Joe Faina’s comedic career has been on a steady course, hampered only by the fact that he is really, really good at school. Faina completed his Phd in Communication Studies from the University of Texas, Austin in 2014. With his new-found free time, he’s exploring new show ideas and hosting Not a Fan podcast.
In part one of his interview, Joe Faina talks about growing up in southern California, just a stone’s throw from the west coast comedy epicenter of Los Angeles. While he dipped his toe in comedy while living in the Simi Valley, he focused on his education (he calls himself a “failed slacker”) until his arrival in Austin seven years ago. Faina shares his early comedic influences and deftly demonstrates why he can take one question and answer seven more without me prompting him. Click the link to listen:
In part two of his interview, Faina gets introspective about his time in Austin as a comic. From lessons learned about hosting shows to competing in the Funniest Person in Austin contest, Faina thinks metrics don’t tell the whole story of what a comic’s potential can be.
Faina’s Pass the Mic is currently on hiatus, but he’s tinkering with new show ideas. In the meantime, watch for him on the Sure Thing lineup this summer Austin Java.
Deets
You can find Faina on Twitter, Instagram and Tumblr by searching for @faination. You can also catch his podcast, Not a Fan, on your favorite podcast player.
