Comedy is a profession often overlooked and underappreciated. I’d like to see you try to get up in front of a group and crack jokes for 40 minutes. The pressure to make an audience laugh is tough, especially because we all know pleasing everyone is nearly impossible. 

What led me to believe that comedy is one of the hardest professions was watching an interview with Indian comedian Kapil Sharma, where he opened up about his struggles with mental health. 

I grew up watching “Comedy Circus” with Kapil Sharma, a reality comedy, with my family every week. Even though I never fully understood the jokes at the time, I loved seeing everyone in my family laugh. As Kapil’s career progressed, he started his own show, “The Kapil Sharma Show,” on YouTube that I would occasionally catch clips of.

In 2017, Kapil began to open up about his struggles with alcoholism and depression. He was also involved in a few scandals in the industry, and news began circulating around him, which caused him to fall from his fame. 

According to the Hindustan Times, he shared, “I was depressed and lonely in 2017 despite having fame and money. I also considered ending my life during that phase.” 

Even those who bring us laughter can face their own struggles. It shows that things are not always as they appear, and it’s important to be considerate and not assume what others may be going through. Remember to check in on all your friends, especially those who always seem happy, because you never really know what someone might be hiding beneath the surface. 

After hardships, Sharma’s back at the top, becoming a global sensation. He’s not only touring internationally but also featured in his very own Netflix show, “The Great Indian Kapil Show.” Kapil’s journey of resilience reminds us that even after setbacks, it’s possible to rise again. His story is a powerful reminder that it is indeed possible to bounce back after a downfall.

This correlation between comedic success and personal struggle is not uncommon. Another well-known comedian, John Mulaney, has also faced serious challenges, particularly with substance abuse. After achieving tremendous success, he publicly shared his struggles with addiction, shocking many of his fans. 

Joseph Walsdorf is a comedy arts major at DePaul University who runs a work-in-progress comedy show at the Annoyance Theater every other Sunday at 8 p.m. 

“There’s a level of pressure that a lot of comedians put on themselves because when you get people laughing, it is a very rewarding feeling,” Walsdorf said. “It’s an exciting thing to know that you can do it and to be the only one talking for 10 to 20 minutes and they’re still laughing — it’s really cool.” 

It’s made clear that the desire to be great as a comedian can also add to the pressure that leads to these personal struggles. There’s also a fascinating irony of how comedians often enter the field to escape their own problems, while audiences turn to comedy as a means of escaping theirs

“Comedy lives in a world of dysfunction,” Kevin Bozeman, a stand-up comedian and stand-up professor at DePaul, said. “A lot of people come into comedy to escape their demons, and working in a world of nightclubs and traveling alone can lend to some bad vices.” 

Comedians are able to entertain their audiences through their performances, allowing them to enter a world of mindless entertainment and pleasure. Through these performances, the actors can also find their own peace through portraying numerous characters and bringing these fictional stories to life. It just happens to be that many of the successful comedians we see faced their own battles with mental health challenges, substance abuse or difficult childhoods. 

Day by day, comedy is becoming a more challenging profession. The demands of the industry are growing, requiring comedians to have a multifaceted skill set that goes beyond just telling jokes. 

Tucker Privette, a senior comedy arts major, explains, “As a comedian, there is an expectation to perform and create content all at the same time. You constantly have to spend all your time writing and performing. If you’re not writing, you’re performing; if you’re not performing, you’re writing.” 

The field of comedy is incredibly competitive, but it also demands significant motivation and hard work. Comedians must continually push themselves to create, perform and adapt to the new trends.

Many comedy students share concerns about finding jobs in the industry post-graduation. 

“Most newer comedians make their way into the industry by constantly posting on social media, like TikTok or Instagram reels,” Privette said. “The stress really builds up for a lot of people — the feeling that you’re not doing enough and the uncertainty of how you’re going to get your next gig can be overwhelming.”

Too often, people dismiss it as a part-time gig or a “joke” of a job, overlooking the dedication that goes into it. 

It’s essential to appreciate and acknowledge the dedication and creativity that comedians bring to their craft. Behind the laughter lies a world of hard work and personal struggle. It’s important for us as the audience to recognize that behind every punchline is a story.

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• DePaul students serious about pursuing comedy after graduation

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