Comedy Wham

2021 Summer Vacation Series

Destination: Los Angeles, California

Read the article at comedywham.com

This week Teddy Margas talks to Valerie Lopez about being born to perform, his love of standup comedy in all forms, getting to work with Joan Rivers and Rupaul, and his quest for his trademark glasses.

Want to know more about comedy in Los Angeles, California?

Teddy's recommendations for comics to check out from LA include: Percy Rustomji, Matt Marr, Oscar Aydin, and Gus Constantellis

If you're in LA, Teddy recommends of course checking out the variety of shows (it's huge, almost too huge, in his words), but if you're a comic and you're reluctant to make the move to LA, as the ad campaign goes "just do it" he says. He says that comics who come to LA can find their niches as long as they keep an open mind and do the work. And importantly, be yourself!

Follow Teddy

• Website - teddymargas.com
• Twitter - @teddymargas
• Instagram - @teddymargas
• Facebook - Facebook.com/TeddyMargasComedian
• Youtube - Youtube.com/TeddyMargas // Youtube.com/TMargas1
• TikTok - Tiktok.com/@jonnynteddy

Teddy can be seen and heard:

• Teddy Tales on Instagram Live every Tuesday & Thu Live (5pm PDT)
• Teddy & The Empress (Cooking the Queens) Podcast
• Film/TV/Movies - Lethal Weapon (2016), Miss 2059 (2016), Beast Mode (2020), Persianality (TV Series 2019); Fashion Police (2014); AJ & The Queen (Netflix)
• Comedy Performances - Catch him at the Comedy Store, Laugh Factory, and the Improv

2021 Summer Vacation Series

Destination: Melbourne, Australia

Read the article at: comedywham.com

This week Janet McLeod talks to Valerie about her start in comedy involved an inflatable chair, how her helpful nature and love of comedy evolved into her role as a connector (which is exactly why we got to know her - without her, we never would have landed the great Australian comics that we did on our Isolation Comedy Online show in 2020), and how she's been thriving with her own online shows and trivia events.

Want to know more about comedy in Melbourne, Australia?

Janet's mentions and recommendations for comics to check out from Melbourne or larger Australia include: Cal Wilson, Tim Minchin, DJ Andrew McClelland, Ethan Cavanagh, Oliver Clark, Dane Simpson, Jude Perl, Reuben Kaye, Geraldine Quinn, Kirsty Webeck, Claire Hooper, and Ivan Aristeguieta.

If you're in Melbourne, Australia Janet, recommends that you check out the handful of comedy clubs in town and there are 3-5 standup comedy shows each night. Similar to most developed American comedy towns, you can see everything from bar shows, to club shows, to large theater shows. We won't comment on whether this is similar to other scenes or not, but McLeod likens the Melbourne scene to a giant dysfunctional family - full of camaraderie, but brimming with hilarious oddballs.

Janet can be seen and heard:

• Planet Janet Trivia Events
• Local Laughs - returning soon!
• Cinema Fiasco with Geoff Wallis - returning soon!
• ABC Local Radio's Overnights With Trevor Chappell. She's on every second Tuesday at 2.30am (local time which late mornings in the US).

 

Follow Janet

• Website - www.comedygold.com.au
• Twitter - @janetamcleod
• Instagram - @mcleod.janet
• Facebook - Facebook.com/McleodJanet // Facebook.com/PlanetJanetTrivia

2021 Summer Vacation Series

Destination: Los Angeles, California

Read the article at: comedywham.com

This week, Daniel Eachus sits down with Valerie Lopez to talk about being an award-winning jazz musician and how it translated to his comedy pacing, how reading the biographies of notable comics helped him see the behind the scenes work needed to become successful, and how putting his foot in a million doors translates accomplishing his goals as a comic, author, and actor.

Want to know more about comedy in Los Angeles, California?

Daniel's recommendations for comics to check out from LA include: JC Currais, James Frey, and Samuel J Comroe.

If you're in LA and you're reading this, you already know that LA is one of the biggest comedy scenes in the country - there's something for every taste. In fact, Daniel suggests getting a bit out of the hub of LA and head south to Orange County which has a lot of great shows to offer with a lot of young up and coming comics. La Cave in Costa Mesa, The Rec Room in Huntington Beach, and the Irvine Improv are destinations to check out. As he tells it, Orange County is where you go for stage time and LA is where you go to network and meet people.

Follow Daniel

• Website - DanielEachus.com
• Twitter - @daneachus
• Instagram - @daneachus
• Facebook - Facebook.com/DanEachus
• Youtube - Youtube.com/DanEachus  // Youtube.com/BigfootChasers
• Twitch - Twitch.tv/DanEachus

Daniel can be seen, heard and read:

• Drybar Comedy special
• Album - "Carry the Pillows" (Label: 800 Pound Gorilla)
• Book - A Day at the Zoo in 2062
• Youtube Videos - "Bigfoot Chasers"
• Film/TV - "Up Next" (Comedy Central); 14 national commercials; Hulu's "Laughs"

2021 Summer Vacation Series

Destination: Sacramento, California

Read the article at comedywham.com

This week, Keith Lowell Jensen sits down with Valerie Lopez to talk about his roots as a punk band member, lessons learned from ignoring comedy advice, and how to land a book deal with one of the best book titles in the history of book titles (and then land a 2nd book deal).

Want to know more about comedy in Sacramento, California ? Keith's recommendations for comics to check out from Sacramento include: Johnny Taylor, Ngaio Bealum, Becky Lynn, Parker Newman, Chazz Hawkins, Mike E. Winfield, Kiry Shabazz, and JR De Guzman.

If you're in Sacramento, check out the comedy scene where comics generally work at one club in town, but often head to nearby San Francisco to earn greater fame while maintaining their home base in Sacramento.

Follow Keith

• Twitter - @keithlowell // @MaxTheTiger (his daughter)
• Instagram - @keithlowell
• Facebook - Facebook.com/keithlowelljensen // Facebook.com/KLJPage
• Youtube - Youtube.com/keithlowell

Keith can be seen and heard:

• Podcasts Hosted - Keith Lowell Jensen Presents: The Keith Lowell Jensen Show with Keith Lowell Jensen
• Comedy Albums/Specials - Keith Lowell Jensen: Bad Comedy for Bad People; Elf Orgy; Atheist Christmas; Not For Rehire (on Amazon Prime now)
• Books - Punching Nazis: And Other Good Ideas; New book coming out in late 2021

2021 Summer Vacation Series

Destination: New Orleans, Louisiana

Read the article at comedywham.com

This week, Nkechi Chibueze sits down with Valerie Lopez to talk about how New Orleans was the first city she performed improv and found herself blossoming, a teacher's budget resulted in her watching lots of free comedy shows in NOLO before being voluntold to get on stage, and why she juggles careers of performer, teacher, photographer and graduate student.

Chibueze is an incredibly talented photographer. If you're in New Orleans seek her out. She's also got an incredible project she's working on - the Black Women of Comedy calendar. Keep an eye out for the release!

Want to know more about comedy in New Orleans, Louisiana?

Nkechi's recommendations for comics to check out from New Orleans include: Xander Bilyk, Amanda G, Keeda with a Q, Geneva Joy, Marcus Bond, Lane Lonion, Lane Sparkus, Rochelle McConico (and her alter ego Stangela), and Kamari Stevens.If you're in the New Orleans area, check out the comedy scene which is naturally inclusive, incredibly diverse, and will leave you laughing. Because so many shows are free in NOLA, Nkechi encourages audiences to tip comics or otherwise support performers financially.

Follow Nkechi

• Website - nkechichibueze.com
• Photography website - happyblackchickphoto.com
• Twitter - @happyblackchick
• Instagram - @happyblackchick
• Facebook - Facebook.com/happyblackchick
• Youtube - Youtube.com/narcissisticfatchick

Nkechi can be seen and heard:

• No Lye Comedy
• Funny but Make it Fashion show
• Black Women in Comedy festival calendar - stay tuned!

2021 Summer Vacation Series

Destination: Banbury, England

Read the article at comedywham.com

This week, Ryan Mold sits down with Valerie Lopez to talk about funnel cakes, commonalities and differences between British and American comedy, holding a world record, and how much he enjoyed performing by Zoom.

Want to know more about comedy in Banbury, England (south of London)?

Ryan's recommendations for comics to check out from England include: Harry Hill, Spencer Jones, Michael McIntyre, Mo Millegan, James A. Custer, Scott Bennett, Andrew Bird, Ben Norris, Jeff Innocent, Mike Gunn, Marcel Luconte.

If you're in the greater London area, check out the comedy scene where you'll watch comperes in action and where very inventive and creative shows abound.

Follow Ryan

• Website - ryanmold.com
• Twitter - @RyanMoldComedy
• Instagram - @RyanMoldComedy
• Facebook - Facebook.com/RyanMoldComedy
• Atic Pub - RocktheAtic.com

Ryan can be seen and heard:

• Shooting the Breeze Podcast
• At his bar ATIC in Oxfordshire and Banbury

2021 Summer Vacation Series   Destination - Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Read the article at: comedywham.com

 

This week, Juliana Heng sits down with Valerie Lopez to talk about how comedy transformed their life from boring to one with purpose, connecting with audiences as an autistic comic (in a society not always accepting of differences), and their self-produced Walking on Spectrum movie which has premiered at several prominent comedy festivals.

 

Want to know more about comedy in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia?

Juliana's recommendations for comics to check out from Malaysia include:  Shaq Munisamy and Garu Rumon.  They also mentioned the very famous Harith Iskander and Joanne Kam who are the godfather and godmother of Malaysian comedy, respectively.

Juliana wants us to know that Malaysia has a relatively young comedy scene, but it is beginning to hit its stride.

Follow Juliana

• Website - mxjulianaheng.com
• Instagram - @mxjulianaheng
• Facebook - Facebook.com/mxjulianaheng
• Youtube - Youtube.com/mxjulianaheng

Juliana can be seen and heard:

• I Laugh KL - In person and online showcase produced by Juliana
• Walking On Spectrum - written, produced, and featuring Juliana comedy and poetry

2021 Summer Vacation Series

Destination: Toronto, Canada

Read the article at comedywham.com

This week, Mike Carrozza sits down with Valerie Lopez to talk about the curious events surrounding the release of his debut album Cherubic, growing up with JFL Montreal in your backyard, and spends the rest of the time hyping other comics. Check out his podcast xBummerxBoysx with co-hosts Alex Kolanko (covering sad songs) and his other podcast We Didn't Get a Rose with co-host Chris Mejia recapping The Bachelor.

Want to know more about comedy in Toronto/Montreal and Canada in General?

Mike's recommendations for comics to check out from Canada include: Arthur Simeon, Deborah DiGiovanni, Nour Hadidi, Brendon Ash- Mohammed, Hoodo Hersi, Mark Forward, Steph Tolev, Ivan Decker, Deanne Smith, Rodney Ramsey, Sterling Scott, Graham Clark, Sophie Buddle, Mayce Galoni, Jacob Samuel, Nick Nemeroff, Matt Wright, Hisham Kelati, and Rebecca Reeds.

He also recommends we watch The Mayor of Comedy: A Canadian Stand-up Story to learn more about Canadian comedy and the challenges of trying to perform in the US. (https://mayorofcomedy.com/ ) 

If you're in Canada, check out the comedy scene where comics to work very hard for your laughs because silence is never rewarded and so they keep the punchlines coming at you. Canada is the home of the Just For Laughs Comedy Festival in Montreal.

Mike can be seen and heard:

• Online - Check his social media for dates
• xBummerxBoysx Podcast - Mike and co-host Alex Kolanko talk about songs that made them sad that week
• We Didn't Get a Rose Podcast - Mike and co-host Chris Mejia recap The Bachelor
• Cherubic - debut comedy album available everywhere

Follow Mike

• Website - MikeCarrozza.com
• Linktree - linktr.ee/mikecarrozza
• Twitter - @mikecarrozza
• Instagram - @mikecarrozza
• Facebook -  Facebook.com/Mike.Carrozza
• Youtube - Youtube.com/MikeCarrozza
• Discord - Discord.com/invite/MikeCarrozza
• Twitch - Twitch.tv/mikecarrozza

2021 Summer Vacation Series

Destination - Phoenix, Arizona

Read the article at comedywham.com

This week, Genevieve Rice from Phoenix, Arizona sits down with Valerie Lopez to talk about how her early start in comedy, her trajectory to launching the Bird City Comedy Festival in Phoenix, how she kept busy during 2020, and her Golden Girls podcast, Thank you for being a Podcast.

Want to know more about comedy in Phoenix?

Genevieve's recommendations for comics to check out from Phoenix include: Michael Turner, Jessie Johnson, and Matt Storrs. And if you're in Phoenix, check out the great comedy scene there and keep an eye out for the return of the Bird City Comedy Festival in 2022.

Genevieve can be seen/heard:

• Thank you For Being a Podcast - 5 years of Golden Girl goodness
• Online shows - check her social media for dates
• Bird City Comedy Festival - Founder, Head Bird. Expected return Spring of 2022

Follow Bird City Comedy Festival

• Website - birdcitycomedyfestival.com
• Twitter - @birdcitycomedy
• Instagram - @birdcitycomedy
• Facebook - Facebook.com/birdcitycomedy

Follow Genevieve

• Website - genevieverice.com
• Twitter - @genevieverice
• Thank You for Being a Podcast - @tyfbap
• Instagram - @genevieverice
• Youtube - Youtube.com/genevieverice

Read the article at comedywham.com 

This week, Josh Johnson of The Daily Show with Trevor Noah sits down with Valerie Lopez to wax philosophical about comedy, music, and success in the age of Covid. Josh sat down with us to talk about his upcoming hybrid comedy and music album Elusive: A Mixtape which is available on June 11, 2021. If his debut album and his love of music are any indication, we're in for a treat.

Special thanks to Robert Carfer for making this interview happen.

Josh Johnson can be seen and heard:

• Podcast - The Josh Johnson Show with Logan Nielsen
• Album - I Like You (2017)
• NEW Album - Elusive: A Mixtape (Available 6/11/2021)

Follow Josh Johnson

• Website - JoshJohnsonComedy.com
• Twitter - @joshjohnson
• Instagram - @joshjohnsoncomedy
• Facebook -  Facebook.com/JoshJComedy
• Youtube - Youtube.com/channel/JoshJohnsonComedy