Starting Standup in Maine with David Walton

Kevin Christy is not only a world class stand up comedian but he is also more interesting than the Dos Equis man. Imagine if the Dos Equis man loved snow globes, stickers, and Disneyland and hated beer. Then listen to this interview. https://www.instagram.com/startingstandup https://www.instagram.com/davidwalton https://x.com/davidwalton Email List https://forms.gle/Xyd7Y2sLkbr5dey16

Casey Watson is one of the fastest rising comedians in Maine. In 4 short years he has gone from open mic newbie to featuring for many big comics including Ari Shaffir and Big Jay Oakerson. He performs regularly at the Empire Comedy Club in Portland Maine.  Casey stopped by my house and we hit record. We talked about joke writing, clam digging as a day job, and how important it is to find a woman w...

On vacation with wife and kid so appropriate to rerelease the episode where I ask my wife to point out my flaws. https://www.instagram.com/startingstandup https://www.instagram.com/davidwalton https://x.com/davidwalton Email List https://forms.gle/Xyd7Y2sLkbr5dey16

Sometimes doing nothing tells you where you need to go. A frank episode about putting comedy on pause while pursuing acting opportunities, featuring audition stories, a serendipitous mentor discovery, and why Maine's comedy scene deserves more attention.  https://www.instagram.com/startingstandup https://www.instagram.com/davidwalton https://x.com/davidwalton Email List https://forms.gle/Xyd7...

David begins the day filled with confidence and hope as he preps for his 20th open mic. By nightfall these positive emotions have transformed into face melting shame, but the warrior in him transmutes humiliation into strength and resilience. A hero's journey, all same day. https://www.instagram.com/startingstandup https://www.instagram.com/davidwalton https://x.com/davidwalton Email List htt...

Caleb Sherman is a comedian and has worked for almost a decade at the Empire Comedy Club in Portland, Maine, where he's become something of an accidental anthropologist of the open mic scene.  In this conversation, we explore the strange and beautiful world of amateur comedy, what it actually means to "find your voice," and why the grind of showing up night after night might not be...

A fun week of development and performance. https://www.instagram.com/startingstandup https://www.instagram.com/davidwalton https://x.com/davidwalton Email List https://forms.gle/Xyd7Y2sLkbr5dey16

David explores his high school experience for potential material.  https://www.instagram.com/startingstandup https://www.instagram.com/davidwalton https://x.com/davidwalton Email List https://forms.gle/Xyd7Y2sLkbr5dey16

David mines his relationship with his dad for material. He also shares a few tips from Gary Gulman's 366 Comedy Tips.  https://www.vulture.com/article/gary-gulman-comedy-tips.html https://www.instagram.com/startingstandup https://www.instagram.com/davidwalton https://x.com/davidwalton Email List https://forms.gle/Xyd7Y2sLkbr5dey16

David discovers his old movie character, Dr. Rick, might be the perfect vehicle for exploring the ego-driven absurdity of modern spirituality. https://www.instagram.com/startingstandup https://www.instagram.com/davidwalton https://x.com/davidwalton Email List https://forms.gle/Xyd7Y2sLkbr5dey16

David shares his favorite bits from the following comics: Sam Morrill, Pete Holmes, Geoffrey Asmus, JT Parr, Beth Stelling, Taylor Tomlinson, Jordan Jensen, Dave Attell, Ian Edwards, Aries Spears, Norm Macdonald https://www.instagram.com/startingstandup https://www.instagram.com/davidwalton https://x.com/davidwalton Email List https://forms.gle/Xyd7Y2sLkbr5dey16

The episode provides a fascinating glimpse into the creative process, showing how raw life experiences transform into structured comedy bits through careful crafting and refinement. David's vulnerability and willingness to expose his inner conflicts offer both entertainment and insight into the therapeutic potential of stand-up comedy. https://www.instagram.com/startingstandup https://www.ins...

David gets encouraging news. https://www.instagram.com/startingstandup https://www.instagram.com/davidwalton https://x.com/davidwalton Email List https://forms.gle/Xyd7Y2sLkbr5dey16

From getting fired on Wall Street to becoming social media's favorite country club satirist - Walker Ward (aka Walksauce42_) joins us to break down how he built a massive social media comedy empire by perfectly capturing the chaos of Rivian waitlists, golden retriever mishaps on private jets, and emergency board meetings about white jean violations. A hilarious deep dive into content creation...

David somehow puts together another amazing episode of Starting Standup freezing his ass off high on Mexican coke. https://www.instagram.com/startingstandup https://www.instagram.com/davidwalton https://x.com/davidwalton Email List https://forms.gle/Xyd7Y2sLkbr5dey16

In this 14th episode David Walton shares updates from his comedy writing camp in New York City, including watching Dave Chappelle perform at the Comedy Cellar. He announces exciting changes for the podcast, including plans to feature more interviews focusing on comedians' origin stories. David also reflects on his own comedy journey, the craft of storytelling, and teases an upcoming interview...

A comedian's job is to be funny - even when their hometown is on fire. In this raw episode, David copes with the LA fires by sharing a recent stand-up set about his emotionally reserved father, complete with generational observations about hugging, shame, and yes, bathroom mishaps. It's a love letter to both LA and David's dad. https://www.instagram.com/startingstandup https://www.i...

David talks about being dumb and honest. Also he: • Examines Norm Macdonald’s approach to comedy and authenticity  • Shares personal anecdotes involving aptitude tests and self-awareness  • Discusses key comedic attitudes and emotional honesty  • Explores the role of AI in shaping comedic content  • Questions the ethics of using technology in creative fields  • Considers the impact of fame on ment...

David leads a short holiday meditation on cocaine.  https://www.instagram.com/startingstandup https://www.instagram.com/davidwalton https://x.com/davidwalton Email List https://forms.gle/Xyd7Y2sLkbr5dey16

David shares and analyzes the 5th and 6th open mic of his life. Is he improving? You be the judge. https://www.instagram.com/startingstandup https://www.instagram.com/davidwalton https://x.com/davidwalton Email List https://forms.gle/Xyd7Y2sLkbr5dey16

David asks his wife to point out his flaws so he can make fun of himself on stage. She jumps at opportunity.  https://gofund.me/af47c435  https://www.instagram.com/startingstandup https://www.instagram.com/davidwalton https://x.com/davidwalton Email List https://forms.gle/Xyd7Y2sLkbr5dey16

Jeremy Sisto joins David Walton to talk about their recent comedy adventure in New York City and how embarrassing it was to watch each other do standup. https://www.instagram.com/startingstandup https://www.instagram.com/davidwalton https://x.com/davidwalton Email List https://forms.gle/Xyd7Y2sLkbr5dey16

In this vulnerable Thanksgiving episode, David hits a creative low when he turns to artificial intelligence for emotional support - and starts to develop feelings for a robot.   What starts as an innocent attempt to analyze his comedy with AI turns into an intimate confession about validation, creative resistance, and his obsession with getting people to make love more often. https://www.instagram...

In this episode, I share my incredible week camping out at the Comedy Cellar in New York City - the absolute mecca of stand-up comedy right now. I got to watch legends like Colin Quinn work on new material and witnessed masterful crowd work from comics like Dave Atell. The biggest lesson? There are no shortcuts in comedy - everyone pays their dues with 3-7 years of nightly performances. I also ope...

In Episode 5, we explore the gap between greatness and growing pains through two contrasting performances. First, David attempts to channel Louis CK by performing one of his most controversial bits word-for-word, examining how master comedians tackle difficult subjects. Then, we dive into David's second-ever open mic performance, complete with brutal self-analysis, important lessons learned,...