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.
Marion Grodin has been one of the hottest comics in the country. She is a favorite at New York City’s top clubs, including Standup NY and Gotham Comedy Club, where she regularly headlines. As one of the country’s top emcees, Marion’s incredible ability to improvise has allowed her to master the art of talking with the audience. Always willing to be as self-revealing as she is probing of the audience…this affectionately edgy style has become Marion’s trademark. The result is a hilariously personal show that makes the audience feel like it was custom-made just for them.
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!
Bio: Talent Harris Jr is a former class clown from Long Island who resides in Brooklyn, NY. Talent is known to deliver hilarious social commentary in a musical-like rhythm, with a deadpan expression. He has opened up for both JB Smoove and Damon Wayans at Carolines on Broadway before headlining there himself. When Talent Harris Jr isn’t on stage, he is making sketches with his comedy sketch group Wait What Comedy. His content has received over millions views online.
Jamal Richardson Gates is a stand-up comedian, host, and producer from South Jamaica, Queens, with 16+ years of experience. Known for his high energy performances, urban storytelling and musical comedy, his one-man show, "Anomaly," stood out at the 2016 Solocom Festival, and he was featured in the 2018 Harlem Comedy Festival. Drawing on his experiences growing up in New York, Jamal delivers performances that resonate with audiences of all backgrounds.
Juston has multiple appearances on “The Tonight Show” and one-hour specials on Comedy Central and Amazon Prime, including “Parentally Challenged” and “On Mid-Life Support." His 5th stand-up special, “On the Bright Side,” is currently streaming on his YouTube channel. Justonwas born in Portsmouth, NH and grew up living on the border of New Hampshire and Maine. In the late 1990s, after spending seven years as a Deputy Sheriff in rural Maine, he made the move to NYC to pursue a career in comedy. He quickly became a regular at nearly every comedy club in the city and "The New York Times" called him “destined for stardom.” Juston would go on to sign development deals with Warner Brothers, CBS, IFC and Comedy Central. He has appeared on numerous Comedy Central shows including his half-hour "Comedy Central Presents" and his own one-hour special. He has appeared several times on "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno" and "Conan," as well as a Showtime special with Rob Gronkowski. Twice he has performed at the TD Garden with Denis Leary’s “Comics Come Home.” His TV and movie credits include: "The King of Queens," "100 Centre Street," "Zookeeper," and "Here Comes the Boom." He lives in New Hampshire with his wife and kids. When not dadding, he is touring theaters and clubs all over the country.
Mark Gagnon is an internationally touring comedian opening for Andrew Schulz's "Infamous Tour". He is the Co-Creator of the Netflix Series "Schulz Saves America" and a co-host on the "Flagrant 2" Podcast."
Hannah Lieberman is, by all accounts, a nerd: from her lifelong love of classical music to her national tournament scrabble ranking, to her insatiable appetite for all things Jane Austen. She enjoys bringing this unbridled enthusiasm to all parts of her life (she’s never met a dog she didn’t cuddle right then and there on the street), including to her deep passions for comedy and theatre. What she sometimes lacks in street sense, this adork-able Southern redhead makes up for in bubbly energy and a commitment to having fun through her art.
Kimberley Hosking is a New Jersey-based comedian who’s opened for acts such as Kevin Farley, Sean Peabody, and many ungoogleable comics. She’s also an educator, informing her audiences of the dangers of seamen and ways to detect if your parents are swingers.
Rachel Williams is a stand up comedian from Long Island, NY who started her comedy career right out of college. Now you can catch her performing stand up almost every night all over the city. She’s been on SiriusXM, a part of the 2022 New York Comedy Festival and a featured performer at the 2023 Rogue Island Comedy Festival. See all her most recent work @wachelrilliams on all social media platforms.
Aric Grooms is cofounder and CEO of "Very Good Comedy Show"! He regularly headlines with the show across the country, and has appeared in the NY Comedy Festival. When the 2020 pandemic shut down stand-up stages, Aric shifted focus to creating and starring in festival-winning films "MidLife" and "God's Will", which are currently available on streaming platforms. While he now calls New York City home, Aric will always be a Southern Ohio Boy (S.O.B.) at heart! This shines through on stage as he weaves tales of his simple beginnings into his commentary on the day-to-day rat race that is NYC Trained as an Evangelical minister and married to a Jewish clergywoman, Aric has lots to say about religion and family! His years of ups and downs with relationships and congregations – not to mention raising four energetic, independent children – provides an endless supply of entertaining tales!
Nick Scopoletti is a stand-up comedian, and was a co-host of the “Losers With A Dream“ podcast with comedy legend Lisa Lampanelli. He has performed at comedy clubs across the northeast such as Carolines On Broadway, Stand Up New York, Broadway Comedy Club, The Stress Factory, Fairfield Comedy Club, and Nick’s Comedy Stop. He was also selected to perform in the Connecticut Comedy Festival. Nick is your friendly neighborhood Italian! He is a master storyteller who blends hilarious characters with powerful punchlines. His warm, engaging style makes him a fan favorite at any show.
Join comedian Dave Nihill for a night of real Irish comedy. Accent included. Leaving Dublin, Ireland where he was born and raised until the age of 22, Dave got drunk on travel and never quite hit sobriety of it. He has lived and worked in twelve countries and visited over seventy. His shows draw on his wide travels, cultural observations, attempts at language study, (occasional) international drinking session(s) and being a mildly confused immigrant. Dave is the winner of the prestigious annual San Francisco Comedy Competition, (previous finalists include Robin Williams, Ellen DeGeneres and Dana Carvey) and runner up in the Moth’s largest US Grandslam storytelling competition. He recorded his debut special for Dry Bar Comedy in 2019 and has been featured on TED.com, Amazon Prime Video, The Irish Independent, Inc, Sirius XM, NPR, Ireland AM, and the Huffington Post among others. A festival favourite Dave’s videos have also gone viral many times over with over 100 million views and a social following of over one million people.
Colum is an Irish Comedian who has been based in America since 2014. Having started his career in Ireland, Colum’s talents quickly became known on the Irish circuit as he became a finalist in the nationally broadcasted TV show “RTE New Comedy Awards”. More recently Colum performed at the New York Comedy Festival and Skankfest. He is a regular on the popular podcast Legion of Skanks as well as hosting his own podcast The Colum Tyrrell Podcast. Colum performs comedy nightly in clubs and bars in New York City.
Sahib Singh is a rising star of the Baltimore/D.C. stand-up scene. He has performed at clubs and colleges across the East Coast, and in 2019, he won the Magooby’s New Comedian of the Year competition. His original videos have earned him a strong following on social media, and in 2021, he worked as a writer and performer on the Comedy Central Digital team. His work has been featured on the CBS Comedy Showcase and the digital series AS SEEN ON ADULT SWIM. Currently he is touring with Nimesh Patel and is performing select dates on Hasan Minaj’s “The King’s Jester” tour.
Kevin Nealon is an Emmy and SAG-nominated actor and comedian who sets himself apart from other comedic performers with his unique sense of humor, dry wit and likable demeanor. Nealon is best known for his nine-year stint as a cast member of NBC’s "Saturday Night Live," and received critical acclaim for his role in the hit Showtime series "Weeds." Kevin currently produces and hosts his digital series "Hiking with Kevin," and tours his stand-up globally. He will be releasing his latest book, "I Exaggerate: My Brushes with Fame (Abrams)," on October 25, 2022. Part art book, part memoir -- the book is full of original full-color caricatures Kevin has created along with funny, endearing personal essays about his famous friends. Nealon’s extensive television credits include the CBS sitcom "Man With a Plan," in which he starred alongside Matt LeBlanc; Showtime’s "Weeds," which ran for eight seasons and was honored at the 2006, 2007 and 2009 Golden Globes with nominations for “Best Television Series Comedy or Musical.” In 2007 and 2009, "Weeds" was nominated for the Screen Actors Guild Award for “Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series.” Additional television roles include two critically acclaimed stand-up specials for Showtime; and a number of appearances on "Hot In Cleveland," "Franklin & Bash," "Monk," "Curb Your Enthusiasm" and "Still Standing." Nealon’s self-produced, edited, and hosted web series "Hiking with Kevin" is exclusively available on his YouTube channel of the same name. In the series, Kevin interviews his A-list celebrity friends on hikes throughout the country. Past guests include Michael Keaton, Jimmy Kimmel, Lin Manuel-Miranda, Cheryl Hines, Ray Romano, Al Franken, Hilary Swank, Kumail Nanjiani, Kate Beckinsale, Conan O’Brien, Adam Sandler and more. Nealon has found great comedic success in his extensive film career. In "Anger Management," he played opposite Jack Nicholson and fellow SNL comedian "Adam Sandler." He and Sandler also teamed up in "Eight Crazy Nights," "The Wedding Singer," "Happy Gilmore," "Just Go With It," "Blended," and "You Don’t Mess with the Zohan," the latter of which grossed over $200 million worldwide. In "Joe Dirt," Nealon joined another SNL alumnus David Spade. Additional film credits include "Daddy Day Care" with Eddie Murphy, "Good Boy" with Molly Shannon, "Bucky Larsen: Born to be a Star" with Nick Swardson, "Roxanne" with Steve Martin and the cult hit "Grandma’s Boy," also with Nick Swardson and Jonah Hill. As one of the longest running cast members on NBC’s "Saturday Night Live" (1986-1995), Nealon created some of the show’s most memorable characters, including ‘The Subliminal Man’ and ‘Hans and Franz.’ Nealon’s recurring role as an anchor on ‘Weekend Update’ helped make the sketch a show staple. In 1988, he earned an Emmy nomination as part of the SNL writing team. In 2008, Nealon released his first book, "Yes, You’re Pregnant, But What About Me?" -- a comical look at the male perspective of pregnancy. Currently, Kevin resides in Los Angeles with his wife and son.
Born and raised in New York, Kevin Herrera is known for his comedic wit. Kevin has always been the “clown” with not only with his friends, but also within his large Hispanic family. Kevin’s unfiltered, raw comedy is inspired by his triumphed life experiences. Life experiences that to most would likely break an individual, Kevin was able to take his humor and flourish. He has always had a love for comedy as it has been his solace and plays an imperative role in the person that he is today. Kevin soon took a more creative approach with his organic comedic trait and animated persona, by expanding his comedy and producing relatable skits on social media for the everyday married couple and parent. Currently at 1.5 million followers on TikTok and 340k on Instagram, Only Raising Kings continues to grow beyond what he could ever imagine. Kevin is also the creator of The Lunchroom, a podcast that gives the uncensored perspectives of how the everyday man thinks in real life situations. Now as a social media influencer, Kevin wanted more, he knew he was ready to not only share his humor but his life story.
Mike Cannon is a New York City-based comedian, podcaster, writer, and actor. headlined at some of the world’s most iconic venues – including a sold-out performance at Gramercy Theatre in his hometown of NYC. Mike released two independently-produced hour specials on Youtube – "Mike Cannon's Huge Mistake," a crowd work special on edibles, and "White Privilege Homeless" – in 2022. His debut comedy special, "Life Begins," was released on YouTube in January 2020 and earned a spot on Laugh Button’s Top 35 Comedy Specials of 2020 and the album version was on Sirius/XM Raw Dog Radio’s Top 10 Comedy Albums of 2020. He released his latest, much anticipated special, "Chris Distefano Presents Mike Cannon: Traumatized Animal," in September of 2024. Outside of stand-up, Mike has made a name for himself in both acting and writing. Select credits include Amazon Prime’s "Timing," Barstool Sports’ "Friday Night Pints" and "Answer The Internet," Comedy Central’s "Stupid Questions with Chris Distefano" and "The Nightly Show with Larry Wilmore," and TruTV’s "Blake Griffin’s Double Cross." He was a contributing writer and performer on MTV2’s "Guy Code" and worked as a contributing producer, writer and panelist for ViceTV's "Super Maximum Retro Show." He currently hosts three digital series, "Heads Up with Mike Cannon," "Mike Takes Edibles," and, most recently, "Existential Dad." When he’s not on his nationwide tour, he plays all the major New York City clubs, including the Comedy Cellar and New York Comedy Club. It makes no difference to him whether he’s performing in a club, bar, casino, elevator (done that twice), parking lot, rooftop, on a fake beach in front of a freight train, or in technically-legal underground speakeasies; comedy is his life. Mike is dedicated to making the majority of you laugh and the rest of you confused, yet oddly satiated.
Colin is a standup comedian based in Connecticut. He has been a guest on Chaz and AJ multiple times and performs throughout the Northeast. Although he may be short he has a big personality. His sense of humor comes from the chaotic upbringing of being the youngest and smallest brother in an Italian and Colombian family. Truly a dork at his core from being in the marching band and the boy scouts. Colin will always keep you on your toes by mixing goofy observations with life experiences and clever commentary. Find him on instagram @Pasquarellacomedy.
Yannis Pappas is a stand-up comedian, podcaster and TV host. He’s a regular on The Joe Rogan Experience, Tim Dillon Show, Your Mom’s House, 2 Bears 1 Cave, Bad Friends and Tigerbelly. His insanely popular podcast LongDays with Yannis Pappas is available on YouTube and wherever you listen to podcasts. His previous podcast History Hyenas with Chris Distefano is also available on Youtube and wherever you listen to podcasts. Yannis has two hour-long stand-up comedy specials on YouTube (Mom Love 2022 & Blowing the Light 2019), an hour-long album (Let Me Be Yannis) and a half-hour Comedy Central Special (2014) all available on YouTube. He was the host of NextVR's virtual reality live stand-up series, Live In Gotham (44 episodes 2018-19). He was also the host of AOL's award-winning Original Series, 2 Point Lead (a sports comedy show). Yannis was also the co-host of MSG's sports fan show, The Bracket, BetMGM’s Unleashed with Olivia Harlan Dekker and the co-host of ABC's Fusion Live. Yannis has been part of the Just For Laughs Festival in Montreal, New York Comedy Festival and tours the world as a stand-up comedian.
Originally from Oshawa in Ont, Canada, Phil Hanley started performing stand-up in Vancouver. He’s a stand-up, actor, and writer who is a staple of the NYC comedy scene and a regular at the Comedy Cellar. A favorite on the late night TV circuit, he has appeared on "The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon," "Late Night with Seth Meyers," "The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson," and Comedy Central’s "John Oliver's New York Stand-Up Show." Phil self-released his recent stand-up special "Ooh La La" on his YouTube channel. Phil is also currently writing a memoir titled "Spellbound," in which he recounts his lifelong struggle with dyslexia and how comedy became his saving grace. The book will be released by Henry Holt – Macmillan next year. Phil was featured in the hit feature film "I Feel Pretty" and the Comedy Central sketch series "Inside Amy Schumer," both alongside fellow comic Amy Schumer, as well as in the film "Sundowners" alongside Tim Heidecker. His half-hour stand-up special can be seen on Comedy Central and iTunes, and his cult favorite comedy album "Please Don’t Chit Chat While I’m Pursuing My Dream" was released in 2018.
Zainab Johnson is a stand-up comedian, actor and writer from Harlem, NY who was recently hailed by Variety as being a Top 10 Comic To Watch. Zainab’s comedy is based on her unique point-of-view, which was shaped growing up as one of thirteen siblings in a Muslim family. Zainab can currently be seen playing the role of Aleesha on the Greg Daniels Amazon series UPLOAD and hosting Netflix’s 100 Humans, a social experiment where 100 individuals take part in interactive experiments exploring sex, happiness, torture and all the other aspects of being human. Zainab is a regular at the Comedy Cellar in NY as well as the Comedy Store and Improv in LA. She's made appearances on Late Night with Seth Meyers, HBO's All Def Comedy, MTV's Acting Out, and NBC's Last Comic Standing. She had a breakout performance at The Melbourne Comedy Festival and regularly returns to the Just For Laughs festival in Montreal.
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 .
Always relaxed on stage with a wide range of material and a unique perspective on life, Noah Gardenswartz is a comedian you should know about. Noah was born and raised in Denver, but cut his comedy teeth in the diverse rooms of Atlanta. Currently living in Brooklyn, Gardenswartz’s well-crafted mix of jokes, observations, and personal stories have made him a New York City favorite, and a nationally booked up-and-comer. ​ In 2016, Noah had his own half hour special on Comedy Central, and also released his debut comedy album, “Blunt,” on Comedy Central Records. He has appeared on Conan, Comedy Central’s “Adam Devine’s House Party,” and in 2015 he was a semi-finalist on NBC’s “Last Comic Standing.” He has written for truTV’s “Comedy Knockout,” and also appears regularly as a panelist on the show. Before turning to stand-up full time, Gardenswartz worked as a journalist, hedge fund day trader, elementary school teacher, and even grew weed, though obviously not all at once.
When he’s not walking around looking like fisherman Sean can be found headlining clubs and festivals all over the country. He has appeared on "The Late Show with David Letterman", "Conan", "Colbert", "The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon" and NBC’s "Last Comic Standing". Sean hosts the podcast "Brand New Jerks", and he released his debut comedy album “Manual Labor Face” in 2015 on Comedy Central Records. Sean has been featured on the truTV series "World’s Dumbest", "Comedy KO", and "Almost Genius" as well as "Adam Devine’s House Party", "@midnight", "The Half Hour", "Broad City", "The Equalizer" and "Inside Amy Schumer" on Comedy Central, Amazon’s "Alpha House", GSN’s "Lie Detectors", and "Limitless" on CBS.