131. Phoenix Comedian Steve Shortbus Krause

Join Scott and Mark with their guests Steve “ShortBus” Krause, as they chat about how to get into comedy and why there needs to be more genuine comics in the industry. ShortBus is a stairclimber, motivational speaker, and comedian from Pheonix, Arizona. Today, he shares what inspired him to get into stand-up and why he thinks aliens are real. There’s a lot to unpack so, stay tuned and enjoy the episode!Still Having Fun, Even in DisabilityIn this episode, ShortBus shares why he jokes about disability as an opener for his performances. While some would get rightfully offended by it, other people who sometimes have disabilities often come up to him and praise him for his work. They would tell him how included they felt and how brave he was for representing people of disability, showing the world that anyone can do comedy. ShortBus also does it because he believes he is already at a disadvantage when he goes on stage and is in a wheelchair. After all, any comic is immediately judged the second they walk out the door. Being disabled takes it to a whole other level because people would either feel sorry for him or expect him to make the same unfunny handicapped jokes. And so, ShortBus takes his disability and uses it to his advantage by breaking the ice with it. He lets people know that he is okay with being disabled and that if he doesn’t feel sorry for himself, you shouldn’t either. In the end, the audience has two options: they use their God-given legs and walk out or sit there and enjoy the ride. For ShortBus, his audience often chooses the latter.Mental Health Among ComediansWe all know mental health is an important issue everyone should address. Here, ShortBus asked the interesting question of “Why mental health is not being addressed in the comedian world right now?” and answered it best. According to him, comedians do what they do because they either hate their lives or are more screwed in the head than average. Often, comedians use their unstable mental health as fuel to the fire that is their performances. Bu