MAA #006: With James Masters

Interview with James "normally funnier than this conversation*" Masters, who has been in the comedy game since 2008.  Originally from Perth, his comedy career grew in Vancouver, Canada and you can now find him in Melbourne where he does stand up around the place, including 2 years running at the MICF.  James also runs a couple of comedy shows in Victoria (Australia, not Canada). We discuss the high percentage of Aussies at Whistler, comedians seeing the world differently, observations and challenges of Bipolar Disorder, manic vs depressive states, major stage fright, experiences with suicidal friends, experimenting with variables to quality-test jokes, Steve Hughes, the process behind James' MICF shows, the trap of doing what other people are doing (rather than what you're good at), Oscar Wilde's quote, comedic influences vs developing your own style, comedy beginnings and creative outlets, phases in the early days of stand up, the love of the career, down-playing successes so you don't get a big head, and being kind when you flop, the brutality of Edinburgh, extraneous factors affecting a show and the stars aligning, views on MICF and the theory of quality control, gaining experience and learning on the job, alochol and drugs and bumming cigarettes, "unaddictive personality", Movember vs "Just Moustache", and weight loss as an incentive to periodically stop drinking. *I can attest to this, and you can find out for yourselves by checking him or one of his comedy nights out - look for Dirty Secrets Comedy Night on Facebook.