Interview with John Dore

Image courtesy of John Dore

I sat down with John at a bar in the Melbourne CBD to chat about his upcoming show Revolving Dore at The Butterfly Club, why he became a comic, and his advice for those starting out.

The Australia Times (TAT): Hi John, thanks for meeting with me. You look different to your pictures.

John Dore (JD): That’s because I’m less like this (makes the body angle in his promotion image)

TAT:  Okay, so just a quick interview, to start off- when did you start comedy and what got you into it?

JD: I got into comedy five years ago. I’d always wanted to do it, I took any little chances at school to do public speaking. When I met my fiancé I told her that I wanted to do comedy but I thought ‘there’s no way you can do that’. She bought me a notepad for my jokes and booked me into my first open mic.

TAT: Where was your first open mic?

JD: At The Brass Monkey in Perth. Dave Hughes had apparently got up on that stage and failed twenty times before he had a successful performance.

TAT: How did you feel on stage for the first time?

JD: I literally almost ran off stage, my heart was jack-hammering. The headliner said my performance was ‘good’.

TAT: Why do you like comedy?

JD: Only funny things interest me. I wonder why anyone would talk or think about anything that is not funny, doesn’t seam worth getting involved. But I didn’t think stand-up was something I could ever do myself.

TAT: What does an average day for you look like? Are you a full time comic?

JD: I still work as a chef 2-3 days a week, but the dream is to be a full-time comic.

TAT: How do you promote yourself?

JD: Social media mainly, and stuff like this (referring to the interview)

TAT: How do you come up with your material?

JD: Any funny story or something strange that occurs, I’ll try and turn into a story. Contradictions and life. Things that are true and no one talks about. Thoughts go through your head all day. Starting out I thought all of my thoughts were fantastic then you start doing it and realise 10% are funny if told out loud.

TAT: What does a successful show look like?

JD: What I’m aiming for is to be so good at comedy that people are falling off their chairs for the whole hour and cant breathe. Generally you should have a laugh every 15-20 seconds to be a headliner. Guys like Louie CK and Bill Burke achieve that.

TAT: Do you have favourite comedians?

JD: Louie CK, Pete Homes., John Delaney, Norm Macdonald

TAT: Did you watch stand-up before you did it?

JD: When I was starting out I’d watch heaps of Louie CK. But then I’d get on stage and try and be him and that didn’t work. Finding your voice, that’s a very good thing.

TAT: Do you feel like it’s you on stage or do you feel like a character?

JD: When its best it’s me, having the right connection with the audience. If you can win over an audience, then everything you do is funny.

TAT: I’d like to start doing stand-up, what’s your advice for people wanting to start out?

JD: Just do it. No-one will remember if you fail, and you’ll probably have a year of sucking.

TAT: Lastly, how would you describe your show Revolving Dore, and why should we see it?

JD: It’s like a ‘Best Of’ album, the only theme is funny. Oh and it’s guaranteed the funniest show in the world.

(I’m being objective )

 

Revolving Dore is on at The Butterfly Club this week.

Date: Wednesday the 18th to Sunday 22nd of May

Time: 7:00pm

Tickets: $26-32

Information: Butterfly Club members get $1 off all drinks, regular offers of discounted (or free) tickets, access to members-only events and a pretty card that fits right in your wallet.

Links: https://thebutterflyclub.com/shows