The Five Question Challenge with Taylor Williamson

 

By: Jacob Elyachar, jakes-take.com

I am delighted to welcome comedian Taylor Williamson to Jake’s Take.

After getting started in stand-up comedy while he was finishing up high school, Taylor’s unique brand of comedy caught the attention of numerous television shows including The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson (where he set the record for the youngest comic to appear on the show) and Last Comic Standing (where he was named a Season Seven semi-finalist). However, Taylor became a household name after he successfully auditioned for the eighth season of America’s Got Talent (AGT).

 Over the season, his monologues impressed not only the Radio City Music Hall audience but also judges Howie Mandel, Howard Stern, and even his “girlfriend”: Heidi Klum.  While he was the third comedian to reach the finale (Grandma Lee in Season Four and Tom Cotter in Season Seven), Taylor became the second comic in show history to come in second place.  However, Taylor got the last laugh when Heidi Klum named him her favorite AGT act of all-time during the tenth-anniversary special.

In addition to his success on AGT, Taylor performed on Last Call with Carson Daly, Comedy Central’s Live at Gotham, and at the prestigious Just for Laughs Comedy Festival. Taylor has also released an album called Laughter, I Hardly Know Her. He also continues to perform across the country and will be performing at the Kansas City’s IMPROV from February 17 to February 19, 2017.

In this edition of The Five Question Challenge, Taylor opened up about his AGT crush Heidi Klum and overcoming the challenges he faced throughout his career.

Jacob Elyachar: How have you grown as a comedian since your time on America’s Got Talent?

Taylor Williamson: Having crowds know who I am, helps a lot. When I am trying out new material for the first time, it is so sweet having a group who trusts that I might be funny and that I know what I am doing. It is like a safety net when the crowd is coming to see you on purpose, compared to a group who does not know who you are and judges you more. Because of this, I have been able to explore much weirder premises on stage. My point is, I am not funny even more often now. (Laughs)

 

 

JE: During AGT’s Tenth Anniversary Celebration, Heidi Klum named you her favorite act. Do you ever get jealous when other acts get her attention or her Golden Buzzer?

TW: The week after she said on national television that I was her favorite act of all time, she told the regurgitation dude (Season 10’s Stevie Starr, the Professional Regurgitator) that HE was her favorite act of all time. After I saw this, I vomited on my TV. (No I did not first eat my vomit before throwing it up. GROSS DUDE!)

JE: What were some of the challenges that you faced throughout your career? How did you overcome them?

TW: The rejection from random crowds and the gatekeepers of this business can be very hard. I overcome this by Googling “ugly people who smell bad” every morning when I wake up and being grateful that my face does not show up… Until this interview is published… :/

JE: You will be in Kansas City on the weekend of February 17 to February 19 at the KCMO Improv. What can fans expect from your show?

TW: I am going tell lots of jokes for an hour! If all the shows are sold out, then I will auction off my socks to the crowd and give them to a charity of your choice!

JE: If you had the chance to meet with aspiring comedians who want to enter the entertainment industry, what advice would you share with them?

TW: I would tell them to write lots and lots, get on stage as much as they can, have fun every step of the way, and most important, be kind to everyone they meet in the business and life. I would then tell them to give me $5,000 for the advice or I will call the police and say they touched my butt.

For more information about Taylor, visit his website.

You can also follow Taylor’s adventures on social media. Check out his Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, & YouTube channels.