Broke-Ass of the Week: Comedian Chris Thayer

Every week we feature a different person from the community shedding a little light on their life of brokeitude. Who knows, maybe you’ll learn something about the human spirit — probably not.

Wanna be a Broke-Ass of the Week? Holler at us here and we’ll send you the questionnaire.

Photo by Mandee Johnson | www.mandeejohnson.com | © 2014 MJP & CleftClips

I’ve known Chris Thayer since before he did comedy, back when he was just the kinda quiet, kinda awkward kid who said funny stuff when he would actually talk. Now look at him! He’s like a real comedian and stuff! He’s even headlining Doc’s Lab on Monday February 2nd with Ray Molina, David Gborie, and Jessica Sele. 

While Chris started doing stand-up in SF,  he was at the head of the recent wave of people moving to LA and where he went to work on TBS’ “The Pete Holmes Show.” And now our boy is coming back home to be funny on stage in front of people. Tickets are available here.

Name: Chris Thayer

Age: 28 years old

Occupation: Stand-up comic (read: unemployed).

What neighborhood do you live in?: Los Feliz

Best money saving tip: Make friends and ask around about stuff. Sure, you could bring Tupperware and steal cheese from art openings or learn how to exploit loopholes on Groupon, but the best deals I’ve ever gotten (apartments, my car, free drinks) have been through friends.

What do you refuse to spend money on?: My own health and well being, I guess. Sometimes I’ll spend $60 a month on ice cream, but I haven’t been to a doctor in like 5 years.

Most expensive thing you’ve ever bought: My laptop or the DUI I got when I was 18.

How’d that feel?: I had pretty bad buyer’s remorse in both cases.

Favorite cheap eat: Al pastor tacos with avocado and cheese from Cactus Taco, $4 pho from Pho Thai Town, burritos from La Esquina in Glassell Park, chicken tacos from Taqueria Los Amigos in Echo Park. Toast with butter, salt, and honey. Apples or bananas with peanut butter.

Favorite dive bar: I don’t drink, so I’m going to say Dave’s On Broadway in Glendale, because they have free hot dogs. Also, it’s not really a dive, but I like Little Joy because it’s home to our free weekly stand-up show The Business LA on Mondays at 9pm. See what I did there?

Best deal you’ve ever gotten: I had a room in an apartment in the SF Mission that was $550 in 2012.

Favorite free thing to do: I enjoy hiking Ridge Motorway in Glendale, getting regular STD tests at the Hollywood-Wilshire Health Center, and complaining about how much things cost.

If you woke up a millionaire, what’s the first thing you’d buy?: I’d buy a bidet and a nice stereo and then I’d make hefty donations to good causes so I don’t sound like a total piece of shit answering this question.

Despite not having money, do you still love your life?: I’ve never really had money, so its absence isn’t strange to me. I often enjoy my life, despite being in a perpetual existential crisis.

Do you own my book?: I’ve checked it out from the library and I’m sure you can respect that.

Best hangover cure: Time. Also, when I used to have hangovers, I would make a grilled cheese sandwich with extra sharp cheddar and a bunch of butter on the outside of the bread and Dijon mustard, pesto, and pickles on the inside. Once the bread was a nice medium brown, I’d cover it in hot marinara sauce and eat it with a knife and fork like it was a giant fried ravioli. Hell yeah.

Are you a hipster?: No good can come from this question.