Laura Canty-Samuel disagreed with her Mom and quit
Laura Canty-Samuel is an award winning comedian and four-time EMMY Award-nominated writer who uses her keen observations to provide insight into culture and the realities of the human condition. She is an actress and writer for the seminal UCB NY weekend sketch team The Foundation. She also is proud of the impact of her work at Sesame Workshop, where she wrote the groundbreaking EMMY nominated short form piece Explaining Race. As an Artistic Director of NYC’s Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre, Laura uplifts voices and points of view from across the comedic spectrum.. She has done character development and written for Sesame Studios and Nickelodeon.
She won Best Character Comedy in the Broad Humor Film Festival for her sketch pilot script Bucktown. Laura completed the sketch and improv comedy programs at UCBNY and also studied at The PIT. She has a B.A. in Public Communications from Brooklyn College and is a two-time winner of the Martin Schoenberg Speech Award. As a comic, under the pseudonym L. Michelle, she won Catch A Rising Star. She has performed in the Women in Comedy Festival and was a finalist in Ladies of Laughter, Devil Cup and She Devil festivals. Of her lively out-sized personality, the Village Voice said she is “an appealing energetic woman possessed of either boundless energy or an awesome methamphetamine source.”
What were you like as a teen?
As a teen I was trying to figure out the world. Do I get married…? Do I have the requisite four kids…? Do I name the daughter I will ultimately have Turquoise Minyan…? What job will I have that allows me to carry a leather briefcase and what will be inside…? As it turns out, I went to an arts high school, ultimately wanting to pursue a career in theater – no leather briefcases needed. However, the arts education did not also include any information on the business of the industry, which I guess could be considered a joke.
Did you have an un-sexy starter job?
My first job was when I was 8 years old and was hired to walk a neighboring 5 year old to school with me. The mother paid me once, then decided that because I was only 8 years old that she would stop paying me…which was not sexy at all! I disagreed with her thinking and I quit.
What is your biggest comedy achievement to date?
Honestly, renewing my comedic voice in writing and performance through storytelling by creating my live storytelling show, Impossible New York Stories, is what I am most excited about! But, if I am being practical, my biggest “comedy” achievement to date would be serving as an Artistic Director at the Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre in NYC because that gives me a certain obvious level of distinction and validation within the comedy community.
When you were coming up in/around comedy, what helped you stick with it?
I love making people laugh. There is no switch that can turn that off for me.
Have you ever dealt with trolls, hecklers, or toxic colleagues?
In regard to hecklers, I don’t battle them. I actually try to empathize with them, which in its own way becomes very funny. In terms of trolls, I don’t do trolls. I don’t negotiate with terrorists. As far as toxic colleagues go, I mostly shrug them off and laugh about them later. I’m also GenX, so I probably both put up with much more than I should, while also not being bothered as nearly as much by toxic behavior as some others might deem warranted.
On your deathbed, what transcendent advice would you croak at a young comedian?
Be taller. Taller women seem to get booked more.
Best comedy advice you ever got?
If you’re taking the microphone out of the stand, move the stand behind you to the rear of the stage. (Thanks Shelly Coleman!)
Worst comedy advice you ever got?
Don’t write down your jokes.
How has being funny helped you in your life?
Bringing joy to others makes me happy. It fulfills me. Being funny has allowed me to bring joy to the lives of others and sometimes I even get money for that—which is amazing.
What specific things should a novice comedy writer do to shape their voice?
Go out and watch comedy, listen to comedy, all kinds of comedy. See what resonates and then try doing that, over and over and over again. Also, classes don’t hurt.
Was there one person who inspired you to go into comedy?
Dave Labarca. He was my stand up comedy teacher and he totally believed in my abilities. I blame him.
Do you have a writing routine?
I try to write something most days. Many writers function best when there is a deadline. Create situations where you have to write toward a deadline.
What is your go-to show or movie when you’ve had a bad day?
I love TV. So I have a rotating list of shows that I enjoy. If I had to pick one show it would be Community during the Donald Glover seasons.
