A “tortured soul” is the frequent reference aligned with the chosen keepers of laughter.
One can only assume if you spent each moment of your life wanting to deposit happy into the lives of others, you can’t possibly be happy with yourself, right? Wrong. Karlous Miller believes that comics are tortured souls just as much as he believes a person can read horoscopes to identify their mood for the day. “I grew up great and had an awesome childhood. I don’t use comedy to account for my shortcomings or to give me permission to say inappropriate things on stage. I have always enjoyed making people laugh,” confesses Miller. In an unusual transition from neighborhood firefighter to qualified laugh practitioner, Karlous has always known it was his destiny to be onstage with a mic in hand and laughter floating his way. “I want people to come to a show and forget about it all. They should get lost in that moment, nothing else should matter.”
Growing up in a place with a population less than 21,000 people, this naturally funny guy makes his hometown of Oxford, Mississippi smile with pride. His latest appearances on NBC’s Last Comic Standing and MTV’s Wild ‘N Out have catapulted him into households and hearts around the country. As if frequent television appearances aren’t enough, Karlous has taken his mission to provide funny to souls around the world through his comedy performances in Europe and Africa. “I am a world away from small town Oxford and never knew jokes would take me this far. I am able to travel the world and meet people I never thought I would meet through comedy. It’s crazy.” From local lounges to national comedy appearances, the universal color of laughter allows for comics to traverse racial lines where skin color simply doesn’t matter. “I am from Mississippi where things are just black and white. Through comedy I have hung out with people in Germany and they knew me and that matters.”
Standing on the shoulders of comedic phenoms like Richard Pryor, Redd Foxx and Flip Wilson, the desire to succeed far exceeds any echo of doubt. Like any artist, Karlous is a student to his craft and takes preparation very seriously. “I am always ready because there is not always time to prepare before a show. I stay fresh and creative. Any good comedian should be able to read a crowd and deliver based on that. If you have a script and stick to it, the audience knows. That’s not performing, that’s reciting. I am a performer.”
Humbled by the opportunities provided by his passion for comedy, he cannot just recount one memorable moment in his career. “I don’t have just one. Memorable things happen to me all the time. Like the first time you see yourself on television or the first time you get a call from another celebrity asking you about an opportunity. It’s crazy how you go from watching someone, to being introduced to now having a friendship with someone that you looked up to. You actually have friends that you are fans of.”
Karlous Miller’s humility and humorous aura are effortless. When asked to define success in career, he quickly responds, “I can’t tell you what success looks like right now, because I am in pursuit of it. Michael Jordan didn’t look at the NBA and say I am successful – he played the game to win.” The question isn’t how he wants to be remembered, because Miller says he never wants to be forgotten.