Widely regarded as one of the best joke writers today, comedian Sam Morril is bringing his Class Act Tour on Friday to Northampton at the Academy of Music.
Showtime is 7 p.m.
“I’ve toured nonstop for many years, but this is my first theater tour and it is so exciting. I call it the Class Act Tour as a sarcastic way to describe the show. I don’t think of it as classy when telling a joke about a girl who wanted to pee on me,” Morril said in an interview with The Republican.
One of the fastest-rising stand-up comics in New York City, Morril was a regular on Comedy Central’s “This Week at the Comedy Cellar,” where he appeared on frequently when not touring cities across the nation. He was named one of Comedy Central’s Comics to Watch in 2011 and has performed multiple stand-up sets on “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert,” “The Late, Late Show with James Corden” and “Conan.” He’s also had stints on “Last Comic Standing,” “America’s Got Talent,” “@midnight” with Chris Hardwick, and “Inside Amy Schumer.” He also appeared in Showtime’s hit series “Billions” as well as the Academy Award-nominated film “Joker” alongside Joaquin Phoenix.
Morril’s voice can be heard as several characters in the current season of the hit MAX animated series “Ten Year Old Tom” and his latest hour standup special, “Same Time Tomorrow,” is currently streaming on Netflix. The comedian’s last three standup specials, “I Got This,” “Up on the Roof” and “Full Capacity” collectively have over 15 million YouTube views. Also on Netflix, he recently appeared on “That’s My Time” with David Letterman where the iconic late-night host invited some of the hottest up-and-coming stand-up stars to perform a set and sit down for a chat. A popular voice on the sports and comedy podcast circuit, Morril co-hosts the popular podcast “We Might Be Drunk” with fellow comedian Mark Normand.
Turning his attention to the recording industry, Morril decided released his standup special “I Got This” as a comedy album with 800 Pound Gorilla Records. In 2015, the comedian recorded his debut album, “Class Act,” with Comedy Central Records, which went to No. 1 on iTunes and made numerous top 10 lists and appeared on season four of Comedy Central’s “The Half Hour.”
With quite a list of accomplishments to his name, asked when he felt he had truly “arrived” on the scene, the entertainer noted “comedy is not an overnight thing.
“You get just enough approval to not quit. It’s not one moment, but a series of moments when you are performing, when something feels different and cool. It is hard to feel you have arrived. You don’t feel your career is forever…..you don’t feel success is forever. One night you find yourself opening for Amy Schumer on her arena tour, then later you are back doing stand-up in a small club. So, you don’t get a big head,” Morril said.
The comedian turned his attention to the four-month strike by the Writers Guild of America who were later joined by striking SAG-AFTRA members. The Writers Guild of America is a labor union representing writers of motion pictures, television, radio and internet programming. SAG-AFTRA is the largest labor union representing performers, broadcasters and recording artists. Their current dispute pits them against the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers, a trade association that represent such huge corporation as Disney, Netflix, Paramount and Warner Bros. Discovery.
“I’m fortunate that it doesn’t really affect me, although my mom once wanted be to be a screenwriter because she felt it was a secure profession,” Morril said.
“It’s a pretty horrible situation for these underpaid writers and for those striking actors now from SAG-AFTRA. The lack of empathy is pretty shocking from CEOs who make an enormous amount of money like (Disney CEO) Bob Iger, who are coming to the negotiating table with evil tactics,” he added.
Morril looked ahead to the future.
“I certainly would like to continue what I’m doing at this level in my career. Once again, there is no guarantee in this business for continued success. I’m liking my current theater tour which makes for an easier life….a bus is efficient and fun and waking up in a new city every day is pretty cool, that’s not to say I don’t love working comedy clubs as well,” he said.
Tickets are $35 – or $44.42 after fees. They can be purchased online or by visiting the Academy of Music box office, or calling 413-584-9032, ext. 105.
Morril’s tour has asked for no cellphones, texting, cameras, or recording devices of any kind to be pulled out/used during the show. Violators will be ejected from the event without a refund.