Comedian Kyle Grooms is ready for some laughs. Being in the comedy game for many years, he has seen what it’s like to woo a crowd and when to know that you have bombed. That doesn’t deter him from doing what he loves and what he has made a career out of. Hailing from Elizabeth, NJ, the comedian has become a regular on the New York City comedy scene. Kyle has performed at New York’s top comedy clubs, including Caroline’s, Comic Strip, Comedy Cellar and Gotham. He has also taken part in and been featured on P-Diddy’s Bad Boys of Comedy, Jamie Foxx’s Laffapalooza, Tough Crowd with Colin Quinn, The Byron Allen Show, BET Comic View, and Red Carpet Fashion. Parlé Magazine caught up with Kyle as he performed at The Laugh Tour at Art House Productions in Jersey City to chat with the comedian about his growth and the comedy industry.
Parlé Magazine: How long have you been in the comedy game?
Kyle Grooms: I have been doing comedy full time for 12 years but total for 17 years. I went professional after five years of being on stage.
Parlé: How did you get your start?
Kyle: I started in Miami working at Univision and I was doing comedy at night as a hobby.
Parlé: What drew you to comedy?
Kyle: I always was funny; I was always the person that cracked on your shoes and your clothes. I was the class clown and the funny dude. I never thought I could do it because coming up all we had was Eddie Murphy and Richard Pryor, it seemed like they came from outer space. When I saw Def Comedy Jam on television and they showed the regular people, I thought I could do it.
Parlé: Who influenced you?
Kyle: Eddie Murphy, Chris Rock, Bill Hicks and a lot of guys I seen in the comedy clubs in Miami.
Parlé: What do you think sets you apart?
Kyle: I try to be original, if I hear people talking about the same thing; I tend to stay away from it or put my own spin.
Parlé: How much of comedy is not about the jokes?
Kyle: The other 50 percent, the part that isn’t funny.
Parlé: What is your style of comedy?
Kyle: I talk a lot about culture and some people say my comedy is smart.
Parlé: What’s the process for putting together your set?
Kyle: Uh, weed. [Laughs] I’m kidding, but it’s alone time and being in my head.
Parlé: Has their been a time when the crowd has not responded the way you wanted them to?
Kyle: Oh yeah, as a comic there is going to be a bad night. I had girl issues and bombed three nights in one weekend. It doesn’t mean you’re a bad comic just had a bad night.
Parlé: What would you do it in that situation?
Kyle: I would still have fun and keep it moving.
Parlé: Is a comedy team required or can one person be funny by themselves?
Kyle: I do my own material; I haven’t gotten to a point to have a team. That seems to be the move now. If I had multiple projects I would have a team.
Parlé: Where can fans see Kyle Grooms next?
Kyle: I’m doing Comedy after Dark by Walter Latham who did Kings of Comedy. We’re filming in Miami. I also have an online radio show called Hick-Hop Radio.
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