Interview · moment 9 of 29
Getting Into Comedy and the Springfield Gang Violence Story
from Francis Ellis · #144
Audio-only archive episode — no video to seek.
4 minGuest
Francis explains his path into comedy from a Harvard/finance background, then tells a story about being warned of gang violence while walking around Springfield, Massachusetts before a gig, and Tim riffs about looking like a corrupt cop.
- 17:38Tim got into comedy through always loving performance and listening to comedy on Napster, including Eddie Murphy illegally.
- 18:02His family used Seinfeld in the car as a way to keep the peace instead of screaming at each other.
- 18:29Tim tried going into finance and did a junior internship at Royal Bank of Scotland in Stamford, Connecticut, but hated it.
- 18:52Tim performed in Springfield, Massachusetts and was shocked to learn the town has serious gang violence when a woman casually mentioned it.
- 19:29He walked through Springfield and found boarded-up houses, people in the street, drug deals happening openly—confirmed the gang violence was real.
- 19:50Tim jokes he looks like a corrupt cop on the take, which helped him walk safely through dangerous neighborhoods.
- 20:34Tim advises his guest not to limit his career options by avoiding edgy material just to get network TV meetings.
- 20:54Tim tells him he already has his own audience and should focus on building his own independent platform rather than chasing Hollywood meetings.
Eddie MurphySeinfeldSpringfield, MassachusettsRoyal Bank of ScotlandRed Rose pizzeriaChris and Lacey Ford