Drawn to the Stage
By Max Hofer
Staff Writer
When you picture stand-up comedy, what usually comes to mind? If you’re drawing a blank, don’t worry, local artist and comedian Adam Goodge has you covered.
Adam Goodge
“What I normally do is, I start with stand-up and get people used to the idea of me,” Goodge said of his style. “Then, toward the end of my set, I will do jokes that incorporate my drawings, because I feel that’s the best way to end — to build up to the drawing.”
Growing up in an artistic household, drawing came naturally to Goodge.
“My mom was an artist, so she was always encouraging me to draw,” he said. “But I was always kind of the quirky, awkward kid that would make jokes.”
Before he combined these passions into a one-man comedy act, he found inspiration in the form of another unique pairing.
“For one of my earlier birthdays, I got a Calvin and Hobbes book,” he recalled. “And that kind of launched the idea that I could tie art and comedy together. At a young age, I was making comic books and always trying to make them funny, and that’s how I started developing a storytelling side to my humor.”
His love of drawing would continue through his time at Augustana University, where he earned his art degree.
“I was always kind of an introvert,” Goodge said. “I mean, I always strived to be social, and I wanted to be liked by people, but I was always the kind of person who would hide behind their drawings.”
A performer at heart, Goodge would frequently attend local open mics to watch comedians practice their sets.
“I had wanted to go on stage for the longest time, and I’d watched all these comics go up, and I thought, ‘Yeah, I could really do this.’”
Those dreams would be put on a brief halt, however, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. But that only made his desire to perform grow stronger.
“I just felt this really powerful need to do it,” Goodge said. “I couldn’t live with myself if I didn’t at least go up and try it.”
Submitted Photo
In 2021, as soon as restaurants and bars opened back up, so did a new chapter in the artist-comic’s life.
“My first open mic was up at Sisyphus Brewery in Minneapolis and it was, like, over a hundred people. It was insane, and it went really well.”
But it took some time before Goodge would find his comfort on stage.
“It didn't come naturally to be on stage in front of people,” he said. “Eventually, once I realized that I had these drawings, it kind of felt like I had something in my back pocket. If my stand-up wasn't going well, I knew at least people would appreciate the drawings.”
One night, during a local competition, he prepared some drawings and worked them into his act. It was then that he, and his audience, saw the bigger picture.
“I just noticed there was a huge difference — like the whole front row filled up when I pulled out the easel with the drawings, and everyone was engaged. I thought, ‘This is a unique way that I can go about doing my stand-up and have it stand out for people.’”
From Fabio-inspired Furbies to emo Elmos, Goodge covers a broad range of topics, backed by clever set-ups and humorous visual punchlines.
“One of the big ones that I use is this giant middle finger,” he said. “That's one way I catch people off-guard if they're not paying attention. I'll have it in there, and I might be like, ‘For those of you who don't like my art, this piece is for you.’”
Eventually, his unique style would earn him the coveted Larry Brinkman Award, a local comedy award given out monthly to the funniest comic as voted on by a panel of judges and peers.
“I almost cried,” Goodge said. “I had been wanting to win for so long, but it took a long time for me to get to the point where I was confident enough on stage and my material was solid enough. So, when it happened, I finally felt like I was officially a big part of the Sioux Falls comedy scene. It meant the world to me.”
And while his unique brand of comedy stands out amongst his fellow comics, Goodge says he feels right at home within the community.
“All of the comics were so warm and inviting,” he said. “Once I realized that I could perform alongside these amazing people, it felt like I kind of found the other half of who I was, and I just felt complete.”
It’s this support that helps gives Goodge the confidence to try out new jokes.
“That's one of my favorite things — going up with something I just discovered and I'm excited to share it with everyone else,” he said. “It could go horribly, or it could be like one of the best things I've written.”
And while the eyes are on him most of the time, he always keeps his open for inspiration.
“Every day, I think of something. I tell myself that, ‘Every day something funny happens. You just have to pay attention.’”
Once something to hide behind, now Goodge’s art proudly stands beside him, sharing the spotlight — the Hobbes to his Calvin.
“That feeling of writing and accomplishment — it feeds me and makes me want to keep coming back and trying new things.”