By Natalie Cuomo
Photos by John Cafaro
Ryan Long started his stand-up comedy career in Canada. In 2019 he left the Great White North for comedy mecca New York City and his career exploded. He is the host of The Boyscast podcast and the creator of many viral satirical sketches. His ability to write and perform thought-provoking material while making people laugh in dark and confusing times is his calling card. Ryan also creates hilarious man-on-the-street videos, interviewing strangers and revealing the side of humanity that makes us both cringe and laugh. He is currently on tour in support of his latest special, White Immigrant, which can be found on YouTube. Despite his busy schedule, Long took a minute to sit down with Natalie Cuomo to talk tattoos, walk the flavors onstage and more.
What made you decide to do stand-up?
I’ve done all sorts of other comedy endeavors and stand-up is the purest form. I felt like this was the natural progression and the easiest way to compete on who’s funny.
They began performing in Canada and now reside in New York City. Do you see a big difference between stand-up in the two countries?
In New York it actually matters. Knowing that you’re at the center of the comedy gives you more confidence as you move forward because you’ll know better what’s on the pulse when you start building. But in Canada I thought it was cool to have a place where people don’t pay that much attention to you at first. It allowed me to develop a unique style before I came to New York.
How do you deal with the ups and downs of stand-up?
I just try to systematize everything as much as possible so that the lows and highs just become data points rather than being tied to my emotions and mood. I try to hone and trust my instincts so I’m comfortable with the compromises I make. For example, one adjustment may give me a bigger laugh, but I like another much better. Or a decision may seem better or worse for my career, but my instinct tells me this isn’t the right path for me.
Do you feel that tattoos are part of your identity?
I think my identity kind of formed from being in bands and stuff, so it’s probably fitting that a bunch of old band guy tattoos go with it. I’m glad I was in a band then and not in that era, otherwise my neck and face would probably be covered too [laughs].
Do you have tattoos related to comedy?
I got a tattoo from my podcast The Boyscast I got live on stage drunk while doing the podcast which is kind of funny.
What was the best/worst experience you had while tattooing?
Once my 18 year old cousin got a tattoo gun and at our family reunion he drunk gave me a tattoo that said “Mother”. We kept telling my mom it was her Christmas present and she kept telling us to stop right now. It looks awful and was the first tattoo he ever did.
Photo by John Cafaro
In your Man on the Street videos, have you ever found that a person’s tattoos tell you everything you need to know?
I think so. Someone’s tattoos tell you a ton about what kind of person they are. Or at least they were. Also her shoes.
Who is your biggest inspiration?
When I was young all my friends wanted to be Tom Green and Jackass or maybe the Beastie Boys.
What are some of the most influential comedy specials you’ve heard and why?
Honestly, Adam Sandler’s comedy albums were more than any stand-up specials that got me into comedy. But I think Dave Attell’s “Skanks for the Memories” probably influenced everyone’s specials in New York and then influenced me.
How do you find the balance between work and private life?
Not very good. Most of the time I just like hanging out with friends and talking shit, and comedy makes that easier. So I don’t really need a lot of other “personal time.” I’m fine with just doing comedy and making videos and podcasts for most of my life. It’s more that when the aspect of running a business becomes too big and the actual part of making things too small, I know I have to rearrange things.
Where do you find inspiration for your writing?
I take notes on my phone all the time, but I also just sit down and write. I block off multiple blocks of time each week and just do it whether I want to or not.
Do you have a process for coming up with ideas for your sketches?
I do a lot of satirical sketches, so usually the ones that work best are something I feel like I’m actually right about, but no one’s really said it or right or succinctly. I’m trying to have the right format and amount of actual raw comedy that would be funny no matter the setting. Sometimes there’s a big cultural event and I sit down and think about what I want to say about it. And sometimes I have a silly idea that I just can’t think of anymore. Then I’m like, okay, I think I have to do this. “Racist grammar police” would be such an idea. There’s no point, just usually a line I can’t stop thinking about is funny.
At a time when people seem to be getting more and more offended, how does one manage the line between thought-provoking and offbeat comedy while trying to please people in 2022?
It’s calmed down a bit, but I feel like comedy clubs are always kind of okay. It’s more the industry that wants everything super secure. But since I’m not in the industry, I don’t have to worry about what’s beneficial in the actual “being funny” realm. Since running a digital media company, I’m less worried about people writing bad articles about me or losing jobs and more about my social networks being deleted or banned – so the threats have kind of shifted. In comedy clubs, people actually attending a show in bad faith are increasingly a minority — and as long as a viewer is in good faith, they aren’t to attempt In order to hear something offensive to complain about, it’s up to the comedian to figure out what the lines are like for each crowd. Then you do a show where everyone just want hearing the most obnoxious stuff, and it can feel just as gross, and then my instinct is to go the other way.