I would like to introduce Taylor Clark, Comedian, Recovering Adult Skateboarder & Father. Taylor is a Northwest Native that has flip-flopped back and forth between the East and West Coast for the past decade, so he is barely meeting the criteria here for this interview but we will let it slide. Taylor did I leave anything out?
Oh I didn’t flip flop. I fully abandoned the Northwest for New York and didn’t look back for a decade. I moved back full time for four years ago and now this is officially my home base, probably forever.
Now you have pretty much did our job for us with your opioid induced instagram timeline posts from your recent injury so i’ll try and not ask you the same questions…
haha. Yeah I broke the ol’ ankle, got screws, a plate, the whole thing. I only did that Oxy shit for like two days post-op. Tossed it ASAP.
If you want to know a little bit more about about Taylor you can find his Thrasher Magazine interview here: https://tinyurl.com/y77w457j
My favorite quote from your thrasher interview was “How funny is this? That these old men care so much about this toy.” Can you talk to me a little about the inspiration for this quote…
Adults playing with toys is endlessly funny to me. The question in that interview was about my adult skateboarder joke which was how most people first heard about me. It was literally the first stand up clip I’d ever put on social media. The joke really connected What st What was the first joke you ever told for a standup audience? Are you the funniest of your brothers?
I would argue it is harder to make a living from skateboarding than it is for comedy. What are your thoughts?
I would argue it’s probably about the same. The ratio of skaters who make ALL thier money from tricks to comedians who make it ALL their money from live shows has to be pretty even. So many comics produce, write,
What is your favorite comedy club locally? Bummed that the comedy underground in pioneer square is closed. They were open since the 80s! Saw some good shows there over the years. How about non-local favorite?
My favorite club is Laughs. Just as a room it’s fantastic. The sound, stage, crowds, they are all so good. The audience is arranged perfect too. I started in that room before it was Laughs so it also give me a lot of nostalgia. They are good to me there. That’s where I recorded my album. But I loved the comedy underground so much. I spent many nights there and really cut my teeth as a feature in that club. Outside of Seattle I love the Spiderhouse in Austin, the Creek and the Cave is there now too which is so rad cause I was a regular at the creek in NYC for years. Shout out to Third Wheel in LA too.
How does the comedy scene feel about improv such as Second City vs standup shows? Is it like how skateboarders look at Longboarders or is it much more relatable and friendly between the two formats?
You nailed it. Longboarders. Technically we are kind of chasing similar goals, but it’s not the same no matter what. Stand-up comedy will always be harder, cooler, and have a larger cultural footprint than improv. It’s riskier and more vulnerable. You could say the same about street skating. I will say though, when improv is good, it’s magical in a way stand up can never be. I don’t think Longboarders are ever “magical” in a way that skateboarders could never be. I have way less patience for non-skaters than I do non-comics. With age I am slowly becoming a skateboard evangelist. Like I am on a mission from the skate gods to convert people to street skating.
I watched your sponsor me video/skit on YouTube and I have to say it was funny AF. My favorite line was “Im 24.…years into skating and even though I’m an old bitch I think my best parts are in me still”
Thanks homie. I am super proud of that video. I still really believe that too which probably just shows how delusional I am.
After watching you skate your style reminds me a lot of Josh Anderson. How do you feel about that comparison?
I’ll take it! He’s got style for miles and I always thought I had butt stee, so that’s high praise. Josh and I both rode for the same skateshop when we were young bucks. Shout out to the ol’ Trickwood squad!
Were you ever on Slap Message Boards back in the day or are you not a skate nerd like that…? I imagine you would be the kind of dude that has a secret account you used for funny/witty skate commentary…
I was late to the skate internet party. I posted my stand up there a while back and got eviscerated. Not my world at all. Even skate twitter is too intense for me.
You recently did a tour of sorts where you went through to different cities skating and then doing comedy at the end of the night at the spot or local Skateshop. How did you end up linking up with all the shops for your comedians at skateparks tour and what made you want to do the whole comedians at skateparks? Did you realize that skate twitter was gonna go off on you for trying to bring comedy and skateboarding together? I would also like to add I did witness some people rebuke these claims.
I honestly didn’t notice much mention of me on skate twitter, but I am out of that loop a bit. Mostly I’ve gotten high praise from all the people I care about so it’s easy to ignore any hate. I have been wanting to do a tour like this since i started comedy. I always fantasized about being able to skate and film at all of the towns I went to for shows so this was me manufacturing that fantasy for myself. I produced indy shows in New York for a long time so I knew I was capable of producing a tour. Most of my shop contacts either came through fans but some were just a straight up cold call. As a comic I am so used to battling for stage time that skateshops were a refreshing change of pace. It’s not like I am competing with other comedians to book live shows at skate shops.
What was the skate scene like in Everett growing up? Did Everett have a shop back in the day? Ben at Pops Skateshop has been a great supporter and is actually partnering with us on some product for our first event we are throwing through Double Set in December.
Everett has had a few shops. I got my first board at a shop called “The Slant” but it went out of business when Zumiez opened up, which actually started in Everett. So technically shopping at Zumiez is supporting MY local skate shop. lol. But I rode for Lost Boys too which I guess was technically Lynnwood, but all the Everett heads rode for Lost Boys so that was a big deal for my brother and I. The Everett Skate scene was amazing back in late 90s. Josh Jones, Jordan Sanches, me and my brothers, grew up skating walter e hall and at the time that was one of the early parks so everybody from all over the northwest would come there.
What is the worst part about Everett? Was gonna say northwest but Everett sounded spicier.
Everett definitely has a lot of spice! we call it Meth around here. Let’s just say one of the longest standing buildings in Everett is a place called the Porno Barn. Does that paint a picture?
I really enjoyed hearing about you quitting the whole real estate thing and doubling down on comedy. It really strikes a cord to hear you talk about finding something you are passionate about and applying healthy habits, and focusing on that one thing. I am a firm believer in the 10,000 hours concept.
Thanks man. I actually got into all this habit stacking stuff because of real estate. The more I learned about entrepreneurship the more I’d want to apply my knowledge to the comedy business. It’s hard to express how difficult it was to transition. I was living at my parents house with a wife and kid and my real estate career was crumbling. I’m still shocked my wife didn’t leave me.
Comedy seems a lot like skating when you think about it. You fall a whole lot but every-time you do you learn a little bit about what not to do next time and what does and doesn’t work. I think the same can be applied to comedy.
Oh for sure. The joke might be the same but it feels different every time. Like skating, you learn a new trick but you want to feel what it’s like to do it on all kinds of different stuff, into new combos, out of other tricks. Plus it’s mostly failure and embarrassing to admit to grown-ups.
What do you think it is that makes the northwest so unique when it comes to producing skateboard talent?
The weather is bad and the spots are crusty so skating is precious to us. Maybe we’re just more thoughtful about our skating because of that.
Let me start off by talking about how skateboarding and comedy (in our opinion) have a lot in common. Both art forms usually lead to lots of old men, women, etc… being paid poorly for something they love to do that brings others joy watching. It is really selfless if you ask me. Haha
I think it’s an even splits. It’s as selfish as it is selfless. Cause I can’t imagine it brings anybody else more joy than it does me, but i also have to take the bruises, physical with skating, emotional and mental with comedy, so it all kind of evens out. At least I am the only one getting hurt and hopefully, i am bringing other people joy.
So you hurt your shit in September…what is your surgery count now? Every time I have gotten hurt it has always on something stupid or easy. Do you feel like that is true for your past injuries?
Oh most definitely. I only have a handful of injuries worth bragging about. The majority of them are all “whoopsie Daisy” type falls. I got a plate and screws in my ankle from a tre flip fakie on a bank, after a bailed the trick. The board rolled behind me when I stepped back, I didn’t see it, and I just slipped on my board like a banana peel and fell back on my ankle. All my joints have been through the wringer. Ankles have been rolled countless times, I broke wrist when I was 16, and now I’ve been dislocating my shoulders. the left one like 20 times. The shoulder fucks with my skating more than any injury I have ever had.
If you had a choice to spend the day with Steve Berra or Jereme Rogers who would you choose and why?
Jereme Rogers probably cause we could freestyle. I also have a lot of questions about the PJ Ladd video and yeah right I need answered!
Crocs or Cariuma’s?
Options 3. Crociruma’s. This is where you wear a pair of Cariuma’s inside a large pair of crocs. Like the turducken of wack shoes. (I might tweet this)
Favorite Northwest Skateboarder growing up?
Josh Jones. Same answer for “of all time”. This answer changes but it’s back to Josh again
Was there a specific comedian that you admired growing up and that made you want to become a comedian?
Dave Chapelle in the immediate years before I first started, but growing up I loved Carlin, Dangerfield, Red Fox, and all these older comics my dad had albums of. But honestly, Conan was probably my biggest influence when I was a kid. Still there’s nobody funnier than Conan.
For skateboarders, being in Thrasher is the ultimate “I made it” moment. What is that moment for comedy? From what I gathered from your interviews it is being able to support yourself and pay all the bills off of it…??
It used to be a late night set, a TV job, or even a big interview. Now it feels like every comic’s “I made it!” moment is unique to them. I call the Thrasher interview my Mt Everest. For me and the specific career I want to carve out, it was bigger than anything. But it’s never felt like I “made it”. And still doesn’t. I’m paying (a good portion of) my bills from comedy now, and comics much more successful than me, agree, almost nobody ever feels like they’ve made it. Eddie Murphy said he didn’t feel like he’d made it till Nutty Professor two. Nutty professor TWO!
Finish this sentence for me: “Now let’s get started by letting me give you a little bit of a scenario of what my life is all about, first off, I am 35 years old, I am divorced and I live in a.…”
Van down by the river. Farley! A man after my own heart.
Do you think Saturday Night Live is still funny in 2021?
I know how fashionable it is to hate on SNL but I’ve been watching nearly every episode since I was a kid, and every season has had brilliant moments, and horrific cringe moments. Soft yes.
Skateboarding is such a small world, I saw you did the inaugural show at third- wheel Hollywood. Did you know Nolan beforehand? He’s an old skate homie from back in the day.
I’ve know Nolan through comedy for a handful of years and then when I found out he skated we def put together that we had to have crossed paths at skate events before. Awesome comic. Mean FS flip too. I was stoked to be the first comic to headline his new space in LA. I have endless love for that guy.
What is one thing you would change about the skate industry?
Health insurance from flow riders on up.
Is Louis C.K. still cancelled?
The answer is “yes” according to all the people who used to write him checks. His TV shows and movies were definitely cancelled. No guest appearances either so, maybe “canceled-ish” is more appropriate.
When you lived in NYC what was your go to skate spot?
I was there a while so it changed but it used to be the museum and Columbus circle back in like 09′, and Gun Smoke in Bed-Stuy for a while. But I was always a regular at Tompkins and 12th and A when that was a thing. I loved Maria Hernandez for a hot min too. But I’m a flat addict so most of my time was put in on the smooth parts of whatever street I was on waiting for clients.
Best Pizza or Prince Street? Heard Prince Street said some racist stuff recently and then changed ownership…so maybe Joes instead?
I like a good Joe’s. I never heard about that any racist stuff at Prince St. Bummer.
What is the biggest lesson you learned that made you feel like a real New Yorker?
How to survive and thrive in that city is the biggest lesson anyone can learn. After a few years of making a little bit of money, having an awesome lady, and knowing huge circles of people everywhere made it really feel like home. That’s why I want to move back aging all logic. It took so long and so much effort to feel comfortable and happy in that psychotic town, that it feels like a made this huge delicious meal and barely tasted it before I got rushed out of the restaurant.
I consider trying to be cool as a skateboard company is like trying to be cool in high school. If you try hard, it wont happen…
Ain’t that the truth. Trying is dying as they say. Comedy is like that with “funny” there’s nothing less funny that someone trying to be funny. Desperation is the least sexy, cool, funny thing there is.
Who is the most underrated skateboarder?
Josh Jones. I wish the world knew.
Have you ever combed through your twitter account just incase someone doing an interview wanted to try and cancel you? Don’t worry, we did it so you didn’t have to and found nothing juicy.
I’ll breathe a sarcastic of relief after the interview. I have not but that’s only cause no one can take away nothing.
The Nine Club podcast seems to be turning into the let’s talk about our 401k’s Club. Speaking of 401k’s do you watch Mikey Taylor’s business social posts? A little part of me wants to see him get frustrated doing a real estate deal and throw his phone and watch it shatter into a million pieces in slo-mo. That would be the most skate nostalgia I would need for years.
Haha. 401K-grind anyone? I get it cause so many of us never had anyone teach us about money so in a way they are providing an insane amount of value to a ton of skaters who are never gonna get a Cheerios sponsor.
Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
Touring the world, filming parts, specials, and movies plus operating a successful chain of non-profit comedy club/indoor skatepark/
I think it’s about time we wrap up our questions. Anything you would care to add?
Thanks to everyone who has been there for Ben but especially my family, Katina, Luka, mom and dad, joe and Thomas, and Big Ben Oleyn.
