Students in Ithaca will have an opportunity to step into the unusually hilarious mind of a comedic success. Daniel Tosh, the 33-year-old whose biting punch lines and sarcastic brand of humor have filled and sold out college arenas around the nation, will perform live at the State Theatre on Saturday. In addition to headlining college tours, Tosh has been on the stand-up scene for more than a decade and has made appearances on the āLate Show with David Letterman,ā āThe Tonight Show with Jay Lenoā and Comedy Centralās āPremium Blend.ā His last special, āDaniel Tosh: Completely Serious,ā aired on Comedy Central in 2007. Contributing Writer Victoria Spadaccini spoke to the stand-up comedian on what led him to choose a life in comedy and what lies ahead in his future.
Victoria Spadaccini: Youāve had an eclectic upbringing ā being born in Germany, moving to Florida and having a preacher as a father. What initially influenced you to become a comedian?
Daniel Tosh: I donāt think I had any other skill that anyone would pay for, and I didnāt want to be homeless, so it was either this or ā yeah, I donāt know what I would have done if I had not done stand-up. I had a lot of shitty jobs. Nothing ridiculous. Waiting tables, that type of stuff. Never had a real job. I had one real [job] interview after I graduated college, but I didnāt make it through the whole interview before I was like, āThis is not for me.ā
VS: So if you werenāt doing stand-up, what do you think you would be doing?
DT: If I wasnāt doing stand-up, I would be in prison doing my routine.
VS: You have a unique in-your-face sort of humor. What inspires your comedy routines?
DT: Jesus (laughs). Anything. I just try to make jokes. Itās not very biographical. I make stuff up, something people havenāt heard of. The more absurd the better, thatās usually my take.
VS: You are performing in Ithaca on Sept. 20. Have you been here before?
DT: I think I have, but itās been many, many years. I think Iāve flown to the college many years ago, but it is definitely my first time in a long time. Should I be excited? I am!
VS: Whatās the best part of your job?
DT: The best part of my job would have to be the actual amount of time I have to work. I guess thatās a really big upside. The downside is the commute ā I do not live
in Ithaca.
VS: Youāve made many appearances on television and on college campuses. What can your fans expect to see from you next?
DT: I will probably be doing another one-hour special, probably for Comedy Central. Weāve been trying to create a TV show at Comedy Central. Hopefully it doesnāt suck. Iāve created shows for them in the past that have been awful and havenāt gone on the air, so I donāt know, maybe the 15th time is the charm.
VS: Last, but not least, what would you do for a Klondike bar?
DT: You know, not a lot. Iām not lactose intolerant, but dairy doesnāt sit well with me. If the question was ā what are those ones called? Skinny Cows? Have you heard of that? For that, I would maybe ask nicely. But no, it would never lead to anything ridiculous, like prostitution or anything like that.
Daniel Tosh will appear at the State Theatre at 8 p.m., Saturday, Sept. 20. Students can purchase tickets at www.stateofithaca.com.