed me the ropes... One time I got my bike stolen... he goes, 'We're getting the bike back.'... He eventually was killed. He was hooking up with a guy at a bar and the came out and the guy didn't know and he killed him.'
4Impact of Home Invasion on Family Relocation
His family's decision to leave their New Orleans home was triggered by a traumatic home invasion during Mardi Gras. Two men broke in, held his father at gunpoint, and tied up his entire family with neckties before stealing valuables and cars. This event solidified their decision to move.
Normand describes, 'Two guys broke in, knocked on the door, my dad answered, gun, held him down, uh tied him up with his own neck ties, and then tied up my mom and then tied up my brother. Took all the stuff... and after that we were like, 'we're out of here.'
5Jerry Seinfeld's Career Advice
Jerry Seinfeld, a major influence and admirer of Normand, advised him to 'move around more' on stage and 'own the stage,' rather than adhering to the 'stay in one spot' delivery style popular with some writers. He also emphasized the importance of 'perform more.'
Normand recalls Seinfeld saying, 'You got to move around more.'... 'Fuck that. Move. Own the stage.'... He said, 'Perform more.'
6YouTube as a Launchpad for Comedy Specials
After being rejected by Netflix, Comedy Central, and Hulu, Normand independently released his first hour-long special on YouTube out of 'failure sake.' The special unexpectedly blew up during the pandemic, accumulating 13 million views, securing him a new agent, and leading to increased bookings and subsequent Netflix deals.
Normand states, 'It was all failure. I said, 'Hey, Netflix.' They said, 'Kick rocks.'... I had to put it on YouTube for just failure sake... The pandemic hit and it blew up... It hit like 13 million views. And uh I was selling tickets everywhere.'
Opportunities
Independent Comedy Special Distribution Platform
Create a platform or service that helps comedians produce and distribute their specials directly to audiences via platforms like YouTube, leveraging the success model of Mark Normand and others who found mainstream recognition after self-releasing. This could include production support, marketing, and monetization strategies.
Comedian-Branded Alcohol Line
Develop and market unique alcohol brands (e.g., whiskey, beer) in collaboration with comedians, leveraging their personal brand and audience reach. Mark Normand's 'Bodega Cat' whiskey serves as a successful example of this model.
Key Concepts
The Marinade Method (Comedy Special)
The process of developing a comedy special is akin to marinating food; material must sit and simmer for years, being refined and perfected through constant performance before it's ready for a major platform. Releasing it too early can result in a 'premature' product.
Discipline as Freedom
Consistency in daily disciplines, even small ones like push-ups or a cold plunge, builds mental fortitude. Engaging in tasks one doesn't want to do first thing in the morning makes the rest of the day's challenges feel easier, fostering a sense of control and resilience.
Lessons
- Embrace unconventional experiences: Your unique background, no matter how unusual, can be a rich source of material and perspective.
- Persist despite rejection: If traditional gatekeepers say no, find alternative platforms to showcase your work; self-distribution can lead to unexpected success.
- Prioritize consistency and discipline: Incorporate small, challenging routines into your daily life to build mental toughness and make larger goals more attainable.
Creating a Stand-Up Comedy Special
**Material Generation (Years):** Continuously write and test new jokes, bits, and stories in various venues, allowing material to organically develop.
**Hour Construction:** Once sufficient material is gathered, structure it into a cohesive hour with a clear beginning, middle, and end, including an opener and a closer.
**Honing Through Touring:** Tour the hour extensively, performing it repeatedly to refine timing, delivery, and audience response, making it 'killer, honed, and perfect.'
**Platform Pitching:** Once the hour is perfected, pitch it to major streaming platforms (e.g., Netflix, HBO). Be prepared for potential rejections.
**Independent Release (If Rejected):** If major platforms decline, consider self-releasing the special on platforms like YouTube. This can build an audience and create leverage for future deals.
**Leverage Success:** Use the success of an independent release to secure new representation, increase bookings, and negotiate better deals for subsequent specials with larger platforms.
Notable Moments
Mark Normand's childhood nanny, Enus, a black transvestite, retrieved his stolen bike by confronting the older, tougher thieves in a wig and high heels, causing them to laugh and back down.
This anecdote highlights the profound and unconventional influence Enus had on Normand's upbringing, showcasing Enus's unexpected toughness and challenging societal norms of masculinity and gender identity in the 90s Deep South.
Normand was mugged three times in his first year in New York City, including one instance where he fell asleep drunk in a doorway and woke up to men going through his pockets, only to be knocked out again.
These experiences underscore the harsh realities and dangers of living in a big city, especially for a struggling young comedian, and contribute to the 'grit' and observational humor that often defines his work.
Normand received high praise from Jerry Seinfeld, who called him one of the best comics, while Normand was bombing a set in Buffalo to only eight people.
This moment illustrates the unpredictable nature of a comedian's career, where public validation can come at unexpected times, and highlights the significant impact of recognition from an industry legend on an artist's morale and career trajectory.
Quotes
"I used to bomb quite a bit. You know, I try crazy material, offensive material, and crowds were freaked out by it. I would I would be so ashamed. I didn't want to say my real name after the set. So, you put it on Kevin. Kevin Hard. You've heard of him."
"It takes years and some guys will put it out too early, you know, and uh I think it takes a long time because I already shot it... So sometimes you got to let it bake. It's like it's like a marinade. You got to let it sit and simmer for hours."
"I think it's the most unique city in America. I think it's it's got a grit to it and uh it's it's a very musical city... But comedy does not work there. Comedy clubs open and closed. No one cares. The people there are already funny."
"I think a black woman on top can do a hip thing that that white guys aren't ready for, or at least I wasn't... I felt like I was submitting with the black lady. Like she was uh working me, which I I loved."
"I always feel like men are like a horse. You know, you see those old movies where you got to break the horse like a wild stallion. Some guy can like pet its forehead and give it a carrot. That's what women do for us. And I feel like she was she was that for me."
"The hot dog... It's a perfect symbol for America. It's enjoyable, but the more you look at how it's made, the less you want to know."
"I would rather be on a plane with a Muslim than a baby."
Q&A
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