Nick Murphy on The Tonight Show, Netflix, Joe Rogan & Austin Comedy

What does it actually take to make it as a professional stand-up comedian?Noah Vargas sits down with comedian Nick Murphy for a wide-ranging conversation about the grind behind stand-up comedy, moving across the country to build a career, and going from low-paying road gigs to major comedy opportunities.Nick talks about his journey through the Atlanta comedy scene, the importance of doing open mics, developing real material, bombing, getting better, and why comedians need to focus on becoming good before worrying about becoming famous.Nick has performed at the Netflix Is a Joke Festival, Moontower Comedy Festival, and The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, and he recently moved to Austin after getting passed at Joe Rogan's Comedy Mothership.He explains what attracted him to Austin's exploding comedy ecosystem and why the city's concentration of comedy clubs and stages creates opportunities that are difficult to find elsewhere.The conversation also gets into:• The reality of grinding as a stand-up comedian• Nick's first years doing comedy in Atlanta• Open mics and why they matter• The difference between being good and being famous• Why comedians shouldn't chase viral clips too early• Road gigs and the sacrifices comedians make for opportunities• The $100 Don't Tell Comedy gig that helped open doors• Netflix Is a Joke Festival• Moontower Comedy Festival• Getting passed at Joe Rogan's Comedy Mothership• Why Nick moved from Atlanta to Austin• The Austin comedy scene• Austin vs. Los Angeles for comedians• Performing multiple shows in a single night• Getting on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon• Preparing for a Tonight Show performance• Running material at the Comedy Cellar• Kill Tony and the changing comedy landscape• Crowd work vs. traditional stand-up material• Building a reliable set• The Albuquerque comedy scene• The potential for Albuquerque to become a stronger comedy market• The challenges of opening and operating comedy clubs• What comedians really need to do to build a careerNick also talks about having roughly 24 minutes of material he knows he can confidently bring to a stage, and why developing a solid body of material is so important for comedians trying to move to the next level. If you're a stand-up comedian, aspiring comedian, comedy fan, or anyone interested in what happens behind the scenes of the comedy business, this episode is worth a listen.Instagram: @nick10murphyWebsite: nickmurphycomedy.comInstagram: @noahvargas2Podcast: Improvised IntelligenceIf you enjoyed the episode, follow the podcast on Spotify and leave a rating/review. It helps other comedy fans discover the show.🎤 Follow Nick Murphy🎙️ Follow Noah Vargas / Improvised Intelligence