Brooks Wheelan Talks Stand-Up, 'SNL' And Leaving New York On 'Too Long; Didn't Listen' Ep. 12

'SNL' Alum Brooks Wheelan Talks Stand-Up And Leaving New York
LATE NIGHT WITH SETH MEYERS -- Episode 0159 -- Pictured: (l-r) Comedian Brooks Wheelan during an interview with host Seth Meyers on February 5, 2015 -- (Photo by: Lloyd Bishop/NBC/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images)
LATE NIGHT WITH SETH MEYERS -- Episode 0159 -- Pictured: (l-r) Comedian Brooks Wheelan during an interview with host Seth Meyers on February 5, 2015 -- (Photo by: Lloyd Bishop/NBC/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images)

After his stint as a writer and featured player on "Saturday Night Live" ended, comedian Brooks Wheelan doubled down on stand-up comedy, released his first album, "This Is Cool, Right?", and then got the hell out of New York.

Uprooting from Los Angeles, Wheelan says he arrived in NYC a "Happy go lucky" comedian, but he is leaving having felt like he's been through bootcamp. As you'll learn throughout this 12th episode of our podcast, New York, with its streets full of garbage and total lack of campsites or Wal-Marts, is like an incubator for stand-up comics who want to find their voice. Wheelan has put together a debut album that's funny and real, from stories about growing up that will speak to any youngest sibling, to more personal stories involving ecstasy at Bonnaroo and what it's like to get fired from "SNL."

As for whether or not Wheelan is actually looking to be a "cool" comic, as his album title suggests, it's more like the opposite is true.

"You never want to be the cool guy on stage," he says. "I don't like cool comedy. I don't like 'tough guy' comedy where people are like, 'Listen to this fuckin' idiot I ran in to!' I'm like okay, 'I like to be the fuckin' idiot in the story.'"

You can pick up Wheelan's album now on iTunes and Amazon, with a vinyl release coming in April.

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