Today we’d like to introduce you to Jesse Suphan
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I’ve been performing since daycare, where I managed to build a stage out of blocks, stand on top, and somehow convince a bunch of toddlers to clap for me. I’ve been forcing people to clap ever since.
When I first moved to San Diego 11 years ago, I was a little lost and took some time to really find my community. I met a lot of people at bars, but for some reason, we always seemed to have trouble remembering each other the next day. Then one day, I stumbled into Finest City Improv, and my life really changed. I walked into this welcoming, slightly chaotic community, made fast friends, and found something truly fulfilling.
Now, I’d been doing comedy and theater for a while before that, but Finest City felt different—like a group sport. As a little gay growing up in Little Rock, Arkansas, “group sports” weren’t exactly my thing. The closest I got was during PE class, when my friend Amy Lee (yeah, the one from Evanescence) and I would sit far away on the soccer field making necklaces out of clovers. She’s gone on to win a few Grammys, and I’ve gone on to teach and perform improv. Life’s been kind to us both.
Almost ten years ago, I started producing a Pride night comedy show called Impride. It began as a fundraising event for San Diego Pride—an evening full of improv and special guests. Each year, it’s grown more and more to include every flavor of queer comedy: sketch, stand-up, one-person shows, clowns, plays, and, of course, the gayest of all comedy… musicals.
The Impride Festival has become more than just a yearly tradition. It’s now a full-on celebration of queer voices in comedy, and last year we made it official by becoming a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. We’ve had incredible talent from all around the world, including Parvesh Cheena (The Conners, The Mandalorian, Shining Vale) and Celeste Pechous (Masters of Sex, Sharp Objects, One Day at a Time).
This year, we’re back in 2025, ready to put on a weekend of amazing shows and workshops. But most of all, I’m just excited to connect with all these incredible performers once again.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
A smooth road? I can’t say I’ve ever been on one, but it sure sounds lovely. When I moved to San Diego 11 years ago, it was after a series of personal losses that left me reeling. In the span of a month, I lost one of my best friends, my on-again-off-again ex of nine years, and my sister. It was a rough time, to say the least, and I basically took a mental sabbatical by moving out west to start fresh.
Honestly, I think that’s why comedy became so fulfilling for me—I had a lot that needed to be filled. Over the years, I’ve tried to give back what it’s given me, both through the festival and through teaching, which has also been incredibly rewarding. I’ve taught improv, acting, corporate team bonding (you’re welcome, accountants), but right now my heart belongs to teaching musical improv. There’s nothing like watching a group of 14 terrified students who could barely squeak out a note in week one turn into fame-hungry stage monsters seven weeks later, belting comedic songs like they’re auditioning for Broadway. A true gift to see and hear.
Impride took a break last year because life decided to hit me with another round of loss. My father passed away, then my stepfather, and then my best friend of over 20 years. It was just too much to pull myself together and make the festival happen. But this year, we’re back—ready to be filled up with comedy again and share that joy with everyone who needs it.
The world right now isn’t exactly a safe space for the queer community, and that makes Impride more important than ever. We need a place to laugh, to be seen, and to celebrate who we are without fear. I can’t wait to make it happen again this year.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
As a performer, I’ve always prided myself on my stage presence. Stealing the spotlight, throwing out a stolen glance to the audience, and yes—one stolen purse (it was a *joke*, I swear). I love to entertain, and I need laughter to live—preferably aimed directly at me.
My comedy partner, Kat Dudley, and I formed a duo called The Hardy Boys, and we’ve traveled the country bringing our brand of chaotic comedy to audiences everywhere. We’ve performed and taught at festivals and shows from the legendary stages of Second City LA to also places like Hartford, CT. Being on stage with Kat and our brilliant musical director, Stu Shames, is some of my favorite work. We’re definitely not for the faint of heart and are absolutely not afraid to go for the joke—no matter how weird or outrageous it might be.
Kat is also the co-producer of Impride now that we’ve gone fully nonprofit, and we’re hosting one of our Impride Festivals at her Improv Theater in San Francisco this year. I’m beyond excited to keep creating with her—we’ve been at this for ten years now! Honestly, I’m excited to be doing *anything* for ten years.
What sets me apart? I think it’s my willingness to just go for it—on stage, in life, in building this community. I’m most proud of how Impride has grown into this huge, welcoming space for queer comedy. Whether it’s pulling off a ridiculous bit, connecting with the audience, or making space for new voices to be heard, I’m all in. I live for the connection, the joy, and the absurdity of it all.
Contact Info:
- Website: http://impride.org/
- Instagram: jsuphan
Image Credits
Courtney Johnson, Alex Cantatore
