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cover of episode Aries Spears Talks Cancel Culture, Comedy Evolution, and Staying True to Himself

Aries Spears Talks Cancel Culture, Comedy Evolution, and Staying True to Himself

2025/5/29
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Mick Unplugged
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Aries Spears：作为一名喜剧演员，我深刻体会到这个行业带来的精神和情感上的挑战。演艺事业就像一个无情的拳击手，不断打击你的精神和灵魂，有时候甚至会让你感到绝望，想要放弃，甚至产生自杀的念头。这种痛苦难以言喻，我甚至不希望我的敌人经历这些。除了精神上的打击，还有经济上的压力。作为家庭的唯一经济支柱，我需要承担起所有人的经济责任，有时候甚至无法拒绝那些利用我的人，这让我感到非常沮丧和不被赏识。此外，演艺圈的政治和种族歧视也是我需要面对的挑战。好莱坞存在着黑人好莱坞和白人好莱坞之分，但有时候黑人好莱坞对你的伤害甚至比白人好莱坞更深。尽管面临着种种困难，但我仍然坚持在这个行业中，因为我知道，只要抓住一个机会，就可能彻底改变我的生活。也许是一个病毒视频，一个商业广告，一部电视剧或电影，都有可能让我一夜成名，赚到数百万美元。正是这种希望，让我能够忍受一切，继续前行。

Deep Dive

Chapters
Aries Spears discusses the challenges of a comedy career, comparing it to a grueling sport. He emphasizes the importance of self-belief and versatility, including crowd work, to stay in the game. He highlights the emotional toll of the profession and the unexpected places he finds validation.
  • The comedy business is mentally and emotionally challenging, sometimes leading to suicidal thoughts.
  • Stand-up comedy is likened to being an all-star quarterback: having material (playbook) is essential, but improvisation and crowd work are crucial for success.
  • Mastering all aspects of comedy, similar to Michael Jordan's all-around skills, is key to being a complete comedian.

Shownotes Transcript

Aries Spears is a legendary comedian and impressionist who has been commanding the stage since the age of 14. Known for his breakout work on MAD TV and his savage crowd work, Aries has become renowned for his edgy, unfiltered takes and ability to reinvent his set with every performance. With a career spanning over 36 years, Aries draws inspiration from greats like Eddie Murphy, prides himself on quick wit and improvisational skills, and never shies away from exposing the raw realities of the comedy world. In addition to standup, he hosts the popular podcast "Spears and Steinberg," where he continues to push boundaries and spotlight real, unvarnished perspectives on entertainment and life.

Takeaways:

  • Resilience is Essential: Aries details the mental and emotional challenges of comedy, emphasizing that the business can "beat your spirit up," but staying in the game means believing in yourself, even when support from loved ones is lacking.
  • Mastering Your Craft Means Versatility: Aries likens standup to being an all-star quarterback—you must have the material (playbook), but true greatness comes from the ability to improvise crowd work, proving you can win no matter what the audience throws at you.
  • Legacy Is in the Eyes of the Fans: Despite feeling he hasn’t fully “arrived,” Aries acknowledges that comedians often become benchmarks for new generations, and sometimes strangers (fans) provide more validation and appreciation than family or the industry.

 Sound Bites:

“If you’re going to be a complete comedian, you need to have all the facets of your game on point... there were no weaknesses in Mike [Michael Jordan].”

“Hollywood is like an uncle that molested you but put you through college.” (quoting Chris Rock)

“I never cut my comedy cocaine. I’ve always kept it 100% Bolivia Yayo... there’s nothing better than having that laugh you feel like you’re not supposed to have.”

Quote by Mick: “You are to [my kids] what a Pryor and a Redd Foxx were to me… Everybody can’t go to where you and I were from a database of history and comedy. So you are that benchmark to a lot of people, bro.”

Connect & Discover Aries:

Website: https://ariesspears.com/)

Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/ariesspears/)

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ariesspears/)

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC_Z6Tbjk4AesZwwGggZC7qQ)

 

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