Narrow speaks to Chris Kattan

Chris Kattan Q&A: The funny man gets real

by Tranelle Maner

Known for his commanding physical comedy in movies and television and best known known for his impressions on Saturday Night Live, the comedian Chris Kattan is currently on a stand-up tour across America. Kattan will be performing in Gainesville on Nov. 5, but before he visits the Swamp, the actor and comedian spoke to Narrow Magazine about his recent releases and future endeavors.

Tranelle Maner: It’s really interesting you’re going to making a stop on your tour in a small town like Gainesville. This city is really unique in that is leans both very young for the college students and older for the long-term residents. What’s lit like for you as a veteran performer to come to a city with only young and old but no middle ground?

Chris Kattan: I think comedy speaks all languages. It seems to work that way for me. Most of the time, I don’t really do political humor, and I like to tell jokes and improvise for the audience. I think it appeals to the masses and that’s why I like stand up. I really enjoy it for that reason in particular. I cater more to them than to myself and I think,overall, everybody has a good time.

T.M.: You made a name for yourself in the beginning of your career with more physical comedy. Have you shifted your approach and how you try to appeal to audiences?

CK: I like to create self deprecating things that most humans do that they will relate to and pieces of my life and what I'm going through and things that I find very funny and it ends up being an open good time for most audiences.

T.M.: You mentioned pieces of your life, which is interesting because you recently released an autobiography. What was the process of writing a book and why did you decide right now was the best time to do it?

CK: I don’t know. I was just getting into the next chapter of my life and I kind of wanted to finish off the last chapter. I added so many different stories that I’ve been telling. There are a lot of people that I knew that told me ‘You know you should really write a book sometime’ and it took me years and I’m glad I did it. it felt like the right time. You know?

T.M.: Did you have specific moments of your life that you wanted people to see or were you just attempting to let people into your life organically?

CK: It was more organically letting people into my life, I had no idea what people really wanted to see. I think people want to write a book that was a little bit more raw and engaging, honest and real and not for the purpose of fluff. The purpose was that most of my life was not funny but it shaped me into who I am today. I listened to my heart and my gut. It took years to write and that was the angle I was coming from and I thought id be an exceptional way to do so, I wanted to be an exception as I’m telling my story.

T.M: I can’t help but notice you saying that not all of your life is funny. They say a lot of the pain and hurt in comedian’s lives are what become the jokes. Do you feel that’s important for people to be more aware of today?

CK: Yeah, I think so. I think it’s getting more like that everyday. I think we’re getting closer and closer. But I still think a lot of people are aware that it should be funny as opposed to being honest. I mean it’s still honest but as opposed to being afraid of not having to be funny and that’s been in autobiographies that I’ve read and I find that much more fulfilling and enjoyable.

T.M.: Now that you mentioned closing this chapter of your life with the release of your book, what your looking forward to doing in life and your career next?

CK: I have some projects coming up that I’m very excited about. I’m going to be involved in front of the camera and behind it as well. You know, writing and producing and stuff like that. I find that you get to really be creative when you work on both ends of the camera and that’s also an easier way to get to do bigger ideas.

T.M.: Is any of your new work shifting from traditional comedy to drama?

CK: It has comedic elements. It’s all about comedy but it comes from a more personal place. It always ends up being funny because I find actually that I’m naturally funny and sometimes they’re just some really rough stuff that isn’t very funny. But it does have a lot of importance to it and readers get a lot more out of it too… Comes from a more personal place. I found that...

T.M.: Now that you’re working on new projects, is there anyone in the industry right now that you would like to work on a project with writing or directing?

CK: Well yeah, many people. I don’t really have a specific person, mostly cast members I’ve worked with. I don't know anyone specific though. There’s many people that excite me like Steve Carell and Zach Galifianakis, people that really make me laugh really loud. But I’m open to working with anyone. There’s a lot of talent out there, so there’s a lot of choices.

T.M: For the past few years we’ve been in a pretty long period of reboot and remaking culture in entertainment. Is there any project that you’ve done that you would love to see a spin-off of or remaking?

CK: I don’t know maybe 'Happy Days.' There’s a lot of great stores to be rebooted. A lot of great franchises that are being second or third shot. I would like to develop a sketch comedy show. I think that would be great. I think it needs to go back to the roots of sketch comedy back to the more silly stuff as opposed to the political stuff. I think we’re missing that.

T.M: What still excites you about touring and doing stand up in front of new audiences?

CK: Getting to work with the audience. I think seeing fresh faces and seeing how excited they are and I get to see how excited they are to see me specifically. There’s a lot of fans out there and you don’t get to see them in person unless you get the chance to tour. It’s fantastic to see and it’s a feeling that I’ve never felt before.