Don Jamieson Is Turning Rock Stars Into Stand-Up Comedians. Some Are Actually Getting Paid.

The former That Metal Show co-host joins Vinyl Latte to discuss his new comedy special, Type O Negative-inspired vinyl, prank calls with Jim Florentine, and why musicians are discovering a second career in comedy.

What happens when you take a rock star who's spent decades performing in front of thousands of fans and put them onstage without a guitar?

According to comedian Don Jamieson, sometimes you discover a pretty good stand-up comic.

In my latest Vinyl Latte interview, Jamieson shared how he's been helping musicians make the unlikely transition from rock concerts to comedy clubs.

And we're not talking about musicians simply telling a funny story between songs.

Some are developing actual stand-up routines. Others have taken their acts on the road. At least one is now getting paid to perform comedy when he's not touring with his band.

It's just one of the unexpected stories that came up during our conversation about rock music, comedy, vinyl records, and Jamieson's latest releases.

For someone who spent years bringing those worlds together as a co-host of That Metal Show, perhaps none of this should be surprising.

But as Jamieson explained, getting a laugh from an audience isn't quite the same as getting applause after a guitar solo.

Turning Rock Musicians Into Comedians

One of the most fascinating projects Jamieson discussed is Punchlines and Backlines, a concept he developed with comedian Courtney Cronin through their work on the Monsters of Rock Cruise.

The premise is wonderfully simple.

Take a musician with a lifetime of stories, help turn those experiences into a stand-up routine, and put that musician in front of an audience.

Jamieson and Cronin work with participating artists ahead of their performances, often connecting over FaceTime to hear stories and help shape them into comedy material.

The musicians then perform for audiences who already know and appreciate their music.

That familiarity provides a helpful starting point, but the performers still have to deliver the jokes.

Jamieson estimates they've worked with approximately 30 artists.

One of the standout examples is Winger guitarist Reb Beach.

Jamieson explained that Beach enjoyed the experience enough to continue performing stand-up beyond the cruise, including appearances at actual comedy clubs.

But perhaps the most surprising example involves Five Finger Death Punch bassist Chris Kael.

After participating in the project, Kael quietly began attending open-mic nights in Las Vegas.

According to Jamieson, Kael now gets paid to perform stand-up comedy when he isn't touring with Five Finger Death Punch.

Think about that for a moment.

A musician who performs in one of modern metal's biggest bands is also developing a career making people laugh in comedy clubs.

For Jamieson, it's another example of how naturally rock music and comedy can overlap.

And it raises an interesting question: How many musicians have spent their careers entertaining audiences with music while hiding an entirely different talent?

His New Comedy Album Pays Tribute to Type O Negative

Jamieson's latest stand-up release, Comedy Is Killing Me, is more personal than his previous album.

He explained that his earlier material focused heavily on the uncertainty and absurdity surrounding the post-pandemic world.

This time, much of the comedy comes from changes in his own life.

But for vinyl collectors and metal fans, the packaging may be almost as interesting as the jokes.

The album's title and artwork pay tribute to Type O Negative's Life Is Killing Me.

Jamieson said the band gave him permission to use the artwork concept, incorporating the distinctive black-and-neon-green aesthetic associated with the original album.

The vinyl edition is also planned in neon green.

It's a deliberate tribute from a comedian whose connection to heavy metal has always been central to his identity.

And it isn't the first time he's incorporated that love into a comedy record.

His previous release, No Sleep Till McSorley's, paid homage to Motörhead while celebrating McSorley's Old Ale House, one of his favorite New York City establishments.

For Jamieson, the packaging is more than a visual joke.

It's another opportunity to celebrate the music and places that have influenced his life.

Recorded Inside a Brooklyn Metal Institution

Comedy Is Killing Me was recorded at Duff's in Brooklyn, a bar Jamieson describes as practically a museum of hard rock and heavy metal.

The walls are filled with memorabilia, including stage clothing, signed items, and platinum records.

That made it an ideal setting for a comedy special rooted in rock culture.

Jamieson wanted a location that would look as distinctive on camera as it felt in person.

The special is available through Amazon Prime Video, while the vinyl edition is available for preorder through Experience Vinyl.

For anyone familiar with Jamieson's work, the combination makes sense.

His comedy may be personal, but the presentation remains unmistakably rock and roll.

The Unexpected Heckler Who Made the Final Cut

One of the funniest revelations from our conversation involved something Jamieson couldn't possibly have planned.

During the taping of Comedy Is Killing Me, someone in the audience started heckling him.

That alone isn't unusual for a stand-up comedian.

The surprising part?

It was a friend of his girlfriend.

Jamieson knew her and her husband personally, which made the interruption particularly unexpected.

Fortunately, he had a few responses ready.

When his producer later reviewed footage from the two recorded performances, Jamieson had a choice.

Use the cleaner version of the show, or include the performance with the heckling.

He chose the heckler.

Why?

Because those unexpected moments are part of what makes live comedy interesting.

Jamieson felt the exchange added personality to the performance, and he knew the friend involved would appreciate making it into the finished special.

It's a revealing insight into his approach.

Rather than polishing away every unpredictable moment, he sometimes prefers to preserve the spontaneity.

In that sense, the philosophy isn't entirely different from recording a band live and keeping a performance because of its energy, even if every moment isn't perfectly controlled.

Comedy, Cancel Culture, and Knowing Your Audience

We also discussed whether the changing boundaries of comedy make Jamieson concerned about being canceled.

His answer was more nuanced than simply refusing to change.

Jamieson believes comedy and rock music share an attitude that benefits from taking risks.

As he put it:

"Comedy and rock are both best when they're a little bit dangerous."

But he also acknowledged that comedy writing has to evolve.

He expressed sympathy for younger comedians who began their careers with a different set of expectations about what can and cannot be said.

Rather than viewing every adjustment as a compromise, Jamieson suggested that finding a more creative way to deliver a joke can make someone a stronger writer.

A joke can operate on multiple levels, rewarding audiences who understand the deeper meaning without losing those who simply enjoy the surface humor.

It's an interesting distinction.

For Jamieson, maintaining a rock-and-roll attitude doesn't necessarily mean refusing to improve the craft.

It means finding ways to remain provocative, entertaining, and relevant.

Jim Florentine, Prank Calls, and a Surprising Metal Fan

Jamieson also discussed Terrorizing Telemarketers Volume 8, his latest collaboration with longtime comedy partner Jim Florentine.

The two have worked together for nearly 30 years.

And apparently, neither has lost an appreciation for a well-executed prank call.

Jamieson described how they often begin with a loose concept, then improvise depending on how the person on the other end responds.

Because they sit close together while recording, they can communicate through facial expressions and hand signals as a call unfolds.

Sometimes a carefully planned idea goes nowhere.

Other times, the unexpected response produces something better than either comedian originally imagined.

According to Jamieson, Volume 8, released September 18, reached the top of the comedy album chart for several consecutive days.

He also shared an entertaining detail about the musicians who enjoy their work.

The duo sometimes incorporates friends' names into their calls, including Guns N' Roses keyboardist Dizzy Reed.

And Jamieson recently discovered that former Megadeth guitarist Marty Friedman is a fan of the Terrorizing Telemarketers series.

Friedman's name subsequently made its way into the new album.

It's a wonderfully strange connection between virtuoso guitar playing and the decidedly less sophisticated art of prank calls.

But that unpredictability is precisely what Jamieson seems to enjoy.

Why Comedy Still Belongs on Vinyl

Naturally, I couldn't let Jamieson leave without talking about vinyl records.

Although Terrorizing Telemarketers Volume 8 isn't planned for vinyl, Comedy Is Killing Me will receive a physical pressing.

Jamieson is particularly enthusiastic about the format.

He still owns comedy albums he collected growing up, including his George Carlin records and Cheech & Chong's Big Bambú, complete with its original novelty insert.

For him, comedy albums are part of the same collecting tradition as rock records.

The artwork matters. The packaging matters. And the experience of sitting down to listen matters.

He also appreciates the sense of presence he hears from comedy on vinyl, describing it as making him feel closer to the room where the performance happened.

That's a personal listening impression rather than a claim that vinyl is inherently more accurate than digital audio.

But it captures something important about why collectors remain attached to physical comedy albums.

They aren't simply containers for jokes.

They're artifacts of performances, personalities, and moments in entertainment history.

And when a comedian like Jamieson packages a new record as a tribute to Type O Negative, that physical connection becomes part of the creative concept.

Rock and Comedy Have More in Common Than You Might Think

What stood out most during my conversation with Don Jamieson wasn't simply the number of projects he's working on.

It was how naturally he moves between different parts of the entertainment world.

He's recording stand-up specials, releasing comedy albums, collaborating with Jim Florentine, performing on rock cruises, and helping musicians discover their own comedic abilities.

And through all of it, his enthusiasm for music remains unmistakable.

Perhaps that's why Punchlines and Backlines is such an appealing concept.

Great rock musicians already understand timing, performance, audience interaction, and the importance of delivering a memorable moment.

Comedy requires those same instincts, even if the execution is entirely different.

Not every guitarist will become a successful comedian.

But as Jamieson's work with Reb Beach and Chris Kael demonstrates, some musicians have more than one way to entertain a crowd.

And that's a story worth celebrating.

Watch the Full Don Jamieson Interview

Our conversation covers much more, including the joke that nearly didn't make Comedy Is Killing Me, the story behind its Type O Negative-inspired artwork, and the improvisation that keeps Terrorizing Telemarketers going after eight volumes.

Watch the complete interview above for those stories directly from Don.

Comedy Is Killing Me is available as a comedy special on Amazon Prime Video, with a neon-green vinyl edition available for preorder through Experience Vinyl. Terrorizing Telemarketers Volume 8 is also available digitally.

Here's a question for Vinyl Latte readers: Which rock musician do you think would make the best stand-up comedian?

Would it be someone with a famously sharp sense of humor, or a musician who might surprise everyone once the guitar is put down?

Let me know in the comments.