Comedy Salad with Buddah #6 Vilmos Branyik

Hey comedy fans, it's that time of the week for another interview. 'Comedy Salad with Buddah' is a comedy blog about standup comedians and their world of comedy. This time around I talked to a comic who has the distinction of taking Buddah on his first true out of state "road gig" as I ventured to Iowa a couple of months ago with Vilmos Branyik. Vilmos started his career in one of my favorite vacation spots and we dig the same rock & roll drummer (see below). I threw a half dozen questions at Vilmos and here is how it went down...



BUDDAH: Where did you start your standup comedy career and how many years have you been in the business?



VILMOS: I started in Colorado Springs at what was then Jeff Valdez's Comedy Corner in late September of 1992. I started out in the weekly workshop they had for people wanting to be a comedian. My first time on stage was Janurary 31, 1993, right after Super Bowl XXVII. It was a very small crowd and I didn't do well.



BUDDAH: In your opinion what is the best way to get book with most clubs?



VILMOS: Be famous, very...very famous. Email is the most common form of communication with bookers these days, which is a curse and a blessing. It is a blessing email can be anywhere you are. It's a curse because it has removed the personal component of the process.



BUDDAH: How many years were you a feature act before headlining opportunities came your way?



VILMOS: I never pushed to headline and even today I still enjoy working as Feature act. I don't remember exactly when but it was sometime around 2001. It was at the South Bend, Indiana Funnybone.



BUDDAH: Who area few of your favorite comics that you enjoy hanging out with outside of the comedy grind?



VILMOS: I'm not good at hanging out and don't live close to anyone else that does comedy. For the most part I'm a recluse when I'm not working.



BUDDAH: What's the best thing for you to blow $100 on?



VILMOS: Gas for my motorcycle. One of these day I'd like to get out on a 30 day road trip. No plan and no more than 250 miles a day so I can really enjoy the time and see plenty of new things.



BUDDAH: Where and which three people (celebrity or not) would you like to have dinner with?



VILMOS: Frank Beard (the drummer for ZZ Top), Carl Hiaasen (author) and Clint Eastwood are who I would have dinner with. As to where it would have to be, Keens Steakhouse in New York City.



And now it is time for Vilmos to turn the table on Buddah and ask him one question. If you were given the choice between being a full time comedian making just enough to support your family or working a decent job with a mid 6 figure income and could never do comedy again which would you choose and why?



BUDDAH: I thought this was a tough question until read it for the second time and saw the "could never do comedy again" and my choice would be an easy one. Screw the mid 6 figure $$$! I have supported my family most of my married life with a decent job with benefits while my wife has been an at home mother the majority of these years. Family has made me a well rounded happy man. Standup comedy has been the icing on the cake but I can't eat the damned cake anymore because of my arch nemesis, diabetes. At this point in my life, subtracting standup comedy would leave me empty inside.

Give the Green Room a listen, won'tcha?

As an added bonus we learned today ZZ Top's only non bearded band member is a guy named Beard. Vilmos has long standing podcasts titled 'The Green Room', 'The Ambivalent Podcast Show' w/comedian Dale Jones and a one final podcast called 'The Spew'. So please check them out. And of course look for Vilmos Branyik down the road at your local comedy club venue.

Vilmos looking for an exit.