Treefort presents LJ Sullivan in two comedy shows this week, as part of the Comedyfort lineup. The Boise Beat caught up with LJ a few weeks ago and got the story behind his comedy and his life in Boise. LJ’s star is rising; and anyone who’s ever been to one of his shows can’t help but smile as they remember how funny LJ is. With two chances to see LJ this week as Treefort Presents LJ Sullivan, it is a good idea to put one of his shows on your ‘must see’ list of Treefort events.
Q: Hi, LJ. What influenced your comedy when you were growing up?
A: I feel like the short answer is Comedy Central. Because I had a mom that had to work late nights, my grandparents who watched me would fall asleep early. I would stay up late and one of the only things that was on late at night back in the late 90’s and early 2000’s was Comedy Central. So it’s been with me for a real long time, you know.
Q: You must be happy to be playing Comedyfort after all the last few years?
A: Right! It’s been like a goal the past few years to get into Comedyfort and now it’s just interesting to be doing that and setting new goals, etc. Moving forward is very encouraging!
Q: I’m going to throw in one other quick question. What are some of your other favorite places that you have played?
A: I got to go out to Portland for the Northwest Black Comedy Festival there. That was fun! Ummm….I mean it’s a shame we don’t have Liquid any more, because that place was great. And Mad Swede, both their newer and older location have been great for comedy. The Lounge At The End Of The Universe has also been really great in the recent years. Those are sort of the regular locations in town for me. Then that one outta town gig I did that really stood out for me. So ya, those are some of the big places that I have liked. Oh, the Crescent Brewery in Nampa had me do my first hour out there, so that was really cool too!
Q: Not to put a plug for anything else; but you just said your doing another comedy show?
A: Oh, ya! Brother Brown’s Underground. Ya, I am going to be doing Brother Brown’s Underground Comedy Night on the 18th of September, which by the time this gets out may have already happened.
Q: Do you feel that topical comedy is the best source for your humor?
A: In some ways yes and some ways no. A lot of times, I do like doing topical stuff and feel like some of my best stuff is topical; but if it’s too topical then the turnover on it is really fast. So you can’t hold on for it too long. You’ve gotta be good at topical, but also having things that stand the test of time; you know. I do enjoy doing topical, but you gotta be able to do it all.
Q: Who are the comics that influenced you to begin your career; and as you go through it?
A: Humm.…..I always listened to stand up comedy, so my list of influences could really be a mile long. Just starting in the late 90’s till now; list any prominent or semi-prominent comedian and I’m probably aware of them; and I’ve probably enjoyed their stuff. Ummm…but definitely, the way I began my career, there is actually an interesting story behind that. I started doing comedy right before I was to graduate high school; my last few months of high school and a little bit in the summer before I left for college. Then I was in college for a few years; and it’s difficult to do comedy before you’re 21. Then I ended up coming back here to Boise and going to school. When I turned 21 I got back into comedy. But one thing that happened, was for my 21st birthday my mom took me to Vegas. I had already been aware of him as a comedic actor; and some of his comedy also. We got some discounted tickets to the Eddie Griffin show; and so at that time I had already did a little bit of comedy and was going to see one of the greats do it. And after that show, I pretty much decided on the drive home I gotta have a talk with mom that I was going to pursue my comedy now instead of school. I don’t know if he really influences me strictly; maybe a little bit to begin my career. He was definitely like the spark in the powder keg that set it off for me, I feel. And he’s a guy I don’t feel gets mentioned enough or gets enough credit. I just think it was interesting that it was just a show in Vegas that made me go.
The thing is, I really enjoyed when I tried when I was 18; and then got back into it. And as I go through comedy, I think it’s interesting that some of the guys that I’ve been listening to in the past few years were the guys I grew up listening to. You know, I grew up with Dave Chappelle, Chris Rock, a little bit of Eddie Murphy too; he was a little before my time….like I said, I was watching Comedy Central late nights so I’d often catch some of that stuff. In recent years I’ve been listing to guys like Kyle Kinane and Matt Braunger; and Dan St. Germain is a guy that I don’t think gets a lot of mention, but these guys are like Mid-west comics that are somewhat different than the East or West coast comics I grew up listening to. In doing comedy, the newer voices I’ve heard and liked; and maybe sorta influenced me, they are always like the greats out there, you know like Dave Attell. And like just the other big names anyone can listen to like Bill Burr—these guys influenced me a lot. I think they impacted me stylistically a little bit as well.
Q: Do you have a story you want to tell?
A: A story I wanna tell umm that’s so open ended.
Q: That’s the point! (laughs)
A: I can’t…a good story? Oh man, I’m just spacing on any stories…that’s one thing I have a hard time in my act is finding, telling a story that’s worth telling…ummm, lets see here….
Q: You want to skip it and come back to it?
A: Well I think I’ve got a good story that I could tell real quick. Me and my cousins, when we growing up, we occasionally would go on these weekend trips if it was a long weekend or maybe like Labor Day weekend or something like that. We’d go down to Salt Lake, but sometimes stop on the drive along the way. My mom or their mom didn’t wanna to drive all in one night, so we would stop in the middle sometimes. This may have not actually been when we went to Salt Lake, so much that I may be getting this set up to this story confused with a different trip. I think we were actually going to Vegas. To contrast my other Vegas story, we were much younger then…my cousins and I all piled into the car; and we went to Vegas. We stopped along the way; and it was one of those low rent motels like a Motel 6 or Super 8 or something affordable on the way.
Ya, it was pretty late when we pulled in; and my cousins and I were in the car so we didn’t get an impression of the lobby of the motel. It seems like it was rural, in the middle of nowhere. Our parents came out of the lobby and seemed to be a little frustrated with the process of getting a room and stuff. So then we pulled around back to where the room was supposed to be. We got all the luggage out and we lugged it up the stairs. Now is a good time to also mention that we had another grandparent with us, accompanying us on this journey. So it’s the parents, the cousins ; and a grandparent in the car on the way to Vegas sorta in the middle of nowhere. We are going up to our motel room….we open up the door in this motel room and find what I believe to be an illicit gambling ring. It was a group of all older folks and I think they were mostly Korean or Chinese; and my cousin’s grandparent is Filipino and there was old school racism between them. It was odd, as the people that purchased the room had to get these people rousted out of there…it was a whole big thing with the motel. I don’t remember if the police ever got involved, though it seems like they shoulda been. Being that there was drinking and smoking; I don’t think smoking was even allowed in that motel room, but definitely there was some gambling goin’ on. I don’t know what the gambling laws are there, you know, but I’d promise that you would need some sort of a license that thhey didn’t have because it was in a motel room of all places; and clearly the motel didn’t know they were there or they wouldn’t have given us the key to the room. They had the keys so they must have got in some other way. So that’s a cool random vacation story you know!
Q: That’s good, I like that one (laughs). Life in Boise, what do you think?
A: Well, so I grew up here. I’ve lived here most my life…did a short stint in Reno for college, I didn’t finish and then I came back here. So I spent most my life here in Boise. I’ve traveled around a little bit—I have a lot of family in California. I’ve been to a few different states here on the west coast as well—I’ve been to Hawaii a couple times; and the Caribbean; I did a Euro trip in high school. I feel like I’ve been around; and Boise is undeniably a unique place. It has a unique flavor to it; and it’s been interesting to see it develop over time. I feel like it wasn’t engaging when I was growing up, but the culture is developing now as also with me. Its interesting to be growing up in Boise while Boise is growing up, so to speak. So ummm…ya, I think it’s a unique experience in a unique place for sure.
Q: Good! The last thing is, is there anything else you would like to add?
A: Ya I definitely do. It might have already happened—it is the Brother Brown’s Underground Comedy Night Show on the 18th; and then also I have a podcast on Spotify called ThatF*ckingPodcast.
I am a local comic…been doing it for a little while. I hope people like it!
Q: Perfect! How many shows are you doing at Comedyfort?
A: I will be doing two of those shows and I’ll let you know exactly when those are happening. Yep, here we go! On the 24th I’ll be hosting a show over at Fire Fusion Studio; and on the 25th I’ll be in a show at The Owyhee, which is a really great venue. I’m excited, hosting can be a little extra work and I’m just excited to be kicking back on the 25th.
Q: Good! Well thank you LJ, it’s great to talk with you. Can’t wait until Treefort presents LJ Sullivan at Comedyfort!
A: Ya thank you, I appreciate the interest!
Make sure you’re there when Treefort Presents LJ Sullivan. It should be a great show!
Treefort Presents LJ Sullivan Comedy Fun at Comedyfort
September 24, 2021
Fire Fusion Studio, Boise
September 25, 2021
The Owyhee, Boise
LJ Sullivan Facebook Page
LJ Sullivan Podcast/Spotify
LJ Sullivan Instagram Page
thatf_ckingguylj
Make sure you’re there when Treefort Presents LJ Sullivan. It should be a great show!
Top picture and ‘208’ picture courtesy of LJ Sullivan. Brother Brown’s Underground Comedy night pictures (#’s 2 & 4) by Ed Simon for The Boise Beat.
Thank you Jamie Ray for the transcription of LJ Sullivan’s interview for ‘Treefort Presents LJ Sullivan’
