On Saturday, May 4, some of the Pacific Northwest’s funniest people will take the stage at the Egyptian Theatre as part of The Stranger‘s Undisputable Geniuses of Comedy showcase. Andy Iwancio! Dan Hurwitz! Chris Mejia! Monica Nevi! Juno Men! Bernice Larson! Kermet Apio! And headliner Sam Miller! Plus, the whole night will be hosted by Emmett Montgomery, beloved weirdo, host of Friendship Dungeon and Joketellers Union, and one of 2023’s Undisputable Geniuses.
It’s going to be very funny! I hope you come! Tickets are available here! Exclamation points!
This week, ahead of the show, we’re getting to know all the comics. Bernice Larson isn’t just a standup comedian, she’s also a PowerPoint pro and often incorporates slideshows into her acts to provide better evidence for her arguments. It’s like debate club, but funny!
How does it feel to be declared an Undisputable Genius of Comedy?
Honestly, it kind of feels like there’s been some kind of mistake. Like, maybe you guys accidentally booked the wrong Bernice, but you didn’t notice in time and now you’re too embarrassed to say anything. I don’t know, it’s surreal.
Getting to be on the show is a big deal to me, and I don’t know how to play it cool. Shows like this are the result of so many wonderful, talented people working together to create space for weird and silly and important art in Seattle. Getting to be a part of that, even just for a little bit, is overwhelming. I’m so chock-full of gratitude I think I might throw up.
The show is at the Egyptian, which is rumored to be haunted. Do you believe in ghosts?
No, I’m a man of science. Occam’s Razor states that the simplest answer is usually correct. So, it’s probably just some guy in a mask who fled the circus as a child and now lives in the bowels of the theater, exacting misplaced revenge on show-goers because nobody ever recognized his musical talent.
I saw on Instagram that you referred to yourself as the “baby” of the show and that you’ve been doing stand-up for just three years. Does that mean you picked it up during the pandemic? I’d imagine that was a difficult time to establish a comedy career!
Those were Emmett’s words, but he’s right. I’m definitely the baby of the show, and a very lucky baby, at that. It’s incredible to be sharing a stage with so many comics I’ve looked up to (literally and figuratively) since I first started.
You’ve made a very astute observation; my comedy career has been on a bit of a cursed timeline. My first show ever was in January 2020, when I joined a student-run organization in college, Comedy Club @ UW. After everything shut down, we had to do a lot of Zoom shows to keep the club (and our sanity) intact during the pandemic. I don’t really count that year as “official” experience, but it is the reason I developed a love for slideshow comedy. Regular stand-up just didn’t hit the same over Zoom, so we had to get scrappy.
What’s your favorite place to see comedy in Seattle right now?
Oh man, Seattle is a wonderful place for comedy. There are too many to name.
I’ll be biased and say Joketeller’s Union at the Clock-Out Lounge in Beacon Hill. Emmett Montgomery and Brett Hamil have poured so much of their time and talent into fostering a lovely community there, and it’s where I debut most of my unhinged slideshow presentations.
Kitchen Sink Comedy at the Rendezvous is my favorite alt-comedy mic. It’s produced by a rag-tag crew of very funny people: Ian Crowley, Molina Molina, Zoher Ghadyali, and Torria Pace. They welcome all kinds of acts, from stand-up to slideshows to music to clowns. There’s never a dull moment in that room.
Finally, Comedy/Bar in Capitol Hill is my go-to club in the city. And it’s infamously Fox News’ least favorite comedy club, so you really can’t go wrong there.
The Stranger presents the 2024 Undisputable Geniuses of Comedy Sat May 4 at the Egyptian Theatre, 8 pm, $25, 18+. Tickets are available here.
Read our other interviews with Chris Mejia, Andy Iwacio, Monica Nevi, Kermet Apio, and Juno Men.
Megan Seling
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