Memphis Stand Up Comedy: Memphis Comedians

Showing posts with label Memphis Comedians. Show all posts

Wednesday, April 14, 2010

Funniest Person in Memphis 2010

It's that time of year again, to bust out the funny for The Funniest Person in Memphis contest brought to you by Big Funny Productions.

There will be 3 qualifying rounds, each will cost $5 for audience to watch.

Round 1 - April 20
Round 2 - May 4
Round 3 - May 18

So if you think you're funny enough to go all the way, brings some folks, tell a friend and come down to see if you can succeed.

The finals will be June 1st. Tickets to that are $10.

All shows will start at 9:00pm. To sign up, show up the day of the qualifying round before 8:30 pm.

The Funniest Person in Memphis Competition will be held at Skitz Comedy Club, which is in the back room at Neil's Bar and Grill (Madison and McLean - in Midtown).

For the official site, you can go here! and for a general run down of last years finals, check out the Memphis Comedy Blog's Funniest Person Wrap Up.

Monday, July 13, 2009

Shows: Joby Saad, TR Degraw

For those of you who follow the Memphis Comedy Blog and find that the comics are too divisive or offensive or not kid friendly, we finally have an act for you. Coming Wednesday, July 15 to Christ United Methodist Church, Seabrook Hall is Joby Saad.

Joby Saad is one of the stars of Thou Shalt Laugh, the #1 selling Christian comedy DVD of all time.

With his 100% clean comedy routine, Joby has appeared on Comedy Central, CMT, ABC and A&E. In addition, he has starred in his own episode of the hit TV show Bananas.

His unique comedy includes wacky facial expressions, physicality and plenty of jokes.

Free event – Bring your family and friends! This starts at 7:00pm, so you can get home at a decent hour. Joby Saab's Website villageidiot.tv for more info on this great, clean act.

7:00pm
Christ United Methodist Church, Seabrook Hall
4488 Poplar Avenue
Memphis, TN
FREE!

For those a little more into the world of the deranged and dark, there will be comedy at Skitz Comedy Club @ Neils on Madison this Saturday. The savant stylings of TR Degraw will on display. He's there for the funny and the dark, the whimsical and the inebriated, with a delightful splash of physical humor thrown in. TR has had many lives, only one has been comedy, but in that life, he's been under the wings of Mitzi Shore at the The Comedy Store in LA. Hanging with Jimmy Shubert and the rest of the crew. Eddie Griffin was quoted as saying "[TR Degraw] is like the John Lennon of comedy." ... we think that's a compliment.

Tickets and information for this show can be found here at BigFunnyProductions.com.

July 18
Skitz Comedy Club
@ Neil's on Madison
8:30pm
$10

Tuesday, April 14, 2009

Memphis Comics: Kerry White

Blue collar comedians has taken a very horrid connotation in the last few years, with the inceptions of Jeff Foxworthy's hacky comedy tour comics. Safe, ignorant and family friendly. But what do you call a comic that's blue collar with actual wit, insight and viciousness. If words could kill, Kerry White would slaughter that popular idea of cutesy comedy, slicing it at the jugular and after the blood dried, those types of comedians would be wearing a shade of sanguine-splattered purple.

Unflinching, unapologetic, and uninterested in the status quo, Kerry White has made a name for himself as a no-holds-barred, NO-topic-is-taboo comedian. If you like your comedy fast paced, blindingly truthful, and right between the eyes, Kerry's show is dead on target. Think it's just show business hype? The cops have been called to seven of Kerry White's shows after some members of the audience (Klansmen, religious zealots, and prudish republicans to name a few) have taken offense to his material's subject matter and become...unruly. How many comedians have you seen perform who have actually had to have a police escort out of two cities after shows? Banned from several comedy clubs, Kerry is currently headlining his "Thought Criminals Comedy Tour" to packed houses in alternative venues around the country. Why? "My crowd is open of mind, and free of spirit. They're not going to comedy clubs."

Memphis has been blessed by the recent return of Kerry White to our mediocre city and our fair comedy scene. That doesn't mean you'll be seeing him any more, so if you get the chance go have your world be question and all the things you hold true scrutinized come out to one of his shows in town. Appropriately enough, Kerry will be performing with Matt Davis' Sinner's Ball - a comedy show for the never offended on April 27 at the P&H Cafe and will be headlining Skitz Comedy Club this August 29.

For more information about Kerry White and his fiendish escapades around the country, click on anyone of the links below. That of course, is if you can handle him... but there's only one way to find out!

Kerry White on MySpace.com
Kerry White on YouTube
Follow Kerry White on Twitter
Kerry White's Blog

Wednesday, March 11, 2009

Memphis Comics: Mary Jordan

In the South Eastern United States, the idea of smart comedy is not quite as popular on the road as one might think. (No! Go on!) Yes, it's true. So finding a gifted comedian who has worked the road and still maintains a genuinely intelligent act without going too far into the world of working blue is few and far between - but Memphis has such an act with Mary Jordan. For the time being, at least.

All that and a woman! Go on! Alright, I intended to.

Mary Jordan is a very gifted comedian, not just as a stand up comic, but also as an improviser. Mary started out her stand up career at the Looney Bin in Memphis when she was 16 and the Looney Bin was still had a pulse. In high school, she was able to start flexing her improvising muscles. Upon turning 18, Jordan joined the Memphis improv troupe, FreakEngine, which has a cult following in town. A few years passed and she defected from FreakEngine to the much cooler and hipper troupe, the Wiseguys where she is currently until she defects again like a commie Pinko to Chicago.

But enough about improvising, that's a whole other blog; it's Mary Jordan's stand up we are highlighting here, people. Mary Jordan's comedy on stage hits hard with the hip, erudite comedy fan. Her political jokes are always topical, and always on point. She evolves with the change in times (see: Mary Jordan not making jokes about Ann Coulter). Her jokes are sarcastic, passive aggressive, yet biting. It's like a dram of aural scotch, goes down so smooth and sophisticated, but in the end your still getting drunk, only with laughter.

Though, despite the fact that Mary Jordan's humor can be geared toward political or social issues, she is not a divisive humorist. For example, when asked,"Israel or Palestine: who would win the World Cup?" She answered,"Trick question: Latvia (isn't it time they got some attention? They have been dressing like a whore.)" If any Latvians were offended, we at the Memphis Stand Up Comedy Blog apologize.

The biggest change coming up for Mary is the fact she'll be moving to Chicago on April 4th to pursue bigger opportunities for all of her comedy endeavors. There will be a final farewell and roast of Mary Jordan on Saturday March 21st at the Full Moon Club at Zinnies East. Show up for your last to see Jordan in action and watch some other mean people lovingly rip all of her accomplishments into shreds!

For more information about this show go to The Wiseguys Events page.

For more information about Mary Jordan, please check out these links:
Mary Jordan's Blog/Official Site
Mary Jordan's MySpace Page

Thursday, February 19, 2009

Memphis Comics: Mo Alexander

The Memphis Stand Up Comedy blog is here to shed a light on those you see at our local shows and give you light into the comedy of those who warrant your time, in person or at your personal internet, streaming device in the comfort of your own laughter chamber, wherever that may be.

Our comedy Yoda, the Memphis hilarity rock and role model of our scene is Mo Alexander. Mo Alexander has played the comedy game for more than a decade and has headlined clubs all over the country, in top clubs, theaters and has tv and film credits under his belt. He has also opened for some of the most known comics in the country, including Brian Regan, Chris Rock, Dom Irrera, Tommy Davidson, Keenan Ivory Wayans and in 1999, he even featured for (of all people!), Dan "Larry the Cable Guy" Whitney. Alexander's style is to offend those people and ideals that have offended him; ideals such as ignorance, narrow-mindedness and for that matter, the easily offended.

Alexander's comedy in a fun contradictory social study. He's lovably evil; techno-geek with social skills; scooby doo after he ran away from the mystery machine gang and started hanging out with the old men scaring the children away. The only predictability from his shows is that laughter and thought will ensue.

How can such a lovable muppet be banned from 13 radio stations? Blame it on being a Scorpio if you want, but I think it has to do with the fact that logic prevails through all of his material, when it comes to divisive topics.

Mo Alexander will be playing with Matt Davis' Sinner's Ball later in April and will be headlining the Hi-Tone in late May. Check him out. Buy him a shot or ten of higher end Tequila (no Cuervo!) and watch the antics of a true entertainer push the limits of what you thought was possible in comedy... without ending up at 201 Poplar.

Various Mo Alexander Links:
Mo Alexander Fan Page on Facebook
Follow Mo Alexander on Twitter
Mo Alexander on MySpace
Read Mo Alexander's Blog