Many people consider themselves funny, but how many are confident enough in their skills to make the jump into professional comedy? Clarkston High School graduate Tim Robinson (class of 2000) made the transition while still in high school.
Now, at the age of 25, Robinson is performing on the main stage at the Second City’s Detroit theater, in Novi. The group is ending the performance of ‘Bobbleheads of State,? which Robinson joined in progress.
His journey started when he attended the Second City show at its Chicago venue with his girlfriend, now wife, Heather (a 2001 CHS graduate), when he was 17. After coming back to school, a teacher told him about the Detroit venue. Tim went to see ‘Phantom Menace to Society,? which influenced him to start taking classes in 2000, as an 18-year-old senior at CHS.
‘As soon as I saw the show, I told myself this was something I would like to do,? Robinson said.
‘It’s (comedy) something I’ve always toyed with and been a fan of, so I’m not surprised that I’m in it now.?
‘I really like improvisation because it’s so free and anything can happen,? Robinson said later.
‘This is the greatest job to have in the world, and I constantly laugh at my job, I feel very blessed and lucky,? Robinson said.
While honing his skills, friends would joke with him regarding the nature of the weekly instruction he was getting every Saturday.
‘Those guys would hack on me about it, they thought it was like play practice,? he said.
Overall though, Robinson said everyone in his life, including parents Sean and Nancy, supported his move into comedy.
He moved through the ranks and was hired on as part of the Second City’s touring company and traveled around the state. He was also part of the Chicago touring company for nearly two months, performing at different venues across the country.
Robinson’s work is different than the typical comedian, because he does improvisational comedy.
‘Some stand-up (comedians) are funny, but I’m not really into it,? Robinson said.
‘I think stand-up and sketch comedy are so different.?
He is the co-founder of an improv group at the Planet Ant Theatre in Hamtramck as well as the group Eye Candy at Improv Inferno in Ann Arbor. Robinson is a member of both groups while concurrently performing with the Second City.
Friend and Second City Producing Artist Director Nate Dufort said Robinson is very committed to improv comedy and has great potential. Dufort said Robinson will leave after the group finishes their performance and head to another club to work with one of his groups.
The bond between the actors at the Second City runs deep Robinson said, because of its work together through the years.
‘You work so closely with these people and you come up through classes with them and you become more than just someone you work with,? he said.
‘The friends you make at these Second City classes will be friends forever…because you’re putting yourself out there and these people know you.?
Tim also teaches beginning level comedy courses. The dynamics between the types of people drive his enthusiasm because students are of all ages and walks of life: The funny guy at work, the stay-at-home mom, kids in high school and college and people from foreign countries take the course, he said.
‘That’s amazing to me, it’s so fun to see,? he said.
‘Improvising is all about working together.?
The quick-thinking nature of improvisation and the possibility of stumbling doesn’t faze him either.
‘There’s always something you can do’the only time you can ever get frozen is when you’re doing scripted stuff, and then you can literally freeze up there,? he said.
He enjoys the connection audiences feel to the acts he and the others perform.
‘If you can go up onstage and just have fun, the audience sees that and they have fun as well.?
Robinson draws inspiration from previous casts and shows that have gone through the club.
He also gets inspired by the work of Ricky Gervais, the author of the British version of the television program ‘The Office,? which preceded the current format on NBC, is one of Robinson’s favorite writers.
‘He is, I think, the funniest man on the planet,? Robinson said. ‘He’s brilliant.?
He enjoys both Gervais? podcast, which he listens to ‘constantly? and a new program written by Gervais on HBO, ‘Extras.?
In his free time, Tim enjoys spending time with his family and playing basketball with his brother.
The Second City’s next revue, due in November, is a ‘best of? comprised of a collection of past holiday shows. For more information about the Second City visit http://www.secondcity.com/.