Oxford Karma: What was your time like doing comedy in Oklahoma?
Leah Kayajanian: It was probably the most fun time of my life. When I first started to do standup, it was all I wanted to do and talk about. Me and a bunch of other comics used to hang out in the parking lot of the Loony Bin hours after the club closed, just goofing off and talking about standup. There was no pressure. We just loved it, and it felt new and special, like a crazy adventure.
OK: I feel like a lot of comedians have a joke that they really like but it bombs at open mic so they scrap it. Do you have one?
LK: I have a million jokes that I like that bomb. I remember I had this one-liner that all the other comics would continuously trick me into telling. They’d be like, “That’s such a great joke! Tell it tonight!” And then I would, and it would always bomb. The joke: People always say it never hurts to ask, and I think that’s true. Unless the question you’re asking is, “Why did you just stab me in the larynx?”
OK: What was the reason behind your decision to move to LA?
LK: I had nothing holding me back. I didn’t have a steady job, I was single, no kids, and pushing 30. I thought, “If I don’t make a go of this right now, I’ll regret it forever.” Oklahoma made me who I am, but I wanted to see what would happen if I went out in a city full of great talent, full of people who move there to get a “big break,” and just start from scratch. There was a weird relief and freedom in the anonymity. I had to believe in myself because I didn’t have the support of my friends and family.
OK: What are the best and worst shows you have done in your comedy career?
LK: The best shows are usually just great sets — those magical ones where the room is with you, where you can do no wrong. But I tend to like the ones that are set up for failure and end up going well. The other night, I was at a really dead open mic, and halfway through my set, I was able to get a big laugh and turn the room around. That’s more satisfying to me than a crowd full of people ready to laugh. Bad sets? God. I once did standup on a moving bus. Like, during its route. None of the passengers knew it was happening. I remember a woman in the back just doubled over, head in her lap.
OK: Kill/Marry/Fuck (and why?): Tom Hanks, Will Smith, Justin Timberlake
LK: Kill Will Smith to prove that Scientology won’t save him from death; fuck Justin Timberlake and then immediately ask how I compare to Jessica; and marry Tom Hanks because he’s goddamn Tom Hanks.
OK: What has your time in LA been like? What have been some of your highlights since moving out there?
LK: Time in LA moves faster than anywhere on the planet. I think everyone I know does a ridiculous amount of things in a day, and you sort of get used to that pace. It was hard at first, but I’m definitely getting used to it. It’s definitely made me 10 times better. Some highlights: performing to a full crowd in the original room in The Comedy Store, getting heckled in a roast battle by Leslie Jones, one of the new Ghostbusters, then watching her rip my opponent a new one, drop the mic, and leave; any time Rory Scovel is onstage.
OK: What’s the weirdest thing you have ever stolen?
LK: I’ve only ever stolen one thing: ChapStick. I did it because I never stole anything, and I wanted to try it once.
OK: Who are the people you’re bringing with you to Norman?
LK: I don’t know them. No, they’re some of the people up and coming in the LA scene right now who make me laugh all the time. Greg Edwards has been the star of the incredible web series Thug Notes, which has been featured on BET; Simon Gibson is one of the funniest people I’ve ever seen; Rachel Mac has such a unique perspective — she’s gonna be a huge star; Megan Rice is one of the co-producers of The Workout Room, a great comic, and basically our mom; and then there’s the super young weird kid Jonathan Rowell. He’s one of my best friends, my now-roommate, and the person who makes me laugh more consistently than anyone else. They’re really a great bunch, and I’m so proud of the lineup. And I’m super excited to have local legend and one of the people who started standup with me over eight years ago, James Nghiem, hosting for us. It’s an honor.
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Tickets Kayajanian & Friends are available via Ticketstorm. Her album Megatron Story 3000…Can I Call It That? is available on Spotify and iTunes, and you can follow her on Twitter.
