Q&A with comedian Amanda Lynn Deal

Published 12:00 am Thursday, January 24, 2019

Who: Portland comedian Amanda Lynn Deal has studied sketch comedy with Second City in Chicago and currently hosts an open mic night Mondays at Haymaker Bar in Portland. Bend Comedy hosts Deal and Seattle-based comic Chase Mayers at 8 p.m. Friday at Seven Nightclub, 1033 NW Bond St., downtown Bend, and 8 p.m. Saturday at Double J Saloon, 528 SW Sixth St., Redmond. Tickets are $8 in advance at bendcomedy.com/store, $10 at the door (21 and over only).

Q: How did you get your start in comedy?

A: I did my first open mic in Portland in March 2012, and bombed horribly (laughs) and then tried again six months later. In the meantime, I was still really fascinated with comedy and performing and stuff, and I’d heard about Second City in Chicago and thought it would be really cool to go to that school and learn improv and writing. I got pretty lucky and was able to transfer the job I worked at, a coffee shop, to one that was like a 5-minute walk to Second City. So it all kind of worked out that way.

Q: What was Second City like?

A: It was pretty cool. It was a good intro to the city, because that’s where I met a lot of my first friends, like the improv group I was part of. Those were my people that I hung out with for the first few couple of years I was there. I didn’t like the writing so much as I liked the actual improv classes.

Q: Have you performed much here in Central Oregon?

A: Yeah, I actually lived in a school bus for a while. When I left Chicago I was living in the bus, and then when I drove it back this way, I stayed in Bend because my brother, sister-in-law and nephew live there. I stayed with them for a while, and Ryan (Traughber, of Bend Comedy) got me on some shows. … I came back to Portland, and now whenever I get the chance, I go down there to perform and see my family.

Q: How would you describe your act or style to folks who haven’t seen you?

A: (Laughs) Hmm. Uh. That’s always an interesting question. … I’ve been told that I’m loud and I’m kind of bro-y, but a feminist, if that makes sense (laughs).

Q: What are some of the biggest misconceptions about being a comedian?

A: A lot of people either think comedy is too easy, or too hard, if that makes sense. Because some people are like, oh, I could do that, and then some people are just like, I could NEVER do that. And it’s like, really? Because there are a lot of people who go on stage who should never do that.

Q: Who are your comedy influences?

A: Lucille Ball is my big one. I loved “I Love Lucy.” I just thought that she was a super powerful and interesting person. I love that she felt the most beautiful when she was being goofy and wearing makeup and being a character. I definitely relate to that. I like doing characters and looking goofy. As far as stand-up, Mitch Hedberg. Love that dude. He’s my fave, because it’s just simple one-liners, very goofy, and his cadence is super specific. Like, you can tell when someone is doing a Mitch Hedberg thing. You’re like, “Eh. Nope. It’s already been done.”

Q: In a YouTube video from “Portland’s Funniest Person,” you said that your name is a dad joke. Is that just a joke, or did he really name you “Amanda Lynn” after the instrument?

A: My dad’s heard me say that joke before, and it’s been like, “Hey, I hope you don’t think I named you that as a joke.” I’m just like, “Shut up, Dad, it’s a good intro.” It’s not necessarily he named me as a joke, but my middle name is Lynn because I have an aunt whose middle name is Lynn. So I got it that way, and then my dad realized it’s Amanda Lynn. He was like, “That’s an instrument. … They’re beautiful and graceful.” And I was like, “Have you met me?”

— David Jasper, The Bulletin