Josh Groban Says He Was Warned Comedy Would Hurt His Brand
Josh Groban was told that jokes could damage his singing career.
The singer says early advisers warned him to steer clear of comedy to protect his brand. He discusses that advice in an interview for the October/November issue of Reader's Digest, conducted by the magazine's editor in chief Leigh Belz Ray.
The appearance is a first for the magazine in years. Groban is the first celebrity to appear on the cover of Reader's Digest in more than a decade, since Robin Roberts in June 2013, according to Billboard.
Groban told the magazine he was advised "to not blow the brand" by doing comedy bits. He said he ignored that guidance because comedy work let him show "there was a human being behind this persona."
Viewers saw that other side during the 98th Oscars earlier this year. Groban joined host Conan O'Brien in a sketch dubbed "I Won" during the opening monologue of the ceremony.
That balance between music and humour has run through his stage career as well. He made his Broadway debut in 2016 in Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812, a sung-through musical adapted from part of Tolstoy's War and Peace, and earned a Tony Award nomination for best actor in a musical.
The interview also touches on his personal life. Groban announced his engagement to actor Natalie McQueen in April.
What makes this stand out is how directly he links the comedy to longevity. For Groban, the punchlines were not a detour from the day job. They were how a wider audience got to know the person singing the songs.
