When Preacher Lawson last performed at Goodnight’s Comedy Club in Raleigh, he was doing guest spots for Ron Funches.
This week, Lawson is coming back as a headliner.
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Lawson’s story features many moving parts, and moving a lot when he was a kid — 20 times by age 10 — is a major component.
That nearly perpetually nomadic existence could have broken Lawson’s spirit, but he turned the experience into a positive, learning early on that, as he says on his website, “the one universal language everyone had in common was laughter.”
I’m a GROWN man dad, I hate when you tickle me! Haha but you always find a way to make me laugh! Even if I don’t want to. When I get older I could always look back on pictures like this and think #GoodTimes#HappyFathersDaypic.twitter.com/LapNGtq0ts
— Preacher Lawson (@PreacherLawson) June 17, 2018
After writing his first jokes at 16 and getting on stage for the first time at 17, Lawson has pursued a comedy career with full force.
In 2015, he was named the funniest comedian in Florida and a year later he won the Seattle International Comedy Competition.
Just scooting through life like a gangsta 🛴🔥🙌🏾 pic.twitter.com/BkQxvzivsT
— Preacher Lawson (@PreacherLawson) June 9, 2018
That coast-to-coast recognition seems appropriate for Lawson, who has settled in Los Angeles but is doing shows all over the country as part of his Big Sounds and Loud Faces Tour.
During a Wednesday afternoon phone interview, Lawson and I discussed his favorite moments from being a contestant on America’s Got Talent, why both of us decided to make healthy lifestyle changes and more.
It takes hours to make minutes look good #CookingWithAComedian 🙌🏾❤️ pic.twitter.com/4w8qzN31qu
— Preacher Lawson (@PreacherLawson) June 3, 2018
Enjoy the interview, follow Lawson on Twitter and don’t forget The Best Tweet I Can Find in Five Minutes at the end:
Tony Castleberry: Will this be your first time performing at Goodnights?
Preacher Lawson: No, I did a guest spot there for Ron Funches. He’s a friend of mine. He was in town and I was in town for a private gig. I just kind of stopped by and did a guest spot so I’ve done a couple minutes there. It was fun, man.
TC: Having to move as much as you did when you were young sounds traumatic, but you mention on your website that it helped you adapt to new surroundings, which in turn helps you in comedy. At the time, did you recognize that positive side of moving so much or have you only gained that knowledge with the benefit of hindsight?
PL: Oh, I’m just looking at my glass half full. That’s all that is. I would never do that to my children, have them move as much as I did. I do think (all that moving) has detriments, but it has positives. Like, I can talk to anyone. Just go up to them randomly and say, “What’s up?” and make a friend. I do adapt well.
I’ve moved a lot of times in L.A. People sometimes move a lot after they first get here and they freak out. They stress out. I know how to pack within seconds.
TC: [laughs] How long have you been vegan? I switched to a vegetarian diet about a year ago and I love it.
PL: It’s been incredible. I feel great. I’ve been a vegan for, let’s see, how long have I been a good person? [interviewer laughs] I’ve been a vegan since November. I’ve been a vegetarian for a couple years.
TC: What prompted that change?
PL: I’ve always thought about doing it. One time I got a dog and the only reason I got the dog is because I liked a girl. That’s the only reason. I was like, “This is my chance!” [interviewer laughs] It was so dumb and I got stuck with a dog, but I just fell in love with my dog. You can have the worst day, you come home and that dog is like, “Where have you been for the last seven months?!?” and you’ve been gone for three hours. You know what I mean?
TC: A hundred percent.
PL: I just love my dog so much I was like, anything that has a heartbeat, I don’t wanna eat anymore so I stopped.
TC: I feel you on that and I definitely wanted to do it for health reasons, but I think overwhelmingly, I’m with you. Anything that has feelings or that can see me or I can see it, I just don’t want to take that thing’s life.
PL: Same. How do you feel?
TC: Oh God, so much better. I lost weight and almost immediately too. It did not take long at all for me to notice changes.
PL: Yeah, even in your first week, you’re like, “Whoa.” I felt the same.
TC: Some of my friends seem interested in changing too, but others are so old school and redneck-y that they’re like, “I’m gonna eat meat with every meal.” Cool. Do that and die of a heart attack at 55. That’ll be fine.
PL: [laughs] Yeah, exactly.
TC: What is your favorite memory of AGT?
PL: (long pause) Oh man. When I first ran on stage and seeing 2,000 people (in the audience), I’ve never seen that many people before. Seeing Simon (Cowell) and Howie (Mandel) was pretty insane. Licking Tyra’s hand was pretty insane.
On the last episode I was performing on, when I did the homeless guy joke, that was probably one of my favorite moments in the world because that’s a love or hate joke, you know what I mean? My brother hates it.
That’s my brother. Then you’ve got other people who love it. It’s their favorite joke when they go to comedy clubs. They’re like, “Please do that joke.” I risked it all with that joke. The whole time I was like, “I’m gonna get Xed.”
There are so many moments. Oh! Seeing my mom. I hadn’t seen her in years and that was one of my favorite moments ever in life. Performing in front of my mom, that’s probably my favorite moment. She’s seen me in all these bars and random places I had to sneak into so to see her (in the AGT audience) was amazing.
Here it is, The Best Tweet I Can Find in Five Minutes:
My favorite person to follow on Facebook is my old high school English teacher, Mr. Mac Kerron who posts photos of lettuce, chard, and kale. He knows what’s up. pic.twitter.com/0to8V5dC0M
— Erica Rhodes (@ericarhodes)