The Laughter Assignment
Tara Brown is a celebrated comedian and entertainer who has become a favorite for her clean and family-friendly comedy. She’s the headliner for Aspire’s annual Stand Up for Kids event, taking place on February 21 at the Paramount Theatre Centre and Ballroom in Anderson.
Originally from Brooklyn, Tara spent 20 years in Charlotte, North Carolina, where she was working in public relations. And while she loved her job, Tara needed to find a hobby.
“So I Googled ‘Things to do in Charlotte,’ and a comedy class popped up. I knew people had said before that I was funny, so I thought I’d give it a go.”
What did Tara Brown learn from the seven-week class she took at the Comedy Zone in 2003?
“They taught me about joke structure,” she says. “There is the rule of three in the progression of how you set up a joke — from funny to funnier and funniest. Even the way you move a mic stand is something we learned that an audience member may not even realize. I thought the class was extremely valuable and helpful.”
Tara worked her full-time public relations job during the day and did comedy at night. Then, something amazing and unexpected happened.
“I started getting more opportunities as a comedian, and it was becoming almost a second full-time job, which is a good problem to have,” she says. “I began to wonder if I should begin focusing more on developing myself as a comedian, and I was encouraged to move to Nashville, Tennessee, because it’s a good city for clean comics. At first, I really didn’t want to leave my PR job because I loved it, but I ultimately decided to take a huge leap of faith and head to Nashville.”
Tara has been in Nashville since August 2023 and has worked her way from biker bars to cruise ships and now is making people laugh all over the world. But she says comedy is a marathon, not a sprint.
“I think that’s a hard thing for people to absorb. You want to do comedy on Wednesday and then have a Netflix special by Saturday, and it does not work like that,” she says with a laugh. “You just continue to get better and learn more about yourself as a comedian. I love to do things that challenge me to be a better comedian.”
Her comedy is an authentic reflection of who she is and how she sees the world around her. According to Tara, her comedy plays well in all time zones. And the biggest compliment she has received is hearing from people that she is relatable.
“We as people have so many things in common that we can laugh about,” she says. That’s why her humor resonates with a wide variety of audiences and delivers laughs appropriate for all ages. And everything has the potential to be her next joke.
“I travel a lot and spend a lot of time in airports, and I do something I like to call airport and airplane chronicles — which is basically me people watching and typing up funny stuff as I think about it and posting it on social media. And depending on how people react to what I post helps me decide if it can be worked into a joke. Comedy has a way of finding you.”
That means Tara is pretty much always workshopping material that could be used in her next show. And she’s always adding new material and challenging herself to be better — desiring to connect with people and share joy in an accessible and inclusive way.
“Comedy brings you together,” she says. “It makes you forget about what you’re going through, and that’s my guiding force in all of this. We all walk into a room with ‘stuff,’ things that are heavy on our hearts that we might not want to share with other people, and if I can help you forget about that for a little while, then that’s what I want to do.”
Tara has performed in many venues and for many different types of events and organizations, including the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation and Shades of Pink Foundation, bringing awareness to many important and serious issues.
“I’m honored to be able to come to these events and help the audience members just laugh at themselves for a minute in the midst of the heavy work they are doing,” she says. “Sometimes you have to just take a breath and remember it’s OK to laugh.”
Tara remembers as she was leaving Charlotte to head to Nashville, her pastor prayed for her and said, “I’m sending you on assignment.” And that has always stayed with her.
“There are people in the rooms that I do comedy in who need to feel this laughter, this relief, this joy,” she says. “And it’s my assignment to do that.”
Make sure to come see Tara Brown at the Stand Up for Kids event on Friday, February 21 at 7 p.m. at the Paramount Theatre Centre and Ballroom in Anderson. Stand Up for Kids is Aspire’s annual fundraiser to help support Kids Talk, a program that assists children and adults in Madison County who have experienced or witnessed abuse and neglect. Kids Talk is funded through grants and donations, and Stand Up for Kids is a vital part of generating revenue. It’s also a special event where Kids Talk and its many community partners can share some laughs while supporting a great cause. Get your tickets today: https://e.givesmart.com/events/F8g/
