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

Hi Mort, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
I wanted to do comedy from before I really knew it was a thing. The only real thought process has been that nothing else seems as magical to me. I’ve had other jobs, and it’s not that they were harder, it’s just that suffering through the challenges of them didn’t seem meaningful to me at all.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I’m currently most excited about my Stand-Up special, Spiritually Filthy, which is available on YouTube. It represents many years work and dedication in the arena I dearly love. The challenges of pursuing this path have been the absurd financial fluctuations. What I’ve learned is that the more I try to be of service, the happier I am, regardless of the state of my career.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I’d take them to see Maria Bamford, wherever she’s performing. It’s usually someplace cool and undervalued like the Clubhouse in Los Feliz. I’d send them to Penguin in mid-city for fried-as-hell fish and chips with their incomparable hush puppies. Later in the week I’d send them to Shojin for something that sounds gross (vegan sushi) but is actually totally delectable. Then I’d insist that they visit the Self Realization Fellowship for a deeply tranquil walk around a gorgeous lake and to pay special attention to the spot where some of Ghandi’s actual ashes lay.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
My wife, family and friends, performers of comedy, everyone in recovery, Thich Nhat Hahn, The Law Of One, the instructors at and performers at City Improv, Pat Babbitt and Joey Christopoulos.

Website: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2091031/

Instagram: @MortBurke

Twitter: @MortBurke

Facebook: Mort Burke

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tAP46Jsb5d0

Image Credits
Josh Edelman

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