Performance Revue

It's the penultimate episode of the season!

Today we are taking a spiritual journey through a multilingual stand-up comedy set with Sonal Aggarwal. Sonal is a world traveler, a polyglot, a fire dancer, a healer, and one of the funniest people I have ever met.

She is a producer on the long-running show 'Congrats on Your Success', which was featured in the Netflix show 'Easy', and just wrapped a run of her one-woman show 'The Alchemy of Bliss' at Steppenwolf theater.

She regularly features at venues such as Second City, The Hideout, and The Annoyance, as well as Las Locas, where this hosting set is was recorded.

This is a 2-part episode.

Watch the performance here:

https://youtu.be/Cl7coc0cPrE

Watch the performance with commentary here:

https://youtu.be/8fniQAqctzw

Today we have Chicago comedy veteran Justin Golak!

Justin has been in the game for over a decade and has many nuggets of wisdom to share. You can find him on stages all over the country, as well as local shows and mics in Chicago. His websites are JustinGolak.com, and Lo-Class.com, where you can find links to his podcasts including Safe Space, his albums, and writings.

Influenced by George Carlin and Chris Rock, Justin is a self-described "state-educated college bro" who likes to walk a political tightrope during his sets.

Here he is at CAMP comedy show, at the Village Tap in the summer of 2018.

View the performance here:

https://youtu.be/tq3ZE_vI1n4

View the performance with commentary here:

https://youtu.be/4DE9OfFwV6w

Today we are baring it all with a bold set and interview with Elise Fernandez!

Elise is a fun, unapologetic feminist with a very body-positive and sex-positive message. Having the determination to refine and perform material, all while forming friendships and connections is a much-needed skill that it can take newer comedians years to master. Elise has that in spades.

Just FYI, this is another NSFW performance at the Uptown Underground, so you're definitely going to want to see the video.

View the performance here:

https://youtu.be/nGQ6A5FdvWY

View the performance with commentary here:

https://youtu.be/SkqKqvxKee8

Today we have Kendall Klitzke and our first featured performance at Strip Joker! There is a lot of cheering and applause in the clip, which usually happens when clothes come off onstage. Kendall is a producer on Cupcake Comedy Cabaret at The Gallery Cabaret and The Neapolitan showcase at The Store.

Kendall has a degree in TV writing. Since getting her first taste of stand-up, she has jumped in with both feet, immersing herself in the scene and quickly building an arsenal of witty jokes and brilliant premises.

Also, one of our own, Michael Njuguna Robinson, endured a terrible medical emergency last week. Please support a great up-and-coming comic in the Chicago scene, as well as an all-around great guy, by donating here in his time of need:

https://www.gofundme.com/stand-up-stand-up-presents-save-todd-amp-mike

View the performance here:

https://youtu.be/Htcfc8cSnno

View the performance with commentary here:

https://youtu.be/3owLFOv96gY

Today we are talking to slam-poet-turned-comic Maya May!

Maya was a Chicago comedian who is currently attempting to tolerate people who list their resumes in person as a daily greeting, and has recently found her way onto the college circuit.

As a mother and a queer woman of color, Maya has developed a wealth of socially conscious material that stems from a life rich with wildly varying experiences. I assure you that the following set and conversation is but a snowflake on the tip of the iceberg that is Maya May.

Watch the performance here:

https://youtu.be/5MWAshqHZdo

Watch the performance with commentary here:

https://youtu.be/9KbLMw0reH4

Today, it's Brittany Meyer!

Brittany Meyer is the founder of, and a producer on, Chicago's famous Strip Joker. They have produced about a dozen shows around the city in the past few years, including Spin-Off Stand-Up and Tuxedo Cat. Brittany uses their platform to promote a progressive agenda, specifically shining a spotlight on issues of gender equality through comedy.

View the performance here:

https://youtu.be/fXPM_cnHkqg

View the performance with commentary here:

https://youtu.be/6x-_RWM9nac

Chris is a veteran of the Chicago comedy scene who came in from the chillest parts of Colorado. His relaxed, personable style has been a hit with crowds for years, and now he produces the famous 'Chill As Fuck Show' at Second City. Chris is proof that comedians don't have to be depressed, sad, or driven by a romanticized version of the "tortured genius" trope.

Watch the performance here: https://youtu.be/i_m0Dt48E8Y

Watch the performance with commentary: https://youtu.be/kA2BUSe5_FA

Today we have NYC comedian Amy Shanker!

Amy started out in Chicago as a public school teacher, and is currently a whip-smart comedian navigating the minefield that is modern dating apps. She moved to New York a few years ago, and currently runs the Power Hour comedy mic at New York's Creek in the Cave. I'm very glad she stopped by last Summer, performed this set, and caught up over a podcast episode.

Watch the performance here:

https://youtu.be/4P0_iwds-iM

Watch the performance with commentary here:

https://youtu.be/9ItpD7Gm8Ws

Samantha Berkman was a brilliant Chicago comedian who passed away on 5/17/21. She was only 31. She wrote for The AV Club television show and founded CAMP: A Comedy Show. The world doesn't get enough whimsical, silly, genuine people like Sam. Everyone who met her considered her a friend. I'm glad I got to preserve a small piece of her in this set and interview.

Watch the performance here:

https://youtu.be/prMFhJulkLw

Watch the performance with commentary here:

https://youtu.be/P3KTkMFo1Zo

Today, we are going to take a journey. This journey will lead us down some queer paths. There will be twists, turns, and a Willy Wonka tunnel segment, but I guarantee you that it's worth the trip because today, we are talking to Le Aboav.

Le is a hilarious comedian I met years ago at a comedy show called CAMP at the Village Tap, where they were telling punchlines about bicycle shorts. Since then I have seen Le evolve into the fun-loving, openly pervy, and very witty comedian they are today.

This interview took on a slower pace, but I think that added even more weight to the heavy subjects we discussed. Le exposes a fear that most of us will never know. One that comes from a realization that your very existence is doubted, looked down on, or even ignored by society. Gender is a spectrum, not a binary.

Watch the performance here:

https://youtu.be/NbYlv6W56UU

Watch the performance with commentary here:

https://youtu.be/vmvSt5zVFcU