Jimmy Pardo traded a six figure job for a career in comedy - Bullseye with Jesse Thorn

Comedian and fellow podcaster Jimmy Pardo joins Bullseye to talk about the 20th anniversary of his show, Never Not Funny. He's been performing stand-up comedy since the 80s. Bob Odenkirk actually encouraged him to go to his first open mic night. At the time, he was making good money as a full-time sales rep at MCA records. Then, he took a risk, quit his full-time job, and started touring as a comedian. His act is fast-paced and interactive. On a typical night, you might see him perform a couple written jokes, but the rest is an enthusiastic ride through crowdwork-inspired tangents. His podcast, Never Not Funny has that same spirit. He and his producer Matt Belknap talk about life and music. Sometimes, they'll talk with a guest. They’ll interact with the crew, who have become a sort of cast of recurring characters on the show itself. In all that spontaneity, the show has created its own universe. Jimmy Pardo talks to Bullseye about the progression of his comedy style, how it led him to make Never Not Funny, and what he’s learned from weathering many eras of standup and podcasting. 00:00 Intro 01:08 Chicago origins 05:19 Fitting in with others 10:55 Early comedy career 20:19 Sobriety 24:56 Never Not Funny origins 30:54 Podcasting throughout the years 33:27 Outro Want to hear more? Subscribe to Bullseye now via Apple Podcasts: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/n... Get MORE of Bullseye with Jesse Thorn: ► FOLLOW us on Instagram: /   / bullseyewithjessethorn   ► FOLLOW us on X: / https://x.com/Bullseye ► LIKE us on Facebook: /   / bullseyewithjessethorn   ► VISIT our show page: / https://maximumfun.org/podcasts/bulls... Bullseye is a celebration of the best of arts and culture in public radio form. Host Jesse Thorn sifts the wheat from the chaff to bring you in-depth interviews with the most revered and revolutionary minds in our culture. Bullseye has been featured in Time, The New York Times, GQ and McSweeney's, which called it "the kind of show people listen to in a more perfect world."