Deep desire to pursue a career in comedy led Bill Squire to do what it took to get on stage and tell jokes. It didn’t matter where or in front of whom, as you’ll see in this week’s Take 5. The fact is, he did it. End of story.
Your bio says you “relentlessly” pursued stage time early in your comedy career. What did that look like?
This is like 2004, and there weren’t the local scenes. I would do comedy at music open mics, I would just do it wherever I could, even if the conditions weren’t ideal. I remember I had some aunts and uncles visiting and there were five or 10 of them over, and my jokes were received well. It was nice to make them genuinely laugh.
You’ve been on Comedy Central, among other name venues. What was is it like to see yourself there?
There is nothing quite like seeing yourself on TV. When I was on Comedy Central, I won a contest and they played a video I had, a two-minute long bit, and that was amazing to win that contest and have my stuff appear on Comedy Central.
Your bio also says family is really important to you. How do you balance the commitments of traveling and performing with having a family?
It’s not easy. Luckily, my kids are in their 20s now, but when they were younger I tried to be as present as I could when I was home. We did activities on the three or four days I was home, but I’d even take them on the road when I could. Every once in a while they’d sit in the back in the club. They had some fun times when they were young and traveling with me.
How can a new comedian be “relentless” in today’s search for stage time? What’s a good strategy?
I think with the resources you have with the Internet now, find those mics. But it’s not just being on shows, it’s attending shows of headliners you want to learn from. Get on stage if you can, or go watch somebody else do it.
Obviously, social media is crucial for comedians today, but what about things like podcasts?
Podcasts are great. It’s a way to express yourself with other people. When people enjoy that, that can bolster your career. Many people some out to see comedians because they know them from their podcasts.
Sure, Bill’s coming to Oak Park this weekend, but get ahead of the curve by checking out his podcast, The Bill Squire Show, on the iHeartRadio network. His YouTube channel is another good way to get to know him, not to mention his Instagram.
Take 5: BILL SQUIRE