Exclusive Interview: John Franklin Talks The Specialist on Tubi TV, Performing at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, and More

John Franklin is one of the top standup comedians in the world. He’s brought the laughs to iconic venues including The Comic Strip, Greenwich Village Comedy Club, and Broadway Comedy Club and is best known for his authenticity and reliability.

This summer, John will release his debut comedy special The Specialist as well as perform nine back-to-back nights at the Edinburge Fringe Festival.

Pop Culturalist caught up with John to talk about The Specialist, his upcoming performances, and more.

PC: How did you discover your passion for comedy and storytelling?
John: When I was a kid, I always loved being in front of my family. I have a huge, huge family. I’ve always liked to entertain and do things like that. During family parties, I was the kid who always wanted to put on a performance. I did theater growing up, and I slowly started to realize that storytelling was my passion, so I went to school for journalism. I always wanted to be in front of the camera.

I became more adept in the comedy space and wanted to be part of that. I started doing standup, and that’s when I realized what my real passion was. It’s all thanks to my family and my dad who taught me to tell stories. I feel like it’s always been what I’m meant to do.

PC: You initially got into standup after somebody told you that you wouldn’t be good at it, and you actually said that you bombed your first time on stage. How were you able to persevere, and how soon after that experience did you know you wanted to try again?
John: Immediately after I left that open mic! I was like, “I got to do it again. I got to go back.” I remember bombing and thinking that I could only get better from here. I was like, “It’ll be fine.” I remember that person’s negativity and being like, “That’s ridiculous because I can try anything that I want, even if I’m not good at it. If it’s just a hobby, it’s a hobby. Who cares?” Luckily, I ended up being pretty good at it and it ended up working out. There was a lot of adversity, but my competitive nature was like, “I got to do it. I got to be better.”

PC: You’ve had so much success. When you look back, is there a moment that stands out?
John: There are a lot that stand out. I remember I really had to cut my teeth doing Zoom shows during the pandemic. That was a big thing for me. I was working on my timing. I remember the first time I got to perform at Greenwich Village Comedy Club, thanks to my friend Sharon Simon, who got me on the show. I’ll never forget being at the comedy club in New York City and hearing, “Next on stage is John Franklin.” That was the moment when I was like, “I’m doing the right thing. I’m going to keep going until I make it.”

PC: Something that’s so interesting about being a comedian and doing standup is that you’re constantly having to come up with new material. How have you consistently been able to reinvent yourself? Has that process changed over time?
John: The process is always changing. I’ve always had a hard time coming up with new material because so much of it is closely-guarded. I always try to keep my material personal to me so it’s relatable. I’ve always struggled with coming up with new material, I’ll be the first to admit it. But what I’ve done is make sure my style is consistent. Because I have experience on the stage, I know different ways to tell stories. All the material that I come up with is genuine, honest experiences that I’ve had, so as long as awkward things keep coming my way, I’ll always have another hour of material to use. [laughs]

PC: You’ve got a new special coming out on Tubi. Tell us about The Specialist.
John: The Specialist is a big conglomeration of every experience that I’ve had throughout my early twenties and being on my own. It’s my formidable years of coming through the comedy circuit and some crazy awkward situations and moments that for some reason only happen to me. Sometimes, I think that I’ve been put on this earth for anyone who’s around me to have a funny moment to laugh at. I’m happy to share that with audiences.

PC: This is your first comedy special. What’s been the biggest takeaway?
John: That I could do it. The first time you get on stage, and you’re like, “I’m going to stand up here for an hour and hopefully make people laugh.” That’s scary. For the most part, you’re doing it for like seven-minute chunks at a time, maybe fifteen minutes. When I got up there and did it, I was like, “I did it!” And people really liked it when it was there live. I didn’t even do it with the intention of it going out on a streaming service; I just did it to put out on YouTube. The fact that it was good enough for me to put out there and for a streaming service to even want it is mind-blowing. It was really cool.

PC: You’re also going to be performing nine back-to-back nights at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, which you’ve said is something that you always wanted to do. How did this opportunity come about? What does this moment mean to you?
John: It’s crazy. As you said, it’s been something that I’ve wanted to do, but I never thought I would have the chance to do it, not this early in my career, at least. So, the next set is another hour of material that I’m doing for nine straight days. It means the world because a lot of it is about my family, specifically my dad and my relationship with him. It’s a little different from my normal style where there’s a set up to a punch line. It’s just really genuine storytelling.

To keep up with John, follow him on Instagram.

Photo Credit: Arin Sang-urai