MR. LOL

By Shanna Hogan
Photo by Ross Mason

What’s the difference between Jay Leno and Scottsdale resident John Griggs? Well, one’s funny and the other is the host of The Tonight Show.

But seriously, John Griggs may not be as well-known as Leno or other famous funny men, but as a stand-up comedian he certainly knows how to get laughs.

“I’m known for my ‘what’s the difference’ jokes,” Griggs says. “For example, I’ll say, ‘Let’s talk about how sexy I am: What’s the difference between me and the sun? One’s really hot. The other one is 93 million miles away.’
”
A lifelong fan of comedy, Griggs has always had a quick wit that kept his friends chuckling. So five years ago, when he saw an advertisement for an open-mic night at the Scottsdale Comedy Spot, he decided to give it a shot.

“I went and I had about fifty of my friends come out and see me. I didn’t win, but it went really well,” he says. “I really loved the rush of being on stage, so I continued on from there.”

Since that night, Griggs has been performing regularly across the Southwest. Scrounging around for gigs that often pay very little money can be tough, but Griggs says he loves making people laugh.

“I remember my first few months in comedy, I bombed a lot and you think to yourself, ‘Why am I doing this? I’m not any good,’” he says. “You just got to get through those self-doubts and believe in yourself.”