Exclusive Interview: Pop Culturalist Chats with Adam Ray

Adam Ray is writing the story of his life, and what a story it is. Whether he’s starring on screen in projects like The Heat and Ghostbusters or on stage at comedy clubs around the world, Adam knows how to make audiences laugh. This Friday, he’s teaming up with his friends in the industry for a one of a kind event hosted by RushTix. We caught up with Adam to learn more about his career and his upcoming virtual set, Adam & Friends.

PC: How did you discover your passion for comedy and storytelling?
Adam: I was always the funny kid. I impersonated teachers a lot and friends that I was jealous of that girls had crushes on. I was the class clown. I found out that I could make people laugh easily without A-material. A lot of kids are goofy and silly; I was doing it more consistently. Once I started to pick up on the idea of making people feel good through laughter, that was all I chased.

Like any kid, you have comedic influences, whether it’s in cartoons or shows like Living Color or people like Chris Farley, Eddie Murphy, Jim Carrey, and Adam Sandler. I didn’t have any ties to the business, though. So, when you’re a silly kid, making people laugh, even through high school doing plays, it’s like, “What’s the next move here?”

I started to do open mics before I moved to LA to go to college. There was never a blueprint for any of this, which is why you have to take a stab at it. You have to write your own story. There’s no real laid out plan for anyone. It’s truly a trial and error with ups and downs—you throw darts against the wall. But I knew early on that I liked the feeling of making people laugh. It made me feel good, made other people feel good, and it was something that wasn’t math. [laughs]

PC: You’ve had a lot of success throughout the years. When you look back, is there a particular moment that stands out?
Adam: I got to play in the NBA celebrity all-star game in 2019, and I’m a huge basketball fan. I don’t know how I’m going to top that because of how crazy an experience it was from top to bottom.

You never forget the first big break that made you step back and go, “Now people back home aren’t questioning if I’m doing this or not.” That was when I got cast in The Heat with Sandra Bullock and Melissa McCarthy. I remember I called my dad and he started crying, which I thought was for my part, but it turns out he ran out of toilet paper and he was in the bathroom. [laughs] No, he did. He was actually crying. I think he fell off the toilet in a fit of emotions from hearing the news. That was so crazy. I went to a theater with some buddies to watch it. It was a big, global movie that I got to be seen in and get a little bump.

It was one of those moments where you realize all the hard work pays off, but now the real work starts. There could be one big opportunity that you can go through people’s careers and identify, but it’s a slow play. That was really cool, because I got to share it with some family and friends. It was so fun.

It’s about everything you do prior to something. It’s tough to see in the moment that you are getting all these reps and strengthening all your tools to where I’m improvising with Sandra and Melissa and feel comfortable and confident. Two or three years prior, if I’d gotten that, I wouldn’t have been as confident in my ability to hang with them.

PC: You’re getting ready to host Adam & Friends this week. What can fans expect from the set?
Adam: The lineup is incredible. I’ve always been good at keeping in touch and reaching out to people that I’ve worked with. Again, don’t be a piece of sh-t—work hard, be nice, and do your thing.

Melissa McCarthy, for example, I’ve been in three movies with her: I had tinier parts in Spy and Ghostbusters, and was part of The Heat. We’ve stayed pals. She’s done the podcast. We text sporadically about things. I was in Australia when she was there, so we kicked it over there.

So, I wanted to do something with all these funny people that I had at my disposal. I have a huge love for my birthplace (Seattle), so I wanted to do something nice for the city and found Northwest Harvest. They do so much good work for feeding families in the Northwest. I asked a couple of people (Joel McHale, Dana Carvey, Melissa), and it kept growing. We got Thomas Lennon, Adam DeVine, Ron Funches, Iliza Shlesinger, Joey McIntyre, and then we just added the Goo Goo Dolls and The Head and the Heart, two huge bands.

It’s crazy—these people would all get fifty dollars and upwards a piece for tickets, but this is only fifteen bucks. It’s all virtual and live, though there are a few pre-taped things. I’m going to host it all and it’s going to be awesome. It’ll be a two-plus-hour show on Friday night. What else are you going to do? Nothing’s open.

It’s all come together. Sue Bird, Seattle Storm legend, is going to be a part of it. It’s going to be fun. Grab a cocktail, roll something up, put the kids in the garage. It’s cool to have things you don’t normally get during these times. All tickets are on sale at RushTix.com.

PC: How did the partnership with RushTix come about?
Adam: My agent asked me if I wanted to do something with them. I had a few other buddies do some stand-up shows with them, so I got on the phone and they seemed legit. They’re doing a great job. They’re housing the whole event and helping me run stuff. Costco, Bud Light, Simply Seattle Duke’s Chowder House, and Five Four (the clothing company) are all on board to sponsor it. There were a lot of cool people involved.

PC: All the proceeds from the event are going to Northwest Harvest. How did you get involved with the organization?
Adam: All of the proceeds! I’m not making a dime. In fact, I’m losing money. I’ve known about them for a while, being up here in Seattle. I had some buddies that have done work with them and connected the dots. It was a no-brainer. People don’t realize how many people are struggling to get meals on a daily basis. So, hopefully, we can make a dent in the lack of food for families out there.

To keep up with Adam, follow him on Twitter and Instagram. Get your tickets to Adam & Friends today.