Jimmy Tingle: Humor and Hope for Humanity is an intelligent and upbeat show about triumph. I had the pleasure of asking Jimmy Tingle a few questions about his inspiration, how he handles challenges and what's next for him.
You make performing look easy. Do you get nervous anymore?
I only get nervous when it is something I have not done before and have not built up the confidence in the material or the show. That usually passes as I get more comfortable with the material and format. I always get excited to go on stage even with tried-and-true material and always try to perform to the best of my ability. Each show is a new challenge. Like in baseball it doesn’t matter if you got 3 hits the night before this is a new game and I need to get up at bat again and hopefully connect with the material and deliver it smoothly and convincingly to the audience.
I usually prepare by concentrating and writing out what I am going to say and going over my notes and listening to the recording of the previous night’s show. When I do all of that I usually can execute well. I also pray, meditate and journal before I perform, which helps a lot.
Your stage presence is comforting and relatable. What’s the secret to making your audience feel so connected to you?
I have a lot of experience being on stage and if I am prepared and know what I am going to say and have confidence in the material, the audience can sense that they are in good hands. Like an airline pilot who exudes a sense of competency and authority in the preflight announcements, so the passengers feel safe.
If the pilot came over the intercom mid-flight and asked, “Does anyone know how to land this thing?”, people would be freaking out. So, as a solo performer, you’re sort of both the pilot and the plane.
Your journey includes overcoming numerous challenges. How have these experiences shaped your comedy and your perspective on life?
I have been very fortunate in many ways so my experiences working through challenges have helped make me more optimistic about life and the possibilities life holds for us all. Trying to quit drinking was a big challenge but I got introduced to a Higher Power and community of success stories that helped me every step of the way.
That experience gave me evidence that God is real and people are good and that has been a lifesaver not only for me but for millions of other people. I am regularly around people who have overcome very big problems, so my sense of optimism is usually high despite the negativity we can be confronted with every day.
The show focuses on humor as a form of catharsis that can be used to help others. You started an organization that is centered on this tenet. Can you tell us more about your non-profit, Humor for Humanity? What inspired you to start it, and can you share a success story that particularly moved you?
I had been doing comedy fundraisers for many years. When I graduated from Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government I really wanted to use my skills as an entertainer for purposes beyond just entertainment.
Humor for HumanityTM is a “social enterprise” (a business) not a non-profit but the goals are the same. Humor for Humanity is more than entertainment! Our mission is to raise spirits, funds and awareness for nonprofits, charities and social causes through my work as a producer, performer, emcee and auctioneer. During the pandemic we were able to transition online and help raise hundreds of thousands of dollars for nonprofits and social causes. It was very gratifying and really a dream come true.
After "Humor and Hope for Humanity," what's next for you? Are there any new projects or themes you're excited to explore in your comedy?
I would like to create a hit show in New York, maybe even go to Broadway, and tour the world performing a positive show that leaves people hopeful, while raising the profile of Humor for Humanity! Humor and helping, humor and healing, humor and hope. Hah! Hah! Hah!
Thank you, Jimmy!
Check out our review of Jimmy Tingle: Humor and Hope for Humanity
"Jimmy Tingle: Humor and Hope for Humanity"
Written and performed by Jimmy Tingle
May 2- June 2, 2024
SoHo House Playhouse (15 Vandam St. NYC)
Yani Perez, M.F.A, is a poet, playwright, translator, and educator. Her plays have been presented in various theaters in the United States such as La Mama and Yale University as well as internationally in Bogotá, Colombia. She works at IATI Theater, one of the oldest Latinx theaters in NYC. She is currently working on translations of Latinx artists in hopes of introducing them to English-speaking audiences.