Author: njalex02

6 Questions with Comedian Paige Weldon, Who Is Recording an Album at Planet of the Tapes This Week

By June Dempsey

Paige Weldon is coming to Louisville to record her third album at Planet of the Tapes. Get your tickets here! Paige has performed on Comedy Central, The Late Late Show with James Corden, numerous Don’t Tell Comedy shows, and comedy clubs across the country.

Paige was kind enough to answer some questions for Louisville Laughs.

Louisville Laughs: You’re recording your album at Planet of the Tapes this weekend. That’s exciting! Why did you choose Louisville and this venue to record?

Paige Weldon: Honestly it just seemed like a cool venue for it! I’d been looking for the right opportunity to record a new album and when Planet of the Tapes offered me a weekend I thought why not see if this would work. I’d heard great things about it from other comics (including other recent headliner/my friend Logan Guntzelman) so I asked my label AST Records as well as the Planet of the Tapes folks what they thought. Everyone seemed excited about it, which got me excited about it too!

This is your third album — what was recording the other two albums like? Where did you record them? How long did it take you to write and practice the material for the albums?

My first album Uncomfortable at Best was thanks to Jonah Ray, who partnered with AST Records to release 14 minute sets on 7” records for a couple of his favorite comics in 2014 (aka a million years ago). I recorded my set for that as part of a showcase at a long-running LA show called Comedy Living Room, which was in fact in a living room.

A few years later I saw Jonah at a show and he casually said something about if I ever wanted to do a full-length record to let him know. At first I thought the idea sounded way too intimidating, but ultimately decided to go for it because it was a great opportunity and I knew I had the material if I just committed to working it out in longform.

I got some places outside LA to let me do longer sets leading up to it, and then recorded at this venue in LA called Genghis Cohen. It’s a Chinese restaurant with a little showroom in the back and I once again, just thought it seemed like a cool place to do it! And thus my first full length album, Girlfriend at the Time, was born.

You just had a Don’t Tell set posted on YouTube a few days ago. Do you perform at Don’t Tell Shows a lot? What is it like doing a Don’t Tell versus a show in a comedy club? How do you go about preparing for a ten minute filmed set?

Yeah, I’d say I do Don’t Tell shows pretty regularly! I guess the main difference is that it’s more of a pop-up type vibe at a Don’t Tell show. It feels more like a special one-night-only thing. I prepared for the filmed set by just doing it a bunch and working out the kinks/seeing what fit in to the set and what didn’t. I know that’s a boring answer but it’s true!

You post cartoons that you draw on your Instagram and you drew the album cover for your last few albums yourself. Do you find it easy to come up with humor drawings? Is the process similar to joke writing for you?

The process is different in that you have to plan a comic strip before you start it, and then when it’s done it’s done. Whereas with stand-up, jokes evolve as you do them again and again, and you do a lot more writing on stage (or at least I do). But to be honest I’ve moved away from the cartoons because it’s really hard to do both!

I’ve always loved drawing and started experimenting with making cartoons for Instagram in late 2019, then when the pandemic hit it was kind of my only creative outlet so I did a lot more. I really loved doing it but they take a lot of time and stand-up has always been more of my focus. Now I use drawing more as a good skill to have for making my own flyers and yes, my album art!

Do you have any advice for newer comics starting out? What are some ways you’ve found to refine your jokes? What do you see has changed in comedy since you’ve started?

It may sound cliche but my advice is always that you have to just do it. That’s the only way to get better and the only way to figure out what works for you. Early on I hit mics every night and was always out trying new jokes. With time I’ve gotten a lot clearer on my voice so I can get each new bit to a good place faster, or recognize when something just isn’t going to work.

But again that’s only because I’ve been doing it so long! Probably the biggest change in comedy since I started is how comics use social media to share clips, etc. This makes me sound old but I embrace my oldness.

What are some of the strange shows you’ve put on or been a part of?

This is such a hard question because after 12 years of stand-up the strange shows are many. I guess the first thing that comes to mind is that one time I did a show on the roof of the Ace Hotel in downtown LA and the GoodYear blimp flew over during my set. It was so loud that I could not ignore it. That is thankfully the only time I have ever been heckled by a blimp.

I also once did a virtual reality comedy show where the comics had to wear a VR headset in a studio and perform for avatars of people who were wearing VR headsets in their homes.

Don’t miss your chance to see Paige Weldon! Get your tickets here! Listen to Paige’s previous album Girlfriend At The Time here. Follow Paige on Twitter, Instagram, TikTok. We’ll see you there!

Q&A with clean-cut Cincinnati Comedian Zach Wycuff

Zach Wycuff is a hilarious standup comedian and writer from Cincinnati. As he prepares for a special recording with DryBar he will be headlining a show at Falls City Beer on Thursday, April 6, 2023!

Admission is free and the show will also feature performances from comics Cali Botkin, Ben Flug, and Jack Merrywell.

Zach was the winner of the 2019 Funniest Person in Cincinnati competition. He hosts a podcast called Road Killers where talks with comedians, artists, and performers about their travels.

Zach was kind enough to answer some questions for Louisville Laughs.

Louisville Laughs: At what point did you know you wanted to be a comedian?

Zach Wycuff: I’ve always loved comedy. I would come home on Saturday nights from church (I grew up weird lol) and watch SNL. I think when I discovered it was a real thing you could do and not just for people that live in New York or LA, I knew I had to give it a shot.

You host a podcast called Road Killers where you talk with artists/comedians/performers about their travels. What’s something interesting you’ve learned from this podcast and has it informed your standup?

Great question! People have really interesting food options on the road. I learned you can get Donettes and the chocolate coating is almost like a water sealant, so if you take a bite and dip it in milk, it stores the liquid like some sort of milk water balloon situation. I talk to some truly disgusting people.

I’ve also learned less important things.

You won the 2019 Funniest Person In Cincinnati competition. What was it like to win a competition in the city you started in as an open mic-er?

It was about time I GOT SOME DANG RESPECT. No, it was a great honor and so much fun. There’s an “amateur” and “semi-pro” bracket so in 2019, I got to win the semi-pro bracket as my best friend won the amateur. It was truly the best. It’s so funny that that happened because never have I felt truly like the “funniest person.”

Some of the funniest people are established comedians who don’t compete in stuff like that. Also some of the funniest people don’t do stand up. But it did feel like a really cool moment that’s nice to remember when I go to an open mic and suck. I think to myself, “One time, people got together and heard me speak and thought I was funny. Maybe I can go do that again.”

I heard you on a Love the Bomb podcast talking about a rough show you did for a group of volunteer librarians. What is the best experience you’ve had performing outside of a normal comedy space?

WONDERfUL question. I have a background as a probation officer, where I was trying to keep people out of prison in a system that’s largely not great to those incarcerated. Recently, I got to perform *inside* of a prison and it went great.

I was always very nervous to perform for the population I spent so much time with. Not because of any sort of fear, but I do jokes about my time as a PO and really was nervous they would (very understandably) not be about that. But thankfully, they were really really kind and we all had a great time.

As everyone was leaving, I said to someone, “Thanks so much for coming,” and she said, “Of course. It’s not like we had many options.” And that’s a pretty great point.

Were you always funny growing up? Did standup and performing in general come naturally to you?

I was always the kid in class who was really quiet and would whisper something to my buddy who would repeat it louder and get a big laugh. Maybe I was destined to be a writer. Performance still is very much a learned skill for me, but there really are few things better.

What is your comedy highlight?

Winning the contest with my best friend is pretty hard to beat.

Who were the first comedians you remember watching or listening to?

I always watched Seinfeld reruns growing up. I think the first comedian I saw in a real comedy club was a guy named Heywood Banks (remember that song, “Yeah Toast”?). I was maybe like 16 at the time and he was hilarious. There’s so many jokes you can make about toast.

What are your comedy goals? Who are some people you’d like to work with in the future?

I hope I get to keep doing stand up as long as I’m around. I would love to write for a show, something like a “Crashing” or “Ted Lasso”, and eventually my own original show. The list of people I would love to work with is pretty long, but to name just a few: Mike Birbiglia, Nate Bargatze, Pete Holmes, John Mulaney, Roy Wood, Jr., and Seinfeld.

Don’t miss Zach at Falls City Beer! You can get more Zach Wycuff on his Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, and podcast.

Q&A With NYC Comedian Gianmarco Soresi

Gianmarco Soresi is headlining this weekend at Planet of the Tapes! Tickets are available here for shows Friday, March 31 – Saturday, April 1.

Gianmarco is a hilarious standup comedian, actor and writer. He released a New York Emmy nominated comedy special Shelf Life, made his late night television debut on The Late Late Show with James Corden, appeared on Comedy Central, Netflix, PBS, and more. He was a season 8 winner of Amazon’s Comics Watching Comics and was a NPR 2020 comedy pick. He is a regular performer at the famed Comedy Cellar in New York and was selected for Just For Laughs Comedy Festival’s New Faces of Comedy.

Gianmarco was kind enough to answer some questions for Louisville Laughs.

Louisville Laughs: At what point did you know you wanted to be a comedian?

Gianmarco Soresi: After about five years of failing as an actor. I wrote an autobiographical play and noticed that all the positive feedback was from when I talked to the audience. So I wouldn’t say I wanted to be a comedian so much as that’s the only thing I had the talent for. 

You’re a trained actor and received a degree in Musical Theatre in college. How does this influence your approach to standup? Do you think it gives you an edge over other comedians who don’t have this additional skill set?

It’s a double-edged sword, on one hand yeah I can use my theatrics to add a little extra juice to my comedy, but on the other hand all those theatrical tools can sometimes prevent you from portraying the most authentic version of yourself and/or developing your joke writing to its full potential because the delivery trumps the content. Ultimately my musical theatre training will be more useful when I inevitably host a terrible game show for millions of dollars.

Between performing standup all over the country, appearing in television and film, hosting your hit podcast The Downside with Gianmarco Soresi, and performing in your sketch team Uncle Function, you seem to stay extremely busy. How do all these different creative endeavors inform your comedy? 

They each take so much goddamn time from my life that my psyche is whittled down to a husk and I’m then more able to access my subconscious where the better material awaits. 

You released your special Shelf Life in 2020 which received nominations for three New York Emmy Awards. What did you learn from that experience? And was the complete creative control worth the extra effort that comes with self-producing?

The material in that special is imperfect, but I did it anyway because all those Covid jokes I wrote were going to expire and ultimately that special advanced my touring career more than anything else – so I learned to be less precious about sharing my work. Complete creative control is a nightmare, I’m so indecisive. Thank God I had two producers who had opinions I could disagree with and thus figure out what I really wanted. 

You’ve performed on The Late Late Show with James Corden, JFL New Faces in Montreal, you’re a regular at the Comedy Cellar and countless New York City comedy clubs. What are some of your comedy goals? Who are some people you’d like to work with? 

I would just like to not have to do written interviews in the hopes it helps move slow ticket sales. Aside from that, to work within the vicinity of Mulaney or Jeselnik would be fabulous. 

What is the best advice you ever got that you actually used? 

I used to have a joke about my girlfriend where the punchline was some hacky shit like, “Just kidding, I don’t have a girlfriend.” Paul Mercurio told me after the show that I was a better comic than to rely on that. I’ll never forgive him, but that’s the first time I started asking myself what my standards are for my comedy, outside of getting laughs. 

What is your comedy horror story?

I performed at a benefit that I didn’t do enough research for, and the mid show auction was all for guns. Then the host brought me up by announcing ExxonMobile was the one sponsoring my appearance. My mom was there too. In my defense, I was paid the most money I’ve ever been paid for 20 minutes of stage time.

What is your comedy highlight?

Cashing that check.

Don’t miss your chance to see Gianmarco Soresi this weekend at Planet of the Tapes! Get your tickets here.

You can see more of Gianmarco Soresi on his website, YouTube, Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, Facebook, and Spotify!

Q&A With Louisville Comedian Jamie Utley

by Nathan Alexander

Jamie Utley will be headlining this weekend at The Caravan Comedy Club in Louisville! Tickets are available here for shows Thursday, March 23 – Saturday, March 25. Jamie is a seasoned professional and has been making audiences laugh for over a decade. He was kind enough to answer some questions from Louisville Laughs.

Louisville Laughs: You’ve toured on the Monsters of Comedy tour with Ralphie May and Jim Breuer, appeared on The Bob and Tomu show, Fridays with Jim Breuer on Sirius XM, and starred on Laughs on Fox. What has it been like to work with such established names in the comedy world?

Jamie Utley: Oh man. I have been so lucky to work with so many that it’s almost surreal at times. Getting to hang out with your heroes is an unbelieveable experience. I don’t think I can put it into words.

How long have you been a comedian? How has your style changed over the years?

I’m not exactly sure how long but I’m estimating 15 years or so. I’m not really sure how my style has changed with the exception of continuously trying to cut out unnecessary words and jokes. I strive to be true to myself and about myself.

What hobbies and interests do you have outside of comedy?

I collect vintage toys from the 70’s and have a vintage Garelli moped as well as an early 80’s pinball machine and Pac Man machine. I’m really into everything from the 70’s and 80’s.

Did you get your start in Louisville?

Yes, I did. I was fortunate enough to start during the Tom Sobel years.

Do you remember a specific instance when you realized you wanted to pursue a career as a standup comedian?

Right before I called the club and asled how to become a comic I went to a show. Emcee didn’t have a great set and I looked up at him and new I could do better than what he was doing that night. All I ever wanted was to be an emcee on a weekend show. That’s it. That was my entire goal. Everything else has been the cherry to top.

You joke about your “dysfunctional family”, your journey with sobriety, and personal relationships in your act. Do you think comedy helps you process and understand life as it happens?

I don’t know that it’s helped. I’ve done so much of it that sometimes the line gets blurred and I can’t tell which Jamie is the real Jamie. There came a point where I became more comfrotable in front of a crowd of 300 than I am one on one with people I’ve known for years.

What’s the best advice you ever got in your comedy career?

There’s been so much. The best I didn’t follow was don’t fight on facebook. I used to get in a lot of fights on facebook. I talk about it in my act. Some are “Always pee before you go on stage.” Learn to work clean first. You’re the talent, don’t let clubs make you feel like they’re doing you a favor. Another big one was don’t let people haggle over merch prices.

What has been your comedy highlight so far?

They keep coming. I recently made the room explode at Comedy Off Broadway just by giving a look. That’s my most recent but I guess over all would have to be the Monster’s of Comedy. I guess I peaked early.

What is your comedy horror story?

Cocoa Beach. St. Patrick’s Day weekend there was a drunk heckler woman that I couldn’t defend against because she blurted something out as I went in to every line. Finally I stopped and yelled “Lady would you shut up? I’m trying to tell some jokes!” She yelled back “You need help,” and I yelled, “You’re the reason I need help”. Then her husband rushed the stage. Grant Lyon jumped up and saved the day as the audience had the lady on the floor and they were literally dragging her out as she was screaming and kicking. The venue did NOTHING to stop what was going on and the manager made the whole thing seem like it was my fault to cover up that he wouldn’t police the room. It was terrible.

What’s on your comedy bucket list? Who are some people you’d like to work with in the future?

Brett Butler is on my bucket list. I believe she’ll be back on the road some day.

Come see Jamie Utley this weekend at the Caravan! Follow him on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.

Show this flyer at the box office and get in for free with a guest!

Q&A with Comedian Brad Wenzel

by Nathan Alexander

Brad Wenzel is coming to Louisville to headline shows March 24 and 25 at Planet of the Tapes! Tickets can be found here.

Brad is known for his offbeat one-liners and wry non-sequiturs. He has performed standup on Conan three times, recorded an album with Jack White’s record label Third Man Records, and has recently released his first special. You can watch joke. joke. joke. here!

Brad was also selected as a New Face of Comedy at Just For Laughs Comedy Festival in Montreal, has appeared on Bob and Tom, and can be heard on Sirius XM.

Brad was kind enough to answer some questions from Louisville Laughs.

Louisville Laughs: You came to Planet of the Tapes in 2022 for a weekend of shows. What about your experience made you excited to come back?

Brad Wenzel: It’s such a good room and the audiences are really smart and fun. I also like the local comics in Louisville. I always enjoy performing here.

You started performing standup at 17 years old in Michigan, and you’ve honed an original and refreshing comedic voice. How has your style changed over the years?

I just slowly got better at writing and performing. I always did a version of what I do now, but with experience you learn what to do and what not to do. I have more fun onstage now. I’m much more myself up there even though I dip into absurdity material-wise.

You made your first of three appearances on Conan while you were still working out of Detroit and Ann Arbor. Being an established comedian now, how do you think starting your career in the Midwest has impacted you?

The Detroit/Ann Arbor scene is very underrated. You learn how to do stand up in front of real audiences rather than exclusively other comedians. There’s enough hip crowds and broad crowds that you become more well rounded as a comedian.

You released an album on Jack White’s record label in 2017 called Sweet Nothings. How does the album name relate to your style of comedy?

I was just looking for a way to describe silly jokes. There was a lot of “important” comedy in 2017. My stuff is goofy. My wife really likes that title. I think it’s one of those titles where once you finish the album it makes sense. I like that.

You released your first special this year on YouTube titled joke. joke. joke. which has gotten over 42,000 views so far. What was it like to record a special?

I self-produced it so it was a labor of love.

What has been your comedy highlight so far?

The Conan appearances were probably the most notable thing, but whenever I get a new joke to work, that’s the best feeling. Those moments on stage always remind me why I’m a comedian.

What hobbies and interests do you have outside of comedy?

I like listening to music and watching pro wrestling. I’m kinda obsessed with comedy though, it’s unhealthy. I like hanging out with comedians and talking about comedy.

What is your comedy horror story?

My bank account, folks!

What’s on your comedy bucket list? Who are some people you’d like to work with in the future?

I would like to perform in every state. I think I’ve done 34 so far. I would like to keep writing and making albums forever.

Don’t miss your chance to see Brad Wenzel this weekend at Planet of the Tapes! Tickets are available here for shows on Friday, March 24 and Saturday, March 25.

Follow Brad Wenzel on his Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube.

Q&A with comedian Katherine Blanford, a Louisville native

By Nathan Alexander

Katherine Blanford, a comedian based in Atlanta, is headlining the Louisville Comedy Club with two shows this Friday, Aug. 26. One of the shows is already sold out, so get your tickets here while they are still available.

Katherine is a stand-up comedian, writer, and podcaster, who grew up in Louisville. Her high-energy stage presence and rapid fire joke writing keeps the audience hanging on to every word to ensure they don’t miss a thing.

Katherine has toured the country and recently made her television debut performing on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.

Katherine released her debut album, Salt Daddy in June 2022. Listen to her recount joke-dense stories about growing up in Kentucky, her work as a nanny, a less-than-ideal ocean cruise and much more.

Katherine was kind enough to answer some questions for Louisville Laughs.

Louisville Laughs: At what point did you know you wanted to be a comedian?

Katherine Blanford: “When I went on stage for the first time and felt that rush of attention.”

You grew up in Louisville. What does it mean to come back to perform?

“It means people know when I’m embellishing a story because they were all there when it actually happened.”

In addition to stand-up, you are a writer and have a podcast called Cheaties. How do your other creative endeavors inform your comedy?

“They give me ideas for new bits. And allows me to express myself in other ways so I’m not so desperate to get on stage. Sometimes doing that open mic at 2 a.m. on a Tuesday isn’t necessary.”

What do you want your comedy to do for people? What do you hope it accomplishes?

“I’m here for the basic white girls. We’ve been severely underrepresented in this society and I am here to finally give us a voice.”

What is on your comedy bucket list? Is there anyone in particular you would like to work with?

“Tig Notaro. And a special on TV. But mostly just to work with Tig.”

What is the best advice you ever got that you actually used?

“Weight lifting helps you get toned. Instagram gave me that advice, and I will be forever grateful to her.”

You released your debut album in June 2022 called Salt Daddy. What was it like recording and releasing an album?

“A lot of hard work and fear that it will come out and I will lose the respect of everyone I look up to.”

Do you still keep in contact with Salt Daddy? Do you think he’s heard the album?

“No. I’m still waiting for him to reach out but I don’t think there’s good service on a boat off the coast of Fort Lauderdale.”

How would you describe your comedy?

“Worth the Groupon.”

What is your comedy horror story?

“A year into comedy I came home to do a show and the whole family came. I only had about 8 minutes of “decent” material and the booker asked me to do 10 minutes. So I had to use all my material. Which meant I ended up doing my dirtiest jokes in front of my grandma.”

What is your comedy highlight?

“Doing the Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon. Oh, and doing my dirty jokes in front of my grandma.”

Katherine can be found on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, Tik Tok, YouTube, and her website.

Katherine’s debut album Salt Daddy can be streamed on Spotify and Apple Music.

Get your tickets for Katherine Blanford at the Louisville Comedy Club this Friday before the second show sells out!

Q&A with New York comedian Ariel Elias

By Nathan Alexander

Ariel Elias will headline at Planet of the Tapes this weekend with shows Friday, Aug. 26, and Saturday, Aug. 27th. Tickets are available here.

Described in the New York Times as a “sly young comic,” Ariel is a regular performer at the famed Comedy Cellar in New York City. She has performed as the warm-up comedian for the set of The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, and was selected as one of the 2021 New Faces of Comedy at the Just For Laughs Festival in Montreal.

She brings her witty observations and unique perspective to comedy clubs all over the country.

Ariel was kind enough to answer some questions for Louisville Laughs.

Louisville Laughs: You grew up in Kentucky. What’s it like coming back to perform?

Ariel Elias: “It’s a little disconcerting looking out into the audience and seeing my Sunday school teacher and the parents of the kids I babysat. But I love coming home. The second my car crosses into Kentucky I feel relaxed, like OK, I know where everything here is and I understand how this place works.”

At what point did you know you wanted to be a comedian?

“The first time I did standup was sort of on a whim in college. I just wanted to see if I could do it. But as soon as I got my first laugh, I knew that was it. That was the high I wanted for the rest of my life.”

Your website says you “made everyone laugh during your bat mitzvah, and the rest is history.” Do you remember any of your jokes from that day?

“The only one I remember, and this makes me sound like a real brat, was when the Rabbi gave me these two books on Judaism, and I said, ‘does this mean I have to write MORE thank you notes?’ It crushed.”

What was it like working as the warm-up comedian for The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel?

“I did warm-up for Maisel a handful of times. There were a few scenes that required hundreds of extras, so in between takes while they were resetting, I would go up on stage and perform.

“It was wild, because I had no idea how long I’d be up on stage. It was just someone handing me a microphone going, ‘Here, talk until we’re ready.’ And when they were ready, it didn’t matter if I was in the middle of a joke or what, I just had to get off stage.”

In addition to stand-up, you’re also a contributing writer for As Goes Wisconsin, a digital media initiative that makes state and local politics more accessible and fun while celebrating all things Wisconsin. How does your versatility as a comedian and writer inform your stand-up?

“I find it really hard to sit down and write standup. Like you know how sometimes, the harder you try to remember something, the more it slips away? And you realize, I need to focus on something else, and then it will just come to me.

“So having an assignment, or a specific goal, like writing a three minute piece about how the labor movement in Wisconsin got started, allows me to use the funny muscle, the part of my brain that figures out set-ups and punchlines, without feeling any pressure about standup. Which, oddly enough, then allows me to write standup.”

Becoming a regular at the Comedy Cellar is a goal for comedians all over the country. What was that experience like?

“Intimidating but also typical. It’s one of those goals I’d had written down for a couple of years, and finally I felt ready to go for it.:

What’s on your comedy bucket list? Who are some people you’d like to work with in the future?

“Everything. I’m really greedy. I want late night sets, I want specials, I want to be in writers rooms, I want my own fanbase, I want to keep getting better at this. I don’t have a specific person or list of people I want to work with, because I’ve found that I end up working really well with people I never would have imagined, people who are so different from me.

“But that said, I’ve been in love with Jon Stewart since I was 12. So if I had to pick someone, it would be him.”

What is the best advice you ever got that you actually used?

“Eat shit in the dark for as long as you can. In other words, don’t be too hungry for the attention parts of this business. Take advantage of the obscurity. Use it to get better. It’s easier to make mistakes when nobody is watching.”

What is your comedy horror story?

“Oh god, there are many. One that comes to mind was performing for a German chapter of a Free Mason Society at their annual banquet. I was told I’d be performing after dinner, but nobody told me that dinner was after 4 hours of an open bar.

“The organizers didn’t tell anybody that I’d be doing stand-up, so I just ambushed a bunch of drunk old Germans with a lot of Jewish material.

“The cherry on top was that everyone was seated off to the side, so the only thing in front of me was a wall of mirrors. Which meant that for 15 minutes, I just watched myself bomb.”

What is your comedy highlight?

“Oh god, there are many. Performing on the set of Maisel was really cool, JFL was really unique, but really what sticks out in my mind are the tiny moments on stage when I’ve thought of a funny line on the fly, or the first time I really comfortably headlined a show, when I feel settled and calm. There really is nothing better than that feeling.”

Ariel can be found on Twitter, Instagram, TikTok, and Youtube and her website is arieleliascomedy.com.

Don’t miss Ariel Elias at Planet of the Tapes on August 25th and 26th. Get your tickets here!

Q&A with Louisville legend Eric Kimbrough

By Nathan Alexander

Eric Kimbrough has been performing stand-up comedy for over 20 years and is a favorite of comedians and audiences alike. He has performed all over the country — from bars to the KFC Yum! Center.

Eric credits Dale Jones as a big influence and an inspiration because of his 100% commitment to his art everytime he is on stage, as well as Eddie Murphy, Richard Pryor, Redd Fox, and Katt Williams.

Eric describes his comedy style as FREE: fearless, real and in your face. He wants his comedy to make people laugh, think, feel uncomfortable and have fun all at the same time.

“If everybody leaves with a different emotion or perspective on the topics I talked about, it was good,” he said. “I also want everybody to leave saying he is funny and the truth on that stage.”

Eric is headlining at The Caravan Comedy Club this weekend with shows Thursday, Aug. 18, through Saturday, Aug. 20. Tickets are available here.

Eric was kind enough to answer some questions for Louisville Laughs.

Louisville Laughs: What do you like about performing at The Caravan? How is performing in Louisville at your home club different for you than touring in other cities?

Eric Kimbrough: “The best thing about performing at home is that it is home. The Caravan is home. I am so comfortable on that stage. It is where I first started. It is where I first sucked. It is where I learned how to be and who to be on stage. I found my voice in that club.”

At what point in your life did you know you wanted to be a comedian?

“I always knew it. I knew I was funny. People used to tell me even as a kid that I should be a comedian, especially my teachers in school. I would say things being serious and everybody would bust out laughing. I used to get in trouble in class for that all the time.”

You’ve said that you started taking comedy more seriously in the early 2000s, and you started to gain some momentum around 2006. What was the big change for you that helped you get to that next level?

“What helped me get to the next level was consistency, having fun and being around more experienced comics who taught me how to be a comic. Such as Big John Richardson, Keith McGill, Rich Ragains and Cleveland Jackson. The likes of Dale Jones and Roy Wood Jr. would come through the comedy club, and I would watch and learn from them. My biggest influence was Spanky Brown (RIP). He just showed me how to be funny and how to be a professional comedian on and off stage. I miss him so much.”

You’ve been performing for over 20 years, how has your style evolved from your early days?

“My style has evolved in many ways. I used to be real wild and nonstop on stage, real in your face. I had to learn how to still be wild and in your face but under control. I also had to learn how to not make it personal. That is where I most evolved. At first it was just about getting laughs at any cost. Now it is about The Eric Kimbrough experience that you have when you come to one of my shows.”

You’ve worked with some of the biggest names in comedy including Katt Williams, Mike Epps, Earthquake and others. Who are some people you’d like to work with in the future? What’s on your comedy bucket list?

“I have worked with all my comedy idols for the most part. There is nobody I am dying to work with. But it is bigger shows I am dying to be on. My bucket list was to play the Yum Center at home, and I did that. So I guess the next thing is to become a MegaStar, hahaha.”

What is the best advice you ever got that you actually used?

“The best advice I got was from Reynaldo Rey. He’d say, ‘When you are on stage, MOVE.’ Move your arms, move your face, move your leg. Accentuate your punches on jokes.”

What is your comedy highlight?

“My comedy highlight has just been being able to work with the amazing comics that I used to see on TV and at comedy clubs before I became one.”

What is your comedy horror story?

“My horror story is so long. I got booed off stage in Dallas, TX in 2009. December 16th at 9:36 p.m. I tell it in my set (come to the show and hear it).”

You can follow Eric Kimbrough on his Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.

Get tickets for his headlining weekend at The Caravan Comedy Club here!

Author: Nathan Alexander

Nathan Alexander is a humor writer and stand-up comedian based in Louisville with his wife, dog, and tortoise. His work has appeared in McSweeney’s Internet Tendency, points In Case, Slackjaw, and others.

Q&A with Indianapolis ‘absurdist observationist’ comic Gwen Sunkel


By Nathan Alexander

Gwen Sunkel is a nationally touring comedian from Indianapolis who grew up a fan of Jerry Seinfeld, Ellen DeGeneres, Joan Rivers and Mitch Hedberg. She describes her comedic style as “absurd observationist.”

When asked where she finds material, Gwen responded, “I’m a femme, queer, fat, palliative care nurse practitioner who adopts senior Weiner dogs, living in a state that argued a lawsuit about gay cake. I’m sure I can find something to talk about.”

Gwen is headlining at Planet of the Tapes this weekend with one show on Friday and two shows on Saturday. Tickets are available here.

Gwen Sunkel at The Comedy Attic

Gwen has the range to seamlessly switch from clever misdirection to witty wordplay to goofy act outs without missing a beat. She was kind enough to answer some questions for Louisville Laughs.

Louisville Laughs: At what point did you know you wanted to be a comedian? 

Gwen Sunkel: “I’ve always loved watching and listening to stand-up comedy. I grew up watching Premium Blend and listening to comedy albums on vinyl and cassette, but I never realized it was something you could just …do.

“It seemed like you already had to be famous to be a comedian when I was a kid, so it wasn’t a viable career option. But a few years ago, I had just finished grad school and had some ‘extra’ time on my hands to pursue some creative efforts.”

What do you want your comedy to do accomplish?

“I think laughter is so healing! I hope my comedy makes people feel a little lighter and happier after seeing me. I also hope that some of my jokes can make people think about stuff in a different way.”

You released an album called “No More Tears” this past February. What was it like recording and releasing a comedy album? 

“Recording an album was a lot of fun! Ross Duncliffe and Isaac Landfert at On Tour Records was terrific to work with, and I was so proud of how it turned out. The aesthetics of it were so important to me. I wanted it to look like Lana Del Ray made a comedy album. So many mist filters!

“Pauline Shypula, who did the photographs for it, and Mark Bookwalter, who did the graphic design, really nailed it. The show itself was one of those ‘really big shows’ that all my friends came to, so it felt like I had a home field advantage.”

In addition to stand-up, you’re also an actor, writer and you have a background in theater. How do your other creative endeavors help inform your stand-up? 

“Honestly, it all just feels like different numbers on the same twenty-sided die. Writing and acting are big parts of standup. I was always cast in comedic roles in plays, which informed my timing and reactions. I think comics can learn from studying other art forms and comics can teach other artists how to tell jokes about airline food and farts.”

What’s on your comedy bucket list? Who are some people you’d like to work with in the future? 

“My ONLY goal in comedy at this point is to work with The Muppets.”

What is the best advice you ever got that you actually used? 

“Someone else’s success is not your failure. There’s no ‘first chair’ or ‘team captai’ in comedy. You can root for everybody and yourself at the same time. The only person I’m in competition with is yesterday’s me. And she didn’t have any idea what she’s doing, so it shouldn’t be too hard to outdo her.”

What is your comedy horror story? 

“I once drove, like, 1100 miles to perform for four people. Very glamorous!”

What is your comedy highlight? 

“I got to perform with Iliza Shlesinger at The Murat Theater in Indianapolis. I had never been in front of a crowd that large, and the energy was just electric!”

Gwen’s album No More Tears is available on Spotify, Apple Music, and Amazon Music.

Check out Gwen’s website.

Find her across social media at @GwenderWoman.

Author: Nathan Alexander

Nathan Alexander is a humor writer and stand-up comedian based in Louisville with his wife, dog, and tortoise. His work has appeared in McSweeney’s Internet Tendency, Points In Case, Slackjaw and others.