Meet Jeff Leach | Actor, Comedian, Broadcaster.

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

Hi Jeff, is there something that you feel is most responsible for your success?
I would say that the direct connection I have with my fan base has been instrumental in the growth of both my career and ‘brand’. I broadcast, reply and even speak directly via social platforms to my audience every single day. That open dialogue has helped push my creative projects in the right direction and kept me true to my purpose as I receive constant feedback and encouragement from the men and women who so generously give me their time and energy as supporters.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I’ve always tried to create something different to whatever seems to have become the meta amongst my peers.

Let’s take comedy specials for example. For many years this format has barely been deviated from by most stand-up comics and follows a very recognisable flow from start to finish. Most ‘specials’ are produced by one of the big name streaming platforms and offer 50 minutes of written stand up comedy, topped and tailed by 10 mins of intro/outro. For my debut comedy taping I decided to crowdfund the entire project with my fan base and discuss the elements I wanted to include with them as I developed the ideas one by one. What has resulted is development of a self-produced, audience-funded comedy SPECTACULAR (not ‘special’) in which I will showcase written stand up, crowd work material, written sketches, a rap music video and a dramatic monologue that will form the backbone of the piece.

If I had taken my work to a platform/outside production company they would never have allowed me to create the project I wanted to with the artistic freedom I am currently enjoying. Sometimes rather than seeking approval and recognition from the industry, it is best to look to the people who already love and admire your work (your fan-base) and create something that both you will be proud of and they will be an integral part of.

My ‘Comedy Spectacular’ is due for completion at the start of August 2022 and the fundraiser is still currently active at: https://jeffreyleach.com

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.
If I had some friends visiting LA I would follow the Holy Trinity of Good Hosting: Eat, Entertain & Relax!

I’d start off by filling my friends’ bellies with joy with some delicious French cuisine at the critically acclaimed ‘The Little Door’ restaurant in West Hollywood or a classic bacon burger, hot peppers and frosted beer at ‘Hinano Cafe’ bar in Venice Beach. Once their tummies are taken care of, we’d check out some stand-up at Westside Comedy Theater or the newly opened Cali Comedy Club which are two of my favourite live venues in the city. Next day I’d help them unwind with some mud pools at the Glen Ivy Hot Springs, a massage and facial at WanSerene or perhaps some horse-riding at Dark Horse Ranch. Oh, and you had better believe that there would be some hiking so we could drink in those rolling mountains and the glistening coastlines you can see from them. If you need recommendations the AllTrails app has served me well in finding the best climbs around town.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
My therapist Michael deserves a solid shout out for helping me grow every week into the best version of myself. A lot of folks still feel some kind of stigma about acknowledging that they receive support for their mental health. I learned years ago when I quit drinking and took control over every aspect of my existence, that I would always be transparent with my audience about my struggles and how I have overcome them. That’s mental health advocacy at its finest and I’m proud to say that discussing my own mental health journey with my audience has encouraged many of them to take the same steps in empowering themselves to conquer whatever mental health issues they might be facing.

Website: https://jeffreyleach.com

Instagram: https://Instagram.com/jeffleach

Twitter: https://twitter.com/jeffleach

Facebook: https://facebook.com/jeffleachcomedian

Youtube: https://youtube.com/jeffleachtv

Other: https://TikTok.com/@jeffleach

Image Credits
The shots of me in my red shirt and green suit either on stage or outside the comedy cellar were taken by: JONAS BARNES All other photos are my own.