Sam Bondhus is a Deaf/Hard of Hearing stand-up comedian. He grew up in Faribault, Minnesota where he attended Minnesota State Academy for the Deaf (MSAD) throughout his educational years. His first language is technically spoken English but he also communicates using American Sign Language (ASL). He was identified as Hard of Hearing technically, although his hearing fluctuates on a daily basis.
Being a stand-up comedian, he works all over the place. “Right now, my schedule consists of going to comedy clubs Tuesday through Sunday most weeks. As a stand up, I write and perform jokes every night to make Hearing and Deaf audiences laugh.”
“My first time performing was actually for a deaf audience at the Jr. NAD conference back in high school. The organization was kind enough to let me MC the night's event. That event really taught me a lot on my journey to becoming a standup comedian.”
As a comedian, Sam enjoys seeing and hearing the laughter from the audience when a new joke hits.” I love that I can get enjoyment out of my job and in return, the audience enjoys it too. It’s a win-win situation for everyone. Seeing other comedians like DJ Demers, Kevin Hart, and Jim Gaffigan makes me wanna be like them someday. I also grew up watching SNL (Saturday Night Live) with hopes of becoming their first ever D/HH cast member one day.”
“One of my favorite moments in my career thus far is performing at my hometown, Faribault, Minnesota. Before my performance I honestly thought about giving up. Prior to this, I was going through a slump and wasn’t coming up with any new material for the past couple months. However, once I performed for my hometown, I knew this was something I wanted to do for the rest of my life. The moment I got on stage I immediately entered a flow state. Meaning, a state of mind where everything just clicked. The jokes hit, I was having fun, and it was just an out of body experience. What I learned from this was, with anything, there will be ups and downs. A lot of people have that moment where they want to turn back and quit. I’m proof that if you turn back, you may regret it. Go for something you love. Maybe you fail, but it’s better to try and fail than to sit and wonder “what if?”
Being a Deaf comedian has its own set of challenges. Sam wears hearing aids, and sometimes they go out in the middle of his set. “Because I need to hear the laughter at times, the timing gets thrown off at times. In addition to this, because I am one of the only Deaf comedians in the area, when I mishear someone it can get pretty awkward. However, it can also make for some good comedy. “
Sam shares the following advice: “If there’s anyone out there wanting to become a comedian, write everyday and don’t compare yourself to other comedians. Everyone has a different journey so embrace that. Also, have fun with it and expect to fail. I have failed and will continue to fail over and over. That is the only way you get better.”
When not on stage doing comedy sets, Sam loves working out at the gym and also loves to play pickleball every once in a while. “It makes for a good break from comedy!”
The #CanDoAnything campaign showcases people who are deaf, deafblind, or hard of hearing at work, giving them an opportunity to share what they do at their jobs and explain how communication access works for them. This campaign shows what our community can do, which is anything!
Follow Sam at the following social media connections:
Instagram: @bondhussam
YouTube: @sambondhus8500
