#FF: Rob Delaney

by| If you check Twitter even semi-frequently, you've probably come across Rob Delaney's bulge. The L.A.-based standup comedian's Twitter avatar -- a photo of the comic on a beach, in a speedo, from his nose down to his bare thighs -- is somewhat omnipresent on the social media site, thanks to the high amount of shares his bawdy, profane and occasionally incisive tweets attract. His knack for tweeting has boosted his follower count up toward a million, and has landed him gigs on Jimmy Kimmel Live, Conan and several other national TV shows. Not bad for a guy who was struggling to make a living doing standup five years ago.We talked to Mr. Delaney about his rise to fame on both Twitter and in the real world; his recent, inspired takeover of theTwitter account; and why he hates Walmart so much. You can read it all below, and . When did you first hear about Twitter and what did you think about it?
I think I first heard about it in 2008, and at that point nobody had any idea of the potential. What I was hearing about it was that it was the worst of mass texts. It was introduced so that every tweet made your phone buzz, and told you that your friend Susie was having Pad Thai with her cousin Eric; and I thought if my phone ever did that, I would throw it in the garbage disposal.

So my earliest impressions of Twitter were similar to what a lot of people thought, which was that it was a mass text message board that anytime someone you were friends with farted, you would find out about it.

And as much as I enjoy my friends farts, I want to savor them, I want them to be special, you know?

A lot of people know you solely from your Twitter account. How would you introduce yourself to a reader who isnt familiar with you?

The most important three things about me are, Im a dad, a husband and a comedian. I think thats about it. Im mostly boring compared to all the garbage that you read about online. Ive always been a weirdo.

Why do you say that youve always been a weirdo?

Ive always enjoyed silly, funny, outrageous, insane things for their entertainment value. Im addicted to laughing and making other people laugh so I spend most of my waking moments either trying to make funny things or consume them -- for better or for worse. My life has a singular focus, certainly.

If I were a woman, when I encountered sexism Id be like BRB, Im gonna go *MAKE A HUMAN* IN MY BODY LIKE A MAGICAL GOD, YOU SAD OAF.

rob delaney (@robdelaney)

What were you doing before Twitter?

Standup and trying to get hired for late-night shows. I had been doing standup for some years before Twitter and -- you know, I was getting paid to do it, but not enough to live. I dont know if youve seen , but its superb, and there are literally scenes where his traveling standup gigs result in a net negative, where youre paid less than it cost to get there. And I definitely had plenty of those.

Im guessing Twitter has changed that.

Yeah, very, very dramatically. I am able to now sell places out on the road, which is the greatest thing that ever happened, as far Im concerned. Its afforded me insane opportunities. As I said, I was pursuing all the classic avenues that a comedian does to make a living beforehand, but Twitter pretty much pole-vaulted me into another universe. So Im very cognizant of that.

Youre sort of a poster boy for the success a comedian can have by making himself known through Twitter. Has anyone from Twitter reached out to you?

I was summoned to headquarters maybe a year-and-a-half ago and we just shot the breeze. They kinda wanted to know what I liked about it, what I didnt like. And we just sort of had a little brain-smush together, and that was fun. Any time Ive interacted with anyone who works at Twitter-- you know, theyre pretty youth-savvy and interesting and interested in what Im doing and what people are doing with Twitter.

Im curious to hear what you told them you didnt like.

I told them that for my purposes, I need no bells and whistles. I am after the pure experience of what can I get in 140 characters. Twitter for me could be a white box that I put jokes in. Im very interested, of course, in how many people share my jokes or are retweeting, but thats literally the only bell I need. I need no others.

But I dont have any real standing complaints about Twitter. If I graded it as a service I might give it an A, instead of an A+; but, you know, what is perfect in this world, other than Adeles porcelain complexion and melodious voice? Not much.

When are we going to see a Rob Delaney show?

I dont know! I just wrote a pilot for the BBC. And I just gave that to them. Maybe theyll like that, maybe they wont, but it was my latest effort to make a television show. Its a sitcom about a husband and a wife and their children.

Do you have a British accent?

No, Im American in it. Im American, and my wife is Sharon Horgan, and shes Irish. But its set in London.

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