Sammy Obeid has the world record for most consecutive days of playing comedy shows.
Sammy Obeid decided two years ago to do stand-up comedy for 1,000 consecutive days. If all goes according to plan (no panic attacks, measles, etc.), his Tuesday show at the Blue Lagoon will be number 829. The show is part of a new weekly comedy showcase hosted by local comedian DNA. We caught up with Obeid on the phone before a show at the Laugh Factory in Long Beach, Calif.
SCW: Do you play any instruments?
SAMMY OBEID: I’ve been playing guitar since I was 11. Everyone was like ‘you’re going to be an amazing guitar player. Keep doing it.’ I really looked up to Jimi Hendrix, but then someone told me Jimi Hendrix started playing guitar when he was four. I figured he had a seven-year lead on me, so I gave up. Last year, I looked it up on Wikipedia. He actually started when he was 15. So always check your facts.
Are we living in a post-apocalyptic society, or were the Mayans wrong?
As far as I’m concerned, my career died last year. I’m headlining the Blue Lagoon.
Does the Laugh Factory manufacture laughs?
Every comedy place has its name. There’s The Comedy Store, where you buy comedy. There’s the Laugh Factory, which is wholesale. Then there’s the Improv, where the comedy just comes so easily, but you still have to pay for it. I think all comedy clubs should change their names to You Pay Us Money, We Try to Make You Laugh. That would be more honest.
What will the FBI do now that you’ve teamed up with Ahmed Ahmed of the ‘Axis of Evil’ tour?
The FBI follows me around all day because I’ve teamed up with the Axis of Evil. They always overlook that ‘Comedy Tour’ part at the end. They just focus on the Axis of Evil part, but they’re onto something.
If you won the lottery, would you keep touring?
It depends on how much money I would win. Is it more than $50? Then, yes. As much as I enjoy it, I would rather be playing my guitar for free—try to catch up with the late Jimi Hendrix. I guess I never realized that Jimi Hendrix died at 27. So if even if he would have started at four, I would have had seven years after him to catch up. I could have been as good as him by 34 and still alive.
Sammy Obeid performs April 2 at the Blue Lagoon; $5.
