Welcome to the Steve Jobs based Join Up Dots Free Podcast Interview with Tranea Prosser

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Introducing Tranea Prosser

Todays guest is Tranea Prosser, a lady who likes nothing more than having a laugh, and when it comes to making her listeners and audience laugh then she is in heaven.

Where ever there are ears to hear, and a sound system to project her voice, she has been bringing laughter to folks in all sorts of venues.

And she does it in a clean, non-profane manner…pleasing to audiences of all ages — from kids to senior citizens.

It seems performing was pre-ordained for this Texas native, as both her mom and dad were singers of some note…with her late father, Harvey, being a member of the Soul Savers quartet.

She has also sung in church choirs for most of life…as well as of course being a comedian, singer, and author of the book “Celibacy: What was I thinking?”

She is flexing the old hustle muscle everyday, and making the most of every opportunity that comes her way.

How The Dots Joined Up For Tranea

But what I find amazing is that like all of us she has started and worked in jobs that seem a total wrong choice to make, and from an outsider point of view seem madness.

She has spent years working as an administrative assistant, and a legal secretary for the attorney general of Texas, responding to inquiries and general complaints. 

But were these the jobs that actually helped light the passions and started her working towards where she is today?

Did she realise that although paying the bills, the roles were actually holding her back from a life of enjoyment and fun?

Well let’s bring onto the show to start joining up dots, as we discuss the words of Steve Jobs in todays Free podcast, with the one and only Tranea Prosser

Show Highlights

During the show we discussed such weighty topics as:

Why she is so surprised how she now finds herself on stage, making people laugh, as being a comedian was never an entry on her bucket list.

How she had to dig deep to find the courage and commitment to write her book even though she never thought it was something that the world was waiting for.

How she never felt scared when stepping up onto the stage, no matter how large the crowd, and thrives in front of an audience.

And lastly……..

How a talent is what you were naturally given, but a skill is one that you have to learn, and we should all look deep within ourselves to find the talent.

How To Connect With  Tranea Prosser

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Return To The Top Of Tranea Prosser

If you enjoyed this episode with Tranea Prosser, why not check out other inspirational chat with Clayton Morris, Dorie Clark, and the amazing Niall Doherty

Full Transcription Of Tranea Prosser Interview

David Ralph [0:00]
Today’s show is brought to you by podcasters mastery.com, the premier online community teaching you how to podcast like a pro. Check us out now. podcasters mastery.com

Intro [0:12]
when we’re young, we have an amazing positive outlook about how great life is going to be. But somewhere along the line we forget to dream and end up settling. Join Up Dots features amazing people who refuse to give up and chose to go after their dreams. This is your blueprint for greatness. So here’s your host live from the back of his garden in the UK. David Ralph.

David Ralph [0:38]
Yes, hello, everybody and welcome to of course, it’s Join Up Dots. It’s Join Up Dots with David Ralph. This is Episode 393. And we’ve got a lady today who is she’s a bit of a lot. She’s already said to me that she spent time doing herself up and now she’s waiting for me in the bedroom. That’s what she said. So who knows? What’s gonna happen today but she is certainly a lady who likes nothing more than having a laugh. And when it comes to making her listeners and audience laugh too, and she’s in heaven, wherever there is to hear and a sound system to project her voice, she’s been bringing laughter to folks in all sorts of venues and she does it in a clean, non profane manner, pleasing to audiences of all ages from kids, to senior citizens. It seems performing was preordained for this Texas native as both mom and dad was singers of some note, with a late father hobby being a member of the soul savers quartet. She has also sung in church choirs for most of his life, as well as of course, being a comedian, singer, and author of the book celibacy. What was I thinking? And I have to say, what were you thinking? So we’re gonna find out about that. She is flexing the old hustle muscle every day and making the most of every opportunity that comes her way. But what I find amazing is that like all of us, she started and worked in jobs that seem a terrible choice, a terrible wrong choice to make, I suppose and from an outsider’s point of view Almost madness, she spent years working as an administrative assistant and a legal secretary for the Attorney General of Texas responding to inquiries and general complaints. And honestly when you get to hear her you’ll think how she managed to do that. But were these the jobs that actually helped like the passions and started her working towards where she is today? And did she realise that although paying the bills the rolls are actually holding her back from a life of enjoyment and fun well let’s find out as we bring onto the show to start Join Up Dots with the one and only Tranea Prosser. How are you today?

Tranea Prosser [2:32]
Hi, David. I’m doing awesome. How are you sir?

David Ralph [2:35]
I’m very well because you are in the bedroom, aren’t you? You’re you’re laying on the bed and anything could happen.

Tranea Prosser [2:42]
Anything could happen. And I’m so dressed up I’ve could fall off the vine so I just hope I don’t fall out the baby. But anyway, we just ready.

David Ralph [2:52]
We’re ready. We’ve got an hour we’ve got an hour to feel and and I’ll tell you why. I’m all energised today because you have a lady that as soon as you Speak to you. You can’t help but be inspired by your passion. Are you always like that? Are you sort of full on all the time?

Tranea Prosser [3:07]
Yes, I am. I used to get complaints about that when I had to do new employee orientation tours, we would have some people one lady, she said Ms. She said, I haven’t had coffee. It’s not even 10 o’clock in the morning. And I said, Well Hurry up and get your coffee and catch up with the rest of us because I can slow down just because you aren’t that happy in the morning so I can’t help it.

David Ralph [3:29]
And is it something that is naturally you or is it something that you’ve developed over over a period of time?

Tranea Prosser [3:37]
Now it’s natural, I mean, even without coffee Help Help my co workers though, but but I just like to make the environment that I’m in fun because I’m at work more times and I’m at anywhere else. I just want it to be positive and I’m just gonna do what I can to just make it fun. And I work with As hard as I play is hard so I just, you know, just want everything around me to just kind of be, you know upbeat.

David Ralph [4:07]
And then that’s you environment isn’t conducive for that because I’ve certainly worked in corporate gigs. And the last thing that they wanted me to be was very up and bouncing and jovial. Did I try to sort of rein you in at work?

Tranea Prosser [4:22]
No, I am. I am very good at reading people and pick it up vibes off of people that that kind of that has helped me a lot with what I do. Because I can walk into a place and find out how much comedy I can give them. And what and if they’re very reserved, and I know what I can’t do, I know what skits I can’t do. So I read people and so I just work off of what they you know, I work according to how they the vibe they give me so that still doesn’t stop me from being me because I always find something humorous about it. You know, no matter what, and so what what what

David Ralph [5:03]
is you? Obviously I said that you’re a comedian, a singer, you’re an author. But But what is the one thing if you had to choose one of those those roles?

Tranea Prosser [5:14]
Ooh, when I’ve been a comedian longer than I’ve been an Arthur, I’m still getting used to that hat honestly. Because that wasn’t something that was on my bucket list at all to do. That came kind of like out of the blue. So I know that God probably has a use for it a little later. But one thing I know about seasons is that right now, the comedy is starting to blow up a little bit and get a little more exposure and and just come on out there. And so the book stuff, I plan to do some seminars and workshops next year, but so when do a hats and then since they’re kind of like almost opposite ends. It’s a it’s very challenging. It’s just very challenging. But since there’s quite a bit of humour in my book anyway, it just seemed to just flow out anyway, in an unexpected way. I did not expect my book to be as funny as it was, I did not expect as much humour to come out of it as it as it did. So everybody needs to get the book and get the funny part.

David Ralph [6:24]
Is the funny bit because obviously celibacy. I don’t think I could do it. So the question celibacy, what was I thinking? Tell us about the book and how it came about.

Tranea Prosser [6:35]
Where the book came about, that’s a lifestyle. I’ve been living for a little more than 15 years. And, um, it almost felt like, well, that’s the only thing I know. I have to you know, write about what I know. And I believe that at the time, I was challenged to do it, and I thought, well, is this because you just think everybody who’s an artist just needs to write a book. I mean, cuz I don’t do things that don’t make sense to me. You know, someone could recommend or you need to cut a record and I’m like, Really? You need to be on America’s Sunday’s best. And I’m like, Oh, really? That’s not my call. And I already know what I’m to do. I’m doing my assignment. So I’m with that challenge. I had to really pray about that. And I’m going Lord, you know me, I don’t do stuff just because it’s traditional. I really don’t follow traditional roles. If it doesn’t make sense, I’m not going to do it. So if it it has to make sense. And but it took a minute for it to really saturate in my spirit. And then God told me to go ahead and do it. Yes, he did want me to do this book, because it is a form of ministry, and healing just like my comedy To me, it’s a it’s a ministry, and I’ve been in situations where I’ve seen healing take place just like that. So I don’t play with it. I don’t take it lightly. I don’t take it for granted. I know what I’ve got. And so I, I’m just grateful for the gift cuz I know everybody can’t make people laugh. And then for the people who haven’t laughed in years to come hear me and laugh, that’s a blessing that’s a blessing because that means that they’re finally on their way to healing, you know, when they haven’t laughed for whatever reason being sad, depressed or whatever. But if they didn’t come out of depression enough to laugh and chuckle, hopefully they won’t go back in as deep as they were because they’ve released a load whether they know it or not, you know, they released a load of care by being able to laugh at something. And so I look at that as a form of healing as well.

David Ralph [8:42]
So the book interests me, obviously because it is quite a weird title. So yeah, can I ask the question and if this is a personal question, you can back it back to me and say, David, mind your own business. But was celibacy a choice? Or was it something that was kind of forced on you

Tranea Prosser [9:00]
It wasn’t forced to really was a choice. I had been married 10 years I’ve been divorced. I probably bout three years. I think when I got into a relationship with a gentleman, one of them old boyfriends when you were 15 years old, you know, you rehook up and remit and try to catch up on each other’s lives and all that stuff. And he was single too, and all of that and, and those things don’t always work. I will tell my own set of lead old boyfriends alone, keep stepping in. I always say the same. I

David Ralph [9:35]
haven’t had a boyfriend for years now,

Tranea Prosser [9:38]
your kids. And so the situation did not work out for me. Because he knew what kind of girl I was. He knew I was a church girl. I mean, he knew I was very green and not a part of the club scene. So that language was not familiar to me. That whole environment. It was not familiar to me. And he didn’t protect me from and he did to a certain extent, but him doing what he did that really hurt me and I realised, okay, I’m not ready for this. We’re

David Ralph [10:15]
ready to try now Why? Why is he no longer around?

Tranea Prosser [10:19]
Well, he, he disqualified himself. But the thing what he did was it turned out he was sleeping with me, his ex wife, any new woman he saw, he kind of rotated us throughout the week. And that went on for maybe a month before my spirits say tournay he’s not the one for you. So the spirit Holy Spirit was telling me he’s not the one for you. So don’t get emotionally entangled. And at the first time, I just ignored it. I said, Oh, you know, blah, blah, blah. I’m not gonna listen to you. I’m gonna do my own thing. Blah, blah, blah. A week later, the Spirit came back and said today he He’s not the one for you. And I said, Okay, God, you’re warning me now I got it. You’re warning me. So I need to let this go. So I found out the damage of all of that after I let him go cut him loose and told him he couldn’t come back over here anymore. And he was like, surprised, you know, just totally surprised. And I tell him, I said, I can’t explain it to where you understand it. I just know that the Spirit told me that you can’t come over here no more. We can’t see each other anymore. That’s it. And I had immediate peace The moment I did it.

David Ralph [11:30]
Yeah, a lot of energy, though, didn’t he?

Tranea Prosser [11:34]
He did it until back then. Because I was in my 30s. I mean, I was 36. I mean, that’s supposed to be the prime of a woman’s life. That’s what I’d be reading and stuff. And so to cut it off, voluntarily, because that’s what you do when you’re celibate, you, you you could have been very active and very active sex life and then you decide to cut it off midstream. You Buy this like, wait a minute. I’m not in agreement with this.

David Ralph [12:03]
Why don’t you do that? I don’t think I would certainly not midstream. If I was midstream, there’s nothing stopping me. I promise you.

Tranea Prosser [12:12]
I know. Right. So the fight was after that, you know, for six months to a year was my hardest time and telling my body No, telling me no and just being focused, but I had a great support system to help me stay focused and committed to what I said I was committed to, and especially when I made a commitment to God, I said, Lord, you know, I just, I just really just want to take a break. I said, Okay, I need to take a break from trying to date from trying to meet me in because I’m not understanding this new dating game. The dating rules, they seem to change per man

David Ralph [12:58]
because I haven’t dated To the years and years, I was about four last time I dated.

Tranea Prosser [13:04]
Last time I dated the pager was out. So what does that tell you?

David Ralph [13:12]
about it, the pitching was out. That was the only way that communication was made.

Tranea Prosser [13:18]
Man so it’s, it’s just different. And so I said, I was gonna take a break, I said, I was gonna take a year off, and just not date. But then God started really dealing with me. And it just became who, four years later I was like, Oh, my, I haven’t had a date and wow. And then I’d start saying, well, or when are you gonna bring this man and blah, blah, blah. And and he and I’m still busy with ministry. I at that time, I wasn’t thinking about doing comedy. I didn’t know that I could be a comedian. I was just busy doing church work. That’s all I knew. go to church or choir rehearsal. Go to mission go to These other functions that will take your night, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday nights at church, and some Saturdays and then support what my children were doing PTA and if you know about your

David Ralph [14:11]
building, I want you to know you’re building towards it, all that kind of standing up in front of people and presenting. It’s a natural way of developing your, your personality, your character which you will bring to the fore when you’re a comedian.

Tranea Prosser [14:27]
Well, I, like I said, I didn’t know but since God knew because I had started doing leading praise and worship when I was age 26. So I had been doing the praise and worship part that I already had down, you know, pretty good with learning songs, teaching songs and all of that. So the comedy part came, kind of by surprise to me, but since I was emceeing everywhere, I got real busy emceeing people. Everybody wanted me to emcee their musicals and What I would do is I would share my stories at the musicals, you know why one choir was going up, the other part was coming down, because you have to fill in that space, you know, Samba share stories about my Sunday school kids and other things about church auxiliaries. And everybody could relate to that, you know, in so after the services, the older saints, the senior saints in their 70s will come up to me and say, Oh, yeah, I could relate to that. And, oh, I just enjoyed myself, and I’ve never laughed that hard. And so as I kept getting those kind of comments, I was like, You know what, today you better put these on a CD, why you can still remember them gone and done and make you some material and then make it radio worthy because you would be the first comedian to have a comedy that can be played on the radio that does not have to be believed. Now. How about that? So that

David Ralph [15:54]
was it. Not jokes, Ben. It was just stories you were telling.

Tranea Prosser [15:58]
Some mostly Yes. About my Sunday school kids that I remembered Yeah. And and it’s amazing to see them now. And I think I’m so old and I’m really not I just started teaching young, you know? So I feel like everybody’s on T you know, because they’re grown and have families of their own now and I’m just sitting back looking at him going wow, man, that was a long time ago. See?

David Ralph [16:22]
As I said, we take you right back in time like we like to do on the show. The little Trinny, what was the path that you’re on now? Was it something that you looked forward to? Did you think that you were going to be where you were going now what were the little tryna you wanted to have done

Tranea Prosser [16:37]
it? It’ll be similar because I used to want to be a singer like Chaka Khan. I used to say I was going straight to stage like Chaka Khan, you know. She was like my idol when she first came out and I think it’s time she came out I think I was like 12 or 13. And I always thought she was so beautiful and has such a powerful voice, and I I always said, Oh, I can see myself on stage. So I always said I was going to be on stage and have my name in lights. So

David Ralph [17:10]
what you’ve done then, isn’t it?

Tranea Prosser [17:12]
Yeah, but yeah, but I’m just not singing with a band. I’m just singing by myself for

Unknown Speaker [17:19]
check on

Tranea Prosser [17:20]
it. Yeah, yeah. So so so once one time I performed at a event and they didn’t allow I have my own music, my own Intro music and closing music that I do. And the DJ says he doesn’t allow you to use play anything else on his thing, but he did not have that song. And I said, Well, how about you play I’m every woman by Chaka Khan and so that’s what I would dance to to open up my my skin and just kind of felt weird because that was not my my normal song. But anyway, so yeah, so kisses to you. Chaka Khan. If you ever get to Hear this

David Ralph [18:01]
up the road from me she’s not a million miles away. She lives in London apparently.

Tranea Prosser [18:05]
Ah, oh, well, we’ll just have to make sure we put her on our list to make sure she hears this interview. Give us a bit

David Ralph [18:13]
of Chaka Khan gone gig burst into song for us.

Tranea Prosser [18:17]
Um, do you like what you feel?

Cuz I love what you do to me. I like that song to you not on all the words.

Unknown Speaker [18:31]
Chaka Khan, Shani piano.

Tranea Prosser [18:33]
I like that one too, but I can’t do what the man does. He’s good on that. That wrap part there. I’ll be like, hey, me shaking my head giving myself a headache. So

David Ralph [18:45]
you become the kind of self limiting thoughts that so many of our listeners suffer with. You You seem to just sort of decide to do something and you do it. Did you do have those scary moments when you first went up on stage for the first time For example

Tranea Prosser [19:01]
no because I’ve been in front of people speaking in front of people since I was eight years old.

David Ralph [19:10]
Yeah, but in church speaking there’s a difference between talking and trying to make them laugh isn’t it? Most people

Tranea Prosser [19:16]
this is not for me because I’m I’m kind of doing the same thing I know what I’m doing I’m very confident in my material. I know my material. And like I said, when I go out there I just give it give it my all just like, I know I’m supposed to, and then I don’t worry about well, did they like me? I wonder if they like me, I never think like that. I never think like that. So I just go out there with confidence and just boom, there we go. I bet

David Ralph [19:45]
you do as well. I can imagine you you give it the boom all the time. So you really don’t care about anybody doesn’t like you when you’re a bear. If it was up there on stage and not one person laugh then they will sit there with their arms folded? Would would that be You?

Tranea Prosser [20:01]
Yes. And I’ve had that happen one time. And I wonder if they did it on purpose. It’s more challenging then. But I do understand that. Sometimes it’s not me that mean that I had an off night and I know some comedians do because I’ve had heard some comedians talk about they went on stage and they bombed and I don’t know what that really means. Because I’ve never I’ve never seen a comedian bomb if I don’t really know you and know your work. I don’t know if you bombed or not, because I don’t know what to compare it to this. If I’m hearing you for the first time you might have bombed, but I wouldn’t know that because, you know, I’m just hearing you. But I’ve heard some say, Man, I bombed I really did bad. And I don’t know. I don’t know what that would feel like but I have been in a situation where the audience was ice. And they were that way to every act that came before them. Whether they saying or did Hip Hop, whether they wrap, they would just ice and I just wonder if they might have been told to do that on purpose because one thing as artists, we have to prepare for anything. We never know what what we’re going to face with when we, you know, perform in front of an audience. We don’t know if they’re gonna be receptive, or if they’re half of them will half of them won’t. The ones that are receptive are the ones that I, you know, give the most attention to, and, and, you know, so I, but I never go out there thinking, you know, I wonder if they like me, you know, I’ve I’ve never done that never done that.

David Ralph [21:39]
Did you think you will when the audiences get bigger and bigger will be the pressure increase? Or do you see a natural journey that you’re on?

Tranea Prosser [21:50]
who I believe is a natural journey that I’m on the largest crowd has performed for so far with 5000 people and that was little intimidating, but then I have to remember, okay, you don’t have to worry about if they all can see you or hear you, you just still do what you’re going to do. Because, you know, you’re not in charge of the mics and all but you just go in and do what you do. And even though I really couldn’t hear their laughter because they were so far from the stage, and the TV people, they had the mics in the audience, you know, near those in the front so that it could picked up for their television purposes. But I couldn’t, I could see their reactions. I could see them laughing, but I couldn’t hear. They’re laughing. And so I was just kept on going, you know, I just kept doing what I needed to do, and they loved it. I mean, you know, so, so like, everybody loved it if you couldn’t hear him. Because after the whole event was over, people were rushing to me to tell me how much they loved me. They want to hug me and want to take my picture. And that was the first time I ever kind of felt like a celebrity because I was I mean, really, I was telling my mother I said my company, they wanted a picture with me. They know me. They want a little girl from Texas. They want a pictures with me. And it was in Florida for a youth conference, one of these Christian CME. They do it every four years. They have a youth conference where they have all of their chapters from all over the United States come together, and they’re in Florida for that week. You know, they’re going to classes and having church every night. And so I was there for two nights to do comedy before the sermon, you know, before they really get serious into the church service. And so that was my first time being at an event like that. But yeah, they had 5000 people. 5000 adults attended the VIP plus. youth. They had 3000 youth and 5000 adults and so the room was their ballroom was full. I’d never seen that many people, at least not on my platform.

David Ralph [24:00]
Is that how it’s done in America that you get a bit of comedy before church because I haven’t been to church for years and I’m generally I only go if it’s weddings or something. But in the United Kingdom is a bit boring. It doesn’t sound like you get a bit of a comedy and a bit of variety in a good old sing song that you seem to be doing.

Tranea Prosser [24:20]
Well, it just depends on who’s planning the event. It depends on what they want. And then they have to be careful where they place you because here in my town when people have musicals, I’ll tell them I said, Okay, I can get just as emotional as anybody else. If someone’s singing very well and very powerful. And you might not get that comedy because I’m gonna be slayed in the spirit in the flow sling. It’s not like everybody else. So you will be mad time I will miss Tina and give us no comedy. Now misty is sitting over there. Do you see her Do you see commercials or whatever does she in the flow, you know? So I tell them I said you need to put me right after the all friends which means that Everything after, in the first half is completed, there’s no residue of any, you know, people still caught up in the spirit of whatever we hope so that it just opens up the second half fresh. So I have to be right there right after the opening, in other words, the first act for the second half of that event, because if you save me for last, the same thing that happened, the last person to sing could be the one that sends me out shouting and crying. So I tell them, you know, you have to put me right after the offering this it won’t work, you know. So I just think that’s been the safe way. And so they’ve listened to me and then it’s worked out

David Ralph [25:42]
and what speed you go out because when you’re on full flow tonight, and I have to focus to understand you, do you really get when you’re out there are you much sort of a karma personality on stage.

Tranea Prosser [25:57]
Well, I guess the Good question. I don’t know I have to ask somebody. Do I have a calm personality? Or do I act like the energizer bunny? Since I’m timed? And that has a lot to do with it too. I’m already timed. I already know if I have 10 minutes. So why

David Ralph [26:16]
are you calm? Are you Energizer Bunny at the moment?

Tranea Prosser [26:19]
When I’m being me, that’s this is normal.

David Ralph [26:23]
Because I’m focusing, I’ll be honest, I’m focusing this moment, you could have been speaking Klingon as I would barely know it.

Tranea Prosser [26:34]
Now, you would have a huge poll saying you’re gonna have a headache when this interview is over. And I’m happy to send you some aspirin. I’m sorry,

Unknown Speaker [26:42]
guys, well, we want

David Ralph [26:42]
but I’m gonna slow it down myself now. And now what I’m gonna do. I’m gonna play some words from a famous comedian, who said something quite profound A few years ago, and I’m always fascinated by the guests response to this. This is Jim Carrey.

Jim Carrey [26:56]
My father could have been a great comedian, but he didn’t believe that that was possible for him. And so he made a conservative choice. Instead, he got a safe job as an accountant. And when I was 12 years old, he was let go from that safe job. And our family had to do whatever we could to survive. I learned many great lessons from my father, not the least of which was that you can fail at what you don’t want. So you might as well take a chance on doing what you love.

David Ralph [27:22]
Now, is that the message that we should be getting out to the world?

Tranea Prosser [27:27]
Yes, I’m, I’m amazed that in my 40s so I was this 2008 I was 42. When I cut my CD, comedy CD, and I’ve been really busy since then, I thought that man, it’s amazing that I’m in my 40s and I’m getting to do my passion, what I love, and I don’t have to wait till I’m retired to do it. What a blessing that is. And of course, by the time I’m 60, you know, tell them what it’s all about. Doing to add to that, but

David Ralph [28:02]
I can’t imagine what you’ll be doing when you’re 60.

Tranea Prosser [28:06]
Well, I mean, I could be, I have written music now, I have written lyrics. I’m not I’m not a musician, but I have written lyrics for a musical CD. So a musical CD could be in the works before I leave this earth and it’s a good possibility that it is. But at least the comedy. I know, it’s easy. It’s it’s easy for me. And I’ve had a couple of people say misty, I wanna, I want to learn from you how to be a comedian. And I’m kind of looking at him like maybe I didn’t go to school for this. This is a natural gift of gab, either you. Either you’ve got it or you don’t. I mean, that’s how I look at it. Either. You can make people laugh easily, or you don’t I because I don’t try. I don’t work at it. I don’t know. It’s just a gift.

David Ralph [28:59]
Isn’t it? Something that has to go out to the listeners, if there is something in you that is pure natural talent, even if you don’t think it’s talent and you don’t think that you can make an income out on it, work on it, keep on working on it until you can make an income because then you’re really cooking on gas.

Tranea Prosser [29:18]
Yeah, I believe that you should follow your passion because what you’re passionate about is what you love. And what you love is what you would do for free. And you don’t know there’s the difference between a talent and a skill is a talent is was what you naturally have. You didn’t have to be trained to do it. A gift or skill is what you have to learn to do. If I wanted to be a pianist, I’d have to go take lessons for that. And hopefully I will learn that skill, then then then that’s a skill but if I was given that talent to play the piano, and I never took a lesson a day in my life

that’s a that’s a natural talent.

David Ralph [30:03]
He’s so funny cuz I can play the piano and I’ve never had a lesson in my life I just sat down and I could play.

Tranea Prosser [30:10]
So see if if that’s a passion if you love to play, you just follow your passion because the thing of it is we don’t know where our passions will lead us. And sometimes depending on the environment you’re in, sometimes people may not have been encouraged to go with that passion because somebody thought you came make no money out of that you need to go on over here and learn this. Learn to be a doctor learn to be submissive is gonna make you some money. So sometimes we can, by default, put our passions on the side. And some people never get to pick that back up and really be in love with what they love to do. Because one of

David Ralph [30:51]
the things that we talk about on this show a lot and that’s why the tagline of it is connecting our past to build our future is those passions that we talked about that we struggled to find, actually, we knew when we were young kids, and the real little versions of us knew what we wanted to do, and we ran around and we did it. But as we get older and we get a job and we get responsibilities, we kind of forget it somehow. You seem to be linked about you seem to be the little tray is the big tray, and you’re just playing who you are. Did you buy into what that that’s all theory is all about?

Tranea Prosser [31:28]
No, because I used to want to be a mortician.

David Ralph [31:32]
No, no, you did.

Tranea Prosser [31:35]
Yes, I did. I was planning to join the military. join the Marines and I was planning to be a mortician. And um, I don’t know I just weird I know. I’m weird. But for five, six years, I just knew from my for high school when I got out of hospital. That’s what I wanted to do. But I didn’t follow through with that. And I can see now God was like girl, that wouldn’t have been Right career for you know how what you what you’re going to wake up the day they probably look at you and say, girl shut up and let me sleep.

David Ralph [32:09]
But that’s the point, isn’t it? So you went for something that wasn’t you and you can look back on it and say it’s a mistake. But now, the little version is you, isn’t it? That’s the key. Yeah.

Tranea Prosser [32:20]
Yeah. So I mean, but like I said, I never knew about the comedy part because I wasn’t allowed to be the class clown. My mother was such a strict disciplinarian that we better not act up where people can see us and then the way I grew up, if people who knew my parents saw me or my brother acting out, in a way we weren’t supposed to, they would go tell them and my mom would discipline us wherever we want her. She would jump on us right then and there. So she was like little girls should be seen and not heard. So I wasn’t allowed to do any comedy like, you know, some kids now we weren’t allowed to talk back and be smart mouth smart antics we weren’t allowed to do none of that. So yeah, I am surprised by the comedy because I didn’t think I had it in me. You know, it wasn’t like I said, it wasn’t like I grew up saying, Oh, I’m gonna be a comedian. No, I never grew up saying that I was looking for safe stuff. You know, because my mom always said you just need to get married. let a man take care of you. Well, that was the era she grew up in. She put tried to put their paws in on me. But that didn’t work because I was married 10 years and still got divorced.

So it takes to have you Hello. When

David Ralph [33:36]
he does, it does and if you move from that person, but not quite fantasising about dead people that be the wrong thing to say. But But looking at that task, to now was it purely a responsibility you were looking for? Was it that safe role?

Tranea Prosser [33:55]
Yes, it is. That was just all it was just safe and but it was would not have been fulfilling. I see that now that you know, I could have done it, I would have learned the skill to remember we would have I would have learned the skill I would have went to school to learn the skill, but I wouldn’t it wouldn’t have been my passion. And the passion is what makes a difference. I’m happy doing what I do. I’m happy anytime I’m in front of a mic. My pastor knows he doesn’t know what to expect when I’m in front of a mic. Because not only do I like church songs, I like quartet songs. And sometimes I’ll mix the throw a quartet song in with the praise and worship. And one Sunday, I think I preached a sermon I Holy Spirit just took over and before I knew it, I was just speaking and I was like, Oh, wait, this is new. And I looked at my pastor and I said I’m so sorry. And he said no, the Holy Spirit was in control along with the oldest person the child. I don’t mind not oma, I’m like, Oh, wow. So when you know that you have an anointing of certain gift on your life, you just, you just do. what is required of you at the time? I do I do, because I listened very carefully for instructions. And sometimes I even asked God, I said, well know what kind of praise Do you want this morning? You know? And and sometimes he’s like, Hey, we just I just want to laugh too. And I’m like, Well, you did give me the gift. I don’t know why we act like we can’t laugh in church when God gave us the gift. And it’s like, Well, apparently, he has a sense of humour. If he created me, he gave me what he has, and you’re like, God, gotta be can’t be a part of your life to sit down and eat popcorn with you. And that’s what he’s wanting. And it’s just as simple as that. But it’s taking

David Ralph [35:41]
a huge amount of hassle, isn’t it to develop what you’re doing the fact that you’re writing the books, you’re doing the CDs, you’re doing it? You’re taking action a lot? Is this. Do people support you in this or is it your own action that’s driving you forward.

Tranea Prosser [35:58]
If I’m suffering it to a certain extent, because comedians is still a male dominated arena. And it’s not that many females, they’re coming out. Now it seems like there are quite a few secular comedians that have either burned out of the secular or haven’t been supported lately that they’re now crossing over to say they’re Christian comedians, and they’re coming to the church not changing their content. So the churches have been burned by false people saying that they come You know, we I’m a Christian comedian. And so it’s making it harder for us to come back into the church to church to trust us now, to let us in the church and let us do a you know, comedy show. So it’s been a fight but what has helped is the fact that Tyler Perry has brought Mr. Brown Mr. tamela Mann, his character and he’s very over the top though, but still, you know, that has helped I think paved the way to make it a little easier for churches to kind of relax and sell okay and not everybody’s going to come in and dog us and you know, cheat us out of money and and give false information to the to the flock. So that’s been a big help. I think that I look at that as a positive plus. And now some groups, when they go on tour, they’re allowing comedians to open up for them before they come out on the stage. So I think that’s a that’s a plus. But I do have to work a little harder because it’s still a male dominated occupation. It’s not too many women that are in it.

David Ralph [37:38]
So So who do you find finally we’ll start with the men First of all, what was a comedian that you think’s funny as a man

Tranea Prosser [37:46]
I Miss Robin Harris. And I miss um Oh, the one that yelled all the time. Sam Kinison Oh, Lord have and I would save doing all the time But I still love them.

Their comedy I like Jim Carrey

Jim Carrey is a hoot. And then

I’ve heard of but even though I haven’t met him is the Jim gaffigan a minute but be pronouncing it right.

David Ralph [38:21]
Other than Jim Carrey I don’t recognise any of those names. They’re like

Tranea Prosser [38:28]
Sam Kynaston passed on now and so has Robin Harris. He’s passed on as well. But Sam Kynaston had, I was a grew up as a Pentecostal preacher’s kid. And so he preached with me he did his comedy delivery was in the Pentecostal style. He came out screaming at you in and hollering at you and all of that, you know, so you thought you were getting a sermon? You know, by the time you know, Sam left you but I thought he was hilarious. I loved him. miss him a lot. Um

David Ralph [39:03]
What about the ladies?

Tranea Prosser [39:05]
Well, there aren’t any ladies because the ladies are there aren’t any ladies. Come

David Ralph [39:12]
on Mr. That they may not be as family.

Tranea Prosser [39:16]
Well, it’s not. It’s not even about fun. It’s just that they’re there. I haven’t followed any women just like what those men are dead and gone but I’m not really following anybody. So it’s not like I’m pattering trying to pattern my comedy after any anybody. Because I do clean comedy and majority of the people that I’ve mentioned they don’t they personality that you know, and there’s but I still like them. I mean, you know, but I have not really been following any. Any ladies because sometimes some of the women are just a little more vulgar than the men are in their delivery and what their words that they use and all of that so I have to I have to look at that as well.

So if there are any pages that I’m following, so if there is a listener out

David Ralph [40:05]
there thinking, I want to be a comedian, I want to get out there and do this kind of stuff. What what’s good advice for them as well as a good way of getting going?

Tranea Prosser [40:15]
I would say, write your own material. Be right what you are familiar with, because it’s easier to speak on what you are familiar with. And if you have a good memory, then decide a what kind of material you want to share. So that means what kind of comedian Do you want to be? Do you want to be the kind that does blue comedy, which means you talk about explicit situations and use cuss words and all of that whatever is comfortable for you. Then that’s what you do. That was uncomfortable for me. So I couldn’t say I didn’t, you know, coming up in a Christian home, we didn’t cuss like that. So I can’t talk to you in a way that I’m not used to using words as well. Whereas I’m not used to using that would really sound weird to me, you know?

Unknown Speaker [41:04]
So you do not swim at all? Mm

David Ralph [41:07]
hmm. Even if you stub your toe,

Tranea Prosser [41:11]
well, I might, then but I haven’t stumped it on stage. It’s

David Ralph [41:18]
in the bedroom around the house, would you would you let rip with a load of choice words?

Tranea Prosser [41:23]
No, no, not a choice words, just one word. Probably just one. But, but when I’m on stage since I like I said, since my content I know I’m very familiar with my own stuff, even if I shoot off the hip because a lot of time I, you know, include my surroundings in my opening about what I see what I’m observing in the audience and pointing out a few people I bring them in before I hit my routine stuff, you know, so even with that, I don’t do that because I don’t want to offend anybody. And that’s like I said, That’s not me because that’s not part of my daily conversation with people. Well,

David Ralph [42:02]
just just before I play the words of Steve Jobs, which is the whole theme of the show, how are you making your income? Are you still in full time employment and you’re doing this as a side hustle? Are you a full time author and comedian? How are you making your income

Tranea Prosser [42:18]
now I’m still for time employment and then I, as I’m invited to banquets in social functions, that’s how I make my income with the with the poverty, and then I sell books, when I go to other conferences, women’s conferences, I do vendor tables, to you know, promote the book and my comedy CD actually have a comedy CD project. So I I have to do a little bit of hustling just like any other artists has to you have to make yourself available because I’m also needed an exposure so I saw good way to meet other people just to excel. experience other venues and then meet other people. Networking is key when you’re artists, no matter what your john ray is, you know, you got to meet other people to help you connect to other people.

David Ralph [43:13]
Such that you believe in the side hustle, but they’re full of people that are doing a job that I don’t like. And there’s something that I love doing is is that a good idea to kind of balance both until you develop one enough to to step off.

Tranea Prosser [43:28]
That’s the advice I would use because that’s exactly what I’m doing. I don’t I’m I’m learning, David that God puts you at a place where you need to be so that you can do what your passion is. And if I didn’t, if I had a very high stress job, I probably wouldn’t have had time to ever write that book. And I wouldn’t have time to be doing my comedy. And now I’m doing writing for a radio show that I’m gonna start doing in July I’m gonna start doing a 30 minute segment of comedy and I’m excited about that too because I’ll be doing it live at a radio station and I believe different things are gonna come up out of that so I wouldn’t have the time to be writing like I do now. You know, I haven’t stopped writing just because the book is out well out. You know, yes, I took a year off to try to learn how to be an author and try to learn how to promote the book which is a little different than promoting the comedy CD but bottom line, you know, the United States is big and my job My job is just to get get out there. I think my voice and name will be seen before I will. Did you know you want your perfect job would be

David Ralph [44:48]
did you do remember the Tom and Jerry cartoons and they used to be that lady you only saw her feet and she used to go all the way food is in View I’ve had her image going through me listening to you talk you would be perfect for that lady.

Tranea Prosser [45:08]
Well, my legs are prettier not Oh, no, I think the the cameraman may have to stop right there. You know?

David Ralph [45:16]
Can you just do it one shout out Thomas because somebody might be listening to this and this could be your big break.

Tranea Prosser [45:22]
Tom.

David Ralph [45:25]
Perfect. If anybody’s making Tom and Jerry, the movie, the live action. We we’ve nailed it. We’ve got you the part

Tranea Prosser [45:32]
they need to call me.

David Ralph [45:34]
They will call you. Well, this is the part of the show. Well, I’m going to play the theme of the whole show. And these are the words that Steve Jobs said back in 2005. And they are hugely powerful words, and they mean a lot to me and I know all the listeners as well. This is Steve Jobs.

Steve Jobs [45:49]
Of course, it was impossible to connect the dots looking forward when I was in college, but it was very, very clear looking backwards. 10 years later. Again, you can’t connect If the dots looking forward, you can only connect them looking backwards. So you have to trust that the dots will somehow connect in your future. You have to trust in something, your gut, destiny, life, karma, whatever. Because believing that the dots will connect down the road will give you the confidence to follow your heart, even when it leads you off the well worn path. And that will make all the difference.

David Ralph [46:24]
Now, does that make all the difference? When you look back on your life, can you buy into the words that he’s speaking now?

Unknown Speaker [46:32]
Yes, I can.

Tranea Prosser [46:34]
And I mean

well, and I was saying the same thing with you know, when you follow your passion when you do what you love to do, what you like to do, what you would do for free. I mean, that’s your passion because you’re always going to give it your best and and people can really relate with you because you’re authentic, that’s when you’re most authentic. with people’s when you’re doing what you love to do, and nobody has to make you do it, you know,

David Ralph [47:06]
you know, to me, I know exactly what I mean. Yeah.

Tranea Prosser [47:09]
Yeah. So nobody has to cajole you into it. But, but you don’t know what you got until you do get to look back and go, Oh, now I understand why I didn’t get promoted. Now I understand why I met the job I met because now I have the freedom to travel if need be for the comedy because a lot of times my engagements on a Saturday and if I’m out, if it’s out of state, I need to travel on Friday. And I may not come back until Sunday or Monday. So those would be my travel days while I would be out when the employees know she’s out every Friday. Now if I’ve got somewhere to go, then I gotta go. Hmm. So I’m thankful that I’ve been at my job long enough to where I have the time to travel, and it doesn’t have a big impact on my life. You know, workload if I’m not there for two days, and

David Ralph [48:03]
I’m so okay with GPU, Big Dot bam, when you look back on everything, what would be the moment that you go? Yes, that’s when I started to go in the direction I wanted.

Tranea Prosser [48:16]
When that moment happened when my kids were in their teens, Oh, I can’t even tell you when that comedy thing happened because it happened so quick. I mean, um, it was just something I did. Like I said, I wanted to do the CD. So I did the CD. And I said, Well, I got to promote the CDs. People won’t know it, it’s there. And I still was getting hired to do MCs, you know emceeing programmes. And even with that, I had to decide how often I wanted to do it because I found myself every Saturday night in church, you know, at someone’s church emceeing but I was also in church all day Sunday, working Monday through Friday. And I was like, who aside I’ve learned to pace myself I’ve learned to pace myself and be okay to tell people no sometimes so I don’t burn out and you know, then it becomes a chore I sit down on the gift and I don’t want to do that. So I’ve had to learn to to create some balance and to pace myself and that’s what I would recommend to anyone else to just once you got it down what you like and what you know that you love to do. And it’s up to you if you want to make a career out of it. You can a lot of people hobbies have turned into money making

things for them.

You know, some people make good money crocheting. Some people make more money writing, writing books and just depends on the genre. It is nowadays. Not many Christian books out there. We’re still outnumbered by erotica books in other hand dummy dummy this is you know, a workbook for dummy books and it’s just like where are the Christian artists? Where are you? You know, come stand up together so I don’t know what the deal is with that. I guess people are just kind of scared and I was nervous about writing the book especially with that kind of title. You could do it Shades of Grey

David Ralph [50:27]
What about that?

Tranea Prosser [50:29]
Where they told me I haven’t dated long enough I need to be 50 shades of beige they told me to go great it taught me to go

David Ralph [50:37]
there’s gonna be people flocking to you they’ve heard you scream Thomas. That’s gonna be your your man is now heard you shout out Thomas and he’s looking for a woman like you. It’s gonna be perfect. Well, this is the end of the show. And this is the part where we’re going to send you on another journey. This is a journey back in time to speak to your younger self and If you could go back in time and speak to the young terney What advice would you give and what age would you choose? Well, we’re gonna find out because I’m gonna play the theme tonight when it fades you up. This is the Sermon on the mic.

Unknown Speaker [51:19]
With the best bit of the show.

Unknown Speaker [51:24]
My

Tranea Prosser [51:35]
heart Rene, I’m so glad to see you. 30 years later, oh my god, you’ve grown into a wonderful, beautiful young woman. I am would like to tell you that at age 17 to whatever you put in your heart to do. Just follow that. You wouldn’t have went wrong if you had joined the military. You would not have went wrong. Had you decided to go to Mark Martin Mark Martin school school of medical science to be a mortician. But I’m glad that you did not because it might not have led you to do what you do now. You’ve been given an awesome talent to sing. And you have a wonderful way of sharing that and getting people involved to sing with you. And the environment that you grew up in with the household. Apparently all of that was was created to help you be the comedian you are today you had a gregarious father, your father was very funny, and you what you’ve been given, you’ve learned from watching him and then it’s just a gift of gab that God has given you. So I would just like to also say just stay away from ex boyfriends and ex husbands. Do not go backwards. Keep moving forward. I need to carried you in Name of the Lord that to love the Lord that God with all our heart with all that mind with all of our soul and with all that strength and to love your neighbour as thyself. And this was the alternate

David Ralph [53:12]
tonight How can our audience connect with you?

Tranea Prosser [53:16]
You can connect with me on Twitter as comedian misty and my z t. You can connect with me on facebook the same way comedian misty in my z t. My website is www.ms t comedy, Mr. z t comedy calm. And Instagram is comedian misty and my zt. So that’s how you can connect with me. We will

David Ralph [53:43]
have all the links on the show notes. tonight. Thank you so much for spending time with us today. joining up those dots. And please come back again when you have more dots to join up. Because I do believe that by joining up the dots and connecting our paths is the best way to build our futures. Trini Prosser. Thank you so much.

Tranea Prosser [54:00]
Thank you, David for having me. Appreciate it.

David Ralph [54:05]
Thanks for listening to today’s episode of Join Up Dots brought to you exclusively by podcasters mastery.com. The only resource that shows you how to create a show, build an income and still have time for the life that you love. Check out podcasters mastery.com. Now,

Outro [54:23]
David doesn’t want you to become a faded version of the brilliant self you or wants to become. So he’s put together an amazing guide for you called the eight pieces of advice that every successful entrepreneur practices, including the two that changed his life. Head over to Join Up dots.com to download this amazing guide for free and we’ll see you tomorrow on Join Up Dots.