Burien-born and raised Comedian Robert Pidde will be competing in the Seattle International Comedy Competition, with his first appearance set for Nov. 7 at the Comedy Underground.
We caught up with Robert via email for a Q&A, but first, check out this 7-minute video of his act:
[embed]https://youtu.be/z3maDQcddUQ[/embed]
Q: You’re from Burien, right? If so, please give details/bio info on your childhood/school days.
A: I am from Burien born and raised, I went to school at Seahurst elementary, Sylvester Middle school and High line high school. I was about 5″0 And 100 lbs until I was 15 and a half or so when I grew up to be 5″9 And 140 over a summer and even though I loved sports while everyone else had gotten used to their bodies it was a lot like being a baby deer that was still new with their limbs. Also it was much easier being short and playing baseball because the strike zone wasn’t that much bigger then the bat so all I had to a gauge was whether it was perfect or not. They said I had a good eye, pretty easy to have a good eye when the ball was at your eyes or ankles and there wasn’t a lot of space in between.
Q: Do you still live in Burien?
A: I don’t. I’m living with my longtime best friend and his wife in Kirkland now
Q: What inspired you to get into comedy?
A: I was never a class clown but I was funny enough to once in a while get a laugh the back of the room that was a smart enough comment that the teacher couldn’t punish me for. Outside that I remember getting my first big laugh in theater at Highline. I loved that time because all of a sudden I wasn’t just some weird kid. I was a weird funny kid and that was a huge difference for me. I even minored in theater in college just to get ready to do stand up. I had been writing since I was 18 but had horrible stage fright (which I wouldn’t say has left but it is very manageable and focused now). I got into it when a guy in one of my philosophy classes needed an opener for a band. I was 21 and had just written a couple things that I really liked (and still like to this day) so I decided to give it a shot. They gave me 10 minutes to start (an eternity) but I had probably 20 written out and memorized. It went good enough. I got laughs in a hard situation to get laughs. While wearing my high school prom tuxedo and Van shoes. I looked my notes just about every other time I did a joke even though it was all I’d thought about that day. The second I got off stage my friends were surprised I was actually pretty funny. I still cringe when I watch the tapes of that time but that feeling of getting good laughs was so great that I knew it was something I was going to want to do forever.
Q: What’s been your career highlight so far?
A: Probably getting into this. It has been getting into this (Seattle Comedy Competition). Otherwise I have won the Comedy on Trial comedy competition 3 times and got to perform in front of a sold out theater last February at Edmonds Center for the arts. Shout out to Kermit Apio who gave me that opportunity and has been nothing but the best since I met him when I first started out.
Q: What’s your career goal?
A: To make stand up comedy a career. I love stand up. I think it’s a challenge that has so many facets that I am capable of doing well and enjoying that I can’t imagine doing much of anything else. I have a long list of back up jobs but even that is a sort of running joke at this point.
Q: In your Youtube video you say you work as a Lyft driver? How is that going?
A: I no longer have to drive for Lyft. I currently the manager at the Comedy Underground but I would expect to be able to be full time as a comedian in the coming year.
Q: Who in the comedy world do you consider an inspiration? (I see some Seinfeld in you)
A: I have been told I remind a lot of people of Seinfeld and what’s funny to me is that I never watched him growing up. I never really saw him until I was playing him in college for a sitcom acting class at Central Washington University. I remember everyone saying I was really really good at it and they thought I was a fanatic of the show but I think we have a similar cadence (in our everyday lives) and facial features. I have actually had to switch up my on stage cadence so people won’t think I’m trying to imitate him (very difficult because of how similar we can be). But I don’t mind, I’ve been playing with my voice and tonality for years. Otherwise Robin Williams live at the met was the first comedy album I ever owned. Patton Oswalt was the first person i ever saw live and to this day probably made me laugh the hardest i ever have at age 12 at bumpershoot. But for the most part I don’t know that there is any one person that’s an inspiration. I think I was always kind of going to end up doing this and I love comedy so much but I listen to it like people listen to different genres of music. There are so many different styles and perspectives that I appreciate that I don’t know that I could point to any one as what started it.
Q: Please tell our Readers where they can see you perform in the competition.
A: Nov 7th at the Comedy Underground, Nov 8th Columbia City Theater, Nov 9th Unexpected Productions, Nov 10th Auburn ave theater, Nov 11th Wica Langley.
Q: Oh, and how old are you and why are you still single? (a 5-year old girl wants to know)
A: I am 28 years old and you can tell that 5 year old girl (that still haunts my dreams) that I haven’t found the right one for me. I sure would like to but dating has been difficult with what I want to accomplish. But I’m sure if the right person came around things would just fall into place. You never know when life will sweep you off your feet. I know I’ve met some amazing girls recently that really give me hope that there is someone out there for me even if they didn’t work out due to poor timing.
Follow Robert here:
- Twitter: @pidbits
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/robert.pidde.5
