Comedy is an art form that can be traced back to Aristophanes, a Greek author and playwright. Comedy has since evolved into its modern era which is how we presently think about comedy: stand up shows, sketch comedy, film, etc. Now, due to the prevalence of the Internet, comedy has become a phenomenon that is enjoyed across the globe. Applications such as TikTok boast comedy users who post their material in the hopes of becoming the next George Carlin or Janeane Garofalo.

TheThings spoke with comedian, Heather Shaw, about her introduction to the world of comedy and conquering her fear of performing live.

Heather's First Stand up Performance

Almost every modern day individual who chooses to pursue comedy professionally has comedic idols. Whether from film, live stand up shows, or radio, these comedians have imprinted their comedic styles and feats on those who wish to do the same.

"Jim Carrey is definitely the first comedic actor I remember loving as a kid. Ace Ventura, Liar Liar, Dumb & Dumber, etc . were all movies I grew up on and took huge inspiration (and a face) from. Stand up wise, I love Maria Bamford, Zach Galifianakis, Tim Dillon, Jessica Kirson. There are way too many funny stand up comedians that I look up to mention."

Whether attending the show of an idol or not, we all remember the first stand up show we attended.

"I think it was Carrot Top. It was a good show even though prop comedy isn't really my thing these days. The man was successful for a reason."

16 years into his career and Carrot Top has truly mastered what it means to be a quick fire prop comedian. Don't judge the show until you see it. I mean, who would've thought Sam Kinison screaming on stage would be a hit? That's the beauty of comedy; each individual stands on stage and delivers an act that's unique to them.

Standup comedy is an extremely intimidating art form. Essentially, you have to overcome your inhibitions and be prepared for the possibility of absolutely bombing in front of an audience of strangers. For Heather, that was a minor deterrence in the grand scheme of her aspirations.

"I started doing comedy at 26. I've always wanted to be a comedian but was so scared of performing. One day I just woke up and said 'f it' and started going to open mics. Haven't stopped since."

So, what was the first open mic Heather attended?

"The first open mic I went to was in Orlando, FL where I was living. The host of the mic was actually Preacher Lawson who is now a successful comedian and America's Got Talent alum. It was a little nerve wracking, but I remember there being like, 7 people in the audience, so it really wasn't a huge deal to go up and absolutely suck at stand up the first time. Once I got the first time jitters out of the way, I was hooked forever."

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Heather, TikTok, and Jim Carrey

If you're a user of TikTok, you've probably seen a video or two of Heather making reference to the fact that she shares many facial features with the great Jim Carrey.

"[I downloaded TikTok] during Covid times, and I was pretty bored not being able to do stand up comedy live, so I decided to see if I could convince TikTok that I was Jim Carrey's daughter, and it worked a little too well."

With a following of over 2 million individuals on the social media app, Heather has begun to address the comparison in her stand up comedy.

"I never included looking like Jim Carrey in my act before TikTok because I didn't want to be known as just some impressionist, but I've heard how much I look like him my entire life, so I've always been used to hearing it. I now have a little bit of my act addressing the elephant in the room about how I look like him, but the rest of my set is just my own jokes and comedy."

As previously noted, accomplished comedians are those who can stand on their own two feet (literally) and perform singular and exceptional jokes from their own books, just as Heather has been doing.

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Heather's Advice For Aspiring Comedians

While Jim hasn't reached out to Heather to discuss their uncanny looks, Heather has made a name for herself in the world of comedy through her TikTok platform and achievements on stage. So much so, in fact, that she is,

"Currently setting up a tour in America...[I] just want to continue doing live comedy shows wherever I can. I'd love to get into acting at some point as well, but for now, I just want to perform and tour."

In closing, we wanted to get Heather's perspective on how one might begin to enter the world of comedy, especially if nerves are the deterrent.

"Just do it like Nike. Just go for it and don't look back. You're going to die one day so just try the things you want to try and don't pay any attention to what the possible outcome could be from it. Enjoy the ride and just go for it without thinking."

Heather is a living example of "no excuses." Had she not been brave enough to cast aside her jitters, she might not be the success story she is today. Luckily for us comedy lovers, she was.