Stand-up Comedian Paul Farahvar Discusses Latest Special and Initiating Charitable Event for Parkinson's Patients
During the lockdown periods of the initial pandemic outbreak, stand-up comedy found a larger audience among Americans who were spending more time at home and yearned for amusement, laughter, and a diversion. Consequently, the art form experienced another surge in popularity as live performances resumed almost four years ago.
Chicago-based comic Paul Farahvar's journey to stand-up success is distinctive.
Originally a musician, Farahvar switched gears to promotion and booking through his own Shoeshine Boy Productions, ultimately pursuing a career in law.
Taking improv classes at both Second City and Chicago’s iO, Farahvar developed a passion for comedy following a chance meeting with actor and comedian Bob Saget, which led him to seriously consider the craft.
"My friend was a stand-up comedian. And he was asked to open for Bob Saget at an Indiana casino. And he asked me to go with him. Because, at the time, I was a lawyer and I managed artists in the music world. He was like, ‘You can act as my manager backstage and stuff.’ And I was like, ‘I can do that. And I get to go backstage and drink for free. It’ll be fun!’” recounted Farahvar during a recent conversation.
"We get backstage and I tell Bob about my friend who is the comedian that is opening. He was just the nicest guy. And I told him a joke. For the life of me, I cannot remember what it was. But he started cracking up," recalled the lawyer-turned-comedian of the impactful moment. "He goes, ‘Are you doing that tonight? Is that a bit?’ And I was like, ‘No. I’m not the comedian.’ He said, ‘Well, if you want to go up, you should do that.’ I almost felt challenged to go up on stage," said Farahvar with a chuckle. "And then Bob goes, ‘Yeah, I want you to go up. I want to riff off of something you said.’ At the time, I was doing improv. I was like, ‘Well, maybe one day I’ll do stand-up just to try it. But I’m definitely not going to do my first time in front of a sold out crowd!’” explained the comic. "But the very next day I went and did an open mic. And I won. Not only did I win, but the club asked me to take over for the host! So, I started hosting that. And comedy just kind of took over in my life."
By 2018, Farahvar’s Singles Only podcast, which specialized in the humorous aspects of the single life, had been accepted into South By Southwest. He subsequently found work as a writer on the Marquee Network comedic talk show Off The Mound With Ryan Dempster featuring the former Chicago Cubs pitcher as host.
This momentum led Farahvar to consider stepping down from his full-time law career around the same time, but at a volatile moment.
"By 2018, I wasn’t taking any new cases or new clients. I was just kind of trying to finish out what I had. And I had a couple of jury trials that were coming up," said Farhavar looking back. "My last trial settled on February 23, 2020 and I said, ‘Well, OK. I’ll close my law firm on March 1.’ The lease was up at the space,” he explained. “I didn’t want to leave until I had some stability. And so many things were popping up. I was on tour with a national comedian, Demetri Martin. I was going to move to L.A. And the universe was telling me, ‘OK. This is stability.’ So, everything was going great,” said Farahvar. “And then the world shut down."
In 2020, Farahvar began work on a special for Drybar comedy, utilizing the sudden abundance of free time to refine his material.
Farahvar understands that the stories he tells are just as crucial as the punchline setups, emphasizing the importance of storytelling.
"Nate Bargatze is such a good storyteller," he said. "I remember as a kid, my brother took me to see Eddie Murphy Raw in the theater. I was in grade school and as a kid I loved Eddie Murphy. Later, I loved Chris Rock. And then I got obsessed with Jim Gaffigan when he did his Comedy Central special," said Farahvar. "It’s great for me. Because I started as a storytelling comedian."
This year, Farahvar released his first special Middle Western, Middle Eastern via Helium Comedy. Now available for free viewing on YouTube, the audio is accessible on platforms like Apple and Spotify, with the special delivering a relatable 40 minutes filled with humorous insights into his experiences in Chicago and on the road, while poking fun at his role as a parental disappointment, a single stand-up balancing life against his brother, a renowned neurosurgeon.
Creating the special required careful attention to detail and cooperation during the four performances in Philadelphia.
"I'm quite driven and goal-oriented. So, I'd step onto the stage thinking, 'Alright, let me figure this out...' My pal Jim Flannigan was helping me fine-tune things for the special too," Farahvar shared. "For a month leading up to it, it was all about getting ready. It was about discipline. I wasn't messing around. I wasn't trying to engage with the crowd. I was focused on the jokes. And sometimes, it wasn't fun. It was like, 'This is my homework. I'm preparing,'" laughed the comedian. "It was tough in a way because I'd run through an hour's worth of material at different places every day for a month. But I was ready," Farahvar added.
"John Mulaney is a storyteller. He's one of my favorites. But if you watch him, especially his earlier stuff, he'd have a big laugh every 30 seconds. And that's what I aim for. Even when I'm telling stories, there has to be a laugh every 30 seconds. If it's a minute without any laughs, it's too long. You need to cut out the unnecessary parts," stated Farahvar.
Farahvar expanded his fanbase in 2020 by utilizing podcasts and social media.
Though Singles Only concluded a sponsored run of nearly 300 episodes, Farahvar now focuses on the new podcast Why Are You Awake?, which delves into the not always glamorous life of a touring artist and the late nights required in clubs and on the road. The podcast employs a distinctive approach to social media marketing.
"It's been fun experimenting with that. It was such a fantastic tool to build a fanbase," said the comedian. "I didn't want to talk about dating anymore. And many people in the new podcast episodes have noticed that I'm talking more about comedy. That's what I enjoy hearing," Farahvar said. "I love listening to people's stories about how they started and how this life has affected them: how it's different being a comedian as opposed to, let's say, an accountant. How our schedules and our lifestyle impact our personal lives and daily lives. I find that fascinating," he added.
Farahvar has been leveraging LinkedIn as his secret weapon in his social media strategy. He publishes a blog on LinkedIn every week discussing his stand-up comedy, attracting professionals from the legal and corporate worlds outside of the creative industries.
"People enjoy reading about what goes on behind the scenes of the comedy world. They send me messages saying, 'Wow, it's so cool that you get to tour!' And I tell them, 'Yeah, I was in six hotels in six different cities in Kentucky and Tennessee last week. I can tell you all about it!'"
Farahvar's background in booking, promotions, and law helps him manage various roles as he embraces life as a full-time touring comic. A keen eye on the business side and an embrace of social media help navigate an already challenging industry, which has evolved considerably since 2020.
"Comedy is a business. And my legal background, as well as having a business sense, helps me make decisions," Farahvar said. "It can be tough doing everything yourself: when you're your own manager and your own agent. But comedy is mostly a business now. And it’s about filling seats at a show, regardless of whether you're funny or not," Farahvar pointed out, highlighting a recent worrying trend. "Sadly, strong material often takes a backseat. During COVID, a lot of people figured out the social media algorithm. And that produced more opportunities for them. Weekends of shows were going to new comics who may not have had the experience of established comics, but they were able to sell out rooms," explained Farahvar. "Now, comedians are trying to figure out how to promote themselves on social media to sell out shows. And it's tough. I'm headlining tours now. Most of the time, I'm waking up thinking, 'How can I get people to know about my show?' Traditional media often doesn't help, so we need to come up with other ways."
Returning to the Chicagoland area this weekend, Farahvar will participate in the third annual "Stand Up For Parkinson's" event, which he created and continues to organize. All proceeds go to the Parkinson's Foundation, and fans outside Chicago are encouraged to donate to this cause, which emphasizes the importance of helping others during the holiday season.
"It's always important to give back," said the comedian about this year's event, which will take place on December 15, 2024, at Zanies comedy club in Rosemont, Illinois. "But I like that we can do it during the holiday season when everyone understands that better," said Paul Farahvar.
I'll carry on with my tours for the remainder of the year. I'm aiming to perform more solo shows, so I'm being strategic about it and seeking out venues with potential for a packed audience. But it's this bizarre fixation that sort of took hold of me. And that's just the allure of humor at work.
- Farahvar's comedy special, Middle Western, Middle Eastern, was released on Helium Comedy in 2020 and is now available for free viewing on YouTube.
- During the COVID-19 lockdowns, stand-up comedians like Farahvar found time to refine their material, leading to the creation of new specials like his on Drybar Comedy.
- In an interview, Farahvar shared how a chance encounter with Bob Saget at a casino led him to consider a career in stand-up comedy.
- Farahvar will participate in the third annual "Stand Up For Parkinson's" event in Chicago, organized by him, with all proceeds going to the Parkinson's Foundation.