Today we’d like to introduce you to Kaleb Mulugeta.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Kaleb. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
Summer of 2018, my life sucked. I was coming off a rough freshman year and working 60 hour weeks at QuikTrip, trying to save up some money to transfer schools. I worked with a bunch of 50-year-olds, and the guys my age all had kids. It was where dreams went to die.
Picking up shifts at a plethora of stores, I met a lot of people. Naturally, small talk ensued. All the older store managers were shocked upon learning I was eighteen at the time. “Eighteen?! Wow. If I was your age again, I’d do things differently.” “You’re lucky, you know? I’d give anything to be in your shoes again.” The eerie sound of regret in their voice didn’t sit well with me. I didn’t want to ever relate to what they were feeling.
You know those lil hot dogs they sell at QuikTrip? Okay, good.
I’m stocking hot dog buns one day, and this voice in the back of my head says, “I’m going to be a comedian.” This wasn’t my conscience, I know what that dude sounds like. This was from somewhere else. I froze for a second and dismissed the thought, right before my manager interrupted with, “Stock the buns, Kaleb we don’t have all day!”
It wasn’t until the end of that summer, packing up to move back into my dorm at SMU, that I stumbled upon my high school yearbook. I gave it a look, and to my surprise, every person who signed it wrote about how funny I was. One girl, in particular, said I brightened her days and made life a little easier. I’m like, “What?! I actually improved ONE person’s life? People remember me for this?” and it was a wrap. I never thought me goofing around made a difference, but after reading that, I was all in. I performed my first open-mic set at Backdoor Comedy Club and the rest is history.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Nah. If you’re doing anything right, things won’t be smooth. I’ve bombed on stage more times than I can count. This whole process is about trying, failing, and trying again. People see a clip of you doing well on stage, and assume you’re performing that well all the time, which just isn’t true. The process of writing new material, performing, rewriting and critiquing your own work can be exhausting. Plus, being a full-time student with a job, it’s difficult making time to perform late nights during the week. But that’s the beauty in it. You don’t chase dreams because it’s easy. Your passion outweighs the adversity, and you deal with it.
We’d love to hear more about your work.
I’m a standup comedian and creative advertising student at Southern Methodist University. I’ve been doing standup two years now, but I recognize that I’m still quite new to the game. I wouldn’t say I’ve developed a concrete style yet, but my material is often observational with an emphasis on race relations. I create sketch comedy videos as well, covering just about anything I find funny. My biggest comedic influences are Dave Chappelle and Key&Peele.
What moment in your career do you look back most fondly on?
There’s not a landmark moment I’m proudest of right now. I’m proud of my growth so far, but I’ve got a long way to go.
Contact Info:
- Website: getakaleb.com
- Email: klbmlgta@gmail.com
- Instagram: @klbcomedy
- Twitter: @klbcomedy
- Other: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCMMusiaaPOxmoWuIX_JbtQg
Image Credit:
Jerry Cray
Alex Gonzalez (Stage Shots)
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