Jamie Kennedy Explains How Stand-Up Comedy’s Changed Amid Pandemic

Jamie Kennedy says joke-telling won’t be the same for a good while — which ain’t a bad thing for a very specific type of comic … who might actually thrive under the circumstances.

We talked to Jamie about the state of stand-up during the pandemic, and asked what he and his contemporaries are doing to navigate while still working out their material in front of an audience.

It’s interesting … he tells us straight up … comedy was NOT the first thing on his mind when the ‘rona started spreading like crazy here in the States, understandably so.

Now that the dust is, hopefully, starting to settle … he says he’s pivoted fairly well, as have others. While some clubs are reportedly trying to open again with proper guidelines in place, Jamie’s not rushing out to do a lot of in-person gigs at the moment.

It’s got nothing to do with facing hecklers, who gave him the business last year … leading to an epic onstage rant. Instead, Jamie’s just playing it safe with regards to the virus.

What he IS doing is a lot of podcasts, and some funny Zoom sessions too. He says it’s strange times, and he’s trying to embrace it best he can.

When we asked if certain comedians might do better away from live audiences, he says there’s no doubt about it.