Today we’d like to introduce you to Matt White.
Hi Matt, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstories.
I started in the classroom. I was a class clown. I enjoyed the feeling of making the class laugh when they least expected it. Middle school was when I began to gain experience. Each year, I got better and better, the challenge was being able to disrupt the class without getting kicked out of the class. By the time I got to high school, I had minimized my chances of getting expelled, which created more chances to make everyone laugh. I knew I was doing ok whenever I could make the teacher laugh.
High school was when I fell in love with the stage. I signed up for the “Drama” class my Sophomore year. I saw my brother in a play the year before and thought, “If you can do it, so can I.” My brother was one of my biggest influences back then, he’s 2 years older than me and we shared a room growing up so whatever he did, I did, and yes he was a class clown as well.
My 1st play was everything, I got to play two small roles. I also got to share the stage with my brother. There was a scene in the play where it was just my brother and me, during the live production I had forgotten my lines, and my brother called me out for it, instead of stopping the production or feeling down, I just went with it, we got a good laugh off of it, and that is where the improvisation kicked in for me.
2001 When I graduated high school I headed to East Carolina University to pursue acting. I didn’t know at the time I would find anything but rejection for the 1st couple of years. Even though I was a stand-out in my small town, I wasn’t equipped with the training or the experience, not from the lack of trying, but the lack of resources. I got rejected from acting roles, social groups, all 3rd time I auditioned for the Improv group.
Nevertheless, I still excelled at making people laugh. It was a passion of mine so there was no thought of stopping. I didn’t need to be on stage or in a group for it to do it. Since the acting wasn’t going my way, I still trained and took all the classes I could to learn more, but turned to the Technical aspect of theatre. I found out I was good at that as well, so I absorbed as much as I could.
The tech shops were the only places in the department where I felt I could be myself. I couldn’t control the need to make people laugh; it just happened. They saw that it was natural and let me be and roped me in whenever It was crunch time lol. I was in the paint/prop shop a few days after the 3rd rejection from the Improv group when I was approached by a member of the group asking if I was still interested in joining the group. They had an opening, I could have been bitter, but I wasn’t. It was something I wanted to do, I didn’t care how I got in as long as I was in. I said yes and it was the best thing that happened to me.
I was rejected the 1st time I auditioned, I was told my Improv was too much like stand up. I had no desire at the time to do stand up. I just went to the audition with the mindset to be funny and to make people laugh. I didn’t go in with jokes, I just knew how to put things together in the moment. When I got into the group I had a lot to learn about Improv, there was more to it than making up stuff on the spot. My 1st challenge was to earn my spot in the 1st show. You couldn’t perform in shows until you showcased that you were ready. I did just that and there was no looking back for me.
I love the entire process of Improv, without knowing it I was already doing most of it in my everyday life. It’s how I met most of my friends. Improv led me to do stand up. We would play one-liner games, games that would have a built-in setup, and the audience would give us a suggestion to create as many punchlines as we could. Some of us were really quick on our feet, which led to the curiosity to try to stand up. I always watched it growing up. I used to watch BET’s Comicview, sometimes twice a night.
I got tired of people telling me I should try it, so I did. The first stand-up set was a stand-up competition produced by the Improv group I was in on campus. I tied for second place and was hooked. Shortly after that, I created a Stand Up Organization on campus to get stage time. There weren’t any open mics or lasting comedy clubs/shows in the area.
So I created what I needed to get better. I didn’t know if people would join or if it would last long. People Joined and it got big enough to branch off-campus. It started with a Monthly show here and there, then grew to a weekly open mic and a weekly show. We even had shown out of town.
This whole process helped me win 2012 “Port City’s Top Comic” in Wilmington NC. 2013 I won the comedy contest of “Carolina’s Funniest Comic” later that year I was invited out to LA as Semi-Finalist to the 1st American Black Film Festival Comedy Wings Contest. I performed in several comedy festivals that year.
In 2018, I co-founded the Oak City Comedy Festival with Shari Diaz. It was and still is the only 5-day comedy festival in Raleigh, NC. The first year was great and the second year was even better. The third-year was postponed due to Covid, but it is in the works for May 2022. In 2020, I won the title of Carolina’s Funniest Person. This wasn’t an easy thing to do, not just because of covid, but it was my 6th year of doing the contest. 2 of the years I was a semi-finalist and made it to the finals 4 times. The 6th time was the charm.
I am a Comedy Instructor at Moonlight Arts and Entertainment and Goodnight’s Comedy Academy. I have been teaching at both for 6 years. I teach Improv, Stand up, and Sketch comedy. I have been molding comedy minds since college. I had to teach when I started my organization on campus, even though I was still learning myself. It put me in a great place to teach from my experiences, my research, and my own comedic process.
I love giving back to the comedy community and inspiring others to pursue their passion. I’ve watched students grow into comics. It’s a great experience. I’ve left out a few details I will save for my book, lol, I just can’t put everything in here just yet. But even though my journey started a while ago, I have the feeling that another chapter is just getting started. I look forward to what’s to come and the places it will lead me.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle-free, but so far would you say the journey has been a fairly smooth road?
Rejection and learning to accept it in order to move forward. Being from a poor environment and not being financially stable, set me up for failure in some ways, but you have to fail in order to get better so I used it as fuel and not an excuse.
One of my biggest challenges was transportation. I didn’t know a car until 2 years ago. So getting to shows was a struggle. Always having to be on someone else’s time can create unwanted issues. Not being able to get up and go to things that others are doing, sucks, especially when it was things that could have easily helped me,
Watching others gain success, was challenging, especially knowing how much time and work I’ve put in. I have. to constantly remind myself that my path is my path and only I can travel it. What is right for some will not be right for me. So I remind myself to “Stay Patient and Become Great” it’s on my whiteboard in my room.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I am a Comedian/Actor/Writer/Producer. I specialize in comedy, stand-up comedy, Improv, and sketch comedy.
I am 2012 Port City Top Comic, 2013 Carolina’s Funniest Comic, 2020 Carolina’s Funniest Person.
I’ve done a few local commercials. 2 Duke Energy commercials and a Spectrum commercial.
The thing that sets me apart is also the thing that I am most proud of… I am a Comedy Instructor at Moonlight Arts and Entertainment and Goodnight’s Comedy Academy. I have been teaching at both for 6 years. I teach Improv, Stand up, and Sketch comedy. I have been molding comedy minds since college.
I had to teach when I started my organization on campus, even though I was still learning myself. It put me in a great place to teach from my experiences, my research, and my own comedic process. I love giving back to the comedy community and inspiring others to pursue their passion. I’ve watched students grow into comics. It’s a great experience.
What quality or characteristic do you feel is most important to your success?
My work ethic and my ability to be patient.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: @mdubcomedy
Image Credits
Chris Clements
Oliver Riera of Focus Light Creative
