“If you’re a stand-up comic, nothing bad happens to you, because whatever goes wrong, you write a show on it.” 😂
I visited my friend Appurv Gupta, stand-up comic and founder of The Stupid Design, at his office to hear how an engineering student ended up on stage. 🎙️
📊 In this episode, we unpacked:
- 🎤 One open mic changed everything
- 💔 Turning bad times into shows
- 🧠 The Stupid Design
- 📱 Going viral on social media
- 💡 Five tips for new comics
🎥 Watch the full episode:
🎤 One Open Mic Changed Everything
Appurv started stand-up in 2011, in the third year of his B.Tech. He knew he didn’t want to be an engineer, but finished the final year rather than waste the fees. 🎤
He wanted something around public speaking, tried one open mic, and it went surprisingly well. After five or six shows, he realized he was funny. Engineering was still interesting: the people and professors he met fed his show Appurview: Laugh With an Engineer. For another career switch story, read Anurag Batra on entrepreneurship. 🔗
💔 Turning Bad Times Into Shows
His show Relationship or Relationshit covers everything from being single to the breakup phase and beyond. Whatever bad thing he faces, he turns into a show. 💔
He doesn’t see competition in Indian comedy yet: the market is early, huge and has few players. His family was quite supportive. He admitted, jokingly, that he’d been single since the day he was born. 😄
🧠 The Stupid Design
The Stupid Design creates brands and shares and designs “stupid stuff”. Anyone can contribute their stupidity, as long as it’s original and relatable. He hires creators, not just designers or writers. 🧠
He sees it as an extension of his comic life, not traditional entrepreneurship. He has no five-year plan: creativity happens on the spot. He has no mentor, though he follows George Carlin, and learns from everyone around him. He and his team spend about 14 hours a day in the office, with shows on weekends. For another founder who works long hours, read Parveen Singhal of WittyFeed. 🔗
Two of his videos went viral, a mobile-phone sketch and one on the funny side of an engineer’s life, with one crossing a million views. 📱
Social media is free, open to all and where young people are. “Without social media, you can’t survive in this market.” The Stupid Design also handles branding and social media for startups. He calls blogging the simplest way for fans to read you, but the toughest to write. For more on social media, read Jeff Bullas’s interview. 🔗
💡 Five Tips for New Comics
Be original. Be honest. Find your own voice. Work hard: a hit first show may be luck, so try a second. And keep trying, don’t give up. 💡
Most important, know why you want to do stand-up. If it’s just because it’s cool, that’s not enough. Make people laugh, and you’re doing a noble job. He planned to take Relationship or Relationshit to as many people as possible over the next six months, including colleges. 🎭
📝 Key Takeaways From the Appurv Gupta Interview
- 🎤 One small experiment can change your path
- 💔 Turn bad experiences into content
- 🧠 Hire creators, not just executors
- 📱 Social media is free and essential
- 💡 Be original, honest and persistent
❓ FAQs About Appurv Gupta
Who is Appurv Gupta?
A stand-up comedian and founder of The Stupid Design, who started comedy in 2011 during his B.Tech.
How did Appurv Gupta start stand-up?
He tried one open mic, it went well, and after five or six shows he committed to comedy.
What are Appurv’s tips for new comedians?
Be original and honest, find your voice, work hard, keep trying, and know why you want to make people laugh.
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Would you swap your degree for your passion? Tell me in the comments. 💬
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Jitendra Vaswani is a well-known expert in SEO and AI-driven digital marketing. He has spoken at international events and founded Digiexe, a digital marketing agency, and AffiliateBooster, WordPress plugin designed specifically for affiliate marketers. With over 10 years of experience, Jitendra has helped many businesses succeed online. His bestselling book, Inside A Hustler’s Brain: In Pursuit of Financial Freedom, with over 20,000 copies sold globally, underscores his influence and commitment to empowering digital marketers.