nathan timmel

The Business of Almost: False Hope, and Empty Promises in Stand-up Comedy

There are so many other stories I could tell, but that would’ve turned this into an epic, multi-part video, and no one wants to hear hours of self-indulgent lamentations.

There’s the record label exec who ghosted me after saying he wanted to sign me…

…the company that watched the first 10 seconds of my special instead of giving it a chance…

…the manager who “didn’t feel like” watching my audition tape, despite two incredibly high-level recommendations…

…the booking agent who told me, on the phone, he wasn’t booking me because he didn’t like my headshot…

…the booking agent who literally admitted to me via an email that he was drunk, watching my audition tape at 3am, and that he, “didn’t get it.”

And on, and on, and on…

What can you do, but to continue moving forward?

How the Downfall Happens

Daily Video 6/4/26

Hollywood may give us drivel like Barbie, Avatar, and Transformers…

…but there are also incredible gems like Wind River, Sicario, Captain America: Civil War, and Lion.

Sometimes Hollywood can be prophetic.

And sometimes we get Star Wars, Episode 8: The Last Jedi.

It’s a roll of the dice, isn’t it? 

Male Bonding

Daily Video 6/3/26

Highlight of my life right there. 

God bless America.

The Business of Being an Artist

Daily Video 6/2/26

It’s funny/sad… both the venue and the artist wan the same thing, so it should be easy to work together to achieve it.

Pepsi Cola, Naval Superpower

Daily Video 6/1/26

How did I make it my whole life without knowing this?

I even lived through it, and while I’m mostly dumb, I’m not unaware. 

Oh well. Enjoy this fascinating little tidbit of American history. 

A Sense of Self, Insecurities, and Political Leanings

Daily Video 5/31/26

Now, in full fairness, MAGA doesn’t have much of a sense of humor about themselves; neither the far left nor far right fringes are able to look into a mirror and see their flaws.

But, when it comes to center-left and center-right, I’ve found that left-leaning audiences can be a bit more prudish than right-leaning ones.

I still have fun with left-leaning audiences, I just have to temper my act a little, so as not to chafe any sandy vah-jay-jays.

Stupid? Yes. Silly? Yes. Short? Also, yes.

Daily Video 5/30/26

Come on, what do you want for fifteen seconds?

Homeopathic Health Care Remedies 

Daily Video 5/29/26

The other day, I had a really smart person in the comments section tell me that doctors are unnecessary.

I’m paraphrasing, but you get the gist; someone thought they were being clever, which is rarely the case.

That said, today, I performed surgery on myself.

It was the right thing to do, and I saved time and money by doing so.

God bless America, and our close-to-mediocre healthcare system.

Snarky Thought of the Day #484: Other People’s Opinions

Daily Video 5/28/26

My wife, my kids, they matter the most. 

Friends, family… they’re next.

Somewhat acquaintances, and complete strangers?

Yeah… 

Don’t care.

Your judgment is on you. 

🙂

Cheating, Healing, and a Question of Future Infidelity 

Daily Video 5/27/26

Infidelity delivers a crushing blow to a person’s self-worth, fundamentally rewriting their internal narrative. 

Cheating leaves behind an emotional wreckage that changes how you approach future relationships, and that can be damaging, if you let it get out of control. 

When the person you trusted most rewires your reality, your brain treats vulnerability as a safety hazard.

Fortunately, you can make it out the other side in a healthy way…

…and as a bonus, you know for a fact you’ll never do to anyone else, what was done to you.

Support Unknown Artists

Daily Video 5/26/26

This isn’t in the video, but the Mrs. and I actually took a decent chunk of years off between local-theater visits.

It’s not fair, but the last production we saw was Sweeney Todd, and that was just awful. 

Not the performers, exactly, but the musical itself is a boring mess.

But, we’re back on track, and every so often, we’re gonna go take a chance on something. 

And you should, too. 

Snarky Thought of the Day #483: The Comments Section

Daily Video 5/25/26

I always go back-and-forth when it comes to certain videos, like this one right here.

The biggest problem with reading something online is that we add our own tone to the words.

We read into them what we want to read into them.

So, I took these in the spirit in which I thought they were intended, and am responding in kind.

But, what if the comments were genuine?

What if I’m lashing out unnecessarily? Thankfully, I don’t believe in karma, so I won’t be punished.

Do Democrats Ever Win Elections? 

Daily Video 5/24/26

Serious question. 

I break down the presidential races from Jimmy Carter to present day, and I’m not sure Democrats will like the results. 

My Wife, the Alcoholic

Daily Video 5/23/26

As I ask in the video: is this something women say?

The Politics of Comedy

Daily Video 5/22/26

Somewhere around 2016, I was doing a radio interview to promote a weekend of shows at a comedy club.

The DJ asked, “So, what can we expect out of you while you’re on stage?” Given the mood of the country—people passionately divided between supporting an ice queen or an idiot of near-impossible magnitude—I said, completely off the cuff: “No politics, that’s what people can expect.”

The DJ gave me a one-man applause break.

Since then, I’ve carried that stance forward through to today.

Sure, I’ll tell you exactly what I think in my daily videos… but on stage?

Nah.

Let’s make that a “safe space,” so to speak.

(Lol, lame.)

Of course, by talking politics in my videos, I do run up against the wall of, “Well, you don’t fit neatly into the echo chamber of my choice, and since you have informed opinions, I don’t like you!”

Because being partisan and thoughtless is fun, I guess.

But, hopefully there are enough normal, sane people out there who can see past minor differences, and don’t need someone to conform to their narrow worldview in order to be accepted, to offset the losers.

Here’s to hoping.

Stand-up Comedy: First Heartbreak & High School Reunions

Daily Video 5/21/26

You never forget your first heartbreak, do you?

Well, sometimes you can get revenge.

Heh.

Take that, Heidi! 

Question of the Day: What Religion is This? 

Daily Video 5/20/26

There have been thousands of different religions since the dawn of time, and the one thing they all have in common is: their believers thought THEY had discovered the one TRUE God.

It’s silly to think that in 2026 people are still playing this game.

And, it’s fine if you keep your dumb beliefs under your own roof, but when you try to legislate a religion onto those who want nothing to do with it, that’s a problem.

Unfortunately, it’s a problem that will forever be with us, because needing to believe in an invisible power is apparently strong in people.