Before Tamra Goins was closing deals for stand-ups, she was spitting verses.
The Innovative comedy agent has an extraordinary backstory, having first taken to the stage as Entice, one half of the rap duo Danger Zone opposite cousin Bailey Brown, while growing up in late-’80s Oakland. Her experiences in the live space as a performer wold later inform her instincts in working behind the scenes — first in music, and then in comedy.
Goins’ early years in music led naturally to behind-the-scenes work in production and promotion within that arena, and it was experiences there that opened the door to stand-up. In comedy, she made a name for herself first as a producer, working alongside talent like Shaquille O’Neal on projects like his All-Star Comedy Jam.
Goins started agenting at the now-defunct Resolution Entertainment a little more than a decade ago — building what she describes as a healthy business within an otherwise failing company. By 2014 she had joined Innovative Artists, where swiftly rose through the ranks to senior leadership, and now shapes strategy as Managing Partner and Head of Comedy.
In today’s episode of our Comedy Means Business podcast, Goins traces this remarkable journey, sharing hard-won lessons on supporting artists in today’s fast-changing landscape. Comedy Means Business is now being put out in video, as well as audio formats — you can watch the pod on YouTube by clicking above.
The post How Agent Tamra Goins Went From Rapping With Too Short As An Oakland Teenager To Leading Innovative’s Comedy Department – Comedy Means Business Podcast appeared first on Deadline.
