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Second City’s Andy St. Clair

The star of the e.t.c.’s “Campaign Supernova! or How Many Democrats Does it Take to Lose an Election” discusses why Second City feels like college, the idea of comedy groupies and staying in Saddam’s palace

By Trent Modglin

Second City’s e.t.c stage launched its 31st revue, “Campaign Supernova! Or How Many Democrats Does it Take to Lose an Election?” in May. For veteran comedian Andy St. Clair, it’s his third time starring on stage at the famous theater.

St. Clair sat down with The Real Chicago before a recent Friday performance to talk about what it’s like to get paid to make people laugh and a whole lot more.

Q: At what point did it hit you that you wanted comedy to be your thing?
A: I don’t really know because it feels like I’m always still searching. I moved to Chicago in 1998 and started taking classes at iO (formerly Improv Olympic) and Second City, and I was working with such good people at both places that encouraged me to keep working, which helped out a lot. And by 2003, Second City was basically forced to hire me to be an understudy, and then I started touring with the tour company. And around that time, I started thinking, “Hey, it would be fun if I could make this a career.”

Q: What kind of jobs did you have to hold down to pay the bills when you were starting out?
A: What every other improviser and comedian does here, work that day job, temp, whatever you can do your hands on. You basically have two jobs. You do your job job during the day, and then at night you go to rehearsals from 7-10 at night or you write or you do a show. And then the next day you’ve got to wake up and do it all over again. ... I had so many awful jobs. I called people, the phone soliciting thing… what do you call that… a telemarketer? I did it for like two days, and I just couldn’t go back. I thought I’d rather temp than do that. They told you, “Oh, I think you’re really going to be good at this,” and I was like, “Uh huh.”

Q: Tell me about the writing process.
A: That’s a fun time. Sometimes a scene will go up and you’re like, ‘This is going to be terrible.’ You just know it’s going to be terrible, and it ends up being successful. And then sometimes it’s the opposite, where you’re real confident in this one thing you’ve pitched, and then when it gets out there it’s a complete dog and you’re like, ‘Ah, shit. I cannot believe that’s a dog.’

Q: I picture the cast sitting around a big table at 2 a.m., pizza boxes and cigarette butts, laughing and trying to one-up each other.
A: I wish. That’d be great. Let’s say on Sunday night, the last night of our work week, we’ll have a talk and the director will tell us to bring in one sketch about anything you want and one blackout. Then on Wednesday, which is pitch day, we bring in copies and hand them out. Sometimes, it can be a script or sometimes it can be improvised, just a premise, like you and I are on a boat, and we’re brothers, and I want to tell you something, and we’ll just improvise around that. And that’s pretty fun too. So maybe after the first time something goes up in front of an audience, then I think everybody in that scene, or even the cast, feels ownership, and they’ll say, ‘I think it’ll be funny if you said this.’ … I always want it just to be funny, and the more people you bounce it off of, the better. That’s a fun time, trying different things.

Q: With the improv scene in Chicago, doesn’t it feel like a big fraternity? Everyone seems like they know everybody else or they’ve worked with them on a project.
A: Yes. It’s like a clubhouse. I’ll still do a show at iO on Sunday nights or Wednesday nights. I think everybody starts off taking classes at some point. … Everybody has seen everybody else suck, and they’ve seen everybody be great, and tried different projects all around.

Q: There’s good comedy in New York and Vegas and L.A., but don’t you think if you asked true improv or sketch comedians, they point to Chicago as kind of the epicenter?
A: Oh yeah. For sure. I even think, all the people that have become successful, like (Jack) McBrayer or Peter Gwynn or Peter Grosz and all these writers or (Kevin) Dorff or (John) Lutz or some of those guys, they always talk about how much fun it is to live here in Chicago and start working. I feel like they’re always telling you to enjoy it.

Q: Like older people tell you when you’re in college.
A: Exactly. They’re saying: “Enjoy it while you’re there because you want to go back as soon as you leave.” But New York has some new improv things opening up, and a lot of people from here go out to L.A. to do some other things.

Q: How was working for Second City in Las Vegas?
A: It was great. I loved it. We worked at the Flamingo. Outside of the gambling, I loved it. I gambled a little too much (winces). I got to like two blocks off the strip. You could do a show, and then you open the doors and hear that casino going ding, ding, ding (imitating slot machines). Constantly. It’s always packed. It’s Vegas. There’s so many great things about it. And we had like two or three pools in the complex we stayed at.

Q: What’s the difference between a Chicago crowd and a Vegas crowd?
A: Well, a Vegas crowd is always on vacation. For sure. A show in Vegas doesn’t tend to be too political either. People on vacation don’t want to see too much bashing or anything about politics. They want to see (things about) men and women. At Second City here, if we didn’t do anything about politics, they would kill us (in the press).

Q: What makes for good humor? What do you think is the key component to making people laugh?
A: Whoa. That’s a broad one. Wow (laughs).

Q: Yeah, sorry, I should have warned you about that one.
A: I’ve always found the element of surprise is a good one for sure. Yeah. People like to be surprised with stuff. And I’ve always found that if it looks like we’re having fun, having a good time with a scene. I think that’s what Second City is all about. When I watch “30 Rock,” I’m always thinking it looks like a lot of fun that they’re having. That and very smart writing, good acting and just good characters. My answer would be a nice stew of all of that.

Q: How would you describe “Campaign Supernova?”
A: I think it has a wide… a wide… let’s see, I’ve got to be very careful (laughs). I think it has the wide range from silly to serious and topical. That’s always good in a show to go from goofball to just a good relationship moment. Anytime you can go from a song about R. Kelly to a girl who has M.S. to complaining about someone being cheap to a slideshow with Peter Frampton to a camp counselor to a thing about boating. If you put all those things into a show, it’s bound to be pretty interesting to come and see.

Q: When you’re out and people you meet find out what you do for a living, do they expect you to make them laugh? You know, the whole dancing monkey scenario?
A: They always say, “Tell me a joke.” I don’t know if they think we’re a stand-up place or what. I hate telling people that I am not a good joke teller. I don’t remember jokes, and if I do, I hurry through it and just want to get to the punchline and ruin it. … Most people aren’t too bad about it. Even friends of mine, some of them didn’t understand really what we do until they see a show.

Q: Do you have any horror stories from the road with the touring company?
A: You know, you get in a van sometimes and have to drive through a snowstorm to get to a gig, or sometimes your hotel is just crappy. You get what I used to call “rape doors,” where if you go to a motel and the door opens just to the outside. If that door opens to the outside (the parking lot), then you can break that door down and you’re going to get raped. If your room is inside the building though, where you have to go in, you’re OK. We didn’t stay in too many rape doors though. Second City has gotten very good at that part of it, putting us up. … Sometimes you get two cars, sometimes if it’s a close gig, you just get the big blue van and go, and then you get back here at 2 or 3 in the morning. Other times, you’re on the road for 10 days on the East Coast, which can be fun too. The best time was Hawaii.

Q: And you were in Iraq too. How was that? Was it scary?
A: It’s a little terrifying because you don’t know all of what’s going on. Looking back now, we were probably a little cavalier about it. … We had to wear Kevlar vests and helmets. We were very well protected, with vans in front of us and behind us. Guys in our vans were all military guys with guns. … Then we flew into Baghdad on a military plane, and what I do remember is the pilot turning off the engine and turning down the lights and gliding in (for the landing) for precautionary reasons. The big joke is, I fell asleep in this big plane as we’re flying. And then we landed in Baghdad International at midnight, which is a little terrifying of a time to land. And we got to stay at one of Saddam’s palaces, with all these rooms and hang out, play ping pong, watch ESPN, play in a game room with the soldiers. Just hang out and talk with them while they unwind. And in his palace, they have computers and internet set up. But then in back, there was this pond, and you heard some unflattering stories of what had happened at the pond. And then there’d be some mortars going off nearby, and you could feel that a little bit.

Q: Do you have anyone who inspired you or stood out for you in comedy?
A: There are so many talented people in Chicago and so many talented people who have left Chicago and gotten television jobs and some working toward that now, that it would be hard to pinpoint someone. So many people were helpful to me when I was younger, encouraging me to keep working and working and reminding me that it was not unattainable, because after awhile, it can get to you. Friends help you along the way, and there are some great people here (at Second City). It’s fun though, because you can’t get too big here because there are people who will thump you down and tell you a story about Bill Murray or a Chris Farley or Tina Fey story, and then you’re like, “Hey, I got a long way to go.”

Q: Is there a comedian or actor out there who you look up to?
A: I would have to say Larry the Cable Guy (laughs). I always feel like Bill Murray’s had a nice run. He did a lot of funny stuff and then started doing more serious, interesting roles. He did “Bottle Rocket” and “Lost in Translation,” and then he does a shitty movie like “Broken Flowers” or whatever that awful movie was. And “Garfield.” He was the voice of Garfield I think. But Bill’s got a big boat. He’s gotta pay for that boat, so you can’t be picking and choosing all the time. But I think he’s incredible. It’d be great to have 1/16th of the success that guy has had, because he’s incredible.

Q: Was it a little intimidating, coming in here in what’s like hallowed ground? It’s kind of hard not to notice the pictures and know the history behind it, no?
A: Sure. Yeah, you know I remember getting a script when I was on one of my first touring companies, and I got to play a role that Scott Adler created. And it’s got Tina (Fey) in it, all these names, (Stephen) Colbert, (Steve) Carrell or Amy Sedaris. And you know it’s funny. You just don’t want to screw it up, make sure you hit all your marks. You may have snuck a script out and kept it at home. What a great thing to be a part of.

Q: I’m sure you’ve heard plenty of stories about the party scene with John Belushi and the boys, especially from the 1970s, and then Chris Farley more recently. Do you find that it’s hard to turn it off at 1:00 in the morning after a big show?
A: Well, sure, but I don’t think the cocaine use is quite as rampant anymore (laughs). A couple people in each cast have children. A lot of people are married or getting married in another couple of stages. People still go out, spend a lot of time at the Old Town Ale House, but it’s not the same. I don’t know why. I think it maybe depends on the cast too. If it were a cast of a lot of people in their early 20s, (the late nights) will probably happen a little more. But right now, it’s a little bit of an older crowd, and it’s like, “I’ve got to do something in the morning.”

Q: Is there part of you that wishes that you could step back 30 years for one combination of Friday and Saturday shows with Belushi? What would you look like on Sunday morning?
A: I’d be in rough shape. I’d wonder how they live like this. Just once, I’d watch one of the shows live, or be in it, and then hang out at the Ale House until 4 in the morning with those guys. I imagine it was crazy. I probably couldn’t stand to know how much fun that would be. That would blow my mind.

Q: Is there a favorite character you’ve done that holds a special place with you?
A: I like all of them. That’s the problem is you get so attached. I’ve always liked Coach (an old, frustrated, verbally abusive coach he does in a solo act), and a smoking scene from the smoking lounge in the Vegas airport. And then there was the Foxworthy character from the last show, a NASCAR guy who learns about the Middle East. And Larry Steps (a televangelist type who tries to motivate people to vote). But if I had to choose, it would be Coach. I love doing that. I would do that more if I could, because I think everybody had a coach like that and can relate.

Q: Do you find that, in your line of work, a sense of humor really is the way to a woman’s heart? Is there some validity to that old adage?
A: Do you mean do we have comedy groupies or that kind of thing?

Q: Well, yes, in a roundabout way.
A: I don’t think we’ve ever seen that. I’ve never heard from someone that we’ve got three girls hanging out backstage afterwards. It never, ever happens. After the show, everybody kind of vanishes, and it’s like, OK, let’s go to the Ale House where we know the bartender and can hang out with Mark and Tim and Johnny and Bruce. Yeah, no comedy groupies. You might think that would happen… maybe. Maybe on SNL it happens a little, but not here.

Q: What do you enjoy most about improv?
A: That it’s always different. You can do a thousand “Get Into My Office” skits, where it starts with “Hey, get into my office. I need to talk to you.” But there is always something that makes each and every one of them different. It could be something small, it could be something big. It’s always surprising, fun and different.

Q: Does it bring out the butterflies a little bit?
A: Oh yeah. Because a pure improv show could be a disaster after like 10 minutes. It could be going great, and then all of a sudden you make a mistake, as a group, and then you’re like, “Oh shit.” But once you get better and you’ve done it for years, those mistakes can be more fun and can make for something else great. When I first started, that mistake would ruin me for the next 15 minutes. I’d be calling myself an idiot. But now I’m not that hard on myself, and it’s like great, let’s move along.

Q: Would that be your advice to someone coming up the ranks – to have a short memory, good or bad?
A: Yes, I would recommend having a short memory, have some fun. It’s not rocket surgery. It’s improv. Go out there and have some fun, make it interesting, make it artistic, whatever you want to do with it. And don’t get to hung up on yourself. Keep plugging away because there are so many opportunities and options out there.

Q: Is it a friendly market or a competitive market in Chicago, or maybe a little bit of both?
A: I hope it would be friendly. Since I’ve been working at Second City the last couple years, I’ve been out of the loop a little bit as far as seeing some other shows because a lot of them are on Friday or Saturday nights. I call Second City the Comedy Yankees, by the way, because there always the highest payroll and they’re expected to be good, and when they’re not great, everybody starts shitting on them. And everyone else starts saying “I could do that. I could play for them.” So I spend so much time with the Comedy Yankees that I haven’t had the time to see as many shows as I would like to see, some that my friends are in that I’ve heard are great, but I think everyone is very supportive.

Q: So if somebody makes it big, it’s not jealousy or a that-should-have-been-me thing? It’s more where you’re actually pulling for that person?
A: Oh yeah, even if you don’t know that person, it’s like, “He’s one of ours. He did it!” And I joined the fraternity. I had never seen Scott Adsit live, but when I saw “30 Rock” for the first time, and the others on that show from here, I was very proud of them, and I don’t know most of them one bit. I think that’s how everybody is. I hope, I assume.

Q: So what’s the best part about Second City?
A: From working here, the best thing is that you ultimately get to do whatever you want to do. They’ve never once said something’s too crazy. You do whatever you want to do. Most everyone who leaves the stage at Second City and goes on to fame comes back and tells the current cast members that this is the best time artistically. You get to do whatever you want every night. Writing that show, you get to make it however you want. And it is pretty great. Pretty exciting.

Q: Kind of like that college reference. Enjoy it while you’re there.
A: Yes, a lot like that. They always come back and say, “Ugh, I wish I was back to where you guys are.” That always happens. No one in Second City tells you no. I can’t imagine what I would have to write where they would say “You just can’t put that on stage.” I just don’t know what that would be. I’m sure I could think of something. Maybe that’ll be my next assignment for the next show.

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