5 Questions With Doug Williams Host of 1st Amendment Stand Up

Time for another edition of five questions, where I interview people that I think are interesting. Today we have Doug Williams host of the Starz comedy show “First Amendment Standup“.

Doug has an extensive comedic resume and was gracious enough to answer some questions. (Crap I sound like James Lipton.)

1)   So I should get the serious question out of the way. Do you change your set before you hit the stage based on the audience? Do factors like race, club location (like if you are in the Midwest versus LA), or general age group (like if you are on a college campus) impact what material you perform or do you stick to the set you have crafted?

Generally I skew my material towards the audience I’m playing for. If it’s a young hip crowd, I’m a little more urban. If it’s an all white crowd, I’m more politically correct and so forth.

2) What bits, movies, albums, or television shows influenced you growing up? (I’d ask what comics but that is such a boring question.)

We do get ask which comics influenced us too much. The sitcoms from Norman Lear really impressed me as a kid. He took chances that changed television. “Sanford and Son,” “The Jeffersons,” and “All in the Family,” still amaze me to this day. They were so real and people could relate. Those shows are timeless. I try to do that in my stand up. You know, take chances and say things that are real and memorable to my audience. So a month or year later people still remember things I said as they experience them happening in life. Anybody can tell a joke, but not everyone can take you on a journey.

3) What is the deal with the fact that there are no popular thin female black comics? Is it just because there are so few famous female comics in general? Or is it because Mo’Nique ate them?

OK, you are about to upset a gang of people with this question. But I like you, you take chances too. To answer your question, in addition to there being a shortage of female comedians, it seems Hollywood has embraced full figured female comedians. Most notably Mo’ Nigue and Roseanne. There are many more I just can’t think of them right now. But voluptuous female comedians seem to be able to get away with saying whatever they want and still be liked. Let’s face it, if a thin women were to say some of the things I’ve heard come out of thicker women, they would be persecuted.

(Note: Dude has balls for answering that… I give him a lot of credit.)

4) Has Carlos Mencia ever stolen one of your jokes? Sorry I just wanted to drop that in there. Do you think comics are the most competitive people in the entertainment industry? It seems like there is this underlying tension and bitterness towards other comedians as soon as they have success by other comics. Is that true or is it just me passing on my jealously of Carrot Top because I am vastly funnier than him and not as successful?

Are you a comedian? I love Carlos Mencia. Remember, allegedly he has stolen jokes. He has been at this for a long time and I love to see persistence pay off.

(Note: Can I call myself a comedian? I have been on stage five times, does that count? But Mencia is… well a thief.)

Comedians are very competitive, to a fault. But that’s with anything that is as vain as show business.   We seem to think there is only one spot left in Hollywood for comedians. Last time I checked, there were several spots in Hollywood still open, LOL. This game is always open to talent. It doesn’t matter how old you are, what race you belong to, or how long you have been doing this. So once we grasp this concept, things might get better.

5)   Who are some of your favorite up and coming comics?

Most of the guys that taped the show, myself included. This was a great season and I enjoyed working with all the comedians. It was like a family reunion.   I invite everyone to check out the show every Wednesdays at 10:00 PM ET. Also go to Starz.com to see more about the show and check out my web site www.DougWilliams.net

I want to thank Doug Williams for taking the time to answer the questions and having the balls to answer the one about women comedians directly. Make sure to check out the show on Starz.