Lawyer-turned-comic makes a case for following your dreams
Have you heard the one about the trial lawyer who became a must-see stand-up comedian? Her name is Lindsay Glazer.
Glazer was working in a public defender’s office when she decided it was time to reinvent herself. “My life was looking at clients with 10 pages of felonies,” the Summerlin resident says. “It does get inside of you. I needed to get out.”
She found a way out, and an outlet, in front of an audience. “Comics do comedy for the laughs, the applause and the external approval,” she says. “Comedy is informed by trauma. In a lot of cases, the more you’ve been through or experienced in your personal life, the more you can pull from for your comedy.”
And Glazer is seriously funny. Proof can be found on her new album, “Thanks, Dad,” available on Spotify, Apple Music and other streaming platforms. Recorded in December at Wiseguys Comedy Club in downtown Las Vegas, it finds Glazer opining and punch-lining on life, motherhood and various hot-button topics.
She calls herself the second-most-famous comedian to come out of Peoria, Illinois. (Sam Kinison also lived there.)
Glazer’s comedy can be heard on streaming, podcasts and Comedy Central, plus she headlines clubs in Vegas and across the country.
Her good life tips:
Remember your spark
“I loved comedy my whole life, and I’ve been funny since I was a little kid,” Glazer says. “Later, I really liked the writing part. I also played the piano. For me, doing comedy is like conducting an orchestra. Is this piece of music going to work? Does it work consistently, or does it need some work? Maybe it just needs a different key.”
Take your shot
After years of working as a lawyer, Glazer made her first foray into a stand-up at a club in California. “It was a comedy festival, and I had no business being on that stage. The person who booked the club asked if I wanted time. I didn’t know better and said yes. … So, I did a set and did pretty well. Pretty unusual. I spent the next six months bombing. That’s more normal.”
The lesson? “You have to suck at something to be good at something.”
Realize your worth
“When you do stand-up, you’re making people happy and laugh, but it goes even deeper,” Glazer says. “People come up to you after the show and say, ‘I really needed to hear what you just said because I’ve been so stressed out,’ or they will say, ‘I’ve been so much on edge that I just really needed to laugh.’ ”
Laughter and tears
“Most comics do not have good self-esteem. Comics always take everything personally. The truth is it’s just comedy. It’s just one set,” she says. “You have to learn to have that mindset.”
Work on your health
Glazer loves to play tennis has had to adjust after hurting her shoulder. “I have three more weeks of physical therapy,” she says. “I walk now to combat stress on my treadmill and ride my Peloton.”
She tries to eat healthy. “I take my blender on the road or stay in hotels near Starbucks,” she says, “so I can put protein powder in my drink.”
Fighting fit
She also uses boxing to stay in shape and defend herself. “Boxing made me feel more empowered. … I also asked a trainer if I only did one exercise the rest of my life what should I do? The answer was pushups. Everything in life depends on your ability to push yourself up.”
Vegas memories
“We went to Vegas every year from the time I was 5. My dad used to gamble at the Desert Inn,” Glazer shares.
Listen to your dad
“The best thing my dad ever taught me was to stand up for myself,” she says. “Sometimes I do it at the wrong time. I should just shut up. But I did learn to get it done through talking. That’s an art and I learned it from my dad.”
Calming influence
Glazer says she learns from her 9-year-old daughter, Daniella. “She teaches me to be more compassionate and understanding,” she says. “I can be impatient when things take too long. What I’ve learned from my daughter is to calm down in life, which is really important.”
Teach your children
What is the best lesson Glazer has imparted to her child? “I always say, ‘Where do we get our self-worth? Answer: From ourselves? Do you like you? That’s all that matters,’ ” she says.
See the bright side
Glazer stayed off the road for two years during the pandemic. Instead of missing life as a stand-up crisscrossing the country, she found joy with her daughter. “If I have to choose my daughter or comedy, I have to choose my daughter,” she says. “She has been the best thing that ever happened to me. She has taught me about love and joy.”
Find your place
Glazer has found a home in Summerlin. “I love Las Vegas,” she declares. “Everyone says, ‘Good morning.’ People looked at me like I was crazy if I said, ‘Good morning,’ in Los Angeles.”
Accepting rejection
“When you’re an actor, someone rejects your character. When you do comedy, they reject you,” she observes. “I meditate each night to keep it all in perspective.”
Ask yourself one question
“I ask myself: ‘Will this matter in five years?’ ” Glazer shares. “Most of the time, the answer is probably not.”
And one more thing
“I say to myself, ‘I’m not perfect. I just have to manage how I screw up.’ ”
