Greenroom Chat with Tom Segura

BY DANNY BROWNING

Fresh from shooting a new television project, comedy superstar Tom Segura will be performing at the Ford Center on February 27. News 4U’s comedy guru, Danny Browning, caught up with him to discuss his upcoming performance, the joys of performing in Spanish, and the importance of mozzarella sticks.

Q: You’ll be back in Evansville on February 27. What can your fans expect from this time around?

Tom:

Well, I’ve been on tour with this new hour for a year now, so it’s now really at a place where I’m excited and happy to be in a groove on tour. I’ve been tweaking it for about a year, and it’s come together nicely. It’s an hour that has a bunch of stories and jokes, mostly about observations and things that are going on in my life at the time.

Q: As a comedian myself I’m very interested in this. You said you’ve been doing this new hour for about a year. Is that how long it took you to compile this material, or just polish it?

Tom:

I think it took me about 6 months to develop and build it, but once you take it on the road, that’s really just the initial phase, and it’s definitely not where it needs to be. So, the next year is more about tweaking and polishing. Then, of course, there’s the inevitable process of dropping some things and replacing them with new material. So, it looks a bit different than it did a year ago, and I think that’ll continue throughout this year. The stuff that really works will stay, the stuff that can be polished will get polished, and then, inevitably, you’ll get tired of certain bits, drop them, and replace them with something new.

Q. I spoke with Dusty Slay about a similar topic, and I’m amazed at how comedians like you generate so much material. Between perfecting a new hour of comedy, hosting a daily podcast, writing a book, and managing family life, what’s the secret? What’s the formula? How do you balance it all and still achieve success?

Tom:

That’s a great question. The challenge/key is managing your time and learning to say no to things that don’t align with what’s important or inspiring to you. For example, I recently shot a TV show, which wrapped last month and is now in post-production. That was something I really wanted to do, so I had to say no to almost everything else for about eight weeks. I moved stand-up shows and paused the podcast because there’s only so much you can take on at once. It’s all about balance and prioritizing. For me, being home is also a big priority, so I chose to shoot the show in Austin instead of relocating to Atlanta for eight weeks. Ultimately, you have to figure out what matters most to you and shape your life around those priorities.

Q. As many comedians do, you held day jobs, some related to show business. Did those jobs inspire your comedy, or were they simply a means to get by?

Tom:

Those jobs were really just a way to get by. I could have pursued better positions, but that might have led me down a different career path, which I didn’t want. Jobs like those often exist in tiers—if you work at a pizza shop, for example, it’s understood that it’s not your life’s passion, and you’re using it to get through a particular phase. Employers know you may not value it like you would a career position.

I always treated those jobs with respect, whether it was logging at a post-production house for reality shows or something else. But I made it clear, to myself and them, that my stand-up career was the priority. Most of my employers understood that because I worked hard, showed up on time, and did a good job. In return, they were usually supportive when I needed flexibility, like leaving early for a gig. I’d make up for it by offering to work weekends, and they’d often accommodate me. Those jobs helped me prioritize what was important while teaching me the value of relationships. Even in standup, which might not seem like it relies on relationships, it absolutely does. You have to learn how to work with agents, managers, and producers, and the jobs I had before stand-up taught me how to develop and maintain those connections.

Q. I read your book, I’d Like to Play Alone, Please, and loved it. How does the process of writing a book compare to crafting stand-up material?

Tom:

The cool thing about writing a book is that it’s a very different process - you sit down to write, and some days you’re staring at the page with only three sentences after an hour. On other days, you crank out nine pages in 15 minutes. It’s a hot-and-cold process, similar to stand-up in some ways.

The exciting part of writing a book, especially if you have a good publisher, is working with a great editor. In my case, my editor provided amazing notessuggestions on shaping a chapter, making a story more engaging, or adding humor where needed. It was like having a guide to help refine the material, which you don’t really get in stand-up. Your audience is your editor in comedy, and their feedback is immediate. If a joke doesn’t land, you know it right away.

Writing a book, though, is a ton of work. It’s rewarding, but a much more involved and structured process compared to crafting stand-up material.

Q. Let’s talk podcasting. You cohost Your Mom’s House with your wife. How do you balance professional collaboration with your personal relationship, and how do they influence each other?

Tom:

We’re fortunate that we’ve been doing the podcast together for 15 years, so it feels completely natural at this point. One key to balancing it is that we spend plenty of time apart doing our own things. When I get back from the road and we record the next day, we’re usually excited because the podcast has always been a fun escape for us. It’s a place where we can just be silly and unfiltered, so it never feels like work. In a way, it’s like catching up—we’ll have goofy conversations in real life and think, “We should talk about this on the podcast.” It’s always felt like a release, and to me, Your Mom’s House is the most fun podcast experience I’ve ever had.

Q. You’re fluent in Spanish and have mentioned plans for a Spanish-language special. How does performing comedy in a different language affect your delivery and connection with the audience?

Tom:

It’s definitely challenging, even though I’ve spoken Spanish my whole life. English is my more fluent language, so while casual conversations—like ordering coffee—feel natural, performing comedy in Spanish requires a whole new level of focus and preparation.

Interestingly, my delivery didn’t really change. My Spanish-speaking comedian friends told me, “You sound exactly like you, just in Spanish,” which was reassuring. It worked well with audiences, but I had a lot of insecurities about not being perfect like worrying about grammatical mistakes.

What I learned, though, is that the audience doesn’t care. They appreciate the effort and love that you’re doing it.

Q. When you get those laughs, does it feel the same as a regular show, or does it feel extra special because you worked harder on it?

Tom:

I think you do feel a little extra special especially if you get like a real pop, like if something really pops off …yeah it's it is a thrill. I mean it's a real thrill.

Q. Reflecting on your journey from your early days to breaking through as a prominent comedian, what personal or professional growth are you most proud of, and what goals do you still aspire to achieve?

Tom:

It all comes down to committing fully to what I wanted to do. When I look back on my career, the biggest lesson was learning to be unwavering. I refused to take no for an answer and decided that this was my life, and this was what I was going to do. I’m proud that I stuck with it, even during the times when it felt like things weren’t going anywhere. There were plenty of moments where I could have doubted myself, but I kept going because I loved it and couldn’t imagine doing anything else.

Q. That’s a wonderful answer. Final question: If aliens visited Earth for the first time and you had to perform for them, what would be your opening joke?

Tom:

That’s a great question. I’m not sure what I’d open with, but I think I’d start by offering them some food. I don’t know what alien cuisine is like, but every comedy club is known for serving wings and beer, so I’d lean into that. Maybe some mozzarella sticks, to give them a real taste of Earth.

I would try to get them into the mindset that this is what it's like to be here. Why don’t you guys chow down a little bit and then we'll start the show and maybe we can convert them into obese earthlings.