Carmen Lynch and Jon Fisch have followed similar paths in the world of stand-up, routes that have taken them from Manhattan comedy clubs to The Late Show with Stephen Colbert.
The two longtime friends are currently co-headlining the "Comics of Late Night TV" tour. The trek stops Friday at the State Theatre in Easton.
"It's really fun to do with someone you've known for so long," Lynch said Monday during a phone interview. "Audiences are just going to get some witty, funny stuff."
Fisch, who in years past has performed at the theater as part of the former "Nobodies of Comedy" showcase, said he welcomed the opportunity to hit the road with Lynch. "It's not as common to tour with a colleague or friend. So I consider it an extra treat," Lynch said. "Doing the theater shows really does prepare you for the late-night shows. Theater audiences are usually the smartest and best and the nicest."
However, Fisch said he still enjoys returning to the Comedy Cellar and other New York City comedy breeding grounds. "You can lose your edge if you're not in those clubs. I think the thing that's best for me is it keeps me sharp," he said. "I can be in front of two or three different audiences a night."
For Lynch, who has appeared on both The Late Show with Stephen Colbert and Conan, as well as the former Late Show with David Letterman, said the key to successfully landing a joke in front of cameras and a studio audience is staying true to yourself. She said getting to be a guest on Letterman was a personal highlight.
"There are a lot of nerves, especially the second part where it gets aired on TV. You're trying to be organic with the people watching it live," Lynch said. "One thing I will say about standup is I think (doing) it has opened me up more than I thought I ever would be."
Lynch said she is hoping to parlay her stateside success overseas and add more international dates to her calendar. In February, she released her album Dance Like You Don't Need the Money -- a move Lynch said she held off on making until she felt excited enough about the material to record it. "I didn't want to overthink it," she said. "It feels like the first 10 years you're just finding yourself in comedy and finding your voice and just playing around."
Fisch and Lynch each said the biggest thrill of being a comedian is not so much the eliciting of laughs as much as it is crafting the punchline. "The very beginning, when you're creating the joke, that to me is so much fun. Trying stuff for the first time," Lynch said.
Fisch, who also hosts the Spiraling Up podcast, concurred. "The real excitement, for me, is to write the new stuff and find out if it's funny or not," he said.
In terms of what fans can expect at the State Theatre, Fisch teased that his set will draw heavily on his life as a 40-something New Yorker. "I try not to do too much political stuff. My theory is is you're either preaching to the choir or turning people off immediately and they're not going to listen to what you have to say," Fisch said. "As long as I'm keeping it personal, it's affecting me and nobody can get offended."
"Comics of Late Night TV" will stop 8 p.m. Friday at the State Theatre, 453 Northampton St., Easton. The show will feature comedians Carmen Lynch and Jon Fisch, with emcee Shaun Eli. Tickets cost $12.