GO Getter: Matt Allen

Need a laugh? Springfield's newest funny man, Matt Allen, will give you a dose. He's only been in the comedy biz for a year, but he already has plans to release a CD in early 2007. Also on the horizon: developing a name for himself around the region and expanding his tours to Kansas City and Dallas (he already frequents Columbia). You can find Matt at Harpo's every other week, hosting and opening for the bar's new Thursday, Friday and Saturday night comedy acts. If you want more Matt, he'll have his own show January 25 at The Outland.

Tell me about yourself and what you're doing now...the lowdown.
"Well, I moved to Springfield two years ago. I'm originally from Oologah, Oklahoma. I was a painter. I started going to The Outland's open mic nights. I'd written jokes before, but I'd never seriously thought about doing comedy. I just started writing some jokes, and I just went up once and I got some laughs."

You say your style is "smart comedy," what's the difference between smart comedy and "not smart" comedy?
"Oh, I don't want to step on anyone's toes...we're all doing our thing and we're all making people laugh. Smart comedy, to me, is taking the little things in life and bringing them to light. Everyone can do jokes about your wife, sex and drugs...it is harder for me to make jokes about homeless people or things that happen at work."

What's your favorite topic?
"People. The ironies of... well just irony in general I'd say. I love irony and I love taking things too literally. I like to take little things, I expose them, and I then usually twist them, until they're almost stupid, and then I drop it.

What do you do outside of your comedy? Or is your entire life wrapped up in thinking of jokes?
"Sometimes it is. I'm really busy right now with Harpo's. I was on stage one time telling a joke and I heard this lady yell from the back, "I heard that one last week!"

Oh!
"Yeah...I don't think people understand...you're always being forced to come up with new stuff and that's hard because it's not all good. And you don't know if it's good or not until it's done. I try not to get stressed and just go up on
stage and make people laugh."

Do you do much nightlife outside of standup comedy gigs?
"I hang out downtown a lot, I'm a fixture at The Outland. It's a great atmosphere. I'm kind of a shut-in a little bit...I'm probably pretty boring."

There's some irony... maybe you should pick on that in your shows.
"It is weird. People assume [comedians] are just "Woo! Fun guys!" But, we are essentially pursuing a career where we get to sleep in and only have to get up at night and we get free drinks. I mean, come on!

Sounds good to me! And how about long term plans?
"I really want to be able to quit my job and just do a city-to-city tour. I don't really worry about it. I just worry about this Thursday, Friday and Saturday. Worry about the little chunks. When I do that, just work hard on my jokes, it seems like everything else falls into place."