On the Mic with Mike Peters

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Danny Pee has been doing stand-up in Manchester, N.H., for about five years. He got the taste for it during a best man's speech at his brother's wedding. Once the pandemic came to a close, he decided to give it a go. He began hosting the open mic at Strange Brew Tavern less than three years in and is helping to produce shows with the Laugh Attic. Between raising two kids with his wife, he's been able to make his mark across the New England comedy scene.

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Rachel Ware is one of the funniest comedians in the Omaha, Neb., scene. She started doing improv and then picked up stand-up in 2012. She spent three years in Los Angeles before moving back home in 2020. She's married to another comedian, Tyrel Frazer, so the competition is right inside the house. She was also the voice of Angel Cake in the Strawberry Shortcake remakes. She's planning to open the Ware House Comedy Theatre in April of 2026, something everybody in Omaha can enjoy.

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Instagram: https://www.instagram.com...

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Josh Prygon started doing stand-up in Buffalo about three years ago. The first two tries didn't stick, but this one has. He's part of the newer class of comedians in a very experienced scene. He's got the confidence now to tackle new topics and is working enough to keep developing at a strong pace. Plus he has his driver's license and a car, which comes in handy in Buffalo.

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Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/josh_prygon/

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Chris Scopo grew up in Queens as the son of a Mets fan. He really had no choice. He started rooting for the Mets a couple years after they won the World Series in 1986 and is still waiting to celebrate. They are ruining his life. But he's making the most of it. He's been doing stand-up in New York City since 2010 and works with Robert Kelly and Andrew Shultz, among others. He just started a new show, Working Out with Comics, where he invites comedians to work out in the gym in the...

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Dan Danzy moved started doing stand-up in Dallas when he was in high school. He worked his way all over the state over the next 15 years before deciding to move to Scranton with his wife in 2022. He took a little bit of time off, but decided to join the comedy scene by taking over the Keystone Stage -- right before the roof collapsed. He's loving the move, though, and is part of a young comedy scene that's continuing to grow. 

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Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/danzyland/

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Julia Colasanti grew up playing volleyball in Michigan before going to college at St. Michael's in Vermont. Loud and confident on the court, she made a speech at a banquet that pushed her toward stand-up 10 years ago while she was still in high school. She moved to Chicago after graduating, but came back to Burlington, Vt., where she's made a home for herself. She ran a show at the Lincoln Lodge for a couple years and is performing at the Vermont Comedy Festival from Dec. 4 to Dec. 7. 

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Lauren Festa is a very funny comedian on Long Island. She's been doing stand-up all over New York City for about 10 years, but has been pushing hard for the last six -- pretty much living out her dad's dream for her. She works in publishing and just wrote her first rom-com novel that she hopes will be out in 2026. She'll be back at the Vermont Comedy Festival from Dec. 4 to 7. 

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Jethro Trogo started doing stand-up in the Philippines in 2013 and moved to St. Paul, Minn., near the end of 2019 for his job as a software engineer. Quite the shift in culture and weather. He's been able to work himself into the comedy scene and he won the Funniest Person in St. Paul, despite almost having a heart attack the morning of the final. He's finding success, even if his in-laws don't understand it. Check him out on a stage around the Twin Cities whenever you can. 

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Shawn Barnes did his first set while going to SUNY Oneonta back in the early 2010s and occasionally came back to stand-up. It wasn't until an established comedian moved upstairs that he decided to give it a real go. Now he's working all over New York and just won the Capital Region's Funniest Comic competition. He's getting work at the Albany Funny Bone and the Comedy Works in Saratoga. 

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Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shawnbarnes32/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@shawnbarnes32

Twitter: ht...

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Matt Drufke has been doing stand-up in and around Chicago for about 20 years. He's one of a nine-person team behind the Still Not Friday show in Aurora, Ill., that just celebrated its 10th anniversary. He was able to book Kyle Kinane for that show and they're hoping to get comedians of a similar status for future shows. He's been able to watch some of the best comics in the country come through the Chicago scene and he's just trying to play his part in making the scene as strong as it can be.<...

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Isaac Kozell started doing stand-up in Pittsburgh about 14 years ago. He was living in Wheeling, W. Va., but had to chase the stage elsewhere. He worked in marketing and fixed up houses on the side, something he'd learned as a kid. Once his neighbors spread the word, he started fixing houses full-time. He produces four shows in New Orleans and has southern living about figured out -- just in time to move north with his girlfriend. 

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Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theisaackozell/

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Tommy Cook started doing stand-up outside of Detroit about 2 1/2 years ago. He grew up on a steady diet of musicals, thanks to his grandparents. He played in the marching and concert bands in high school and became the lead singer of Granola Add Bacon, a ska band, as a senior. He works with Depot Town Comedy and is constantly trying not to embarrass his mom -- again.

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Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tommycooklol/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@tommycooklol?_t=8gjVq4sk0wo&_r=1 Duration: 01:14:15

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Conor McCann only started doing stand-up in July of 2024. He entered the Rochester's Funniest Person contest two weeks after his first open mic and took second place. He came back this year and won the title. A former musician from the Cold Spring, N.Y., he's got a dry, dark sense of humor and it's paying off. He's working regularly across New York and has his eyes set on the city. He'll be at the Crooked Mouth Comedy Festival in Endicott between Oct. 16 to Oct. 19.

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Alex Nicolas has been a fixture of the Jersey City, N.J., comedy scene since 2014. He started doing stand-up under the recommendation of a former boss combined with his mom telling him he wasn't funny. He spent a couple years working at the Stress Factory in New Jersey and plans on working the road as much as possible in the next few years. Alex recorded a special at the end of September. 

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Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/notalexnicholas/

TikTok: https://x.com/notalexnicholas

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Chris Weir has been doing stand-up in Cincinnati since 2011. He started while he was at North Kentucky University, but really jumped into the scene after graduating. He's a huge Reds fan and hosts a podcast dedicated to them called The New Nasty Boys, an homage to Rob Dibble, Norm Charlton and Randy Myers. He won Cincinnati's Funniest Person and works all over the Midwest. He's also an artist and graphic designer, too. 

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Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chrisweircw/

Twitter: https://x.com/chrisweircw

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Frank Corbiserie had an incredibly strong showing this summer in his second year in the Buffalo comedy scene. He moved to Batavia, N.Y., from New Jersey in 2024 and became Buffalo's Funniest Person in July of 2025. A couple weeks later, he placed second in Rochester's Funniest Person contest. He started doing stand-up in 2009, but took a break in 2012, picking it back up in 2024. He's always been a hard working, whether it be in his family-owned printing company, or writing, directing and producing films. He won awards for Acting Class, a short film released...

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Trebor Finnegan has been doing stand-up in Buffalo since 2023. He was a funny, shy kid in Dallas before moving to Buffalo when he was 14. He's only 28 now, but he's established himself as one of the scene's top rising comics. He just took second place at Buffalo's Funniest Person contest at Helium Comedy Club. Not bad for a dude with a fake first name.

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TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@treborfinnegan

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/treborhfinnegan/

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Josh Martier has been writing jokes since he was a teenager, but he didn't take the stage until he was 27. In just four years, he's climbed the steps to become the 2025 winner of the Philly's Phunniest Person contest in August. He moved to Brooklyn and is ready to start at the bottom again. His old days as an athlete have given him a competitive edge and he's been able to provide the work ethic to match it. 

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Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/josh_marti__/

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Serena Thiel is has been letting life take her where she feels comfortable -- and it's working out for her. She started doing stand-up in Bozeman, Mont., in 2020 with her friend, Alex Kaufman. After a couple years off, she opted not to go to Mexico while traveling and stayed in Austin, Texas. She got back on stage and found herself doing really well on Kill Tony in March. They invited her to perform at their show in Madison Square Garden. That went well, too. She's approaching comedy like a job now in hopes...

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David Kopp started doing stand-up in British Columbia, Canada, when he was 30 years old. In the 18 years since, he's become one of the premier producers in the province, written a book, "Kill Dave," and runs the successful Kelowna Comedy Club in Kelowna. He does about 270 shows a year at the club, so he's constantly in promotion mode, just trying not to fall behind. He should also be teaching a business class.

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Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kelownacomedy/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/david.kopp.714 Duration: 01:16:30

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Jacob Parnell grew up in Seattle and played the drums and bass in punk bands. His band, Aria Decline, opened for Dashboard Confessional, Something Corporate and Switchfoot. He decided to study theology at Pepperdine University and is now a pastor in Livermore, Calif. He started doing stand-up in 2018 and got serious about it after the pandemic. A father of five daughters and a husband, he's happy at the church, so every show feels like a bonus. 

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Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jacobparnellcomedy/

YouTube: https://ww...

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AJ Foster is one of the best stand-ups to come out of upstate New York over the last two decades. He grew up in the Bronx, but started stand-up in 2010 while going to college in Utica. He was a big piece of the upstate scenes before moving to New York City in 2016. One weekend at the Helium Comedy Club in Buffalo in 2015 led to that decision along with a friendship and opening spot with Jay Pharoah. Foster is in the Dallas-Fort Worth area in Texas and is recruiting the rest of his family...

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Manny Gacet started doing stand-up in Tampa, Fla., back in 2023. He's been sober for 13 years, and after getting laughs at AA and NA meetings, he decided to try it on a more formal stage. He's a big Marvel guy and has plans to start a YouTube channel devoted to pointing out all the scientific inaccuracies in the movies. He works pretty consistently in Tampa, but he's always looking for more. 

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Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mannythecomic/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mannythecomic

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Dave Sheehan has been doing stand-up yin New Haven, Conn., for more than two decades. He started with improv and made some friends and then dipped into stand-up. He's also been studying martial arts for the last 15 years and has a black belt. He works all over the Northeast, using his mix of one-liners and observations to help make a name for himself. 

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Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shroudofsilence/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@shroudofsilence

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCh6Gp...

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Reese Samuels is the mama bear of the comedy scene in Boise, Idaho., and is really putting that psychology background to work. She started doing stand-up on Christmas in 2014 after a rough break-up in an uncomfortable situation. She's doing way better now. She runs ... Cause We Can Comedy with LJ Sullivan. They produce shows and run an open mic together. If she can keep her dog from trying to befriend the police, she'd have it all.

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Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/reese.samuels/

TikTok: h...

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Micahel Agunbiade started doing stand-up at the very old age of 24. It's been three years and he's already one of the most-traveled comedians in upstate New York. Based out of Liberty, he became part of the Albany scene and is moving to the Bronx at the end of August. The son of two Nigerian immigrants, he's determined to make a career in comedy. If not, he's got an engineering degree to cushion his fall. 

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Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/agunbreezzy/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.co...

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Cindy Arena has been doing stand-up in Rochester since the spring of 2018. She made her first big splash by winning the Rochester's Funniest Person contest that July. She's spent the last seven years trying to prove she was deserving of it. She runs the Don't Tell Comedy shows in Rochester with Kai VonDoom and is a regular at the Syracuse Funny Bone. And she owes a lot of her success to growing up around the adult-entertainment business and surrounded by a very funny family.

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Instagram: https://w...

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Kaiser Leib won 3 percent of the vote for Montana's governor. Instead of running the state, he's settling for a comedy festival. He started doing stand-up in San Francisco in 2017 and moved back home during the pandemic. He's doing everything he can to build a scene in Helena. The Helena Comedy Festival in making its debut on Oct. 9 to Oct. 12. The headliners are in place and the submissions are open until Aug. 8. 

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Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kaiser.leib/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@kaiserleib

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Ryan Manzo started doing stand-up two years ago in Scranton, Pa. He tried it once in college, but it didn't stick. It only took two traumatic moments to convince him to give it another shot. He's part of a younger group of comedians to give a boost to Scranton's growing comedy scene. He just started producing shows. He's got a monthly at Gino's Bistro in Throop, Pa. The next one is July 12.

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Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ryanmanzocomedy/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@ryanmanzocomedy Duration: 01:09:58

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Hunter Roberts is a stand-up comic, former wrestler and Disney enthusiast in Gate City, Va. He wrestled for a few years -- becoming a champion -- before making his second attempt at stand-up stick in 2012. Based out of Johnson City, Tenn., he travels all over the Midwest and has a hate-hate relationship with Cleveland. He's be at the Rubber City Comedy Festival in Akron, Ohio, from June 25-28. His car might be stolen, but he probably won't take a suplex after his set. 

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Instagram: https://www.in...

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Elizabeth Becz is a comedian in Brooklyn. She grew up in Rutherford, N.J., and picked up playing the piano in middle school. Her teacher, Doug, introduced her to stand-up and would later ignite a passion. After working in upstate New York for only about a year -- she started doing stand-up in the spring of 2024 -- her calendar is full. She's an excellent writer and is determined to not need her Master's degree in physics ever again.

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Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/elizabethbecz/

Duration: 01:18:50

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Matt Vita grew up playing in punk bands. He got a taste for comedy while doing humorous raps between bands at shows. Then about 10 years ago, he found an open mic. Since then, he's traveled all over the country telling jokes and founded the Vermont Comedy Festival with Collen Doyle. Vita splits his time between Brooklyn and Vermont, where he has a house. He's a full-time comic now and he only wants a little more success. 

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Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bigdawgny1/

YouTube: https://ww...

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Mike DiAlto started doing stand-up about 16 years ago after taking a class at the Comedy Cellar in New York City. He kept doing it in Philadelphia and has been running the mixed mic and comedy shows at John and Peter's in New Hope, Pa., for the last 14 years. He's bringing in Rich Vos for a show on Friday, June 13. He's got two kids -- that's enough for him -- so the material is writing itself. His first album, Live at John and Peter's, came out in 2019.

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Eric Basile started doing stand-up in Jamestown, N.Y., back in 2011. He moved to Buffalo in 2014 and has been there since. A film student at the University of Buffalo, Basile grew up on Saturday Night Live and sitcoms from the '70s, '80s and '90s. He's excellent joke writer and a very good joke teller. He works all over New York.

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Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/genericbasile/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ericamicus

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Matt Dundas started doing stand-up in a San Francisco laundromat in 2002 and then stopped. He started up again in Seattle, but stopped. It wasn't until he was in Washington, D.C., in 2013 that it stuck. He and his family are in Portland, Maine, now and he's loving it. He's getting plenty of stage time and a lot of work and released his first album, "From Away," on Nov. 1, 2024 -- just ahead of the election. The special came out on YouTube on May 5, 2025. He's super funny and will be at the Jersey City Comedy...

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Sari Beliak is a really talented writer and comedian in Phoenix, Ariz. She took sketch classes at Second City in Los Angeles and began writing for The Hard Times and the Reductress before transitioning her comedy chops onto the stage. She's been doing stand-up for about nine years -- on top of writing for The Onion -- and just released her debut album, "Dead Dog Mom," which was No. 1 on iTunes, ahead of Christopher Titus, Weird Al and Jim Gaffigan. She recorded the album at the Altercation Comedy Festival last November with the...

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Alice Duhon has a background in musical theater, but she transitioned to stand-up in Detroit at 29. She was taking a stand-up class and going through a divorce around the same time. She's spent the last two years working out material from Detroit to Denver. She'll be in Rochester, N.Y., on May 8 and May 10, doing a roast battle and a Don't Tell Comedy show. For the love of God, follow her on Instagram.

Follow Alice Duhon: 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alice.marie.rose/

TikTok: https://www.t...

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Myles Weber started doing stand-up in Vallejo, Calif., right out of high school. He convinced 30 of his friends from school and the gym to watch his first open mic and he's been at it ever since. Over the last seven years, he's recorded two Dry Bar Comedy half-hours and two albums, and Comedy Dynamics bought his first special, Mr. Brightside. He's waiting for a streaming service buy his latest special, A '90s Kinda Love. He and his wife were about to separate, but the pandemic and a conversation with Brian Regan reshaped...

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Josephine Rivera started doing stand-up about 2 1/2 years ago when she was 29. She moved from New York to Pensacola, Fla., for college and stayed put. She produces shows with Carson Tucker under Whippersnapper Comedy and they're working all over the Florida-Alabama border. She's trying to build a comedy career while protecting her cat from several potential murder charges. 

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Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/joethephine/

Whippersnapper Comedy Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/whippersnappercomedy/

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Luke Thayer started doing stand-up in Indianapolis about 21 years ago. A year in, he and his wife, Abi Crutchfield, moved to New York City together, where they still live. He's been on Gotham Comedy Live, Fox, TruTV and The Food Network. He released his debut album, "Hopes + Dreams," in 2018 and his Dry Bar special came out in 2023. Go see him live. Even Mark Normand said he's funny. 

Follow Luke Thayer: 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/comedianluke/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@comedianluke

Website: https://comedianluke.du...

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Jeremy Pryal started doing stand-up in Scranton when he was 17. He opted to stay out of the Marines and chase success in comedy. He spent eight years in Philadelphia before a bad set and the personal issues took him off course. Now married with a son and back in Scranton, he's back on stage and making people laugh again. 

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Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jeremypryalcomic/

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Chris Dolan started doing stand-up at a comedy class at the Helium Comedy Club in Philadelphia when he was 46. He's been writing ever since. It's all thanks to his wife, who pushed him in the right direction. He's been able to find a home in the scene -- even it's as some comedians' "dad." He's been producing shows with Subourbon Comedy for the last six-plus years. They're bringing in Steven Rogers for a show at the Brothers Kershner Brewing Co., in Skippack, Pa., on Saturday, March 29 at 8 p.m.

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Bill Squire is one of Cleveland's best comedians and if he has his way, he always will be. He started doing stand-up in 2004 after leaving the Mormon religion. He spent 12 years working on The Alan Cox Show on WMMS in Cleveland. His latest special, "We're Getting Famous," is streaming on Amazon Prime now. He opens for Chad Daniels and headlines all over the country, and he co-hosts Cleveland America with OkPants and Tommi LC. 

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Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/billsquire/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.co...

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Dana Charitonchick studied biology at West Chester University and had a career as a scientist before jumping into stand-up when she was 30. She's four years in and has her footing in the Philadelphia scene. She's been able to keep those worlds separate, though it has played a role in her comedic style. She's been keeping busy on the sketch side, too. She's been writing and performing them and is releasing 12 sketches in March under Dana Jokes Around. She's running a stand-up show, the Comedy Jam, at Windish Studios in West Chester, Pa., on...

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Kevin Andrews started doing stand-up in Buffalo when he was 33 years old. He's about two years in, but he's already produced shows and works pretty consistently. It's a good thing his mom said she'd be disappointed if he didn't give it a shot. He grew up watching sitcoms and wanted to create the laughs himself.

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Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kevin.andrews43/

Twitter: https://x.com/chevo43

BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/kevin-andrews.bsky.social

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@C...

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Dan Turco started doing stand-up about 11 years ago when he was 25. He moved around a lot as a kid, but went to Eastern Michigan for college and settled in Detroit, where he's made his home in the comedy community. He's in his third year working with the Motor City Comedy Festival, which goes from Sept. 17 to Sept. 21. They're taking submissions now. He runs shows at Supernatural Brewing in Livonia, Mich., and at DownTown Pourhouse Tavern in Plymouth, Mich.

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Motor City Comedy Festival: https://www.motorcitycomedyfestival.com/ Duration: 01:08:37

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David Britton started doing stand-up at the Comedy Attic in Bloomington, Ind., about 13 years ago. He's in Schenectady, N.Y., now, where he's also acting, writing and directing. He produces comedy shows and gets on stage as much as he can. He wrotes for The Hard Times and works with Murder Cafe, a comedic-murder theater company in Rosendale, N.Y. He's got two albums, "History of the Universe" and "Possum Pals," a split with Megan Gilbert. Most important: He knows exactly what not to say in front of 400 lesbians. 

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Gerrit Elzinga fell in love with stand-up early and got onto his first stage at 15 years old. He's been telling jokes for almost 19 years, despite being only 33. He's the house emcee at Dr. Grin's Comedy Club in Grand Rapids, Mich., and is hoping to have his fourth album out this summer. He only spent a year in New York City, but it was long enough to grab an awkward moment with Jim Gaffigan. Also, he's got history with Dane Cook. But it's funny.

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Instagram: https://www.i...

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Zach Russell started doing stand-up when he was 21 and a student at Boston College. He moved to New York City after school and has been working all over the city and the East Coast. He grew up in Annapolis, Md., where I interviewed his friends after lacrosse, baseball and soccer games. Zach co-hosts Overshadowed, a podcast that tells stories over siblings and spouses of famous people. He's also planning to have an album out in the spring or summer.

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Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zachrussellcomedy/

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Zach Peterson has been doing stand-up for the last 17 years. He started in Omaha, Neb., and spent nine years in Chicago and one in Los Angeles before coming back home. He's 43 years old, but he can still play basketball and tell jokes, so he's happy. He's working on his third album. His special and second album, "A List of Wet Celebrities," came out in 2024. 

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Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kingoftheriverpeterson/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@kingoftheriverpeterson
Website: https://www.zachpetersoncomedy.com/
A List of We...

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Dan Shelly has been doing stand-up in the Allentown, Pa., are for the last 16 years. He started in 2008, a couple years after starting riffing with a friend, Adam Yenser. He's been bartending for most of his adult life and spent a couple years on the Eastern Shore in Maryland. He's back in Pennsylvania, though, and works consistently in the Lehigh Valley.

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Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sillysils_/

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Angel Penn is a really funny comedian in Silver Spring, Md. He's been doing stand-up in the Washington, D.C., area for the last six years. He used to run Spaghetti on the Beach, an open mic, and he's currently co-hosting the Try Out Comedy open mic at Eckington Hall on Thursdays. He's a big proponent of trying things on stage that he's afraid to do and he's developed into a versatile comedian and a talented storyteller. 

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Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/angelbefunny/

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Ant Perez started doing stand-up in October 2020 in the Zoom days. He persevered and has flourished since getting onto a live stage. He's a regular feature at the clubs in the Virginia Beach, Va., area. A father of two boys, he was able to tour a lot of the country last year, working out material and growing as a comedian. He was also able to stay safe while a fight broke out in a Planet Fitness parking lot in Houston. 

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Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/antperezcomedy/
Ti...

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Caleb Goldberg has only been in the Rochester comedy scene for a couple years. But he really started in high school. He won two national stand-up contests while chasing college scholarships, then chased improv while in college. He switched back to stand-up after graduation and has become a regular at the Comedy at the Carlson and is performing all over New York. 

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Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/calebjgoldberg.comedy/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@calebjgoldberg

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Aaron Rosen started doing improv back in 2013 and only tried stand-up a few times before going all-in on it in 2022. A teacher in Jersey City, N.J., he's a favorite among the students. He's a very talented impressionist, too, which helps. He's got Seth MacFarlane's resume down and can do several others -- Billy Porter, Owen Wilson, John Mulaney, Donald Trump and the Hormone Monster. He'll be at the Windsor Comedy Festival in Ontario, Canada, on Friday, Dec. 27 and is a regular at the Laugh Tour Comedy Club in Jersey City.

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Juan Pantaleon grew up in the Albany area before moving to Florida following a break-up. He got into stand-up six years ago on the verge of a break-up. He's back in New York now -- he's got a different girlfriend -- and helping Albany keep developing its comedic chops. He's a regular at the Albany Funny Bone and the Comedy Works in Saratoga and does a weekly segment called the Albany Comedy Interview Corner with the Hudson Mohawk Magazine. 

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Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/johnnypantz_/
YouTube: ht...

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Ryan Flaherty started doing stand-up in Scranton in 2018 and has become one of the most positive, driving presences in the scene. He didn't really take stand-up seriously until a house fire changed his perspective on his place in the scene. He started the Spacement open mic that got shut down because there were too many people, which created a fire hazard -- ironically. Now he's running a twice-monthly mic at Abide Coffeehouse in Wilkes-Barre. He's truly doing some good for the comedy community down there.

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Instagram: https://w...

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Ralph Tetta started doing stand-up in 1988 and was an anchor in the Rochester, N.Y., comedy scene before hitting the road in 2001. He managed a comedy club and just got passed to do Carnival Cruises. He teaches a comedy class every year and co-hosts the $18 Podcast with his brother, Christopher Tetta. 

Follow Ralph Tetta: 
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yuksonme/
Twitter: https://x.com/RalphTetta 
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@ralphtetta8 
Website: https://www.ralphtetta.com/ 
$18 Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/5JLFRt4bzMgjlynk3bRJB0 

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Kaelin Clements is a comedian, designer and photographer living in Hunt Valley, Md., a few miles outside of Baltimore. She started doing stand-up in 2022 at the Church of Satire Comedy Club in Hanover, Pa. She's become a regular there and is working all over Maryland, too. She produces a womens' show at the Church of Satire. She's also got one of the best stories about meeting a boyfriend's mom that you'll ever hear.

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Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kaelindoescomedy/ 
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kaelinmindbodysoul 

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Derek Humphrey is a very funny comedian in New York City. He grew up in Ohio, joined the navy and then started doing stand-up in 2008 while in Charleston, S.C. He moved to New York in 2012 and released his debut album, "Late Bloomer," on Sept. 30. He's been at the Red Clay Comedy Festival, the Boston Comedy Festival, Skankfest and the New York Comedy Festival. He's also done some acting. He was one of the stars in Race: The Movie: The Play, which was written by Brett Raybould and Christian Duran.

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Brian Roe started doing stand-up in October 2011 when he was going to Purdue University in Indiana. He came back home, right outside of Chicago, to do mics in the suburbs and moved to the city after school. He sold out The Lincoln Lodge and released his first special, "That's My Vibe," on YouTube in 2023. He writes, he acts a little and he's hungry for more. 

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Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brianroecomedy/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@brianroetalking
Twitter: https://x.com/BrianRoeComedy
YouTube: https://ww...

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Chris Gullo started doing stand-up in Buffalo back in 2008 while in college and began his career in the wrestling business in 2011. He's still doing both, but outside of Asheville, N.C., now. He moved down there earlier in 2024 and began producing shows under Neon Moon Comedy. The flooding has slowed some of his progress, but he's running a benefit show on Friday, Nov. 8 at Lookout Brewing in Black Mountain, N.C. If comedy isn't your thing, you can hear him announcing wrestling events down there, too. Or watching birds. Whatever.

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Will Abeles has been doing stand-up off and on since 2009. He spent most of that time in New York City, working in TV production with The Late Show with David Letterman and the Miss Universe pageant, before leaving in 2020. He moved to Nashville, Tenn., in 2021 and works the road routinely, so long as no deer get in the way. He grew up in Maryland and recorded his special, "The Pride of Hagerstown," in 2023. He runs a weekly show on Wednesday at Buds and Brews in Nashville.

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Adam Palmeter grew up in Oneonta, N.Y., but started traveling after a break-up. He began doing stand-up in South Korea and has been all over the world -- literally -- ever since. He recorded an album, "Older Teenager," in Mexico City, met Arkansas comedian Raj Suresh at a show in Cape Town, South Africa, lived in New York City before moving to Chiang Mai, Thailand. Oh, yeah. He also did stand-up on Mount Kilimanjaro, falling just shy of qualifying for the Guinness Book of World Records. He's got some stories. He's a...

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Damon Tucker is a 32-year-old comedian and producer in Des Moines, Iowa. He got sober more than six years ago and decided to make another change in his life. He started doing stand-up three years ago and has been at the Portland Comedy Festival and the North Carolina Comedy Festival over the last couple months. He also runs a weekly open mic at The Station. 

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Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/damonctucker/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@damonctucker

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Sean Day waited until he was 26 to start doing stand-up. All it took was a best-man speech at a wedding and a blackout at a bar to get him going. He did his first open mic in 2017 and was Rochester's Funniest Person in 2019 before moving to Phoenix for a year. He's been back in Rochester since 2021 and works all over New York, including the Comedy at the Carlson, where he's been able to embarrass himself in front of comedians like Gary Gulman. He'll be opening for Sean Day at Crooked Mouth Brewery in...

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Alex Brady is one of Buffalo's best comedians. He started back in 2016 and was able to use his experience as an English and social studies teacher to his advantage. He's been a regular host and feature at the Helium Comedy Club in Buffalo since 2019 and is running the Western New York shows for Next Stop Comedy, beginning with Ressurgence Brewing Company in Buffalo. 

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Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_alex.brady_/

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Alex Kominos-Smith graduated from Cornell with an architecture degree and was ready to attend Columbia for a career in real estate, eyeying the type of good jobs that two Ivy League degrees should promise. But he chose to pursue stand-up instead. Now 18 years after hs opted not to go to Columbia, he's recording his first special on Saturday, Sept. 28 at Room 52 in New York City. He's been doing stand-up for about 20 years, beginning with improv in high school, and he's headlined all over the country to get ready for his taping. Grab a...

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Alex Kaufman is one of the best comedians working in Montana. Statistically, it's true. He started doing stand-up in Tacoma, Wash., back in 2014 and has been based out of Bozeman, Mont., for the last five years -- really putting that physics PhD to use. He's worked all over the country and produced shows under Bone Yard Comedy. He's coming to New York in late September to perform at the Finger Lakes Comedy Festival in Ithaca and Homebrewed Comedy at the Glen Haven Hotel in Homer on Thursday, Sept. 26. 

Follow Alex Kaufman:  Duration: 01:12:56

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Brandon Ciotti started doing stand-up in Utica, N.Y., after a really bad day. Starting at 33, he went into overdrive and went to open mics all over upstate New York. His family and friends made sure he was tough enough to handle the abuse. He's only a little afraid to try the slightly (or more?) offensive material. He'll be at the Crooked Mouth Comedy Festival on Sept. 21 and the Syracuse Funny Bone on Sept. 29.

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Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ginger_brandad/

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Patrick Logan is a relatively new stand-up around Richmond, Va. He spent 13 years rapping around town before turning to comedy when he was 32. He's gained some ground pretty quickly. He won three consecutive Clash of the Comics at the Richmond Funny Bone -- the third of which got him passed as a host at the club. He runs a monthly show at Another Round Bar and Grill and doesn't take a day off. He'll be at the North Carolina Comedy Festival in Greensboro, N.C., on Sept. 18-22.  

Follow Patrick Logan:  Duration: 01:07:28

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Turner Sparks started playing in punk and ska bands when he was a kid and found stand-up back in 2009 when he was working in China. He opened a comedy club, then a Mister Softee business and both flourished until the government had other plans. He's been living in New York City for the past eight years and he's headlining shows all over the country. His album, "Double Happiness," reached No. 1 and is on Sirius XM's comedy channels and he hosts the Lost in America podcast with co-host Michael Kaplan. They released "Lost in...

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Kevin McCaffrey has been doing stand-up for the last 18 years. He followed his girlfriend-now-wife, Jamie McCaffrey, from Ball State University to New York City and now he's one of the funniest guys there. He's a huge Cubs fan and has appeared on The Late Show with David Letterman, truTV's Greatest Ever, truTV Presents: World's Dumbest, Comedy Knockout, I Love the 2000s, I Love the 1880s and The Edge & Christian Show. He co-hosts the Sex and the Cidiots and the Bridgerton Bros podcasts with Jon Daly. Kevin just releaded his second album, "Not Helping."...

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Drew Brooks has been working all over the Harrisburg, Pa., stand-up scene over the last three years. He got into long-form improv comedy when he was in high school and spent 10 years before trying something more competitive. After two false starts and a couple Zoom shows, Brooks has established himself in the scene. He became the most recent winner of the Harrisbug's Hilarious contest on Aug. 3, 2024, beating out 58 other comedians. 

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Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/andrewbrookscomedy/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@andrewbrookscomedy
YouTube: https://www.y...

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Mike Quindlen is one of the most important comedians in Baltimore. He stepped onto the stage at Magooby's in Timonium, Md., 13 years ago and won a contest. Then he started a monthly show at The Ottobar, the Second Saturday Shit Show, that's still happening today. He just wants the best for his city and scene. He ran the Ellicott Silly Comedy Festival and is loving his life now after a career in media sales. 

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Twitter: https://x.com/MikeQuindlen
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mikequindlen/
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Rebecca Sanders has been doing stand-up around Lexington, Ky., for about eight years. She took some time off following the pandemic, but she's back at it. Inspired by David Sedaris, Rebecca started by writing comedic essays and then quickly went to work after beginning her stand-up career. She did field pieces for the news show, "Hey Kentucky!" and works as a bartender. She's perpetually waiting to see what happens next.

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Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/beccasjustkidding/

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Josh Wells started doing stand-up about 15 years ago when a group of his musician friends needed a host. A big fan of stand-up when he was a kid, he found a place in the New Jersey scene around North Bergen. When he's not following NOFX all over the East Coast, Wells co-produces the Hell Yea! Comedy Show at the Wawa Social Club. He also publishes the Josh Wells Weekly Newsletter. 

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Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/joshaintfunny/
Substack: https://joshwells.substack.com/

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Rachel Daze started doing stand-up in October 2019. She's been traveling all over New York, giving audiences a good look at who she really is. Graduating from a 110-person class, she's found a good home on the stage. She's competing in Rochester's Funniest Person contest at the Comedy at the Carlson. She also runs a writer's workshop on Sunday. She just wants Rochester to develop more talent and keep it progressing. 

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Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rachels_notfunny/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RachelDazeComedy
TikTok: https://ww...

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Patrick Holbert is a very funny comedian, director, film-maker, producer and podcaster in New York City. He started doing stand-up for real in 2014 after a couple false starts. He jumped right into hosting open mics and running shows and has traveled the country doing college gigs. He just finished working with Joe List on a documentary on comedian Tom Dustin. Holbert, who worked at MTV, has directed several comedy specials and his debut release is coming out in 2024. He has a sober show called "Punch Line Drunk" and hosts a podcast, "We Hired...

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Victoria Vincent is a really funny comedian working out of Chicago. She grew up in Columbus, Ohio, the daughter of a surgeon and a nurse practitioner. She joined the rest of her extended family by working in healthcare as a radiation technician, but decided to persue stand-up full-time after getting into Just For Laughs in Montreal back in 2022. Despite starting less than five years ago in 2019, she's already recorded speials for Don't Tell Comedy and OnlyFans and travels the country doing college gigs. She's extremely smart, competitive and a hard worker. 

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Rachel Peters has been doing stand-up in Philadelphia for the last decade. She did improv in high school and then took the microphone when she was 18 while attending the University of the Arts. She took a break during the pandemic, but is back in the scene. She produces shows with More Please! and co-hosts the We're Dating Podcast with Alejandro Morales.  

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Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rachelpetiters/ 
More Please! Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/more_please_philly/ 
We're Dating Podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/we...

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Sam Ellefson started doing stand-up when he turned 21 years old in college in Tacoma, Wash. In the last seven years, he's risen toward the top of the Tacoma scene, moved to Denver and recorded his first special, "Minnesota Nice," in his hometown, Hutchinson, Minn. He released the special on YouTube last year and Burn This Records picked it up and decided to put out the album on June 7. He's already working on his next half-hour special. 

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Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/samellefson/
Twitter: https://x.com/sa...

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PT Bratton, a comedian in Bowie, Md., started doing stand-up nine years ago after he and his wife saw a comedy show. A preacher since he was 14 and a military veteran, Bratton decided to give it a shot and has become one of the best comedians in the D.C.-Maryland-Virginia area. He teaches at the Armed Service Arts Partnership and his special, "You're Welcome for My Service," came out in May. It's on Amazon Prime, Apple TV, YouTube, Dish and Spotify.

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Jacqui Marpa moved to Michigan from the Philippines when she was 15 years old. She'd studied up on America by watching High School Musical, so she was ready to perform when she got here. She began doing stand-up in Lansing, Mich., when she was 19 and has performed across the Midwest and made it to Sketchfest in San Francisco back in February. She's really funny, no matter what anybody in a bowling alley tells you.

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Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jacquimarpa/
Website: https://www.jacquimarpa.com/

Duration: 01:13:43

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Erin Clough started doing stand-up at The Backline Comedy class in January 2023, mainly out of boredom. Since then, she's become and established member of the comedy scenes in Omaha and Lincoln, Neb. She performed at the Floodwater Comedy Festival in Iowa City, Iowa, in April and has big plans for the next year. She's got her dad in the audience to cheer for her, though he might be rooting more for some other comedians. 

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Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/erinclough1130/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@erinclough1130?_t...

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Bob Beach is one of the best comedians in Utica, N.Y. He started doing improv at the Uptown Theatre in 2018 and began stand-up pretty soon after that. He's able to do that while working on his PhD dissertation on cannabis usage between World War I and World War II, something we all think about on a daily basis. He's expecting his first child, so he's had to step back on the improv side, but he's going to be at the Ithaca Laughs Festival on May 30-June 1. 

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Eric Rueseler is a comedian in Cape Girardeau, Mo. He started doing stand-up six years ago and is a part of the St. Louis scene. It was either that or Memphis. An active Marine for six years, he works at the Helium Comedy Club and the Funny Bones and has a weekly podcast called "The Best?" He gave a preview of it on this episode. 

Follow Eric Rueseler: 
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ercomedy/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@ercomedy

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Austin Baca is a very funny comedian in Reno, Nev. After growing up in Los Angeles, Baca ditched his plans of becoming a geologist and began doing stand-up in 2016. He helped keep the comedy scene in Reno going after the pandemic and is enjoying life now. 

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Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/itwasjustaustin/

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JJ Jones is a Boston-area comedian who was raised on British TV and New England sarcasm. He started doing stand-up in Denver eight years ago. He moved back to Massachusetts in 2017, lives in Foxboro and has been getting steady work all over the Northeast. He's a regular at the Comedy Connection in East Providence, R.I., and is headlining small clubs. He's doing everything he needs to do to keep elevating.

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Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jjjonescomedy/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@jjjonescomedy

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Carson Taylor has been doing stand-up in the Mobile, Ala., area for almost a decade. He made friends with Zeke Buckhaults in high school, joined his band, Shropshire Collective, and followed him into the comedy scene. Taylor quit drinking six months ago and has noticed a big change in his stand-up -- mainly that he doesn't black out on stage anymore. He runs Whipper Snapper with Josephine Rivera and works all over the Gulf Coast.

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Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/carsontaylorcomedy/ 
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/wh...

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Kristen Lytie grew up in the punk rock scene in Green Bay, Wisc., and started doing stand-up in Chicago in 2013. She moved back to Green Bay in 2018 and is one of the big pieces of the comedy scene. She's been in festivals all over the country and is starting one, the Green Bay UFO Fest, this year from July 19 to 21. She recorded her debut album, “Disassociation Vacation,” at the Altercation Comedy Festival at the insistance of JT Haaberstat. The album is available for pre-order from April 15-25 and is comes out on April 26. 
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Charlie Nadler is a stand-up comedian living in the Berkshires in Western Massachusetts. His parents, Marty and Holly Nadler, met while working on Laverne & Shirley, and Charlie was able to be on the sets of The Princess Bride and Pretty Woman and got to know Garry and Penny Marshall. Charlie wanted to be a screenwriter and worked in Los Angeles, where he started doing stand-up in 2010. He spent four years in New York City before moving to Massachusetts with his wife. Now he produces shows with Laugh Dealers and lives the life he...

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Jake Silberman started doing stand-up in Minneapolis in 2013 before moving to Portland and beginning a serious run. He was one of Potland's best comedians, putting out "The Crowd Work Album" in 2020, and moved to New York City in 2022. He's toured the country in a van and worked with Norm Macdonald, Nate Bartgaze, Kyle Kinane and Nick Mullen. Jake's going to be recording a special in April and hopes to release it in the summer. He also hosts the Jake Silberman Show and the Hard Man Soft Boy podcasts. 

Follow Jake Silberman:  Duration: 01:20:45

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Brad Monkell picked up the bass when he was in middle school and has been able to make a career out of it. At the end of 2019, he stepped onto a comedy stage. It took him about a year to get back to it, and since then, he's been one of the driving forces of Albany's scene. He's also a radio host for WOOC 105.3 FM. He hosts open mics and runs shows at the Lark Street Tavern, where's he's been able to bring in Carmen Lynch and Rich Voss. Sarah Tollemache and Jim...

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Ted Anderson went to college at Marquette and decided with his wife to buy a house in Hawaii. After beginning their physical therapy practice, he started doing stand-up in 2009 and became an integrel part of the Maui scene. He's one of the founders of Power Up Comedy and a producer of the Hawaiian TV show, Moku Moku. It's about three friends navigating life on Hawaii. Anserson will be on the mainland this spring and summer, doing stand-up and pitching Moku Moku. 

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Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/doctitanium/ Duration: 01:23:50

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Alan Massenburg started doing stand-up in Lancaster, Pa., in 2015. Already with two daughters, he decided to take his funny social-media persona onto the stage and it's paid off. He splits time between Lancaster with his kids and New York City and he recorded his debut album, "We Got Action," in November. It's available on March 22, so make sure to order it. He hosts the Proper Ebonics podcast with Kirk Griffiths and produces shows in Pennsylvania, Brooklyn, Delaware and South Carolina. All of that to avoid having a real job.

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Chris Jones started doing stand-up in the Poconos when he was 15 years old. He started doing bar shows and open mics when he was 19. He's 28 now and after a few years away from the stage, he's back and being productive. He's emerged as one of the stand-outs in the Northeast Pennsylvania scene and has big plans for 2024. 

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Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/i_gotadumper/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Chrisjonescomedy
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@chrisjonescomedy

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Paul Clemente started doing stand-up when he was 36 years old and is doing all he can to keep comedy alive in Jamestown, N.Y. Always a performer at heart, he did improv at the Lucille Ball Comedy Festival and is trying as hard as he can to get local comedy into the National Comedy Center. The only constant member of the Jamestown comedy scene and the founder of Crescent City Creative and Karate Sleepover, he's been bringing in talented comedians from Buffalo, Rochester, Erie, Pa., and Pittsburgh for years. He's also a life-long...

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Dan Alten started doing stand-up in Louisville, Ky., back in 2012. He studied journalism at Indiana University, but was told by a professor he should be writing comedy. A sitcom guy growing up, he decided to move to Louisville and get good at stand-up. He co-hosts the Funny Dinner podcast and travels all over the country -- even in Cookeville, Tenn. Try the doughnuts. 

Follow Dan Alten: 
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/danalten69/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/GoofyDanAlten
Funny Dinner: https://www.youtube.com/@funnydinner5798

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Brian Enck got a laugh in an English class in middle school and turned it into a career as a stand-up comedian. He grew up in Rochester and got his start in comedy as a freshman at Keuka College. After doing open mics and a few shows, he transfered to film school in New York City, where he got good at stand-up. Enck moved up to Syracuse during the pandemic with his now-wife and is doing shows all over New York. He's working on his second half-hour special now. Not bad for a...