Meet Michael Colby

We were lucky to catch up with Michael Colby recently and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Michael, we’re so appreciative of you taking the time to share your nuggets of wisdom with our community. One of the topics we think is most important for folks looking to level up their lives is building up their self-confidence and self-esteem. Can you share how you developed your confidence?

I think confidence is balancing between faking it and saying ‘fuck it’

I’m faking my confidence mostly. I’ll bet you money that most of the people in your life are too. I look confident outwardly because I find that, over time, my body tends to feel safer and calm down after I’ve given it some time in a new environment. So I choose the fear and exposure consciously, even if it feels like a heavy weight. I think this also feeds into the ‘fuck it’ part because sometimes you just need to pop out and do it, you know? Sometimes intellectualizing can get in the way of what your body wants to do naturally, without so much thought. I think a good artist learns to eventually harness both these impulses. Whether you are scared to do it not, try it, Give it a shot.

Self esteem is something that we can all work on, I think.

American society is soul sucking and designed to beat you down. We are constantly sent signals that we are not good enough. We are assaulted by advertisements, data collection software, morning alarms, ever increasing costs of living, fascism. The truth for me is that I am an electric sack of meat with accidental consciousness living in a collapsing world. This is my life and I won’t get another chance to live it. What if I try something new and it works? What if I succeed? What if I at least learn something that can take me toward that vision of myself? It won’t happen if you sit on the bench and don’t play. Also stay hydrated.

Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?

Hi! I’m Michael Colby. I am an actor and comedian living in Los Angeles. I am bald! But don’t worry, I can grow a GREAT beard.

www.michael-colby.com IG: @thetastyman

I am a clown, meaning that most of the time I get up in front of a crowd of people and act foolish to make them laugh. Or tug at their heartstrings. Or share an accidental moment of connection that you’ll never get at an open mic full of alcoholic stand ups. I perform often at the Elysian Theater and The Clubhouse up on Vermont Ave, doing bizarre characters and gross stunts. See for yourself –> www.michael-colby.com

I think that clowning has absolutely made me a better actor, as well. I used to think of acting as running on a track that I couldn’t deviate from. Clown made it all like free=form jazz, full of color and different shapes and directions. Clown work is a little intense, pretty embarrassing, and deeply fufilling. As actors, we are constantly looking for connection. We want others to feel something about us, about the world we are creating for them. What better way to do that than to look someone right in the eyes and see you as you are?

I have some lofty career aspirations. I believe I am the right amount of DELUSIONAL to make it happen. I think you have to be, in some sense. My dream would be to create a TV show with a cult following and be on Adult Swim or an alternative comedy network, like Dropout. My plan is to live in this city and work as an actor until I am an old man and I fall over dead on set. Or onstage (how romantic!)

My current project is a live comedy show called ‘Altar of Sacrifice’ starring myself and a taxidermy kudu head. It’s inspired by early Slayer albums and Cormac McCarthy novels and my desire to act like a goblin in front of strangers. YOU SHOULD COME SEE IT! 🙂

IG: @thetastyman

If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?

PRACTICE. You can always improve. ALWAYS! Be proud of the small steps you take toward becoming a master of your craft. Think of your skill set in terms of years, not weeks or days. Rome was not built in a day!

FOCUS. Ask yourself what you want as an artist. Do you want to play music for your neighbors? Do you want to make little clay pots for fun? Do you want to get on a UCB harold team? It’s worth asking yourself what you truly want out of your artistic medium because you will beome more enthralled with your work when it’s more specific to you. You should do this at a pace that feels natural to you.

SELF REFLECTION. You probably need a ton of it. I did/still do. An artist should strive for confidence and self-esteem but also be willing to gauge the opinion of others. We all have blind spots and that is why it is great to surround yourself with like-minded artists whose work you admire and opinions you hold in high regard.

If you knew you only had a decade of life left, how would you spend that decade?

Just like this.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.michael-colby.com
• Instagram: @thetastyman