Episode 6: Joe Zimmerman

This episode is part of a special little series here at The Soundtrack Surgeon. I am currently working on an independent study on the intersection of music and comedy; specifically focused on the art of timing. Aside from creative people of course, timing is the connector of these two worlds more than anything else. What I am aiming to do with this project is to get into the minds of musicians and comedians and prove that they operate on the same wavelength, and talk about why it works so well when you put them together.

For this project, I am planning on interviewing several musicians and comedians, as well as anyone who falls into both of those categories, and pick their brains on the subject of timing. This is the first of these interviews.

I recently had the chance to interview Joe Zimmerman. Joe is a New York based stand-up comedian. He has opened for big names such as Nate Bargatze and Brian Regan, as well as being acclaimed in his own right. You can find his comedy special "Cult Classic" on YouTube.

Joe and I discussed the comparisons between musical and comedic timing, and he also told a story about a wacky gig he did at my college when he was getting started in comedy.