The Stand-Up Disaster that Transformed Flex's Comedy Routine

In a behind-the-scenes interview with Flex and Shanice, Flex tells us the story of how his comedy routine has evolved over the years and the important role doing stand-up has played in his life.

In the early days of Flex's comedy career his "whole act was based on impression," until one fateful show wherein the comedian on stage just before Flex did the same impressions that he himself had prepared. After panicking about what he was going to do to avoid bombing when he got up on stage, he decided he would talk about his own everyday experiences. To Flex's delight, when he began joking about a failed relationship that had just ended, the audience related to the material and laughed along.

Flex developed his routines from then on based on his own personal experiences because, according to the comedian, "No on can take that." He can talk about emotionally difficult matters like his late brother's addiction to drugs, but when he puts it in a funny context, audiences are able to relate and engage with the subject matter.

Flex credits the great comedians that he admired as a child with the type of raw, real-life comedy that has become his own style. "Richard Pryor to me was...the greatest because he took living in a whorehouse with his grandmother and made it comedy," says Flex, explaining further: "I think us, as comedians, we can talk about the things that people want to talk about; That's why they laugh and connect with it."

Tune in for all-new episodes of Flex and Shanice Saturdays at 9/8c.