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| Amanda Costner pictured above |
Comedic Musician Amanda Costner,joins me today. Amanda spent her early childhood in Alabama and her teenage years in Oklahoma and bases out of the Twin Cities. Amanda has performed at Second City, Brave New Workshop, Looney Bin Comedy Club and bars and theaters throughout the modest. Her comedic songs range from acoustic pop ballads about being a gay preacher’s daughter, to soul-comedy pieces on the war of sexual frustration.
And onto the interview...
Amanda, WHERE DO YOU GET YOUR MATERIAL?
All the songs I write come from real life experiences either from my past, or things I'm going through in the present. One of my favorite songs to play is called "Are You Impressed?", it's always relevant for me to sing that song to audiences because I've always been someone constantly trying to impress the people around me. I spent most of my 20's roller blading in a Fedora through busy intersections of Chicago because I thought I looked cool (I look ridiculous in a fedora and I probably could have been killed without a helmet). That line is in the song because it's just something I did you know?
HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN PERFORMING STAND-UP COMEDY?
About 5 or 6 years. I initially rejected stand-up to pursue improv in Chicago. Then after a few years immersing myself in improv I realized I really wanted to be a comedic musician. After I started getting more and more stage time I realized I needed to tell jokes in between songs to be a better performer. Now I do both standup and comedy music in my sets and I really enjoy the pace.
WHAT IS THE FUNNIEST THING THAT HAS HAPPENED TO YOU RECENTLY?
A few days ago I was play-wrestling with my significant other on the couch because that's how lesbians roll. All the sudden I stand up, make some bold declaration like "Oh yeah, well watch this!" and then my brain just kind of goes blank.
I don't have anything to back up my declaration but I'm already standing and I feel my body getting into spring-motion position, like my knees bend and I prepare myself as if I'm going to do a back-flip off the couch and onto the floor. But I'm a chubby 31 year old and I've literally never back-flipped so instead my body sort of lifts itself in the air and then I just belly flopped onto the wooden floor in our living room. My girlfriend was possibly panicking and trying to examine my head and I'm pretty dizzy/hurt but about 10 seconds after I get my vision back I burst into laughter. What a stupid thing to do to your body-that was probably the stupidest thing I did that day.
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| Amanda Costner |
WHAT WERE YOU LIKE IN HIGH SCHOOL?
I was a weird combination of jock, class-clown and the kid everyone asked to pray in public (if and when that sort of thing was needed). Other kids knew I was a preacher's daughter and I always felt like I had that label to live up to. Most of my time in high school was spent playing golf and focusing on getting good enough to get a college scholarship.
I won our division's individual title my junior year and then that pretty much became what people knew me for---golf. But high school was also where I began honing my comedy skills. I had very few real friends and considered my dad to be my best friend. At lunchtime I could sit with any of the tables (the popular kids, the jocks, the nerds, the skaters, whoever) and feel comfortable, but on the weekends I never saw anyone.
I think my senior year I got invited to one party but other than that I never hung out or associated with the kids in my school socially. I think that's why I was always clowning. In my head if I could make people laugh then that might mean they'd want to be my friend. I wasn't doing it in the right way though. It took me 4 years of college to realize the difference between people laughing at you and people laughing with you.
WHEN IS YOUR NEXT PERFORMANCE?
On November 1st I'm performing at Wild Mind Artisan Ales for their regular Wednesday night Comedy Night hosted by Zak Brown. November 19th I'll be performing in two shows. The first is Mother Goose's Bedtime Stories presents: Cirque du so Goose, taking place at Seward Community Cafe. Then later in the evening I'll be at Stand Up, Fight Back! : Minneapolis, a really cool charity show which will be held at The Terminal bar and feature a panel of activists along with the comedy.
Thanks for joining me Amanda.
Thanks for having me.
Contact Amanda at the links below:
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