Don't Sit in the Front‪!‬ James Hillmer

Kari Assad (Twt: @kariassad; IG: @assadkarirocks) came back to help me wrap up the year and talk about some of our favorite moments from the year standup returned from quarantine. We talk a LOT about Pen15's final season just cause I like it a lot. We talk about new live booked shows we liked, specials/albums that stood out, and finish it all up with new year's resolutions for our experience of standup in 2022. 

Happy New Year! 

1. Always punch up

2. Keep swinging  

I racked my brain thinking of a Christmas-related standup special or album to talk about and the closest thing I could come up with is David Sedaris's reading of "Santaland Diaries," a humorous essay about his time working as a mall Santa's elf (link below). I talked to my friend Michael back in WI about it and a little about fun standup things just on the horizon. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u5XLjG_S6eE 

1. Always punch up

2. Keep swinging 

I talked to my friend Victoria (@nureonjongi) who is an encyclopedia of current British standup. We talked about Edinburgh Fringe Festival, Korean standup comedy and its potential, and a bit about Ahir Shah's "Dots" (HBO Max). 

Here is a list Victoria provided of comedians she saw at the 2018 Fringe Festival, many of whom are now putting out specials and the like: 

Kiri Pritchard-McLean — twitter: @kiripritchardmc | Instagram: @kiri_pritchard_mclean | podcast + twitter: All Killa No Filla @killnofillpod

Suzi Ruffell — twitter: @suziruffell | Instagram: @suziruffellcomedy

Sindhu Vee — twitter: @sindhuvfunny | Instagram: @sindhuvee

Mawaan Rizwan — twitter: @MawaanR | Instagram: @mawaanr

Nish Kumar — twitter: @MrNishKumar | Instagram: @mrnishkumar

Graham Dickson — twitter: @GDogged | Instagram: @grahamdickson

Abigoliah Shamaun — twitter: @abigoliah | Instagram: @abigoliah

Steen Raskopoulos — twitter: @steenrasko | Instagram: @steenrasko

Athena Kugblenu — twitter: @athenakugblenu | Instagram: @athenakugblenu

Nina Conti — twitter: @athenakugblenu | Instagram: @theninaconti



Special Mention: Sofie Hagen — twitter: @SofieHagen | Instagram: @sofiehagendk



Ahir Shah — twitter: @AhirShah

A couple weeks ago I ran into Katie Novotny (IG: @kathnovotny) at a comedy show and we chatted about being from the midwest and why we like LA. We talked about comedy and then I invited her on the show and here we are! She's great! We talked about standup vs. sketch and improv, Chicago and NY vs. LA, all kinds of comedy nerd stuff. It was fun! 

Check out her set: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mydFbq4LeGw&t=2s 

Jen Saunderson (@jensaunderson) returned to give updates on her crazy year and also what getting back out there and doing shows has been like. It was great to catch up! You can hear Jen on the wonderfully funny and informative horror movie podcast, Everything is Scary! Love you all, stay safe. 
1. Always punch up 
2. Keep swinging 

I talked to Monique Moreau (Twt: @bigbadbutt, IG: @moniqueandjiminy) about standup, taking a break and coming back to it, neuro diversity, getting out of rural hometowns and how standup is and isn't like being a concert pianist. 

Monique has a show coming up at the small room at Largo that we should watch out for and also a show coming up at the Glendale Room on Dec 9th at 8pm. 



1. Always punch up 

2. Keep swinging