Interviews

Comeback From a Heart Attack with Comedian & Actor Brian T Shirley

Published

July 11, 2019

My Comeback From a Heart Attack with Comedian and Actor Brian T Shirley, interview on Hustle & Motivate, a podcast presented by JokerMag.com, the home of the underdog

Credit-Brian T Shirley/Joker Mag Illustration

Brian T Shirley is a comedian and actor who’s toured the US, Canada, Japan, and The Bahamas for over 25 years. As an actor, he’s appeared in various short films, commercials, music videos, and even series on Amazon and Netflix!

But on September 11th of 2018, everything came to a screeching halt. That’s when Brian suffered a near-fatal heart attack and underwent quadruple bypass surgery.

Today, Brian is on his “Comeback From a Heart Attack” tour, armed with a new outlook on life.

Listen by tapping the play button below. Or tap the icon of your favorite podcast platform to listen on-the-go!

Show Notes

[2:45] The one thing you need to make it as a comedian

[11:30] What it’s like working on a movie set

[15:24] First-person perspective of a heart attack survivor

[22:53] “I almost cried…it’s one of the biggest things I’ve ever been a part of”

[31:42] How to survive the stresses of working for yourself

You can keep up with Brian’s latest work over at his website. You can also find him on all social media platforms, including Twitter.

Thanks for tuning in! Now check out these related episodes…

Jim “The Rookie” Morris on Living Your Dreams

28 Years of Surgeries & 2 Visits to Heaven with Jeanne Enstad

In this article:

Written By Tyler O'Shea

Division III baseball alum (McDaniel College), founder of Joker Mag, and author of The Underdog Mentality: Sports Stories That Will Change How You See the Game (And Yourself). Since launching in November 2017, my stories have been featured on platforms such as FOX Sports, SB Nation, and The Sporting News, reaching over 1.5 million readers worldwide. The seed was planted way back in 7th grade when I got cut from the baseball team. Instead of giving up, I found hope and inspiration in stories of undersized athletes who defied expectations. I ultimately played baseball through college, earning Honorable Mention on the All-Centennial Conference team in my senior season. Today, my mission is simple: To share stories that give people the same feeling I felt when I was that undersized ballplayer searching for hope, inspiration, and evidence that my dream was possible. Like my mom always told me, you can do anything you set your mind to. Sometimes we just need a little extra push. And that’s why I’m so passionate about sharing these stories with the world.