Memphis comedian, Bryant Hannah a.k.a ‘Moufpiece’ describes his brand of comedy as feel-good, sultry, southern and real. As a former musician, Hannah has always been an entertainer. The scene in Memphis may be quite populous, but Hannah is on the verge of breaking through.
Moufpiece got his start in comedy in the 11th grade. As a class clown, he tended to find himself in trouble in class. One day, fed up with his antics, his teacher proposed a deal: “Tell your jokes at Senior Night. If the students don’t laugh, then you can never say another word in my classroom.” Safe to say, he showed up and he showed out.
As for his professional stand up career, he first performed at an open mic in 2012. After performing, he received good impressions and found himself being invited back to perform again. This success led to opportunities to consistently advance his career as a comic.
His stage name, “Moufpiece,” was actually carried over from his music career. Its origin dates to when Hannah lived in California. As a southerner on the West Coast, his southern drawl captured the attention of the locals. They loved hearing him speak and he had no problem contributing to their pleasure. Eventually he was told he had a “mouthpiece” on him, thus birthing the stage name, Moufpiece.
When it comes to getting your name out as an entertainer, some people fall into the trap of chasing trends. Hannah advises against that. He says “one of the hardest things is being different and not following trends… Everything is word of mouth. I never called a promoter to get booked for a show. I never called the club venue. Everything is word of mouth.” In an industry where the trends are constantly changing, this certainly rings true. Chasing a trend can lead to you being boxed into a subgenre of entertainment you are not necessarily interested in pursuing long-term.
Hannah has two sons, and he is sure to include them in his professional career. When asked how he balances his career with his family, he responded “when I have shows out of town, especially if it’s a six hour drive or less, they’re on the road with me.” In regards to his future goals, Hannah is working on a web series. As a comic, he often is not asked to portray serious roles. A simple bypass to this obstacle? He decided to write his own script. So, while you enjoy his comedy, keep an eye out for Bryant Hannah on your favorite streaming services.
Lastly, Hannah’s advice to people looking to get into the entertainment industry: “Try it. Don’t be scared. Don’t be discouraged by words. Don’t be discouraged by what you think you should be doing, what you think you should be or by what somebody else is doing. Give it a try, it takes heart. You have to be brave to try this field, but once you get in the groove of it, you’re going to love it.”
– Interviewed by Sojourner Freeman
