Comedian Adam Cayton-Holland is a straight-up smile provider. It doesn’t matter who he is sharing the stage with, or how big the stage might be, he always steps up and hits jokes all over the field. His writing is top-notch, which comes through in his comedy. He is a natural storyteller, and his stories are hilarious. It was one of his performances on “The Meltdown with Jonah and Kumail” that literally made me cry laughing, and a die-hard fan for life. It’s a great first watch or 100th watch if you want to see a master set.

Adam has a genuine likability to him and an honest warmth. His comedy career is booming. He’s been on all the good lists, like “25 Comics to Watch” by Esquire and “10 Comics to Watch” by Variety. Comedy troupe The Grawlix, featuring Adam, Ben Roy, and Andrew Orvedahl created the truTV series “Those Who Can’t” and it’s the tops. He’s appeared on “Conan,” “@midnight,” “Happy Endings” and the list goes on. Performances at The Kennedy Center and Carnegie Hall, his super fun comedy festival the High Plains Comedy Festival, and his first book is coming out in August, he’s a constant creator. He has the work ethic of someone who knows work ethic is the most important thing. Mix real talent with real work ethic, and you find someone like Adam Cayton-Holland. His third comedy album, “Adam Cayton-Holland Performs His Signature Bits” comes out March 23rd on Comedy Central Records. It’s going to be a gem.

I talked with Adam about dogs, Denver, comedy, the new album, and life. He gives some amazing words of wisdom, and I doubt he even realizes it. Enjoy. 

Serial Optimist: Hi Adam! How is your day going? Describe your surroundings as you respond to this interview. 

Adam Cayton-Holland: I am in a hotel room in Phoenix with Andrew Orvedahl (Fairbell of “Those Who Can’t“). He and I are working on a movie script together so we met up here to check out Rockies spring training/work on the script together. 

SO: Nice! Tell me about your dog(s?) that I’m always seeing on your IG. Did you recently get an addition to the fam, or is it just Annabel Lee? Do you have a favorite hike or place in CO you like to take her?

Adam: My dog is Annabel. She is a purebred Chesapeake Bay Retriever. Yes, she is a finished AKC Champion. I married my wife Katie over a year ago but for the past couple of years now we have been a three-dog household. Which is kind of like 3 Dog Night but our music isn’t as bad. We have Sammy, an American Eskimo, and Charlie, a Sheltie. We’re one, big, hair-covered, yappy family. We like to take our dogs to Chatfield Dog Park. 

Late-night pizza in a three-dog house. Photo: @caytonholland

SO: I Love Chatfield. Speaking of Denver, this is where you are from. What is it about Denver that made you stay and run your career from here? Why not make the LA move, following everyone else?

Adam: Denver is just home to me. I love it and I want to live there. I have nothing against LA, per se, it’s just not where I want to be. It would probably make more sense to be out there in my line of work, the entertainment industry. You’re more in the minds of the people pulling the strings – but life is short, I choose my happiness before my career, and I’m happier in Denver. 

SO: Truly words to live by. To me, the Denver comedy scene is one of the top five in the nation. You and The Grawlix played a major role in that. You still do. How do you feel about the comedy scene in Denver? Is this where you first started doing stand-up?

Adam: I First started in Denver and I continue to be impressed by the scene. Every time a crop of heavy hitters leaves for New York or LA, another crop of inspired, unique, and most importantly funny group of young comics step up and start kicking ass. 

SO: At what age do you feel like you really started to find yourself, or at what stage in your life? When did you know you wanted to be a writer?

Adam: I’ve always wanted to be a writer. Always. I don’t know when I found myself, on stage or in life. Don’t know if I have or ever will. 

SO: It’s a beautiful and confusing journey. When did you know you wanted to be a stand-up? When did you feel like you actually were?

Adam: I knew I wanted to be a stand-up the first time I ever attended an open mic, April 2004. I watched a bunch of comics – a few good, but most terrible – and I thought, oh shit, I can be as funny as those terrible ones. In fact, I think I can do better. I was back the next week and I haven’t stopped performing since. 

SO: I find the process so interesting. Your third comedy album, “Adam Cayton-Holland Performs His Signature Bits,” comes out March 23rd on Comedy Central Records. VERY excited about this. What was the process like in putting together this album? How long did it take to get to the point where you knew you had an album? 

Adam: This one came together really organically. When you get a Comedy Central Half Hour it comes with an album deal. It had been a while since I recorded my last album so I had plenty of material, to the point I was able to kind of cherry-pick my favorite material and put it on the album. So when they offered, I was pretty much ready to go. Did a few weekends out to fine-tune this sumbitch and then recorded it! I’m pretty proud of it and I hope people like it.

SO: Why did you choose Union Hall in Brooklyn to record “Adam Cayton-Holland Performs His Signature Bits,” and what was that experience like? 

Adam: Union Hall was home to one of the first cool indie shows I ever got to do – Tearing the Veil of Maya hosted by Eugene Mirman and Michael Showalter. I think it became something called Pretty Good Friends after that. Kristen Schaal, who I had opened for in Denver vouched for me and that first night I was on a show with Zack Galifianakis and Reggie Watts. I was so nervous but I did really well and was invited back. I’ve performed there numerous times since and it holds a special place in my heart, so it was cool to get to do my album there. No one is really as obsessed with the fine details of your career as you are, but I like to sort of try to do things at a place that mean something to me.

SO: Love that story and mindset. The album cover is killer. How was that conceived? It goes so aesthetically well with the title somehow.

Adam: I thought of the title which I thought was so stupid and cheesy I just had to go with it. Then I reached out to Geoff Tice, a really funny Denver comic who also happens to be this insanely talented artist. He’s doing posters for bigger and bigger acts all the time. He agreed to do it and there we go! 

SO: “Those Who Can’t” is such a great show. Have there been days you look around, laughing at something Ben said or loving something Andrew suggested, just creating with your pals, and you just pinch yourself? 

Adam: Dude, 100%. It’s a dream come true, literally. It’s a grind, and it’s such hard work, and often you get bogged down by how intense it is, but sometimes, when you have Mark Hoppus on an episode, or your getting makeup in a chair next to Patton Oswalt, you have to be like, holy shit, how did our little web series lead to all this?! 

SO: What is one of your favorite episodes from the show and why?

Adam: 8 Mile High. I love rap and it’s such a ridiculous episode. 

SO: I’m a fan of your stand up writing and also your writing outside of comedy. You have your first book coming out this year, Tragedy Plus Time, a memoir about the passing of your younger sister. Depression is something I’ve struggled with for years and something we try to talk about openly on Serial Optimist. How did writing this book help you, and how in telling this story do you hope it helps other people?

Adam: Thanks, man. I’m really excited for this book to come out. I think it’s important and I think it’s a good tribute to my little sister who I miss so bad. But truthfully I’m trying to hold off really talking about it until the book comes out Aug 21. Know that I’m very excited about it coming out and I think it will help a lot of people and I’ll talk about it more down the road!

SO: Looking forward to that and supporting it however we can. Do you approach scripted writing, book writing, and your stand up differently? Or are you just constantly writing? 

Adam: They’re all different. But truthfully, work ethic has a lot do with it. I try to always be working on something.

SO: When was the last time you laughed really hard and why? 

Adam: I popped in an old DVD of “Stella” the other night – Michael Ian Black, Michael Showalter and David Wain’s show. It was absolutely killing me. So weird and free. Love that shit. 

SO: “Stella” is great, will forever hold up. What are a few things that make you smile daily?

Adam: My wife. My dogs. My niece and nephews. 

SO: Where do the Rockies end up this year?

Adam: World Series Champions. You heard it here first. 

SO: Anything else going on or any happenings we should know about?

Adam: Headlining Comedy Works April 4! Be there! 

SO: Thanks, Adam!

*Follow Adam on Twitter and IG @CaytonHolland

*Order his new comedy album “Adam Cayton-Holland Performs His Signature Bits” here! Go get some laughs now!

*Keep up with “Those Who Can’t” On TruTV

*Adam has a great website. You can keep up with all things ACH here.