As a comedian, I’ve spent my fair share of time on stage, testing punchlines, making people laugh, and creating moments of levity. But over the years, I’ve also found myself drawn to storytelling in a much different way—through my work on The Uplift Universe. It’s a science fiction project that’s more complex, more ambitious, and, frankly, a little more serious than the kind of work I typically do in a comedy club. Balancing these two aspects of my artistic life—comedy and sci-fi storytelling—has been both a challenge and a joy, and it’s something that’s given me a unique perspective on what it means to entertain and to create.
The Comedy Club Mindset: Lighthearted, But Not Simple
Comedy has always been my first love. There’s something about the instantaneous connection you make with an audience that can’t be replicated in any other medium. A great joke or well-timed punchline can light up a room, and there’s a real artistry in crafting something that hits just right.
For a long time, that’s been where my focus has been—on honing my craft as a comedian. But I quickly realized that comedy is more than just telling jokes. It’s about creating a mood, building rapport, and conveying ideas in a way that people will remember long after the show is over. When I’m performing, my aim isn’t just to get a laugh, but to make people feel something—to get them thinking, even if it’s just for a moment. Comedy, despite its lighthearted nature, can be deeply impactful.
At the same time, comedy can be a bit limiting if you only focus on the punchline. There’s a temptation in stand-up to stick to what works, to lean on familiar routines that have a guaranteed payoff. While this can be satisfying in the short term, I found myself yearning for something deeper, something that allowed me to stretch my creative muscles in ways that go beyond the typical format of a comedy set.
Transitioning to Sci-Fi: The Uplift Universe
That’s where The Uplift Universe comes in. Moving from comedy to sci-fi storytelling wasn’t a huge leap in the sense that both art forms share a love for pushing boundaries and exploring new ideas. However, it did require a shift in mindset. In comedy, the goal is often to keep things light, fast-paced, and immediately engaging. But in The Uplift Universe, I’m working within a larger narrative, where world-building is just as important as the plot, and character development is key. Sci-fi allows me to explore complex themes—technology, humanity, and the future—that I couldn’t fit into a five-minute set at a comedy club.
The key to balancing these two creative pursuits is finding the intersection between humor and depth. In The Uplift Universe, I’ve had the opportunity to explore humor in a different way. Rather than relying on traditional jokes or punchlines, I’ve used humor to bring some levity to otherwise serious moments, making the world feel more lived-in and human. Even in a sci-fi universe, characters need to have moments of comedy to make them relatable. Whether it’s a sarcastic comment from a starship captain or a clever remark between two scientists, humor can act as a bridge between the audience and the story, allowing them to connect with the characters and the world.
It’s this balance between maintaining the high stakes of a sci-fi epic while also weaving in moments of lightness that has been one of the most rewarding aspects of this project. And as I’ve worked on The Uplift Universe, I’ve realized that both comedy and storytelling—no matter the genre—require a similar approach: finding truth in the absurd.
Striking a Balance: How Comedy and Sci-Fi Complement Each Other
What’s often missed in the discussion of comedy versus drama, or comedy versus sci-fi, is that both genres rely on a fundamental understanding of human experience. The same way a good joke is grounded in truth, so too is a compelling sci-fi story. Even when you’re writing about intergalactic battles or futuristic technologies, you’re still exploring timeless human themes: love, fear, ambition, and survival.
One of the biggest challenges in balancing my comedic performances with my work on The Uplift Universe is managing the tone. In comedy, everything is built on timing. A well-placed pause can mean the difference between an awkward silence and a roaring laugh. In storytelling, especially in a genre like sci-fi, pacing is just as important—but in a different way. The narrative has to unfold at a pace that keeps the audience hooked, but without rushing. Sci-fi gives you more room to breathe, to develop plotlines and characters over time, while comedy needs that sharp focus.
I’ve found that my experience in comedy has made me more sensitive to timing and pacing in storytelling. Just as you have to know when to deliver a punchline in a set, you have to know when to reveal a key piece of the puzzle in a larger narrative. There’s a rhythm to both, and understanding that rhythm is what makes the work come alive.
The Ever-Present Need for Entertainment
The work I’ve done in both comedy and sci-fi storytelling has taught me that entertainment, in its many forms, is a reflection of the world we live in. Whether you’re making people laugh or taking them on a journey through a faraway galaxy, the goal is always the same: to connect, to inspire, and to provoke thought.
What excites me about The Uplift Universe is that it’s more than just a creative project; it’s a way to challenge perceptions, just as comedy challenges societal norms. By combining humor with the depth of sci-fi storytelling, I’m able to provide an experience that’s not just entertaining, but also meaningful. It’s the intersection of two very different worlds—comedy and science fiction—that allows me to craft a unique experience for my audience.
Embracing Both Worlds
As I continue to balance my work as a comedian and a storyteller, I’m reminded of why I’m drawn to both art forms. Comedy allows me to explore the absurdities of life, and sci-fi lets me explore the possibilities of the future. Both are important in their own right, and together, they allow me to create experiences that are not only fun but also thought-provoking.
The journey between comedy clubs and sci-fi worlds has taught me that no matter the medium, the goal is to connect with the audience in a meaningful way. Whether through a laugh or a thoughtful moment in a story, I’m always seeking to create something that resonates, something that stays with people long after they’ve left the theater or closed the book. And in the end, that’s what balancing art and entertainment is all about—finding those moments that matter, no matter the genre.