Center Stage

On our final episode of Center Stage, host Nick Harris sits down with comics and friends Sean Jordan, Bri Pruett, and Shain Brenden talk about comedy clubs for the last time. Thank you so much to everyone who listened

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About the podcast: Center Stage pulls back the curtain to share an inside view of life in comedy clubs. Join General Manager of Helium Comedy Club in Portland and Host Nick Harris as he hangs out with comedian friends to discuss their loves and hates of the world that is comedy… and the clubs that cultivate it.

If you prefer to listen to "Center Stage," find us on Spotify, Apple Pod, or right here: heliumpresents.com/center-stage

Despite being born with a disability in both arms, Ryan Niemiller, the self-proclaimed “Cripple Threat of Comedy” shares his views of the world from the perspective of the handicapped.

Ryan began his comedy career in Los Angeles, California, and hasn’t looked back since, performing in clubs and colleges across the country. Covering topics such as dating, trying to find employment, and attempting to find acceptance in a world not designed for him, Ryan tackles the issues in a way that makes you think while laughing the entire time.

With his quick wit, great timing, and a gimmick that only he can exploit, Ryan hopes to prove to the comedy world that he may be unarmed, but he is dangerous.

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About the podcast: Center Stage pulls back the curtain to share an inside view of life in comedy clubs. Join General Manager of Helium Comedy Club in Portland and Host Nick Harris as he hangs out with comedian friends to discuss their loves and hates of the world that is comedy… and the clubs that cultivate it.

If you prefer to listen to "Center Stage," find us on Spotify, Apple Pod, or right here: heliumpresents.com/center-stage

This episode was recorded in September 2021. Some of the information about the status of our clubs might be out of date. For the most up-to-date info on our club locations, visit heliumcomedy.com.

Katie Hannigan is a stand-up comic, actor, and bad bitch (she tried to be rude once but she got nervous). Featured on "The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, "Comedy Central, Just For Laughs New Faces, Travel Channel, and MTV, Katie performs nightly in NYC at New York Comedy Club, Stand Up NY, Westside Comedy Club, and Caroline's.

Katie wrote Death Hacks with Augenblick Studios, Miss Information (digital content for the History Channel), and recently Moments in Time, a web series featured in the Yes And Laughter Lab.

​Katie's acting credits include "That Damn Michael Che" (HBOmax), FunnyorDie, CollegeHumor, and Comedy Central.

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About the podcast: Center Stage pulls back the curtain to share an inside view of life in comedy clubs. Join General Manager of Helium Comedy Club in Portland and Host Nick Harris as he hangs out with comedian friends to discuss their loves and hates of the world that is comedy… and the clubs that cultivate it.

If you prefer to listen to "Center Stage," find us on Spotify, Apple Pod, or right here: heliumpresents.com/center-stage

This episode was recorded back in early August. Some of the information about the status of our clubs might be out of date. For the most up-to-date info on our club locations, visit heliumcomedy.com.

Hannah Berner was born in Brooklyn, New York and grew up playing competitive tennis professionally and for the University of Wisconsin. She emerged on the comedy scene by directing, editing, and acting in videos on Instagram and writing viral tweets. She has two podcasts, Giggly Squad and Berning In Hell, with over 8 million downloads. She was a cohost on Bravo’s Chat Room, as well as a member of Bravo’s Summer House for three seasons and performs standup in NYC and at clubs around the country. Hannah is an advocate for mental health, animals, and napping.

Follow us:
@beingbernz
@heliumpresents
@centerstage_live

About the podcast: Center Stage pulls back the curtain to share an inside view of life in comedy clubs. Join General Manager of Helium Comedy Club in Portland and Host Nick Harris as he hangs out with comedian friends to discuss their loves and hates of the world that is comedy… and the clubs that cultivate it.

If you prefer to listen to "Center Stage," find us on Spotify, Apple Pod, or right here: heliumpresents.com/center-stage

This episode was recorded back in early August. Some of the information about the status of our clubs might be out of date. For the most up-to-date info on our club locations, visit heliumcomedy.com.

This week on Center Stage: Adam Ray!

Adam Ray just wrapped YOUNG ROCK for NBC, the story of Dwanye "The Rock" Johson's life, in which he plays the iconic role of Vince McMahon. Ray most recently starred in the indie comedy THE BELLMEN, also starring Thomas Lennon & Richard Kind, and seen on HBO’s CURB YOUR ENTHUSIASM, ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT for Netflix, as well as season 2 of AMERICAN VANDAL. Ray was a regular on LIGHTS OUT with David Spade & currently on The Adam Carolla Show. Ray is best known from his work opposite Sandra Bullock and Melissa McCarthy in Paul Feig's buddy cop comedy THE HEAT, as well as Feig’s SPY and the reboot of GHOSBUSTERS, in which he voiced the iconic character of SLIMER and played a supporting role as well. Adam co-hosted the comedy game show SEPARATION ANXIETY on TBS with comedian Iliza Schlesinger, and has guest-starred on 2 Broke Girls, Workaholics, Silicon Valley and HBO's BALLERS. Adam was also a cast member in the reboot of the sketch comedy franchise MADtv for the CW, and played Joey McIntyre's manager on the POP NETWORK show RETURN OF THE MAC. He has written for MTV's PUNK'D, Adam Devine's House Party, and the reboot of MYSTERY SCIENCE THEATER. Ray headlines the top comedy clubs in the country, and has been featured on The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson, as well as Adam Devine's House Party on Comedy Central. You can hear Adam's voice on cartoons like like Dreamwork's TROLLS, Adult Swim's Rick & Morty & Super Mansion, and as Swift Wind in the Dreamworks SHE-RA, streaming on NETFLIX, various voices on Tony Hale's ARCHIBALDS'S NEXT BIG THING, and this summer as Rueben in Hulu's CROSSING SWORDS with Seth Green, Tony Hale & Wendy McClendon-Covey. Adam also hosts the popular About Last Night podcast, which has welcomed guests such as Melissa McCarthy, Dana Carvey, Susan Sarandon, Bill Burr, Nick Swardson, Lisa Kudrow, Tony Danza, Jason Derulo, Neil Patrick Harris, Sebastian Maniscalco, Tiffany Haddish, Henry Winkler, Jeff Garlin, Jokoy, Sandra Bullock, Gary Payton, Sue Bird, Whitney Cummings, Marc Maron, and Kevin Nealon. His hilarious sketches and standup comedy clips have garnered over 50 million views on YouTube & can all be viewed at adamraycomedy.com.

In 2019, he and co-host Caitlin Cook launched their podcast, "5 Words," on the All Things Comedy network.

About the podcast: "Center Stage" pulls back the curtain to share an inside view of life in comedy clubs. Join General Manager of Helium Comedy Club in Portland and Host Nick Harris as he hangs out with comedian friends to discuss their loves and hates of the world that is comedy… and the clubs that cultivate it. New episodes every Friday!

This week on Center Stage: Megan Gailey!

Megan Gailey has performed on The Conan O’Brien Show, @Midnight and has a Comedy Central Half Hour Special.

Megan was part of the 2015 New Faces show at the Just For Laughs Festival and was a featured performer at SXSW, Bridgetown Comedy Festival, and a writer for the 2017 ESPYS.

She has finally performed alongside enough famous people that her older brothers no longer hate her.

About the podcast: "Center Stage" pulls back the curtain to share an inside view of life in comedy clubs. Join General Manager of Helium Comedy Club in Portland and Host Nick Harris as he hangs out with comedian friends to discuss their loves and hates of the world that is comedy… and the clubs that cultivate it. New episodes every Friday!

This week on Center Stage: Monica Nevi!

Monica Nevi is a native of the Seattle area, having grown up about 20 minutes south in the glory that is Renton, Wa. The product of a wonderfully humorous family and diverse life experience, she went on to earn a degree from Seattle University and lived in the city for 3 more years after going to school. A collegiate basketball player, after injuries ended her career she decided to move forward with the next most accepted career for a young woman and pursue her strong interest in stand-up comedy.

Monica has had the privilege of performing in the Bridgetown Comedy Festival, 208 Comedy Festival, Limestone Comedy Festival, Bumbershoot Music and Arts Festival and the Seattle International Comedy Competition. In 2015 she was one of the headlining solo show performers for the comedy section of the Bumbershoot arts festival in Seattle. Monica has opened for Michael Ian Black, Ari Shaffir, Sarah Colonna and Nick Swardson among many other impressive names. Monica is the co-host of the popular HugLife Podcast.

She has appeared on FOX’s nationally syndicated TV show "Laughs," as well as Seattle based television programs "New Day Northwest" and ‘"the 206]." Monica released her documentary series "80 For 80" on Amazon Prime Video this year where she hosts and interviews hilarious short episodes with people over the age of 80. It is available now on YouTube.

She debuted two albums in late 2020 within one month of each other. Her first stand-up album, "Mostly Finger Guns," followed by her debut comedic guided meditation "Chill." Both went #1 on the comedy charts.

About the podcast: "Center Stage" pulls back the curtain to share an inside view of life in comedy clubs. Join General Manager of Helium Comedy Club in Portland and Host Nick Harris as he hangs out with comedian friends to discuss their loves and hates of the world that is comedy… and the clubs that cultivate it. New episodes every Friday!

This week on Center Stage: Sean Patton!

Sean Patton is a comedian based in Los Angeles and New York, by way of New Orleans. He began doing stand-up in the Crescent City and have since performed in comedy clubs across the US and Canada, as well as The Melbourne International Comedy Festival (2011, 2018), Just for Laughs Chicago (2013), Just for Laughs Toronto (2013), and Just for Laughs Montreal (2008, 2010, 2012, 2016, 2018). He's performed on Comedy Central’s "Live at Gotham" (2009), "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon" (2010), and "Conan" (2011, 2013). 2013 also marked the release of his Comedy Central Half Hour. More recently, He's been on "@midnight" (2014, 2015), "The Meltdown with Jonah and Kumail" (2015), "This Is Not Happening" (2015, 2017, 2019), Showtime's "Live from SXSW" (2017), TruTv's "Comedy Knockout" (2016, 2017, 2018), and "This Week at the Comedy Cellar" (2018, 2019). As for acting, He's appeared on IFC'S "Maron," Comedy Central's "Inside Amy Schumer," and TruTV's "Those Who Can't."

In 2019, he and co-host Caitlin Cook launched their podcast, "5 Words," on the All Things Comedy network.

About the podcast: "Center Stage" pulls back the curtain to share an inside view of life in comedy clubs. Join General Manager of Helium Comedy Club in Portland and Host Nick Harris as he hangs out with comedian friends to discuss their loves and hates of the world that is comedy… and the clubs that cultivate it. New episodes every Friday!

Jared Freid is a comedian based out of New York City and originally from Needham, Massachusetts. His comedy is current and reflects the ordinary daily thoughts of everyone you know, especially if everyone you know is a millennial, obsessed with dating apps, trying to be a real adult, and worried about their body. (For the record, Jared’s mom thinks his body is “just fine.”)

He’s a regular at the Comedy Cellar, Caroline’s on Broadway, Gotham, Stand Up New York, and Comix at Mohegan Sun. He also performed at the 2017 “New Faces” showcase at the Just For Laughs festival in Montréal.

He’s currently starring in the Snapchat series “How Low Can You Go?” He’s recently been featured on MTV2’s new series “Vidiots,” as well as TruTV’s “NFL Full Contact,” MTV’s “Failosophy,” NBC’s “The Today Show,” NFL Network’s “Top Ten,” and AXS TV’s “Gotham Comedy Live.” His weekly "JTrain Podcast" is booming and touring live around the country. It’s already at over 450,000 listeners per month and regularly in the iTunes top 100. It’s been called “A Dear Abbey for Dudes,” which is why both men and women tune in religiously. Additionally, he co-hosts a modern dating podcast called “U Up?” with Jordana Abraham of Betches, where they discuss their take on modern dating with issues ranging from apps to hookups to relationships.

Follow us:
@Jtrain56
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@centerstage_live

About the podcast: Center Stage pulls back the curtain to share an inside view of life in comedy clubs. Join General Manager of Helium Comedy Club in Portland and Host Nick Harris as he hangs out with comedian friends to discuss their loves and hates of the world that is comedy… and the clubs that cultivate it.

This episode was recorded in June 2021. Some of the information about the status of our clubs might be out of date. For the most up-to-date info on our club locations, visit heliumcomedy.com.

Greg Proops is a stand-up comic from San Francisco. He lives in Hollywood. It’s not that bad. Really. The Proopdog is best known for his unpredictable appearances on "Whose Line is it Anyway?" both US and UK. He is recurring as the art teacher Mr. Granger on ABC’s "Schooled" and gives voice to Garma and pod race announcer Jak Sirvak on the Disney Channel‘s "Star Wars Resistance." Greg has lent his voice to "Hell and Back," "Star Wars the Phantom Menace," "The Nightmare Before Christmas," and he really was "Bob the Builder."

Greg has a new political comedy album out called "The Resistance," which was recorded live in his beloved San Francisco and is available on iTunes and from aspecialthing records. He has a hit podcast and subsequent book called "The Smartest Man in the World" and had the honor of performing with Danny Elfman singing in a live-to-film version of "The Nightmare Before Christmas."

Greg is in an improv group with Ryan Stiles, Joel Murray, Jeff B Davis, Dave Foley, Drew Carey, and Charles Esten called Whose Live Anyway? He toured Australia and New Zealand with Colin Mochrie and Brad Sherwood where they taped a TV Gala for JFL at The Sydney Opera House. He also is a frequent guest of the Comedy Store Players in London and improvised with them at Shakespeare’s Globe.

Follow us:
@gregproops
@heliumpresents
@centerstage_live

About the podcast: Center Stage pulls back the curtain to share an inside view of life in comedy clubs. Join General Manager of Helium Comedy Club in Portland and Host Nick Harris as he hangs out with comedian friends to discuss their loves and hates of the world that is comedy… and the clubs that cultivate it.

This episode was recorded back in May 2021. Some of the information about the status of our clubs might be out of date. For the most up-to-date info on our club locations, visit heliumcomedy.com.