St. Paul Central High’s ‘class clown’ Joe Mande on filming new comedy special in Twin Cities
Comedian Joe Mande filmed his Hulu comedy special in 2024 at the Parkway Theater in south Minneapolis.
Courtesy of Bill Hoben
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If you don’t know Joe Mande’s name, you’ve almost certainly seen something he’s worked on. The St. Paul raised comedian has written for and appeared on hit shows like “Parks and Recreation,” “Modern Family” and more recently, “Hacks.”
But before he started as a talented writer, he was performing stand up comedy. Mande shot his second comedy special at the Parkway Theater in south Minneapolis, called “Chill,” and it came out on Hulu last month.
Mande joined Minnesota Now host Nina Moini to talk about his special, TV comedy writing and his Minnesota upbringing.
Use the audio player above to listen to the full conversation.
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Audio transcript
NINA MOINI: If you don't know Joe Mande's name, you've almost certainly seen something he's worked on. The Saint-Paul-raised comedian has written for and appeared on hit shows like Parks and Recreation, Parks and Rec, Modern Family, and more recently, Hacks. But before he started as a talented writer, he was already performing stand up comedy, and he shot his second comedy special at the Parkway Theater in South Minneapolis. It's called Chill, and it came out on Hulu last month. Let's listen to a part of the trailer for it now.
[JAZZ MUSIC PLAYING]
JOE MANDE: I've been trying to make myself feel more chill, which is a cooler way of saying I was recently put on mood stabilizers. I'm chill now. I'm feeling good and I'm feeling chill.
[DRUM ROLL]
[GRUNTS]
Ding, ding, ding, ding, ding. I'm [BLEEP]. I think I like mayonnaise. Screaming, screaming, screaming. A lot of people say my comedy is like jazz. Yeah, because it sucks.
NINA MOINI: Joe is here now on the line to talk about his special. Joe Mande, thank you for being here and talking with us. How are you? Are you feeling chill right now? I don't know-- lots going on in that trailer.
JOE MANDE: Yeah, I know. And I don't think I'm going to get any viewers on Public Radio by making fun of jazz, I realize.
NINA MOINI: Oh, no. That's OK. We can take it. We can take it.
JOE MANDE: Yeah. OK, good.
NINA MOINI: I did watch the open to your special. I'm going to watch the whole thing this weekend, probably. But there were so many shots around Minneapolis and just beautiful scenes and obviously chilly here in your home state. So you taped it at Parkway in South Minneapolis last year. How did that feel for you? Was that special?
JOE MANDE: Yeah. I mean, it's always kind of funny coming back to the Twin Cities. I've never had to attend a high school reunion, because I feel like a lot of people just come out to my shows when I'm there. So that's nice. But yeah, no, I saw a lot of familiar faces. And it was very cool to do a production there with a local crew and everything. And yeah, it was really special.
NINA MOINI: That's super cool. So you grew up in Saint Paul. You went to Central High School, where a lot of really awesome people seem to come-- really creative people have come from Central High. Were you a class clown? Were you shy? I'm curious to know what was Joe like in high school.
JOE MANDE: I mean, I was officially a class clown superlative my junior year. Did not win it my senior year. But it was a contentious category. Yeah, no, Saint Paul Central High school has always had a really vibrant theater program. And then when I was there, there was also, weirdly, an improv comedy troupe. So I was doing improv from sophomore year to senior year. And I think that really helped me consider this as a career.
NINA MOINI: Totally. I think that's really cool. It's always fun to see where people go and where they take their passions. I'm curious about why you picked-- sometimes there's a theme to people's comedy specials, and yours appears to be chill. What's the story behind this stand up special, and how was it getting your material together for something like this?
JOE MANDE: Yeah, I mean, it just felt natural, because, like you were saying, we shot all this stuff the day before the special, drone shots around the Cities. And it was, I believe, 10 below zero the weekend we were there. So it just was like, oh, this makes sense, because I talk a lot about taking medication and stuff to try to become a more relaxed person. So that felt natural.
But I don't really know how interesting the process of writing stand up is. But I will say that I was ready to shoot something in 2020. And then, I don't know if you heard, but there was a pandemic. And then I, after about a year, started getting back on stage and realized that a lot of that stuff didn't feel very relevant anymore. So I would say half of the material was pre-2020 and half I worked on once I was getting back on the road. So it's an interesting mix of old and newer.
NINA MOINI: Yeah, I feel like a lot of people in their lives feel that way about the pandemic. There was the before and the after.
JOE MANDE: Exactly, yeah.
NINA MOINI: So you're a huge deal now. You're out in LA, I understand?
JOE MANDE: I am, yeah.
NINA MOINI: OK. And I just want to make sure you're doing OK with the wildfires and everything that's going on.
JOE MANDE: We're OK. I felt kind of insane. I was actually doing shows on the East Coast, so my wife and my dog were dealing with the fires. I felt survivor's remorse or whatever.
NINA MOINI: It's scary.
JOE MANDE: But I'm back now, and it is scary. But the city is-- it's recovering. And it's amazing to see everyone come together and help each other out.
NINA MOINI: Yeah. And so you're out there. You've been writing for these amazing, iconic shows-- Modern Family, Parks and Rec, Hacks most recently. You've also appeared on the shows. Do you get to write the stuff that you act out, or how does that work to be a writer and an actor there?
JOE MANDE: Yeah, I mean, television writing is very, very collaborative, which is what I enjoy about it. I will say that my role on Parks and Recreation was a heightened version of how I used to act in the Parks and Rec writers' room. Mike Schur, the show runner, was poking fun at me by making me this insufferable guy who was always on his phone and thought he knew everything. So that was very much like, I didn't even have to write anything for myself because it was a parody of myself.
Yeah, but then when you're on certain shows, like my character on Hacks-- they give me a lot of liberty to ad lib and stuff. And working on Modern Family-- I was not a writer on that show. I was just an actor. But the same thing. They would let me go off and try to find jokes if I could. Within the scene, if I could improvise something, they would often let me do that.
NINA MOINI: Sure. You never know where inspiration will come from. But I did want to talk to you about this, because I understand you're a huge Minnesota Timberwolves fan. You've seen every game? Is this real? How is that possible?
JOE MANDE: Yeah. I don't know if that's a badge of honor or a sign of mental illness. But yeah, ever since the advent of NBA League Pass, I've managed to watch every game, if not live, then there's a recap function. So yeah, I am, I guess, a glutton for pain most of the time. But I actually talk about the Wolves in my special, Chill. I have a long section about my adoration for Anthony Edwards, mostly. Yeah.
NINA MOINI: What's it about him that you love?
JOE MANDE: I mean, he's just so good at basketball. I think if you follow the Timberwolves or even Vikings or Twins, a player of his caliber does not come to Minnesota very often, so you have to treasure it. And yeah, the joke is mostly about what I would do, hypothetically, to protect him if need be.
NINA MOINI: Anything. It would not be chill.
JOE MANDE: No, not exactly.
NINA MOINI: So before I let you go, Joe, you've done a lot in your career. It's pretty incredible. And congratulations. Is there anything else that you really have an eye forward to? Would you want to do movies? Or what would be next, so to speak, for you?
JOE MANDE: Yeah, I think movies would be very fun. It's a precarious time in Hollywood, so I don't really how things will shake out. But yeah, I have a role in a movie coming out later this year called Good Fortune that I'm excited about. And yeah, I'm always writing things. So if I were able to have something produce a screenplay, that would be incredible.
And I'm only one fourth of the way to an EGOT. So I've got a lot of work to do. I got to learn how to sing, I think, for a Tony. But yeah, things are good.
NINA MOINI: Yeah, well, I mean, that's one more forth than most people. So that's pretty incredible. Was it great to be back in your hometown. Whenever you're back, is there something you like to do?
JOE MANDE: Yeah. I always try to go to a Timberwolves game, and that's the priority. And then just see friends. I'm always hyping Minnesota up. I'm always telling people about the food is incredible there. So I always try all the new restaurants when I'm out there. But yeah, I feel very at home there.
And I was listening to your segment before-- something about--
NINA MOINI: Hospitality.
JOE MANDE: --LA transplants and real estate. So I'm going to need to get someone's email.
NINA MOINI: That's coming up from Paul Huttner. Well, Joe, thank you so much. Excited to check out Chill, your comedy special on Hulu. Thank you.
JOE MANDE: Yes, please. Thank you.
NINA MOINI: Take care. That was comedian Joe Mande.
[JAZZ MUSIC PLAYING]
JOE MANDE: I've been trying to make myself feel more chill, which is a cooler way of saying I was recently put on mood stabilizers. I'm chill now. I'm feeling good and I'm feeling chill.
[DRUM ROLL]
[GRUNTS]
Ding, ding, ding, ding, ding. I'm [BLEEP]. I think I like mayonnaise. Screaming, screaming, screaming. A lot of people say my comedy is like jazz. Yeah, because it sucks.
NINA MOINI: Joe is here now on the line to talk about his special. Joe Mande, thank you for being here and talking with us. How are you? Are you feeling chill right now? I don't know-- lots going on in that trailer.
JOE MANDE: Yeah, I know. And I don't think I'm going to get any viewers on Public Radio by making fun of jazz, I realize.
NINA MOINI: Oh, no. That's OK. We can take it. We can take it.
JOE MANDE: Yeah. OK, good.
NINA MOINI: I did watch the open to your special. I'm going to watch the whole thing this weekend, probably. But there were so many shots around Minneapolis and just beautiful scenes and obviously chilly here in your home state. So you taped it at Parkway in South Minneapolis last year. How did that feel for you? Was that special?
JOE MANDE: Yeah. I mean, it's always kind of funny coming back to the Twin Cities. I've never had to attend a high school reunion, because I feel like a lot of people just come out to my shows when I'm there. So that's nice. But yeah, no, I saw a lot of familiar faces. And it was very cool to do a production there with a local crew and everything. And yeah, it was really special.
NINA MOINI: That's super cool. So you grew up in Saint Paul. You went to Central High School, where a lot of really awesome people seem to come-- really creative people have come from Central High. Were you a class clown? Were you shy? I'm curious to know what was Joe like in high school.
JOE MANDE: I mean, I was officially a class clown superlative my junior year. Did not win it my senior year. But it was a contentious category. Yeah, no, Saint Paul Central High school has always had a really vibrant theater program. And then when I was there, there was also, weirdly, an improv comedy troupe. So I was doing improv from sophomore year to senior year. And I think that really helped me consider this as a career.
NINA MOINI: Totally. I think that's really cool. It's always fun to see where people go and where they take their passions. I'm curious about why you picked-- sometimes there's a theme to people's comedy specials, and yours appears to be chill. What's the story behind this stand up special, and how was it getting your material together for something like this?
JOE MANDE: Yeah, I mean, it just felt natural, because, like you were saying, we shot all this stuff the day before the special, drone shots around the Cities. And it was, I believe, 10 below zero the weekend we were there. So it just was like, oh, this makes sense, because I talk a lot about taking medication and stuff to try to become a more relaxed person. So that felt natural.
But I don't really know how interesting the process of writing stand up is. But I will say that I was ready to shoot something in 2020. And then, I don't know if you heard, but there was a pandemic. And then I, after about a year, started getting back on stage and realized that a lot of that stuff didn't feel very relevant anymore. So I would say half of the material was pre-2020 and half I worked on once I was getting back on the road. So it's an interesting mix of old and newer.
NINA MOINI: Yeah, I feel like a lot of people in their lives feel that way about the pandemic. There was the before and the after.
JOE MANDE: Exactly, yeah.
NINA MOINI: So you're a huge deal now. You're out in LA, I understand?
JOE MANDE: I am, yeah.
NINA MOINI: OK. And I just want to make sure you're doing OK with the wildfires and everything that's going on.
JOE MANDE: We're OK. I felt kind of insane. I was actually doing shows on the East Coast, so my wife and my dog were dealing with the fires. I felt survivor's remorse or whatever.
NINA MOINI: It's scary.
JOE MANDE: But I'm back now, and it is scary. But the city is-- it's recovering. And it's amazing to see everyone come together and help each other out.
NINA MOINI: Yeah. And so you're out there. You've been writing for these amazing, iconic shows-- Modern Family, Parks and Rec, Hacks most recently. You've also appeared on the shows. Do you get to write the stuff that you act out, or how does that work to be a writer and an actor there?
JOE MANDE: Yeah, I mean, television writing is very, very collaborative, which is what I enjoy about it. I will say that my role on Parks and Recreation was a heightened version of how I used to act in the Parks and Rec writers' room. Mike Schur, the show runner, was poking fun at me by making me this insufferable guy who was always on his phone and thought he knew everything. So that was very much like, I didn't even have to write anything for myself because it was a parody of myself.
Yeah, but then when you're on certain shows, like my character on Hacks-- they give me a lot of liberty to ad lib and stuff. And working on Modern Family-- I was not a writer on that show. I was just an actor. But the same thing. They would let me go off and try to find jokes if I could. Within the scene, if I could improvise something, they would often let me do that.
NINA MOINI: Sure. You never know where inspiration will come from. But I did want to talk to you about this, because I understand you're a huge Minnesota Timberwolves fan. You've seen every game? Is this real? How is that possible?
JOE MANDE: Yeah. I don't know if that's a badge of honor or a sign of mental illness. But yeah, ever since the advent of NBA League Pass, I've managed to watch every game, if not live, then there's a recap function. So yeah, I am, I guess, a glutton for pain most of the time. But I actually talk about the Wolves in my special, Chill. I have a long section about my adoration for Anthony Edwards, mostly. Yeah.
NINA MOINI: What's it about him that you love?
JOE MANDE: I mean, he's just so good at basketball. I think if you follow the Timberwolves or even Vikings or Twins, a player of his caliber does not come to Minnesota very often, so you have to treasure it. And yeah, the joke is mostly about what I would do, hypothetically, to protect him if need be.
NINA MOINI: Anything. It would not be chill.
JOE MANDE: No, not exactly.
NINA MOINI: So before I let you go, Joe, you've done a lot in your career. It's pretty incredible. And congratulations. Is there anything else that you really have an eye forward to? Would you want to do movies? Or what would be next, so to speak, for you?
JOE MANDE: Yeah, I think movies would be very fun. It's a precarious time in Hollywood, so I don't really how things will shake out. But yeah, I have a role in a movie coming out later this year called Good Fortune that I'm excited about. And yeah, I'm always writing things. So if I were able to have something produce a screenplay, that would be incredible.
And I'm only one fourth of the way to an EGOT. So I've got a lot of work to do. I got to learn how to sing, I think, for a Tony. But yeah, things are good.
NINA MOINI: Yeah, well, I mean, that's one more forth than most people. So that's pretty incredible. Was it great to be back in your hometown. Whenever you're back, is there something you like to do?
JOE MANDE: Yeah. I always try to go to a Timberwolves game, and that's the priority. And then just see friends. I'm always hyping Minnesota up. I'm always telling people about the food is incredible there. So I always try all the new restaurants when I'm out there. But yeah, I feel very at home there.
And I was listening to your segment before-- something about--
NINA MOINI: Hospitality.
JOE MANDE: --LA transplants and real estate. So I'm going to need to get someone's email.
NINA MOINI: That's coming up from Paul Huttner. Well, Joe, thank you so much. Excited to check out Chill, your comedy special on Hulu. Thank you.
JOE MANDE: Yes, please. Thank you.
NINA MOINI: Take care. That was comedian Joe Mande.
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