S01E10 Interview: Mikey Henley

The JK Around Podcast: Taking the Magic Out of Comedy

Today starts off with exposing our rap alter egos: K-Love Flavrum and Joel van Violence.

Then we introduce Mikey Henley! We get straight in to talking about the belt wearers and non-belt wearers of Islam and the Scots (kilts). And then we get on Worldwide Wrestling Federation. Are they competing with Cowboys for biggest belt buckle size (Mikey asks that).

We re-charge our “is comedy a science or art” conversation. Mikey is on the side of science. Kevin seems to agree because he compares comedy to the wonderful science of astrology. Astrology is a great science for getting to know someone, and so is religion. You know where you are with a Sagittarius or Gemini or the lion one or a Taurus or a Feces or an Aquarium.

I like to know what a person’s birthday is because then I can guess what their personality is like based on the stars. #logic #astrology

— Joel van Vliet (@joelvanvliet) December 28, 2013

We talk about Mikey‘s abrasive, embracive comedy! Then Kevin regales us with his story of making Madonna cry, not in Argentina, but in Atlanta. They talk Kabbalah, Lambada, lobotomies.

We finally talk about Mikey’s eclectic entertaining. His chief influence was Andy Kaufman. He might tell stories, be observational or use slapstick, even! He takes pages out of the book of comedy. The team takes the magic out of his “comic strip” bit.

Then we discuss a contest Mikey entered in which he wore underwear to advertise a particular brand of underwear. The host of this contest made fun of him. He told him he should be fatter, because fat is funny.

Then we talk on a new thing: mime comics! But clowns are a lot like that because there’s poor amplification at a circus.

We talk about Mikey’s goatee and how that helps his comedy. It has become his calling card. Kevin enlightens us as to what that means. This obviously spurs a conversation about vampires being the best house guests! They’re also funny like Leslie Nielson in Dracula: Dead and Loving It. They all do a Transylvanian accent.

They discuss calling cards in depth: Andy Kaufman – Blank stare. Aziz Ansari – being brown with a beard, big eyes. Jeff Dunham – blank stare and puppets. Kanye West – being crazy, sunglasses and being unpredictable and not even seeming like a comedian.

Joel shares the story of Sacha Baron Cohen knocking a lady off the stage at BAFTA. He received the Charlie Chaplin (of The Great Dictator) Award. Chaplin was the Teller (Penn and Teller) of the 1930s. Cohen knocked the first female star from Chaplin’s films right off the stage.

The parallel is drawn between that and when Kanye said Taylor Swift didn’t deserve to win that video, but Beyonce should’ve. And every takes that hilarious joke seriously. The whole North West fiasco is a hilarious joke! Add to that the controversial joke of the song: Black Jesus.

Maybe Jesus was white because he was a black man with skin bleached by the sun… like Michael Jackson.

Then we take the magic out of Mikey Henley’s “Slapstick” bit. We discuss if it’s easy to get audience members on stage. Joel wrote a play that opens in an ancient Socrates, Greek chorus play sort of way.

The conversation shifts to Medically Approved Marijuana that Mikey is approved for, medically. What is boggling, is that it will not heal Mikey. That’s the travesty of science! It can put a man on the moon, invade space and give a man a boner, but it can’t heal Mikey’s back. And now he needs to medicate for the REST of HIS LIFE?!! They can even heal baldness with a Chia Pet pill (not true, but a great Henley joke). No one should have to do the equivalent of chemotherapy for the rest of their life.

And then we do Rob Delaney‘s Tweets! Mikey Henley plays Operation with us!

Whenever I exit a public toilet, I make sweaty eye contact with the person waiting & say “Top that, cowboy.”

— rob delaney (@robdelaney) January 13, 2014

The discussion turns to legalizing all drugs and Rob Ford the Prime Minister of Canada. He’s been compared to Chris Farley. He even has a bobblehead. Mikey is champagning Rob Ford for emperor of the drug nation!

Then we do COMEDY SOUP!

They discuss Mikey’s overall style of comedy. Joel gives us a peek into the honing of his craft. Kevin asks Mikey what the craziest curveball that was ever thrown at him. Joel makes sure he understands it’s not screwball comedy: Looney Tunes, Daffy Duck, Shawshank Redemption.

Then they touch on Sick Kidz for Sick Kids. This is a charity that Mikey is a part of which you can check out on Facebook. He’s giving back to the community, he’s literally healing with comedy. They’re on Twitter too!

Check out Mikey Henley on Twitter, Facebook and YouTube!

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Have a great week! Class dismissed.