This is a special non-comedy episode. Russ Green is a great DC comic and former guest on the podcast. In this episode we discuss his lack of expectations for how the murder of George Floyd will change the country, being a black person in America, and how our society is based on white supremacy. Sean Joyce is the founder of Underground Comedy and pr…

Sean Joyce is the founder of Underground Comedy and produces over 500 live comedy shows each year. In this episode he answers a question from a comic about how to decide between focusing on developing as a comic or focusing on a separate creative project - in this case, a YouTube show. And how to know how much time to devote to each. At the end, he…

Tommy McNamara is a New York-based comic where he is a regular at Caroline's on Broadway. He is also a contributor for Onion Sports and hosts the popular podcast Stand By Your Band. In this episode, he talks about what it's like trying to get jobs in comedy, his approach to comedy festivals, and being a part of Chris Gethard Presents. Sean Joyce is…

Myq Kaplan is a veteran comic who has been on pretty much every late night show, Last Comic Standing, America's Got Talent, and has Comedy Central and Netflix specials. In this episode he talks about his background in linguistics and how he has approached his career by focusing on being true to himself. Sean Joyce is the founder of Underground Come…

Sean Joyce is the founder of Underground Comedy and produces over 500 live comedy shows each year. In this episode he answers questions from comics about what is needed from a submission tape and when you should start thinking about making a website for yourself and what it should contain. If you have a question about comedy or any feedback about t…

Caleb Synan has appeared on Conan and Comedy Central, most recently on The Ringers with Bill Burr. In this episode he talks about starting out in Georgia before moving to Los Angeles to begin to climb the ladder there as well as his positive outlook on comedy and life. Sean Joyce is the founder of Underground Comedy and produces over 500 live comed…

Adam Newman is a Los Angeles-based comic who has appeared on CBS, HBO, and Comedy Central and has an hour special called Fuzzies on Amazon. In this episode he talks about how he was able to hit all of the early markers of stand-up success and how he has had to change his approach as the entertainment landscape has shifted. Sean Joyce is the founder…

Noah Gardenswartz is a great comic who has been headlining with us for years. He is a regular at the Comedy Cellar and is currently a writer for The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel. In this episode, he talks about knowing when it's time to move on, whether from a job or a city, and about how he was able to push through setbacks in his career in order to find…

Denise Taylor is a very funny DC comic. She is a contributor to the Onion and a regular on Underground Comedy shows. In this episode, we talk about her progression from her first open mic to getting a manager to writing a pilot to committing herself to pursuing a career in comedy. Sean Joyce is the founder of Underground Comedy and produces over 50…

Paris Sashay was a great DC comic for years before moving on to New York. After being brutally attacked outside of a night club in DC several years ago, Paris was able to turn her experience into a source of strength and inspiration. She found her voice on stage and cultivated a persona to match it. Soon after she found herself progressing through …

Mekki Leeper is a Los Angeles-based comic who started headlining clubs at the age of 23. Now 25, he is filming a pilot for Comedy Central that is over three years in the making and started as a live show in Philadelphia. In this episode, he talks about how that process unfolded and the perspective that has helped him successfully navigate the comed…

Carmen Lynch has been headlining with us for years, is a regular at the Comedy Cellar, and has performed on Conan, Last Comic Standing, and the Late Show with Stephen Colbert. In this episode, she talks about doing stand-up in Spanish, the challenge of continually writing new material, and trying to find the right balance between various forms of e…

Russ Green is a good friend of mine and one of the first comics I met in DC when we first started almost nine years ago. Since then, Russ has written for multiple publications, including BET, and has been a fixture on Underground Comedy shows and in the scene in general. Sean Joyce is the founder of Underground Comedy and produces over 500 live com…

Josh Gondelman spent several years as a writer for Last Week Tonight with John Oliver on HBO and is now a writer and producer for Desus & Mero on Showtime. He has performed on Late Night, Conan, and The Late Late Show. And he just put out a new book of essays called Nice Try: Stories of Best Intentions and Mixed Results. In this episode, he talks a…

Ryan Donahue is a New York-based comic who has appeared on Jimmy Kimmel Live and Crashing on HBO. In this episode, he talks about trying to develop into an authentic comic who is irreplaceable while also learning to navigate the business side of comedy. Sean Joyce is the founder of Underground Comedy and produces over 500 live comedy shows each yea…

Sarah Tollemache has appeared on Comedy Central and The Late Show with Stephen Colbert. In this episode, she talks about using Twitter to write jokes, how she got into the clubs in New York, and the challenge of being assertive in the comedy world. Sean Joyce is the founder of Underground Comedy and produces over 500 live comedy shows each year. If…

Joe List is one of the earliest Underground Comedy headliners and has headlined with us every year since we started. He has appeared on The Late Show, Conan, and Comedy Central. In this episode, he talks about dealing with anxiety and what it's like trying to do irreverent comedy while still being a good person. Sean Joyce is the founder of Undergr…

Robby Hoffman is a Canadian comedian now living in Los Angeles. She has written for The Chris Gethard Show on TruTV and Workin' Moms on Netflix and was recently named a Comedy Central Up Next comic. In this episode, she talks about making the jump from accounting into stand-up, pursuing comedy in multiple forms simultaneously, and her commitment to…

Ryan Schutt is a New York-based comic who has appeared on Gotham Comedy Live. Ryan and I started doing stand-up in DC around the same time. We talk about what it was like in those early days and how our paths diverged with him moving to New York to pursue stand-up while I stayed in DC to focus on producing. Sean Joyce is the founder of Underground …

Monroe Martin is a very funny comic who has appeared on Last Comic Standing, The Tonight with Jimmy Fallon, and Comedy Central. In this episode he talks about growing up in foster care, moving to New York with no job or money, and his approach to presenting his comedy to new crowds. Sean Joyce is the founder of Underground Comedy and produces over …

Elahe Izadi is a good friend of mine and a very funny local comic who has been performing in the area for years. She is also a pop culture writer for the Washington Post. Elahe and I were both at The Kennedy Center on Sunday night for the Mark Twain Prize which was given to Dave Chappelle. We talk about that night and what it’s like trying to balan…

Marina Franklin has appeared on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, Conan, and Chappelle's Show. In this episode, she talks about when to not follow your gut, being a star versus being a great comic, and what is was like when she was recently diagnosed with breast cancer. Sean Joyce is the founder of Underground Comedy and produces over 500 live co…

Tom Thakkar is a hilarious comic who has appeared on Conan and has a Comedy Central half hour special coming out next month. In this episode Tom talks about progressing from a small scene in Indiana to clubs in Chicago and eventually to New York and the Comedy Cellar, and how he had to persevere through the many challenges comics face along the way…

Alex Edelman is a great comic who is known for his three critically acclaimed one-person shows. In this episode Alex talks about starting stand-up as a teenager, the difference between his solo shows and performing comedy clubs, and the two fundamental components that all other aspects of comedy can be grouped into. Sean Joyce is the founder of Und…

Petey DeAbreu is one of the fastest rising comics in New York City and has been featured on Comedy Central. In this episode he talks about his decision to leave his life of hustling and dedicate himself to his earliest dream - being a comedian. Sean Joyce is the founder of Underground Comedy and produces over 500 live comedy shows each year. If you…

Chris Estrada is a very funny comic from Los Angeles who has appeared on Comedy Central. In this episode he talks about what it was like starting out in South Central LA, learning how to be better by performing in front of hostile crowds, and getting on Comedy Central's new comic showcase after auditioning for four years. Sean Joyce is the founder …

Brittany Carney is a very funny comic who started right here in Washington, DC. She is the first comic to ever go from being an audience member at Big Hunt thinking about trying stand-up to being a regular at The Comedy Cellar in New York City a little over five years later. In this episode she talks about what that experience was like. Sean Joyce …

Tony Woods is a legendary DC comic who has been performing around the world for more than 30 years. He is one of the most respected working comics in the business and has appeared on Def Comedy Jam, Showtime at the Apollo, and Comedy Central. In this episode he talks about what it was like getting started in DC, comparisons between him and his frie…

Ahmed Bharoocha is a very funny comic who lives in Los Angeles. His sketch group, Dead Kevin, has been featured on Tosh.0 and Funny or Die and he can be seen in the upcoming season of Dream Corp LLC on Hulu which comes out later this month. In this episode he talks about beginning stand-up in college in Rhode Island, working on sketch shows and pil…

Benjy Himmelfarb has grown into one of the best comics in DC and is preparing to move to New York for the next step in his stand-up journey. In this episode he talks about what it was like after his best friend in comedy died suddenly, how he recovered from it, and how he had to change as a person and comic in order to pursue stand-up as a career. …

Our guest today is my good friend and Underground Comedy hero Lafayette Wright. If you've been to a show at Big Hunt over the past few years, you've probably seen Lafayette there killing. He has appeared on Comedy Central and tours colleges around the country. In the episode we talk about the adversity he had to overcome at home and, later, the adv…

Yamaneika Saunders is a great comic who is originally from Baltimore and started doing stand-up when she was only 16. Since then she has appeared on The Tonight Show, Crashing on HBO, and Comedy Central. Her latest stand-up special is available on Netflix as part of The Degenerates and you can hear her each week on her podcast Rantin' and Ravin'. I…

Tim Miller is a great DC comic. He has appeared on Laff Tracks on truTV and was just selected to perform on Clusterfest, Comedy Central's big annual festival. In this episode we talk about Tim's decision to pursue stand-up from DC when others were moving, how he changed his approach to auditioning, and his vision for his comedy future. Sean Joyce i…

Jamel Johnson is a good friend of mine. We started doing stand-up in DC at the same time almost nine years ago. Jamel went on to be one of the best comics in the city and appeared on Kevin Hart's Comedy Central show, Hart of the City, which was filmed at Big Hunt. We talk about the old days and what it's been like since he made the move to Los Ange…

Clayton English was the winner of Last Comic Standing in 2015 beating out 100 other comics. Since then he has appeared on Late Night with Seth Meyers, Brooklyn 99, and Love on Netflix. In this episode he talks about his time in the UniverSoul Circus, how that experience helped him when competing on Last Comic Standing, and what it was like having a…

Brendan Eyre is a great comic who lives in New York. He first headlined Big Hunt back in 2016. He had just done sets on Comedy Central and Late Night with Seth Meyers and his future seemed bright. But the following year he went through the most difficult period of his life and was forced to stop doing comedy altogether. We talk about that and how h…

Today's episode features two guests: Solomon Georgio and Eric Dadourian. Solomon is a Los Angeles-based comic who has appeared on Conan and Comedy Central. Eric is a Baltimore-based comic who has appeared on Vice and is a regular at Big Hunt. We talk about starting out in comedy, setting goals, and doing what's right for you. Sean Joyce is the foun…

Martin Amini has been a fixture in the DC comedy scene for the past seven years. From having never performed, he progressed to producing his own shows, opening for international headliners, appearing on truTV, starting a hit live show, and becoming one of the best comics in the city with a following big enough to allow him to headline clubs. In thi…

Mark Normand was one of Underground Comedy's first headliners about five years ago. Since then he's been seen most places that feature stand-up: HBO, Comedy Central, Conan, Fallon, and Colbert, in addition to others. In this episode we discuss navigating increasingly sensitive crowds, the overstimulation of being a comic, and the difference between…

Kasaun Wilson was a great comic here in DC before moving out to LA this past year. He has appeared on Last Comic Standing and TruTV. In this episode he talks about working his way up to the top of the DC scene while splitting his time between stand-up and serving as a youth minister for kids in very difficult situations before making the decision t…

Langston Kerman is a Los Angeles-based comic who has done stand-up on Comedy Central, acted in Insecure on HBO, and written for Chris Rock for the 2016 Oscars. He talks about his poetry background, getting laughs instead of applause breaks, and using comedy to bring people together instead of trying to change their views. Sean Joyce is the founder …

Michael Palascak is a Los Angeles-based comic who has appeared on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, Last Comic Standing, and has his own half hour Comedy Central special. He is also our second guest who used The Secret to get on The Tonight Show. We talk about that, relationships, and what it's like to be 15 years into a comedy career. Sean Joyce…

Matty Litwack was a comic in DC for years and has been a huge part of Underground Comedy throughout its entire existence. In competitions, he won The Devil Cup in New York City and was a two-time finalist in the Boston Comedy Festival. Now living in Los Angeles, he's one of the funniest young comics to come out of DC. Sean Joyce is the founder of U…

Joe Zimmerman has appeared on The Tonight Show, Conan, and Last Comic Standing. In this episode Joe talks about his experience with polyamory, OCD, and writing his first pilot. Sean Joyce is the founder of Underground Comedy and produces over 500 live comedy shows each year. If you have a question about comedy or any feedback about the podcast, you…

Joyelle Nicole Johnson is a New York-based comic. She has performed on Late Night with Seth Meyers, written for Broad City, and appeared in HBO’s Crashing. In this episode she talks about what it's like being a woman in comedy and battling stage fright and doubt before embracing the path that she is on. Sean Joyce is the founder of Underground Come…

Alingon Mitra has appeared on The Late Show, Conan, and Last Comic Standing. In this episode he talks about how he got started in comedy and what it was like competing on Last Comic Standing, writing for The Daily Show, and touring in India. Sean Joyce is the founder of Underground Comedy and produces over 500 live comedy shows each year. If you ha…

Max is a Los Angeles-based writer, actor, and comedian. As an actor he has appeared in The Good Place, Brooklyn Nine-Nine, and Broad City. You can see his stand-up on Netflix. And he is also a writer for the animated Netflix show, Big Mouth. In this episode he talks about his early days performing at Rififi in New York City, touring with John Mulan…

Megan Gailey is comedian living in Los Angeles. She has appeared on Conan, Comedy Central, and the NFL Network. In this episode she talks about moving from Chicago to New York to to LA, writing her pilot for ABC, and dealing with criticism and rejection in the comedy business. Sean Joyce is the founder of Underground Comedy and produces over 500 li…

Chad Daniels is a great comic from Minnesota. He has appeared on The Tonight Show, Conan, and Comedy Central. His four albums have been streamed an incredible 700 million times. He has new special called Dad Chaniels on Amazon and a brand new podcast called Middle Of Somewhere. In this episode Chad talks about having a 21-year comedy career without…

Doug Smith is a very funny comic from New York. I met Doug over five years ago during my first weekend working at a club. Doug was the feature and I was the MC for Tommy Johnagin at Arlington Drafthouse. Since then Doug has gone on to do Conan on TBS and This Is Not Happening on Comedy Central. And I am the host of a podcast. So it makes perfect se…