The lengths comedians will go — and the locations they’ll carry out — in hopes of a giant break needs to be the topic of a scientific research someday. It’s the kind of dedication solely realized by way of numerous hours onstage. And but, some stand-ups nonetheless really feel success needs to be given to them, whereas others do the work, discover their folks inside the neighborhood and take it.
Jeremiah Watkins is a reputation many comedy followers — particularly these in L.A. — ought to acknowledge. As soon as the band chief for the podcast “Kill Tony,” Watkins retains audiences on their toes, leaving followers questioning what he wouldn’t do for his craft. Quick-forward previous two stand-up specials and too many gigs to depend to 2024, when Watkins killed the gang by partaking in “stage sex” with “American Pie” star Jason Biggs, whereas sporting a pie costume, throughout an episode of the parody collection “Dr. Phil LIVE!” Few issues may have proven extra precisely his fearlessness in terms of bodily comedy.
When Avery Pearson introduced his musical comedy to L.A. in 2011, he was ready to place within the work. Numerous mics and internet hosting gigs led to collaborations with business heavy hitters like Jeff Ross, Kevin Hart and Iliza Shlesinger; co-writing and co-directing the tune and music video “Christmas Magic” for Comedy Provides Again; and his personal enterprise, Comic Rhapsody (previously the 88 Present), which has bought out on the Hollywood Improv for years.
Destiny and an open mic introduced Watkins and Pearson collectively, and fairly actually from that second, ignited their dedication to doing one thing completely different within the funniest approach attainable. Enter their new three way partnership: Thousand %, which produces video and audio content material and simply shot a ridiculously humorous industrial for Einstein Bros. Bagels. Sure, bagels may be humorous. What’s subsequent for these two? The chances appear infinite.
Can I get a bit of backstory in your friendship, and did comedy carry you collectively or was it music?
Avery Pearson: It was kismet. We had been each internet hosting an open mic on the Hollywood Improv. I performed piano, they usually had requested us to host collectively, so I used to be actually simply enjoying piano.
Jeremiah Watkins: They instructed me that I used to be internet hosting the open mic, and I didn’t know Avery was gonna be there, however they had been like, “Is it cool?” I mentioned sure, and we simply began riffing throughout my set and in between all of the comics. On the finish of the mic, a number of folks got here as much as us and mentioned it was unimaginable, they usually had been asking how lengthy we’d identified one another, however we didn’t. We met proper earlier than the open mic. We sort of knew that we had one thing particular instantly as a result of folks thought there was chemistry, and it had solely been a pair hours.
Pearson: After we had been internet hosting open mics on the Improv, they gave us this loopy spot at midnight after the second present. The present was known as “Midnight Snack,” and we’d come out, however the folks within the viewers didn’t understand it was taking place.
Watkins: So, in the event that they had been seeing a ten p.m. present, they thought they had been going residence at round 11:30 or midnight. We’d storm the stage at midnight, unannounced, so folks can be like, “What is going on?” We’d be like, “The show’s still going! You have to stay in your seats! Stay here!”
Pearson: I’d be enjoying piano, and Jeremiah can be strolling in, enjoying a saxophone up within the air. Certainly one of our greatest buddies, Josh Adam Meyers, would sort of be the frontman, so it was like this band of buddies. We did it for 2 years each Saturday night time, beginning at midnight, and went till round 2 a.m. We bought actually good and larger comedians began working with us, and we’re doing comedy with our buddies having a lot enjoyable — all whereas folks needed to go away. It’s not that we had been dangerous, they had been simply drained. The present would begin with round 200 folks there, and our purpose was to see how lengthy we may hold the best quantity. One night time we did it, however as a rule, it’d finish with about 50 folks in there. Essentially the most comedy-driven followers ever.
Watkins: It compelled us to get good actually shortly, as a result of if we didn’t, we might see it in real-time exiting proper in entrance of our eyes.
What a psychological sport to play with your self!
Pearson: That’s precisely what it was, however there was stage time too. We had been chopping our tooth and getting higher.
Watkins: Neither of us had been out on the highway headlining reveals but, so a Saturday night time spot in Hollywood that we had devoted each Saturday at midnight, we had been like, “We don’t care if there’s five people here. We’re doing a show, we get a couple hours onstage, and it’s at the Hollywood Improv.” We had been bought. They get perhaps six extra drinks out of it, they’re completely happy.
Pearson: That was a purpose too. To get them to have one other spherical of drinks. We realized shortly find out how to make folks giggle and promote a drink.
I’ve to imagine you two gravitated to one another due to your work ethics? Each of you appear to simply smash the pedal to the ground regardless.
Watkins: That’s positively one thing that drew me to Avery on a friendship degree but in addition then on the enterprise aspect. I admired how he labored properly below stress. I knew I may depend on him if we had been to do these eventualities of reveals that weren’t essentially the most ideally suited. I knew he was going to have my again, and he did it actually a whole bunch and a whole bunch of occasions onstage to the purpose the place I’m like, “I trust this guy with my family and my life. Business? That’s easy at this point!”
Pearson: Once I got here in, I used to be newer and was tremendous inexperienced at that time. Jeremiah and I had been buddies from the open mic, and as I got here up in comedy, it was actually useful that I may ask him questions like, “What do I do here? Is this the right move?” Additionally onstage, like Jeremiah mentioned, it was nice that I had somebody there with me that I may belief whatever the state of affairs.
You guys actually do make an important workforce. Let’s speak about this Einstein Bros. Bagels industrial. I used to be by no means ready for the sausage gravy pour.
Watkins: I needed to battle for that shot! That was one the place we had the shoppers there, they usually had been actually hesitant. I’m about giving folks their approach, however I used to be like, “You’ll get your way for sure but let’s just maybe try this other shot at the very end of the day.” It ended up making the reduce, and I used to be very completely happy.
I believe it was my favourite a part of the video.
Watkins: Heck yeah! The very best half about that shot is that Avery is a vegetarian.
What you’ll do for artwork…
Pearson: I don’t know if something was harmed within the making of that gravy, however I’m all in regards to the bagels. After they instructed us they needed to make a comedy about bagels I used to be like, completed! That is every little thing I’ve been working for! I bought prediabetes for this!
How did this collab even occur? And did Thousand % produce this industrial?
Pearson: Yeah! That’s a Thousand % manufacturing. That’s all us! We had been linked by way of Proof PR, who was linked with Einstein Bros. Bagels, they usually pitched them a bunch of concepts to advertise. We’re linked within the comedy business, however exterior of that, they’ve been actually useful with connecting us to exterior corporations. Out of the entire concepts, they selected our pitch, which was to do a bagel music video. They’ve been so cool to work with. They actually respect our course of, what we do and our expertise with comedy. The industrial exists in numerous lengths on social media, however it can additionally run in 30-second advertisements that’ll pop up on Netflix, so folks will be capable to watch it there too.
Seeing comedians in commercials, tapped into markets they haven’t been in, on so many platforms, looks like such a win. What else is within the works over at Thousand % for 2025?
Watkins: We’ve two comedians we’re working with, who’re buddies of ours, and we actually take pleasure in what they do. We’re capturing Jack Jr.’s particular on the Alex Theatre in Glendale in Could, after which Josh Wolf, we’re capturing him in Nashville in April. We’ll do a pair tapings, after which after all the purpose is to buy it round. Later in the summertime and fall, we’re speaking to a few different comics that we’re enthusiastic about, so hopefully we’ll lock extra particulars down quickly. In my collection Stand-Up On The Spot, they’re all six digital camera shoots that I’ve been directing on the Comedy Retailer. I’ve additionally shot the present throughout on the highway and at festivals, and that has actually prepped me to shoot different folks’s visions.
I’ve over 60 episodes which might be like mini-specials for stand-up, and it’s been an enormous enterprise, however I’m actually happy with the product, and I’m prepared to point out those who I could make their stuff look good too. And Avery is such a very good author and performer but in addition an important producer. Avery helped make this industrial come collectively, and as a director, it’s a dream come true to be like, “Let’s create a vision together, execute it and then not have to be worried about the little things that need to get done behind the scenes.” Avery simply knocks it out of the park.
Pearson: I’ll pump some tires as properly, as a result of Jeremiah is an unimaginable director. I come from an appearing background, and he’s directed me in different eventualities, however on this particular expertise, he’s actually an actor’s director. The messaging is obvious and really comprehensible, and oftentimes in comedy, somebody will inform you, “All right, just go be funny.” He provides reputable causes to get there. Figuring out your finest buddy has that talent is actually cool, and he’s an superior director. Main as much as this, I shot a particular that we’re on the verge of getting out, and it was actually nice to have Jeremiah there to stroll me by way of the method of getting it collectively. It was a number of enjoyable.
Pearson, entrance, and Watkins on the set of the “Forkin’ Around” industrial for Einstein Bros. Bagels
(Matt Misisco)
Watkins: Nobody has ever completed that as a result of each comic can be like, “OK, you take the set up and I’ll take the punchline.”
Pearson: Precisely. Jeremiah has these nice characters and we’re sort of growing a particular for his characters, the place I’m concerned, interacting with them. Then doubtlessly, we may shoot it at one of many golf equipment. I believe, for each of us, we love doing issues along with performing and in enterprise, however we additionally positively like to shine.
