Ryan Niemiller gives back to the place that crafted him
Comedian Ryan Niemiller, America’s Got Talent star, did not think he would have the opportunity to come back to campus after graduating from ISU’s theater program in 2006. But he returned on Wednesday, March 16, to perform and to boost donations for Give to Blue Day. It was one of his first appearances back onstage after the COVID-19 pandemic.
This performance was important for Niemiller to get back on stage after being on lockdown as well as coming back to a place he used to call home.
“Once you graduate and your college friends all get jobs and go their own way, you don’t know how many chances you’ll get to come back. Give to Blue Day has given me the opportunity to come back and utilize the skills I was able to learn while I was at ISU,” said Niemiller.
Niemiller seemed happy to be back at ISU to contribute to the fundraising cause. He spoke highly of the university.
“You know, not every former alumni gets to come back to their alma mater to perform or do something to actually help give back or help the university that has given them the opportunity to do so much with their career,” said Niemiller. “Being able to perform at ISU not only allows me to get back to work after COVID, but lets me do what I love to do at the place that helped mold me into who I am today.”
Niemiller began his career at ISU with hopes to one day be a pro wrestler, having wrestled as a kid and continuing with his training in college, despite the disability that limits the use of his arms. He even came up with a performing name, The Cripple Threat.
His dreams of professional wrestling gave way to an interest in comedy.
“I learned while doing improv in theater that I was actually pretty funny and I could make people laugh. That’s when stand up comedy came to me,” he said.
Growing up, Niemiller said it was second nature to use jokes as a defense mechanism for his disability. In college, he came to realize he could make a career of it.
“I fell in love with theater at ISU. One of my favorite things was Theaterfest,” he remembered. “All of us theater nerds would go out to the fountain and just perform small little skits for kids to stop and watch on their way to the Commons or class. It was a lot of fun and meant a lot when people would stop and actually watch us perform. Everyone loves to watch movies and those actors are considered cool, but that’s also theater. Nobody really thinks of it like that. Being able to perform on campus, meeting some of my best friends are probably some of my favorite memories of ISU.”
After Niemiller placed as a finalist in season 14 of America’s Got Talent, he immediately began touring. He said the last episode of his season aired in September 2019 on a Wednesday. Niemiller flew home on Thursday and was on the road by Friday.
“After AGT, I felt like such a big deal and I got in my head realizing I placed third place on this huge show and I’m selling out all of my own shows and then — boom! Suddenly March 2020 hits and I am told how ‘nonessential’ I am. We had all these essential workers still in the workforce and I was left thinking, ‘I’m pretty important, right?’”
Niemiller said adjusting to apartment life after living on the road was not easy.
“I was on the road pretty much until the world shut down. I was at home in my apartment maybe five times from the moment AGT ended till COVID hit,” he said. “I remember thinking it was nice to finally have a break and be able to catch up on some sleep and video games, but then it went on and on.”
While COVID was running its course, a lot of comedy clubs had to shut down including the ones he was involved in.
“Some of the comedy clubs I was working didn’t make it through the pandemic because they couldn’t afford to keep the doors open. This was hard on me because typically you have two years after AGT where your fame gets to live on even if you aren’t doing anything and it’s fire. I lost most of that because of the pandemic and now that I’m finally able to get back out there I don’t take my job for granted.”
COVID taught the world a little something about the importance of life and the things we take for granted, and that was true for Niemiller, too.
“I was able to solidify that getting to perform and do comedy is truly a gift and not something I take for granted anymore,” he said.
