Comedians
Now a massive star in Ireland, native New Yorker, Des moved from Queens to Ireland in his mid-teens in 1990. He first came to prominence with his extraordinary TV series The Des Bishop Work Experience (2004), where he lived on minimum wage in a series of different jobs in Ireland. Mixing this documentary footage with stand-up, the series became one of the most talked-about of the year, and propelled Des into national stardom. In 2006, he embarked on his second critically acclaimed TV series, Joy In The Hood, where he taught stand-up comedy in disadvantaged areas in four major Irish cities. Another hugely successful live tour followed including invitations to the Just For Laughs Festival in Montreal and the Melbourne Comedy Festival in Australia.
Des’s most recent project took him to Beijing, China in 2013 to learn Mandarin and he has been living there for the past 18 months. He is now fluent and the show, Breaking China was another major hit for broadcaster RTE in 2014 and he also made a half hour radio documentary about the rise of Stand Up in China for the BBC World Service called “Stand up for China”. His live show again opened at the Edinburgh Festival where he played to over 5,000 people and included an invitation to perform at the Soho Theatre in London and a return to Barrow Street in New York.
Comedy veteran Steve Byrne has seemingly done it all and continues to push himself to accomplish even more. Starting over 20 years ago and cutting his teeth in all the major clubs in NYC, including the Comedy Cellar, he then ventured off to Los Angeles, began working at the Comedy Store and Hollywood Improv, and his career really took off. After becoming a regular on the late-night talk show circuit and even doing "The Tonight Show" ten times, Steve racked up multiple hour specials on Comedy Central, Netflix, and Showtime. In 2012, he starred in, produced and wrote the TBS hit show "Sullivan & Son", which ran for 3 seasons. Through the show, he cultivated a deep appreciation for storytelling, and in 2019 released his first film, "Always Amazing", a documentary about comic/magician the Amazing Johnathan. In 2020, Steve wrote and directed the indie feature "The Opening Act", his love letter to stand-up comedy, that garnered critic and audience ratings on Rotten Tomatoes at 82 and 83% Fresh. In 2022, he released his fifth hour special, "The Last Late Night", on Amazon Prime, his most innovative work to date and rated 5/5 stars – an hour special disguised as a late-night talk show. Steve continues to tour relentlessly, work on material, and is currently casting his next film that he wrote and will direct towards the end of this year.
Beau McDowell is a stand-up comedian and former co-host of the "Losers with a Dream" podcast alongside comedy legend Lisa Lampanelli. Beau performs regularly on the East Coast, and is known for his big personality, big stature, and even bigger sense of humor about his former struggles with substance abuse, family codependency, and his search for self-acceptance. Beau’s ability to approach serious, and sometimes heartbreaking, experiences with levity and warmth differentiate him as a comedian on the rise with something new to say. Find him on Instagram @beaumcdowellcomedy!
Elle is a Chicago native, but started her comedy career in NYC. She is passed at New York Comedy Club, The Stand, BKLYN Comedy club, The Tiny Cupboard, and Broadway Comedy Club, but can be seen performing at other clubs and indie shows all over the city. Elle has made an appearance on The Bonfire on Sirius XM with Dan Soder and Big Jay Oakerson and have featured for comedians such as Rich Voss, Jared Freid, Greg Stone, and Michael Yo. Elle was recently named a 2023 “Creator to Watch” By New York Comedy Festival. Check out her weekly podcast Elle Diablo.
Justin Martindale is an L.A. based comedian originally from San Antonio, TX who has been seen as a guest on E! Entertainment, as well as the series Worst Thing I Ever... In 2014, he was the co-creator for the hit Funny or Die web series Not Looking which received high acclaim by Slate, The Advocate and Huffington Post. He wrote for the legendary Joan Rivers on Fashion Police and has opened for Sandra Bernhard, Whitney Cummings and Fortune Feimster. He can also be heard on such podcasts as the Joe Rogan Experience with Joe Rogan and the Skeptic Tank with comedian Ari Shaffir. Some of Justin's more recent credits include: @midnight, Acting Out and Butter Face.
BIO
Max Antonucci is a stand up comedian born & raised in New Jersey, though he plans to die in another location. With his quick wit and gallows humor, he has made audiences across the country laugh at the absurdity of everyday life and thoughts. He has forgiven some of the people that led him to pursue a career in comedy and has already gained notice as a great performer with a bright future. He has written for Comedy Central's Roast of Alec Baldwin, performed on New York Comedy Festival, Jersey City Comedy Festival, Times Square Storytelling Festival, and can be seen regularly at New York Comedy Club.
Seaton Smith is a comedian & actor.
In late 2014 Seaton made his television debut as ‘Motif’ on Fox's Mulaney.
Soon after in 2015 he had a breakout performance on “late night with seth meyers.” then he got real lucky appearing in Inside Amy Schumer. In the season 5 finale of HBO “Girls.” and Hulu's Difficult People. All while also being a regular guest on the comedy central’s nightly show.
Vulture named him one of the 50 comedians you should know in 2015: " he’s bursting with energy in a way that sets him apart in a overcrowded stand-up scene."
Chortle.com says Seaton “offers a mesmerizing, livewire performance, full of joy and amazing comic energy”.
"A naturally effervescent stage presence. As spirited as he is cerebral…one to watch." Time Out New York
In September 2015 under the legendary comedy record comedy new wave Seaton released his debut album bologna meat. Which laugh button reviewed: Smith’s humor is smart, energetic, and refreshingly clever as he fiddles with unique views on the world…continuously brings something new and exciting to stale topics.”
He’s performed at over 200 colleges across the country and he has headlined shows across the world, appearing in international comedy festivals the Montreal just for laughs, Melbourne Comedy Festival, and the Iveagh Gardens Comedy Festival in Dublin.
I got platinum miles yo! – Seaton Smith once said.
Originally starting in Washington DC, he now lives in NYC.
LUCAS ZELNICK is a stand-up comedian born, raised, and based in New York City, who challenges his cushy upbringing through punch-heavy material. Lucas’s stand-up clips have exploded online, where he has received over 100M views and 500K+ followers across Instagram and TikTok. In 2022, Lucas established a strong baseline for himself as a touring comedian, selling out 8 shows at Zanies Chicago. That same year, he appeared in SF Sketchfest and as a guest on Amazon Prime Video’s Sports Talk. 2023 was a breakout year for Lucas: he headlined the New York Comedy Festival, taped a secret set with Don't Tell Comedy, and taped his Comedy Central debut for Season 14 of Comedy Central Stand-Up Featuring. For no particular reason, he also holds an MBA from the Stanford Graduate School of Business.
Michael Rapaport is an American actor and comedian. He has appeared in over sixty films since the early 1990s, and starred on the sitcom The War at Home. He also appeared in Boston Public, Friends, Prison Break, Justified, and Atypical. Some of his notable film roles include True Romance (1993), Higher Learning (1995), Metro (1997), Cop Land (1997), Deep Blue Sea (1999), The 6th Day (2000), Dr. Dolittle 2 (2001), Big Fan (2009), and The Heat (2013). He also directed the award winning documentary Beats, Rhymes & Life: The Travels of a Tribe Called Quest (2011).”
He’s also the host of the world wide phenomenon “I Am Rapaport Stereo Podcast”
Matt McCoy is a standup comedian, writer, and actor based in New York CIty. He’s currently on tour opening for Akaash Singh, Danny LoPriore & others. Matt was a finalist in the Cleveland Comedy Festival and the Comedy Mob Festival in New York City. Matt is a two time Webby Award winner, and recently starred in a documentary on Facebook Watch. You can hear him each week on his podcast, GenX2Z, with fellow comedian Onika McLean.
Jiaoying Summers is a stand up comedian, Asian Hall of Fame inductee and social media comedy queen with over one billion online views and counting. She is a sold out national headliner. She recently starred in Netflix is a Joke Festival's Women in Comedy Show. Her 30-minute comedy special HOT GIRL SUMMERS is streaming on Peacock TV and Prime Video. Jiaoying is also an award-winning actress, CEO of Summers Group, and philanthropist empowering women and children and helping causes that touch Asian American communities. She was recently featured on BBC, CBS aNews, FOX News 5, NBC4, NBC Bay Area, KRON4, The LA Times, LA Confidential, San Francisco Chronicle, Yale Daily News, NHK World Japan and Vogue. She is the owner of The Hollywood Comedy in Los Angeles and focuses on producing shows that promote representation in comedy.
“A major voice on the national comedy scene.” - Vogue International
"Her name and survival story have one thing in common — a refusal to fade into the background."
- The LA Times
"[Summers is] amplifying the Asian American perspective through her work [with] uncensored, unapologetic comedic stylings."
- San Francisco Chronicle
Jiaoying Summers has been named one of “The Women Running The [Comedy] Scene in L.A.”
-The LA Times
Fabrizio Copano is one of the most well-known comedians in Latin America, and is the first South American comedian to shoot an original comedy special for Netflix. Actor and writer of the hit Chilean comedy show “El Club de la Comedia”, Copano also lead his own late night show “El Late de Copano”.
Monroe Martin was born and raised in Philadelphia; He's a colorful and imaginative comedian with a lifetime of challenging experiences to pull from. His honest and open approach has turned his shitty childhood into hilarious jokes and stories. Monroe made his TV debut in 2014 on the 8th season of NBC's Last Comic Standing, where he made it to the top 10. From there, he went on to make many more TV appearances, such as season 2 of Adam Devine's on Comedy Central, Late Night With Jimmy Fallon, the 5th season of MTV2's Guy Code, MTV2's Joking Off, TRU Tv's Comedy KO, and Big Jay Oakerson's WYFD on Seeso.com. He has also had cameos in Aziz Ansari's Master of None on Netflix, The Jim Gaffigan Show on TV Land, The Last OG, That Damn Michael Che Show, Inside Amy Schumer on Paramount Plus, and many more.
Dan Soder is a New York City based comedian and actor who’s best known as ‘Mafee’ on the hit series Billions on Showtime. Dan currently hosts the podcast Soder which is consistently charting in the top 20 of all comedy podcasts on Apple and Spotify. His most recent stand up special, “On The Road”, can be seen on his YouTube channel Dan’s special "Son of a Gary" (directed by Chris Storer) is streaming on HBO, and his previous one The Standups is streaming on Netflix. Other credits include: Netflix's "Paradise PD", MAX's "Fired on Mars" and the film's "Trainwreck" and "Drunk Parents". Prior to "Soder", Dan hosted Sirius XM’s The Bonfire .
Christian Finnegan is perhaps best known as one of the original panelists on VH1’s “Best Week Ever” and as Chad, the only white roommate in “Chappelle’s Show’s” infamous “Mad Real World” sketch. He played Martin on the popular syndicated sitcom “Are We There Yet?” and politics junkies will recognize Christian from his many appearances on “Countdown with Keith Olbermann”.
Most recently, Christian was the creator and co-host of A&E’s “Black & White”, which examined current events and social trends through the lens of Race. He can also be heard filling in as a regular guest host on “Standup with Pete Dominick” on SiriusXM Insight.
Over the years, Christian has been a fixture on Comedy Central, having starred in his own one hour stand up special “Au Contraire”, as well as “Comedy Central Presents”, “Tough Crowd with Colin Quinn” and countless network interstitials. He’s also appeared on “Conan”, “The Late Late Show with James Corden”, “Good Morning America” and “The Today Show”.
Christian’s comedy albums/specials (“Two for Flinching”,“Au Contraire!”, “The Fun Part” and “60% Joking“) are available on iTunes and Amazon and his standup is in regular rotation on all major streaming services. His latest special “Christian Finnegan: Show Your Work” was released in October 2021.
When not on tour, Christian Finnegan can usually be found in Queens helping his wife, author Kambri Crews, with her venue QED Astoria or walking their faithful pooches, Griswold and Chief Billy Bowlegs.
Shannon Fiedler is a comedian, writer and content creator in New York City. Known for her relatable — albeit exaggerated — social media presence, Shannon heightens her comedic realism with a dash of the absurd, distilling ordinary situations into their most entertaining essence. Shannon's content has been featured on BuzzFeed, Barstool, CBS, Overheard New York, Betches, and Gratzia.
Collin Chamberlin is a talented and experienced comedian based in New York. Known for his clean and quick wit, he specializes in sharing amusing family stories from his upbringing in Pittsburgh. His conversational style and impeccable timing create a friendly and relatable atmosphere, making his performances feel like a hilarious conversation with a close friend. Collin's comedic repertoire covers a range of topics, including his fascination with fast food and humorous anecdotes about living with his grandfather. His passion for comedy has led him to perform in various venues across the country and he's even willing to go the extra mile (for gas money, of course) to bring laughter to different audiences. Collin has established himself as a regular at Comedy Clubs in New York City and other locations. He's had the honor of performing at renowned venues such as The Comedy & Magic Club, Pittsburgh Improv, Helium Comedy Club as well as Caroline's on Broadway. His first headline performance at Caroline's was a significant achievement, especially given the club's history and alumni. One of his favorite appearances occurred when he performed at The Lucille Ball Comedy Festival, a prestigious event held at the National Comedy Center in Jamestown, New York. This recognition from his peers in the comedy industry was a highlight. Collin's comedic talent has not gone unnoticed and he has had the privilege of sharing the stage with some of the legends of comedy like Steve Martin and Martin Short. Collin is regularly requested by some of the nations best and well known headliners, who bring him back over and over again. In the last year Collin has worked with Ryan Hamilton, Jessica Kirson, Adam Ferrara and John Heffron. Collin most recently recorded a Dry Bar Special - "Cake For Breakfast", which will be airing soon and was featured by Don't Tell Comedy. Additionally he appeared at the 2024 Netflix Is A Joke Comedy Festival alongside Jessica Kirson and Ryan Hamilton. His debut album, "Hello, It's Me," launched very strongly, reaching number 2 on both iTunes and Amazon charts. His material is also regularly featured on Sirius XM, showcasing the widespread appeal of his comedy. Collin Chamberlin's career in comedy is marked by a combination of talent, hard work, and a genuine ability to connect with people through laughter. His performances bring joy to audiences, and his contributions to the comedy scene continue to be appreciated by fans and fellow comedians alike.
Irene Tu is a stand-up comedian, actor, and writer. In 2017, the San Francisco Chronicle singled her out as an “artist on the brink of fame,” on the heels of being named one of the “Bay Area’s 11 Best Stand Up Comedians” (SFist) and one of 20 “Women to Watch” (KQED). She has performed at numerous festivals including SF Sketchfest, Comedy Central’s Clusterfest, RIOT LA, Bridgetown Comedy Festival, and Outside Lands. Irene has opened for comedians such as Patton Oswalt, W. Kamau Bell, Brian Posehn, Anthony Jeselnik, Gary Gulman, Judah Friedlander, Hari Kondabolu, and Aparna Nancherla. You can see her on season 2 of “Take My Wife” and on VICELAND’s “Funny How?”
Tocarra Elise is a comedian, writer, and actress based in New York City most known for her work as a writer on the Emmy-nominated show "The Problem with Jon Stewart" on Apple TV+. She was also a correspondent on the show's companion, webby-award winning podcast. Tocarra was a featured performer at the 2022 Limestone Comedy Festival in Bloomington, Indiana, and is a Special Correspondent on the Glamorous Trash Podcast With Chelsea Devantez. She has opened for Irene Tu, James Adomian, Shannon Fiedler, and Blair Socci. You can catch Tocarra performing at comedy clubs and the finest breweries across the US. Follow her on social media @TocarraElise.