Comedians


Comedy veteran Steve Byrne has seemingly done it all and continues to push himself to accomplish even more. Starting over 20 years ago and cutting his teeth in all the major clubs in NYC, including the Comedy Cellar, he then ventured off to Los Angeles, began working at the Comedy Store and Hollywood Improv, and his career really took off. After becoming a regular on the late-night talk show circuit and even doing "The Tonight Show" ten times, Steve racked up multiple hour specials on Comedy Central, Netflix, and Showtime. In 2012, he starred in, produced and wrote the TBS hit show "Sullivan & Son", which ran for 3 seasons. Through the show, he cultivated a deep appreciation for storytelling, and in 2019 released his first film, "Always Amazing", a documentary about comic/magician the Amazing Johnathan. In 2020, Steve wrote and directed the indie feature "The Opening Act", his love letter to stand-up comedy, that garnered critic and audience ratings on Rotten Tomatoes at 82 and 83% Fresh. In 2022, he released his fifth hour special, "The Last Late Night", on Amazon Prime, his most innovative work to date and rated 5/5 stars – an hour special disguised as a late-night talk show. Steve continues to tour relentlessly, work on material, and is currently casting his next film that he wrote and will direct towards the end of this year.
Chris Distefano is one of today's biggest and most beloved names in comedy. Chris quickly rose to success after being named the funniest person on MTV for his show-stopping performances on the "Guy Code/Girl Code" series. From there, he went on to star in IFC’s "Benders", co-host the Netflix gameshow "Ultimate Beastmaster", and even have his own CBS sitcom. Outside of TV, Chris has become one of the most respected and flat-out funniest comedians in the stand-up world. Fresh off his appearances on "The Late Show with David Letterman" and "Late Night with Seth Meyers" in 2019, Chris released his first special, "Size 38 Waist", on Comedy Central, which perfectly encompassed both his Brooklyn-born edge and nice-guy charm. Chris’ second full-length special, "Speshy Weshy", premiered on Netflix in May of 2022 to wide acclaim. When Chris isn’t on stage delivering his gut-busting jokes, you can catch him in his element in the comfort of his own couch where he records his wildly successful podcasts, “Chrissy Chaos” and “Hey Babe”, the latter of which he co-hosts with "Impractical Jokers"' Sal Vulcano. Both podcasts are among the most popular on all streaming platforms and have massive followings on Patreon. In 2022, Chris was selected by Jimmy Kimmel to host Jimmy’s latest TV venture, "Super Maximum Retro Show", which is currently available to stream on ViceTV.A big sports fan, Chris has been fortunate to host episodes of shows including MLB’s "Off The Bat" and MSG's "The Brackets", and was invited by the New York Mets to throw the first game pitch in 2021. Chris has a fearless, yet endearing stage presence, and his natural ability to connect with audiences around the world has made him a household name in not just comedy, but all of entertainment. Since becoming the first stand-up comedian to sell out both the world-famous Radio City Music Hall and the Theater at Madison Square Garden on consecutive nights in September 2023, Chris continues to travel the world on a sold-out comedy tour, entertaining thousands by poking fun at the world – and himself – with his uniquely warm energy
Chuck Nice is a Philadelphia native and a 18 year veteran of stand up comedy with a rich history in television and radio. For eight years he provided comic relief to the Radio Chick show, bringing the funny to New York’s radio air waves. From that time until present, Chuck has been equally busy making a name for himself on the small screen. He is the host of Buy Like A Mega Millionaire on HGTV, The Juice on Veria Living and The Hot Ten on Centric. Chuck is seen regularly on the Today Show, has guest hosted Joy Behar’s Say Anything and Co-hosted The View. Chuck maintains his radio presence as the co-host of Star Talk Radio with Dr. Neil Degrasse Tyson where he provides humorous commentary on one his favorite subjects...science.
Daniel Simonsen is a Norwegian comic and the 2012 Foster's Edinburgh Comedy Award winner for Best Newcomer. Simonsen has performed at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe since 2009
Peter Grosz started his comedic career in Chicago at iO Chicago, the Annoyance Theater and The Second City. He’s written for Stephen Colbert, Seth Meyers and Amy Sedaris. You’ve seen him in Veep, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, The Menu, The President Show, Search Party, Key and Peele, Inside Amy Schumer and more. He’s been a panelist on NPR’s Wait Wait Don’t Tell Me for 12 years and yes, he was the guy in the driver’s seat in those Sonic commercials.
Dante Nero is a comedian, born and bred in Brooklyn, New York. A trained martial artist, Nero dabbled in various fields before turning to comedy. He earned a fencing scholarship to SUNY New Paltz, before working for a phone company and serving as a bouncer and an exotic dancer. In 2001, Dante turned to a different sort of performance: stand up comedy. He quickly made a name for himself, working with established and successful comics like Tracy Morgan and Mike Epps. He co-hosted The Black Phillip Show with Patrice O’Neal, a relationship advice show on Sirius XM Radio. Dante has appeared on The Opie & Anthony Channel, Hot 97, and Chappelle’s Show. An accomplished actor, Dante has appeared on Z Rock on IFC, Damages on FX, and the popular series Fringe on FOX. Recently, Nero had a role in the NBC crime drama, The Blacklist.
Michael is a Senior Correspondent on "The Daily Show". Previously, he hosted and was the co-executive producer on "The Comment Section" for the E! Network. He is well known from his numerous late night appearances on "The Tonight Show", "Conan", "Seth Meyers", and "@midnight". Michael co-hosted Fox Sports "1’s Crowd Goes Wild" opposite Regis Philbin, and was a regular Correspondent for "The Soup Investigates" with Joel McHale. His one-hour Comedy Central stand-up special, "Michael Kosta: Detroit. NY. LA." is now streaming on Paramount+ and YouTube. Michael is a former pro tennis player, and is now a frequent contributor on "The Tennis Channel" and hosts a weekly podcast called "Tennis Anyone with Michael Kosta". Watch his videos online at @MichaelKosta.
Mark Normand is one of the most in-demand comedians working today. His self-produced Youtube special, "Out to Lunch" has over 11 million views! He also co-hosts two very popular podcasts, "Tuesdays with Stories" with Joe List and "We Might Be Drunk" with Sam Morril. Mark has also done a Comedy Central HALF HOUR special, has appeared on TBS’s CONAN 4 times, Late Show with Stephen Colbert, Showtime’s “Live at SXSW”, INSIDE AMY SCHUMER, TruTv, Best Week Ever, MTv, Last Comic Standing, @Midnight and released an album with Comedy Central records titled “Still Got It” (it’s not bad).
Eric D’Alessandro, a charismatic New Yorker with an unfiltered sense of humor, a camera, and a knack for storytelling, has etched his name into the hearts of comedy lovers across the nation. His unique comedic style, infused with his Italian-American heritage, spins raw, relatable narratives that resonate with the everyday American. From his early beginnings on YouTube, Eric has steadily crafted a diverse portfolio of work that includes engaging sketches, spot-on celebrity impressions, and comedic covers of popular songs. His authentic characters, notably "Maria Marie," have garnered widespread acclaim, demonstrating Eric's ability to create content that both entertains and connects. A viral sensation, Eric's video "Where It Was" has amassed over 45 million views across platforms, further cementing his status as a digital force. His social media progess extends beyond viral videos, with a loyal fanbase that follows his every move. Forbes acknowledged his ability to engage audiences online and onstage, a testament to Eric's multifaceted talent. Eric's onscreen charisma led him to star in the VH1 movie, "Fuhgeddabout Christmas." His versatility also shone through in the 2016 drama/mystery film, "Nerve," alongside Emma Roberts and Dave Franco. Directors, intrigued by his viral videos, included him in the script, underscoring the impact of his online presence. In the realm of podcasts, Eric has shared his wit and humor on various platforms, making waves on Barstool Sports' KFCRadio and the Dr. Drew podcast. His engaging presence and relatable anecdotes have also landed him a feature in a Fox TV interview. Onstage, Eric is a powerhouse. His raw energy and comedic timing have sold out venues across the United States and Canada, including the Borgata in Atlantic City, NJ, New Jersey's iPlay America, and the famed 1,900 seat St. George Theater in Staten Island, NY. His talent extends to animation as well. Eric is the creator of the popular YouTube animated show "MariaMogi," further showcasing his creative versatility. Looking forward, Eric shows no signs of slowing down. His first comedy special, recorded in November 2022, is set to premiere in the fall of 2023. As he continues to break barriers and redefine comedy, Eric D’Alessandro remains an unmissable act, whose journey is as exciting as his performances.
Paula J. Leon is a first generation Peruvian-Canadian NY based Comedian, Actor and Award Winning Filmmaker. She was a selected Participant at the PIT SOLOCOM Fest in 2021 and performs all over the city various nights a week. Her award winning film She Knows Her Place (available on youtube) was screened at the Angelika Film Center and is currently developing new projects.
Krystyna Hutchinson is a stand-up comedian, actress and writer based in New York City. She is the co-host of the critically acclaimed GUYS WE F*CKED: The Anti Slut-Shaming Podcast with her comedy partner, Corinne Fisher. Together, the duo has been written up by Vogue, Esquire, The Huffington Post, Cosmo and Elle to name a few, as well as appearances on CNN, NBC and the TEDx Stage. Their debut comedy special, OUR SPECIAL DAY, was released in February of this year on YouTube. In addition to podcasting accolades, Krystyna has appeared on Netflix's Master of None and Comedy Central's This Is Not Happening.
Tu Rae is two words: Exceptional. Comedian. Tu Rae is a stand up comedy artist and a veteran of the stage. Beginning at Philadelphia’s famed Laff House Comedy Club, Tu Rae is an accomplished comedian & writer. A Stand Up NBC Finalist & HBO’s Comedy Wings Champion, with numerous television appearances including Comics Unleashed, “Gotham Live” on Comedy Central, HBO’s “All Def Comedy” Starz “First Amendment Standup” & Fox’s “Laughs Tv”. Tu Rae’s performances expanded to the realm of streaming with appearances on Tidal’s “No Small Talk”, Kev’s On Stage’s “Keep Your Distance Comedy ” , & Laughs TV’s “Comedy After Dark”, The Sommore produced, “All The Queen’s Men” introduced Tu Rae to the worldwide streaming platform of Netflix. TuRae has been selected to entertain crowds annually on numerous comedy festivals including the Atlantic City Comedy Festival & the Martha’s Vineyard Comedy Fest. Also appearing on celebrity cruises such as the “Soul Train Cruise” and Tom Joyner’s “Fantastic Voyage” cruise. ComedyByTuRae Events; his production company, created a record label and produced two live comedy albums -Tu Rae “Live at the Atlanta Comedy Theater” -Tu Rae “A Comedy Album”. ComedyByTuRae produces the successful weekly comedy showcase @SoulComedy; & the Throwback Comedy Jam. Tu Rae is the lead instructor of Philadelphia Comedy College. Tu Rae’s quick wit and sharp point of view makes him a favorite on television shows like Fox’s “The Q” Podcasts like “Dope Dealers” “Music Is The Love Language” “Talk Heavy Podcast” and his comedy is heard on SiriusXM and Tidal, Pandora & the LOL Network daily.
Brittany Carney began comedy in Washington, DC, and is now based in New York, where she performs around the city. Her 2021 Comedy Central: Featuring is available on YouTube. She is a staff writer for That Damn Michael Che on HBO max.
Atheer Yacoub is a Brooklyn based comedian and writer, whose comedy is inspired by her Palestinian-Muslim upbringing in Alabama. Atheer has a half-hour special on Comedy Central Arabia and has been featured on AXSTV's Gotham Comedy Live. She has written for the Emmy award-winning channel BRIC TV on The Breakdown and Passport Control. She's also the co-creator of the sketch comedy show Muslim Girls DTF: Discuss Their Faith, which won Series Fest Best Independent Comedy Writing. Atheer also co-hosts The No Fly List podcast which features funny conversations with other comedians, artists, and interesting people of color. She has been featured in numerous comedy festivals and tours domestically and internationally. Come watch her record her first comedy album!
Comedian Tom Cotter has taken the comedy scene by storm since finishing as runner-up and becoming the Breakout Star from Season 7’s "America's Got Talent." He lost to a dog act, but don’t hold that against him; Tom was the first comedian ever to be a finalist on the show and was the highest finishing human being on the show that year. In August 2013, AGT asked Tom back to perform as a special guest star (along with Train) and then again to host “The Season 8 AGT Snapple Viewing Party.” In January 2019 Tom was again invited back to the AGT stage - this time to perform against the best of the best “Got Talent” performers from other years and around the world in “America’s Got Talent: The Champions.” In one the most talked about sets of the entire competition, Tom received a STANDING OVATION from the adoring crowd. Tom's other numerous television and radio credits include "The Tonight Show,” “Last Comic Standing,” his very own "Comedy Central Presents... Tom Cotter, "The Howard Stern Show, Comics Unleashed, multiple appearances on CBS’ "The Late Late Show" and Celebrity Host of “Gotham Comedy Live” on AXS-TV. You can find Tom headlining all of America's most famous comedy clubs including The Comedy Cellar, The Improv and Caroline's On Broadway just to name a few. Tom has also been featured at the Montreal "Just For Laughs" Festival, the HBO Comedy Arts Festival and headlining "America's Got Talent Live" show at the Palazzo, Las Vegas. And recently, Tom was on the dais and took part in the Friars Club Roast of Boomer Esiason at the Waldorf Astoria in New York City. Tom is also a regular on Fox News Channel and co-starred on an episode of CBS’ “The Good Wife.” In addition, Tom has performed in a wide variety of venues from Alaska to China. His appeal is truly international as he was summoned to London to tour and perform on British Television, and won The Seattle International Stand-Up Comedy Competition and Boston Comedy Festival as The Boston Herald noted “winning by the largest margin of victory in the history of the event.” Tom came out with his first book, “Bad Dad: A Guide to Pitiful Parenting” (Willow Street Press) in February 2016 which is a collection of jokes, gags, one-liners and pithy bad advice for fed-up parents everywhere. It is this kind of versatility that has allowed Tom to excel in other areas of showbiz as well. So whether it be comedy, voice-overs, or acting, Tom Cotter gives it everything he's got. "If laughter is the best medicine, I yearn to be drugged."
Samantha Santos is a NYC based stand up comedian and podcaster. She has her “Soft Launch” Podcast Every Wednesday.
Originally from Atlanta, GA, Michael is a New York-based stand-up comedian and actor who just made his television acting debut as a series regular in the new FOX comedy ANIMAL CONTROL opposite Joel McHale. He also just made his late-night tv debut on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon and this past summer was honored as a New Face at the Just For Laughs Comedy Festival in Montreal. He’s been featured multiple times on “This Week at the Comedy Cellar” on Comedy Central, as well as “Stupid Questions” with Chris DiStefano and “Pause with Sam Jay” on HBOMax. He also has a feature set for Comedy Central Digital, and in 2019 he was a finalist in the "New York's Funniest Stand Up" competition for New York Comedy Festival. You can also hear him on his podcast In The Minivan. See him while you still can, because the boy rides a bike with no helmet in New York, and we’re not sure how long he’s going to last.
Ophira Eisenberg is a standup comic and host of NPR’s nationally syndicated comedy, trivia show Ask Me Another where she interviews and plays silly games with Sir Patrick Stewart, Terry Crews, Awkwafina, Roxane Gay, Jessica Walter, Nick Kroll, Tony Hawk, Sasha Velour, Julia Stiles, Lewis Black, Uzo Aduba, Ethan Hawke and more. She has appeared on Comedy Central, This Week At The Comedy Cellar, The Late Late Show, The New Yorker Festival, Kevin Hart’s LOL Network, HBO’s Girls, Gotham Live, The Today Show, and VH-1, and more Her comedy special Inside Joke is available on Amazon and iTunes. She also is a regular host and teller with The Moth and her stories have been featured on The Moth Radio Hour and in their best-selling books, including the most recent: Occasional Magic: True Stories About Defying the Impossible. Ophira’s own comedic memoir, Screw Everyone: Sleeping My Way to Monogamy was optioned for a feature film.
Mike Cannon is a New York City-based comedian, podcaster, writer, and actor. He has headlined at some of the world’s most iconic venues – including a sold-out performance at Gramercy Theatre in his hometown of NYC – and worked as a contributing producer, writer and panelist for ViceTV's "Super Maximum Retro Show" hosted by Chris Distefano in 2023. He also co-hosts of "Chrissy Chaos" podcast, also with Chris Distefano In 2022, Mike released two independently produced hour specials on Youtube – "Mike Cannon's Huge Mistake", a crowd work special on edibles, and "White Privilege Homeless" – both of which received wide praise from fans, comedians, and critics alike. His debut comedy special, "Life Begins", was released on YouTube in January 2020 and earned a spot on "Laugh Button"’s Top 35 Comedy Specials of 2020. The album version of "Life Begins" was released in February 2020 by 800 Pound Gorilla Records, and was recognized as one of "Interrobang"’s Top 11 Albums of 2020 as well as one of Sirius/XM Raw Dog Radio’s Top 10 Comedy Albums of 2020. Mike’s first comedy album, "I Think It Just Kicked In", debuted at #1 on the iTunes comedy charts and has over 5 million streams. Outside of stand-up, Mike has made a name for himself in both acting and writing. He earned critical acclaim for his performance as lead character Mike in the feature film Timing, which is available on Amazon Prime, and he can be seen on the popular Barstool Sports series "Friday Night Pints" and "Answer The Internet", "Stupid Questions with Chris Distefano" and "The Nightly Show with Larry Wilmore" on Comedy Central, as well as Blake Griffin’s "Double Cross", "Greatest Ever", and "Top Funniest", all on TruTV. Additional appearances include "Failosophy" and "Money From Strangers" on MTV, "Red Eye" on Fox, and MSG’s "The Bracket". He was a contributing writer and performer on MTV2’s "Guy Code", co-host of Cosmopolitan Magazine’s series "Sexy vs Skanky", and a featured performer on VH1’s "Why Am I Still Single?" In addition to "Chrissy Chaos", Mike hosts two digital series, "Heads Up with Mike Cannon" and "Mike Takes Edibles". He co-hosted "Here’s the Scenario" podcast with fellow comedians Mike Feeney and Brendan Sagalow, as well as hosted "Irish Goodbye Podcast" and the popular weekly web series "The Weed News with Mike Cannon". Mike is a regular guest on Sirius/XM Radio, including recurring features on "The Jim Norton and Sam Roberts Show", KFC Radio, Barstool Radio, "Barstool Breakfast", and "The Bonfire with Big Jay Oakerson and Dan Soder and Bennington". When he’s not on his nationwide tour, he plays all the major New York City clubs, including the Comedy Cellar and New York Comedy Club. It makes no difference to him whether he’s performing in a club, bar, casino, elevator (done that twice), parking lot, rooftop, on a fake beach in front of a freight train, or in technically-legal underground speakeasies; comedy is his life. Mike is dedicated to making the majority of you laugh and the rest of you confused, yet oddly satiated.
Rafi Bastos - UNFAMILIAR TERRITORY TOUR Rafi Bastos is a 6’7” tall Jewish-Brazilian comedian with an accent like Dracula and a rapidly growing social media presence of stand up clips in English, mostly filmed from the prestigious Comedy Cellar in New York. In his home-country of Brazil, Rafi is a trailblazer of comedy, media and is one of the first comedians to pioneer the art of stand up comedy as we know it in Brazil. His17-year comedy and acting career before coming to the United States garnered many firsts and was covered in an interview on TheJoe Rogan Experience. Rafi set records, created controversy through freedom of speech and used the power of the internet to reach an astronomical social media following. Rafi’s videos with stage performances, music videos, interviews and sketches have now more than 370 million views on his Youtube channel alone. In 2011, he was considered by the NEW YORK TIMES as the Most Influential Man on Twitter, at the time with 7 million followers, now at 11.4 million. In 2013, Rafi won the SHORTY AWARDS, also known as the “Oscars of Social Media”, for Best Comedian. Both in English and Portuguese, Rafi continues to prove that he is among the most talented artists of Latin America - always setting the bar higher for innovation, quality and influence. Rafi’s quick-witted observational humor has made him a hit online and the first Brazilian comedian to become a regular at the most renowned comedy clubs globally, including COMEDY CELLAR in New York, LAUGH FACTORY, and THE HOLLYWOOD IMPROV in California. He is also the first Brazilian comedian to headline at JUST FOR LAUGHS, the largest comedy festival in the world, hosted in Montreal, Canada. Among his many credits, Rafi has three comedy specials on Netflix:, A Arte do Insulto, Péssima Influencia, and Ultimato. He has starred in movies, had his own controversial talk show, been an in-field journalist and hosted reality shows (Ultimate Beastmaster for Netflix). He is the Co-Founder and owner of Comedians, the largest comedy club in South America. Let’s just say Rafi has done almost everything in Brazil and now he’s in the USA to do it all with a fresh perspective - in UNFAMILIAR TERRITORY.
Juan is a stand up comedian, writer and occasional nude model. His comedy has been described as "Larry David meets Sofia Vergara", a thing he takes as a big compliment. He is a long time writer and performer at the Upright Citizens Brigade Theater and a former on screen talent for FLAMA, Univision's bilingual digital platform where his viral videos were viewed over 20 million times. He has written for McSweeney's and his work was featured in Huffington Post, BuzzFeed, Latina Magazine, Time Out NY and The New York Times. He is originally from Uruguay (the other Paraguay).
Rachel Williams is a stand up comedian from Long Island, NY who started her comedy career right out of college. Now you can catch her performing stand up almost every night all over the city. She’s been on SiriusXM, a part of the 2022 New York Comedy Festival and a featured performer at the 2023 Rogue Island Comedy Festival. See all her most recent work @wachelrilliams on all social media platforms.