I'll sit down for an hour or two a few days a week in a quiet place and brainstorm. The earlier in the day, the better, before the parade of distractions starts.

— Ted Alexandro

“I also do a certain amount of talking through material on stage, to see what happens and allow interesting ideas to manifest.”

— Ted Alexandro

“That heightened dynamic can produce interesting, funny ideas that are phrased in ways that surprise even you, as the performer.”

— Ted Alexandro

“Like once we picked Jim Norton as the head of security, the writing flows pretty easily.”

— Ted Alexandro

“Opening for Louis C.K. during his "Hilarious" tour was a great experience for me. He is the generation just ahead of me, because he started so young. So it's like he's sort of a senior and I'm a junior, in terms of the business. He's done so much - from writing on Conan and Chris Rock to writing and directing movies, having his own HBO show, "Lucky Louie," and now having "Louie" on FX.”

— Ted Alexandro

“I learned so many things from Louis C.K., but the most impactful thing was witnessing his work ethic. He works harder than anyone I've ever been around in comedy. And he takes risks and doesn't dwell on what might be perceived as failures.”

— Ted Alexandro

I think there comes a time in any comedian's career where they can either coast or keep growing and evolving.

— Ted Alexandro

“Dave Chappelle is about as gifted as it gets, as a performer and comedian.It's always great to watch him work. He started around fourteen and he's in his forties now, so he's probably been doing it for close to thirty years. He's brilliant.”

— Ted Alexandro

“I've seen people who are not very likeable but hilarious. I think comedians get to a point where they know they're funny, so they don't care - in the sense that they know what they're doing. They have a skill.”

— Ted Alexandro

Sometimes crowds start out not liking someone but then they shift and love them. Or vice versa. It can shift on a dime.

— Ted Alexandro

“I don't really worry about a crowd liking me.”

— Ted Alexandro

“Certainly, you want to be liked, but as you gain confidence and experience you're more concerned with expressing yourself and what matters to you.”

— Ted Alexandro

Sometimes it's fun to explore ideas that might make people uncomfortable. If you let it, there's a lot of self-censoring that can go on in the name of remaining likeable, but I don't find that an artistically interesting path to take.

— Ted Alexandro

“It's harder to reveal sides of yourself that make you vulnerable but it's another muscle that can be developed and one that I think is worthwhile. That said, everyone finds their style. It's personal.”

— Ted Alexandro

“Comics can definitely be subversive on the whole, but it's a stylistic thing.”

— Ted Alexandro

Some comedians are silly or goofy or straight joke writers who avoid anything subversive or political. Others are drawn to it. The beauty of standup is there is room for everyone, and years of performing in front of crowds will dictate what you can or can't do.

— Ted Alexandro

“It always comes down to what the crowd buys coming out of your mouth, which differs from one comic to the next.”

— Ted Alexandro

“Comedians act every night on stage, so they have great performing chops. They especially know how to play themselves, which is how we set Teachers Lounge up.”

— Ted Alexandro

“I think comedy is no different now than it was at other points. It takes a long time to get good and know how to distill what makes you funny beyond the realm of standup, which is what I'm trying to do with Teachers Lounge.”

— Ted Alexandro

“The blues is a hopeful music. It helps you process something rather than avoid it. It's like mourning, in essence.”

— Ted Alexandro

“Inherent in mourning is celebration. Mourning without celebration or some form of acceptance leaves you stuck.”

— Ted Alexandro

“Ultimately, an audience wants to laugh. That's who they like, the comedian who makes them laugh.”