We had the good fortune of connecting with Brian Monarch and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Brian, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
I really enjoy my independence. I would rather my work go towards something I am building, not someone else’s business. It’s much more satisfying and rewarding. When you can do something you enjoy it makes life a lot less stressful and more enjoyable. Not to mention, I’ve always been the type of person that doesn’t like being told what to do.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
Getting anywhere in the world of stand up comedy is not easy. As you may know, the stand up comedy career path can be a risky endeavor. Thousands of people try it every year and very few ever make anything substantial happen as a result. I went the route of producing my own shows. I run the best shows with the biggest names and I’ve been doing so for over 15 years now. I really enjoy it and it’s really made me a much better comedian in the process. Getting stage time in LA is not easy. You have to really stand out. Running my own shows has given me steady stage time for many years and it’s been very beneficial. I’ve learned that most people are not going to help you succeed and if you want to get something done you have to find a way to make it happen. Being creative has always been my passion and I’m lucky to be in a business that lets me do just that. Besides stand up comedy, I’m also a really good deepfaker. I’ve been doing it for fun and have some studio work under my belt as well. 10’s Millions of views online with those!

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
There’s so much to do in Los Angeles. So much good food and entertainment. I would definitely drag them to one of my shows at The Hollywood Improv on Melrose. Maybe drive up the street after to Laurel Hardware for some good food and drinks. Then of course there’s Venice Beach, Universal Studios, Disneyland… Maybe a show at Pantages if something good is out. Plenty of sushi and Mexican food spots that they might not get in their city. I really think LA has so much to do, and it would be hard to run out of things to show them in just a week.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
Honestly, the only people I can give any credit for what success I’ve achieved would be to my parents. They did not push me towards something I did not want to do and they let me be who I am, even if there were possible stability risks involved. I was able to follow my passion rather than be put in a lane towards what they thought was best.

Website: http://www.brianmonarch.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brianmonarch/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/brianmonarch

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BrianMonarchComedy/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/brianmonarchcomedy

Other: Tik Tok – https://www.tiktok.com/@brianmonarchcomedy?lang=en Deepfakes – https://brianmonarch.com/deepfakes/

Image Credits
Black and white stage photos by Troy Conrad. Headshots are Matt Misisco. Color stage shots by Mike Falzone.

Nominate Someone: ShoutoutLA is built on recommendations and shoutouts from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.