“With chronic suicidality, you’re sitting in the exit row in the window seat of life.”
– Frank King
Frank King spent 20 years as a writer for The Tonight Show with Jay Leno before sharing his story of what was really going on behind the scenes.
In 2014, Frank came out as depressed and suicidal in his very first TED Talk. Since then, he’s become known as “The Mental Health Comedian”, speaking across the country and helping save countless lives in the process.
Frank and I covered a range of topics in our conversation: from the most frustrating misconceptions about suicide to the hilarious idea he had while suffering a heart attack on a logging trail.
Listen by tapping the play button below. Or tap the icon of your favorite podcast platform to listen on the go!
Show Notes
[3:10] Selling insurance vs. stand-up comedy
[9:15] Touring for 2,629 nights in a row (featuring Adam Sandler, Ellen DeGeneres, and more)
[16:00] Starting the conversation on suicide
[35:00] Misconceptions about depression and surviving a heart attack in the middle of the woods
[45:30] How he started writing for Jay Leno
After Listening…
You can find all of Frank’s work over at his website, TheMentalHealthComedian.com.
Learn more about Frank’s upcoming book, Guts, Grit and the Grind: A Complete Guide to Men’s Mental Health here.
Thank you for listening! Check out these related episodes:
From 34% Body Fat to 11% and The Underdog Mentality with Henry Duncan
Comeback From a Heart Attack with Comedian Brian T Shirley