Episode 119: Lewis Black

5 Questions With Dan Schawbel

My guest today is stand-up comedian, Lewis Black. Lewis is known for his regular appearances on The Daily Show, his Comedy Central standup’s, and being the voice of Anger in the Pixar film Inside Out. We discuss the root of his anger, being optimistic during troubling times and why building a career shouldn’t be about the money, during this podcast episode.

The 5 questions I ask in this episode:

1. Many talented comedians acknowledge the dark side of comedy in that it can come from a place of pain and insecurity. Is there a connection between your childhood experiences and the anger you use in your comedy?
2. Based on the struggles and successes you’ve had throughout your career, why do you think you were able to achieve what you have while many other comedians fall short?
3. How do you think using anger through your comedic routines have helped you both make people laugh while conveying important social and political messages?
4. Speaking of social and political issues, our society is more divided than any time in my lifetime at least. Despite all of the issues you talk about in your comedy routines, what gives you hope for the future?
5. What is your best piece of career advice?

Video interview

Follow Lewis’s journey:

• Website
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• Instagram
• YouTube