‘Homeless’ comic upgrades from car to couch
by Courtney Hungate on Nov. 22, 2007, under Calendar
Brian Neufang, "The Homeless Comic," will be at Laffs Thursday, Friday and Saturday.
Using his comedy to raise awareness about social problems, Brian Neufang is traveling across the country as “The Homeless Comic,” telling jokes for food, shelter and attention. The 30-year-old comic will use new material from his social experiment when he comes home to Tucson next week to perform three shows at Laff’s Comedy Club.
Although the University of Arizona grad will be home, he’s going to remain homeless, crashing on friends’ couches instead of living out of his car, he said in a phone interview from Utah, where some locals were taking him out to breakfast.
“Tonight I’m hoping to find a nice Mormon couch to sleep on,” he jokes. “I think I can, they’re really nice people here.”
In an e-mail interview Neufang discusses the Homeless Comic Experiment.
Question: What gave you the idea to start The Homeless Comic Experiment?
Answer: It started with one of the first solid bits I wrote about adopting homeless people instead of pets, changing the Humane Society into the Human Society. Also, knowing that for those of us starting out in comedy it is difficult to maintain an apartment . . . and travel from gig to gig, especially when the pay for beginning comics is never enough. Inevitably you lose money. Other artists have lived in their car but you never hear about it until after they make it. It seemed to be a running theme, so why not make it part of my “hook”? The other part comes from a principle I try to live by, which is: “Do what you love, be happy and do your best to be of service and give back.”
What do you hope to achieve for yourself or others through this experiment?
My only hope is that this propels me into superfame notoriety and makes me richer than Bill Gates. Or perhaps to just blaze my own trail in comedy . . . and make a difference in a few lives along the way. Either way I’ll be happy. Oh, and maybe I can get on the “Ellen” show. That’s the REAL motivation . . . I really just want to dance with Ellen DeGeneres.
Who is your favorite person you have met through this experience and why?
I got to work with one of my favorite comedians, Doug Stanhope. That was pretty cool. It was like short comic apprenticeship. I also met a homeless guy named James in New York City who had some of the funniest signs I have ever seen – something about raising money to pay a woman to perform unmentionable acts with him. I had to donate!
How well do you fit in with the homeless communities in various places?
I fit in OK in some of the smaller towns, like Norman, Okla. There they are a little more laid back, easier to interact with. In the big cities there are a lot of homeless people but the conditions are more desperate and therefore they are harder to approach.
Are there any perks to being homeless?
A few. There is a sense of freedom knowing that I can stay as long as I want in the places I find that I like. Oh, and I’ve found that I don’t have to worry about that whole silly little dating thing. Women just aren’t interested in coming over to my car after dinner.
How seriously do you think the public takes your homelessness?
Not very. Mostly they think it’s just an act. They take it a bit more seriously when they see my messy car in the parking lot. It looks like my bedroom used to look, with shoes and dirty clothes scattered all over it.
Have you slept anywhere or had to eat anything unusual to get the full experience?
I modified my car so I can sleep in it, so I’ve never had to sleep outside or anything. The best night’s sleep I ever got in my car, though, was in a Wal-Mart parking lot. Places like that are much safer than rest stops. I lived off of peanut butter, tortillas and sunflower seeds for a week. I got the idea from a homeless guy. It’s cheap . . . easy to pack and extra delicious if you add some Nutella.
How has this affected your perceptions of the homeless community?
While I don’t think it can really come close to what it would be like to live day to day on the streets, it has changed my understanding of survival on a few different levels and just reinforces my desire to help. I don’t have much, but I do what I can to help on an individual basis. Sometimes I give money if I have it or maybe just talk with them like human beings. It’s easy to disassociate ourselves from them and we forget they are real people.
Are you interacting with more or fewer homeless people than you may have expected?
So far it has been less. I wanted to start building a real Human Society but have only managed to collect a few stories. It still might happen though. I am still only in the beginning stages of my experiment.
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IF YOU GO
What: Brian Neufang, “The Homeless Comic,” at Laffs Comedy Club
When: 8 p.m. Thursday, 8 and 10:30 p.m. Friday and 7 and 9:30 p.m.Saturday
Where: 2900 E. Broadway, Suite 154.
Price: $7 Thursday, $10 Friday and Saturday
Info: 323-8669, laffscomedyclub.com
