The road to comedy success for Kurt Braunohler was paved with $2 tips, stoned baking (actual baking) and a whole lot of fibbing. Kurt cops to a long history of lying to get jobs; he once inflated his job history to say he worked for Oprah, even getting his uncle to pose as a fake reference from the gig (it worked, by the way).

You may know the South Sloper from  Hot Tub, the weekly show he co-hosted at Littlefield with Kristen Schaal (or maybe from our No Office Holiday Party last year.) Or possibly from his hilarious faux-game show, Bunk on IFC, which has its first season finale tonight. That came after years of working as a “classic awful IT guy” in the city and a stint at a stoner bakery in Park Slope. He took a crappy job to make sure he stayed hungry for comedy, put together his own variety show just to keep active, and pioneered a Park Slope greeting card trolling scheme. Kurt tells Brokelyn how he made a successful comedy career, with bonus tips on how you can do it yourself! (more…)

Kelly McClure’s love/hate (mostly hate) skepticism of Olympia, Wash., lured me to her writing enough to Facebook stalk her, discover she has the coolest work history ever, and become her friendly acquaintance. Currently she discusses everyone’s favorite things in the world (ie: tunes, getting laid and celebrity crushes) as the Music Editor for VICE. While schlepping from coast to coast, Kelly has survived being fired several times — including once she thinks was Kimya Dawson’s fault — and gone on to writing/editing for BUST, VICE and other publications. But it all started for her as a 14-year-old “ball floater.” - Caroline Shadood. (more…)

Tour guide Greg (and his dad) at Cypress Gardens.

Greg Barris – restaurateur, grey pants enthusiast, proud owner of gorgeous curls of hair, forgiver of sins, cook book collector and straight-up hilarious comedian – has been employed by at least 13 different companies since he was 13 years old. Greg, 30, is currently a co-owner of L’Asso, with restaurant locations in the East Village and NoLIta. He also hosts Heart Of Darkness (most often performed at Park Slope’s Union Hall). Heart Of Darkness is an evening packed with comedians, musicians, academics, philosophers, hair dressers and any other kind of freakishly fascinating type. Reggie Watts and Janeane Garofalo are regular guests and Greg will, without fail, forgive you – you personally – of your sins. All of them, you filthy sinner. Greg also performs standup at various clubs throughout Brooklyn and Manhattan and often shares his unique brand of comedy with Los Angeles. But it was a long road to get there that involved telemarketing, boot selling and getting fired from a comedy club … for making a joke.  (more…)

Scan of an article called "Venus Rising" that was published in the July 26, 2002, issue of The Chicago Reader (photo by Jim Newberry). That's me in the striped shirt.

Welcome to our new series where we ask friends, entertainers and other interesting folk around Brooklyn to share their work histories so we can learn how they got where they are today. Our first subject is Amy Cuevas  Schroeder, founder of the DIY Business Association, a Brooklyn-based support group for independent entrepreneurs. Amy long had an entrepreneurial spirit without knowing it: at the age of 13, she sought out a special work permit so she could start scooping ice cream at a beach shop in Michigan. In between she founded a well-respected women-focused zine, worked for the Girl Scouts and even learned how a “professional listener” can be mistaken for a prostitute. And she had her wedding in a comic shop too!- Td.  (more…)