Linda Evans follows her heart and gut
Linda Evans is a producer overseeing every aspect of production from development to delivery. Her most recent film is the girlfriend comedy Tripped Up, distributed by Universal internationally and Decal domestically. She runs two production companies, Lunch Hour Productions and Kittenplan Entertainment, creating light-hearted, collaborative work designed to make people laugh. With 25 years in corporate entertainment, Linda has held executive and creative leadership roles at HBO, Arista Records, Turner Networks, AOL, and Time Warner Cable. A Producers Guild of America board member and former co-chair of the Women’s Impact Network, she champions equity, sustainability, and safe sets across the industry. Linda has won over 40 awards, including Cleos and Webbys, and is a graduate of NYU/Steinhardt.
What were you like as a teen?
My goals were finding a home in the entertainment world whether that was performing in comedy or singing in a rock band.
Did you have an un-sexy starter job?
My ‘starter’ job was at a record company. Once I got to HBO, I fell in love with finding great comic talent and working on as many comedy shows whether it be a festival, standup, or a sitcom.
What do you consider to be your biggest comedy achievement to date?
When you were coming up in/around comedy, what helped you stick with it?
Love to make people laugh. We need more laughter in our life.
On your deathbed, what transcendent advice would you croak at a young comedian?
Stand by what you believe in. Listen to advice from everywhere, but sift through it to make sure it’s relevant to you. Don’t let anyone or anything crush your dreams. Follow your heart and your gut.
Best comedy advice you ever got?
Know your audience, be relevant, the funny will follow.
How has being funny helped you in your life?
Keeps life wonderful and optimistic. Enabled me to speak my mind and walk away from uncomfortable situations without others realizing what had occurred.
What specific things should a novice comedy writer do to shape their voice?
Your voice needs to reflect the true you. Sit back and think about the type of comedian you want to be and share your stories in a light-hearted way. Sometimes it’s as simple as sharing simple situations from a different perspective. Don’t try to use slang or situations you don’t understand, you will come off as offensive.
Was there one person who inspired you to go into the comedy world?
One of my great uncles had the funniest routines. He made it look so easy and could always make people laugh or just bring a smile to their face.
What is your go-to show when you’ve had a bad day?
Final thoughts?
Don’t get discouraged. Listen to feedback, there is always something to learn even when you don’t like what you’re hearing. Stay with it and keep experimenting and exploring to find what works for you.
advice career production q&a
