SNL writer and UNC alumnus Bryan Tucker spoke at the PIT-Chapel Hill

UNC alumnus Bryan Tucker, who works as a co-head writer for "Saturday Night Live," paid a visit to the PIT-Chapel Hill on Wednesday.

Tucker has been leaving his mark on the comedy world for the past two decades. He has written jokes for the "Late Show with David Letterman," sketches for "Chappelle’s Show," including the “Racial Draft” sketch, and numerous sketches for "Saturday Night Live," including “What Up With That?” with cast member Kenan Thompson.

Tucker spoke with Ali Farahnakian, a former writer for "SNL" and owner of the PIT-Chapel Hill, for almost two hours about his comedy career and various topics within the genre. The talk included a Q&A session with audience members afterward.

Tucker lived in Craige Residence Hall his first year at UNC and studied journalism. He said his comedy career began while working at UNC STV.

“I was the producer of it my junior and senior year, so I would stay up till three in the morning on Saturday night editing and stuff,” he said.

Tucker often performed improv, sketch and stand-up with friends around UNC’s campus during his time as an undergraduate. After graduating, Tucker and a few friends decided to take their act on the road.

“We played at a racquetball court at the opening of a health club," Tucker said. "We played at a bar in Burlington where we got bottles thrown at us.”

Tucker spoke about working his way up, hustling to get gigs at tiny, sometimes unwelcoming venues, to playing colleges on the National Association for Campus Activities circuit.

“We played like 500 shows in four years," Tucker said. "We were very good at colleges because we were high energy.”

After a period of about five years as a touring comedian, Tucker moved to New York City to find work as a comedy writer and the difficulties he encountered along the way.

"To go to New York City and basically be poor and not know what I was doing or where I was going — those first two years were the hardest years of my life," he said.

Once Tucker got a gig as a “joke-faxer” for the "Late Show with David Letterman," he was able to slowly work his way up in the comedy world as a writer. Tucker also said that a lot of doors opened for him after his time on "Chappelle’s Show."

Tucker and Farahnakian also reflected on the volatility of a career in comedy. 

“I’ve read that in the Writers Guild, an average career of 20 years is 12 jobs,” Farahnakian said.

The PIT-Chapel Hill hosted an open mic before the talk with Tucker. Kathleen McDonald, the host of the open mic, said the theater would be a good place to start comedy.

Tucker echoed that sentiment, praising the theater as a comedy venue.

“I would’ve been so glad to have a theater like this to come and have a regular place to do comedy,” he said.

@aj_oleary55

arts@dailytarheel.com