BOX ELDER — Box Elder audiences will get a taste of nationally touring comedy later this month when comedian Nick Murphy performs at The Box on May 23. Murphy has appeared on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon and Netflix Is a Joke Fest.
Murphy is from Atlanta, Ga., and now resides in Texas. He has performed stand-up comedy for the past 11 years, but before sharing laughs on stage, he worked as a pharmacy technician, a career he knew he did not want for the rest of his life.
That desire to switch career paths is what led him to pursue comedy. It became a way to shift gears into what he calls the “best job possible.” His time as a pharmacy technician has also provided ample material for his sets.
Murphy said he was exposed to comedians like George Carlin and Jeff Foxworthy at a young age and, after high school, began to consider stand-up as a possibility.
But it was comedian Anthony Jeselnik once mentioned taking a comedy class in interviews, which inspired him to explore stand-up further.
While classes can help people “scratch the itch,” Murphy said those who want to pursue comedy professionally need to get into clubs and perform regularly.
“You have to go to the real seedy underground, gross bar shows where people don’t care who you are and don’t think you’re funny,” Murphy said. “And you have to try to prove them wrong as many times as possible.”
“In reality, you have to go to open mics and get your teeth kicked in for three or four years to actually get good at it,” he added.
Murphy said his touring career began taking off once he started selling merchandise after shows.
“Sometimes I was making more off the T-shirts than I was making from the show itself,” he said. Those merchandise profits helped him continue pursuing comedy full time.
Murphy writes all of his own material and said his performances are a mix of prepared material and improvisation.
“Sometimes I’ll do that. It just depends on the crowd and the venue and what type of show it is,” he said. “Sometimes stuff just comes through a conversation and you’re thinking about how you need to write that down.”
The hard work is paying off. Murphy has performed at prominent festivals across the country, boosting his profile and expanding his reach nationally.
He performed at Netflix Is a Joke Fest in 2024, Flyover Comedy Festival in St. Louis and MoonTower Comedy Festival in Austin, Texas. In 2025, Murphy was selected for “Netflix Is a Joke Introducing Nick Murphy,” which was featured on Netflix’s YouTube channel and social media platforms.
“I would get my feet wet around some bigger names. They added me to the Jim Jefferies show, which was pretty cool,” he said. “There was an outdoor stage for 500 people. That was a cool moment.”
The festivals helped introduce Murphy to more people in the industry and eventually opened the door to an appearance on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.
“It was a very humbling experience, and I was very honored to be selected to do that,” Murphy said.
A booker for The Tonight Show saw Murphy perform at a festival and invited him to audition at Zanies in Nashville. Shortly after, Murphy got the call that he had been booked for the show.
“We had a week to get a suit and get up there,” Murphy said.
Delivering comedy on television is different than performing for a live audience. Murphy said he was able to rehearse his set before going on air, but once he was on camera, it was important he hit his marks.
“It’s kind of funny because you practice your performance, but it’s just for the camera crew,” he said. “But they were having a great time.”
Murphy said he also had the opportunity to meet several people involved with the show.
“I think they know what a big experience and what a big moment it is for you,” he said.
“And my mother got a photo with Jimmy Fallon, so that made it real,” he added with a laugh.
The Tonight Show appearance was a full-circle moment for Murphy.
“When you start doing stand-up comedy, the peak of the mountain, so to speak, is definitely The Tonight Show,” Murphy said.
While his career depends on laughs, and sometimes shocked reactions, Murphy said his material must always stay fresh.
“We have to keep coming up with new jokes, and it’s difficult and doesn’t always work out,” he said. “You’re still going to have some bad performances, but you know you’re still trying.”
Aside from passing through the Sioux Falls airport, Murphy has not spent much time in South Dakota. He joked that Rapid City and Box Elder could provide plenty of new material for his set. He said he researches communities before performing so he can incorporate local references into his shows.
With his rising successes, however, Murphy noted he was not voted class clown.
“But that guy is a chef now and he really flamed out,” Murphy joked.
He said comedy as a career is still a funny concept.
“It’s not like going to law school where there’s a clear-cut path where you do this and then you have the job,” he said. “It’s just kind of keep going until you can’t anymore.”
“It’s almost like a beach ball,” he added. “I just keep trying to keep it up without dropping it, and we’re still punching it back into the air 11 years later, so it’s still working for me.”
