Episode 27: Jonah Nigh - Opera to Open Mic

Jonah Nigh is a standup comedian based in Manhattan.

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(00:00) Verbal Assault in Harlem: The Moment NYC Became the Dream

(02:08) Opera Obsession and the Voice That Almost Was

(05:46) Surgery, Silence, and Reinvention

(08:11) Sommelier Detour and Bedbugs in Brooklyn

(10:43) From Grant Writing to Juilliard

(13:10) Always Funny: Childhood Roasts and Comic Roles

(15:38) The Baking Show Spark That Changed Everything

(18:12) First Class, First Set, First Laugh

(21:06) Training With Comedy Coaches Like a Pro

(24:30) Tracking the Hustle: Spreadsheets, Sets, and Self-Critique

(27:05) Starting Comedy at 45: Lower Stakes, Higher Wisdom

(30:10) Career Goals: Building a Creative Pie Chart

(33:24) Comedy as Cultural Weapon: Code-Switching and Truth-Telling

(36:19) Queer, Asian, Adopted—and Owning the Stage

(39:56) Comedy Heroes: From Joan Rivers to Jack Benny

(44:28) Advice to New Comics: Get in a Class and Get on Stage