​To call Colin Quinn busy would be an understatement. The SNL alum recently starred in Amy Schumer’s acclaimed film Trainwreck, Netflix’s Sandy Wexler, and the long-running HBO hit Girls. Not to mention the comedian just wrapped up a sold-out run of his one-man Broadway show, Colin Quinn: The New York Story, directed by Jerry Seinfeld. On January 11, Quinn will be taking the stage at The Ridgefield Playhouse during his first standup tour in more than seven years. We caught up with the famed funnyman to get the rundown on what drives his work.
Please tell me a little about your upcoming tour, One in Every Crowd.
It’s a combination of the fact that I really feel like this country is breaking up, mixed with the idea that there is one resident toxic person in every group. So, the act is really about those toxic people and all their little maneuvers that ruin the systems we live in.
Why did you return to standup after a successful film and TV career?
Nobody ever leaves standup. Whether you look at Ray Romano, Kevin James, or Adam Sandler, they all seem like they had gone on to movies, but they all do standup now. There is just something about being in front of a crowd — being someplace where there is this real energy — that is literally like a force that draws you in. Why else would everyone come back to it?
You seem like such a brusque, manly guy, but you have been involved in extremely progressive, female-forward films and TV shows recently. Why do you think this is?
I have never really considered myself some kind of macho figure. Maybe [Lena Dunham and Amy Schumer] just like the fact that I am laid-back about issues between men and women and that I feel like I can see the hypocrisy on both sides. Really, I feel like it is the comedian’s job to notice the way hypocrisy and power dynamics work.
Do you feel that acting is similar to standup?
I feel like acting is in some ways the opposite of standup, since it is a whole different energy. With acting, it’s almost like you are supposed to be the way you are in real life, although you are saying fake stuff. And in standup, even though you are saying true things, it is like you are a heightened version of yourself. You are onstage, yelling, your energy changes, and it’s as if you are almost high.
