About this episode

Dan Davies discusses his journey as a standup comedian in New York City, including his experiences with improv and the Comedy Cellar.

Dan Davies is a standup comedian based in New York City. Instagram and all episodes (00:00) Childhood trips spark New York dream (02:08) Discovering UCB and falling for improv (04:37) First improv class and early confidence (06:53) Long-form improv and the Herald (08:52) Balancing hospital work and comedy (11:08) Quitting a stable career for comedy (13:36) Day jobs while chasing stand-up (15:39) Building Question Party into a business (17:42) Early success through audience laughs (19:44) First stand-up set and catching the bug (22:02) Avoiding open mics and finding stage time (24:24) Learning by performing with better comics (26:42) Getting passed at the Comedy Cellar (31:02) Auditioning for the Comedy Cellar (33:32) Writing jokes and comedy influences (35:42) Why New York is comedy's capital (37:30) Defining success as a working comic (39:02) Why chasing comedy was worth the risk

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