If you love to laugh—or just need a good laugh—now is a great time to live in Portland. The local comedy scene has been growing by leaps and bounds for the past few years, producing comedians who have gone on to greener, more lucrative pastures. (Everybody wave to former Portlanders Ian Karmel and Ron Funches!) On almost any night of the week, you can go to an excellent stand-up, improv, or sketch show—we’ve currently got so much outstanding comedy in Portland, it can be a challenge to keep up with all the great talent bubbling up.
And that’s where the Undisputable Geniuses of Comedy show steps in! (Get your tickets here!)
At the Mercury, it’s our job to dig up the best entertainment in town—which you can easily find in our incredibly comprehensive Things to Do calendar at portlandmercury.com. But sometimes? It’s just better to show you what we’re talking about. That’s why we (along with our proud sponsor, Jim Beam) have put together a one-night-only showcase of Portland’s “undisputable” comedy geniuses, comprised of the funniest people our city has to offer from the worlds of stand-up, sketch, film, and more. Trust us: If you love (or need) to laugh, the Undisputable Geniuses of Comedy have got you covered.
Check out the hilarious lineup for this year’s Undisputable Geniuses of Comedy!
{{image:1, align:right, width:250}}Caitlin Weierhauser!
She’s a co-host of the wildly popular Lez Stand Up series, host of the Mercury’s I, Anonymous Show, and was voted Portland’s Funniest Person 2017—but there’s so much more to this whip-smart comedian. Swerving from the personal to the political, Caitlin’s stand-up gets sharper and more pointed by the day, and her mastery of face-mugging physical comedy is something you don’t want to miss. So see her quick before Hollywood lures her away!
Anthony Lopez!
After pulling off a second-place finish at Portland’s Funniest Person 2017, Anthony has secured his position as one of the best story-telling comedians in town. He can also be counted on to kill in any number of hosting and writing arenas, including the always-funny Earthquake Hurricane show and the late, great Late Night Action series. He is not to be missed!
Becky Braunstein!
Hailing from Alaska, Becky has blown into Portland like a comedy tsunami, with tons of energy and wide-eyed enthusiasm. Her brand of snappy humor has made her a hit at Bridgetown and the All Jane Festival, as well as being an audience favorite the 2016 Big Sky Comedy Fest. She’s clearly the best thing that’s ever come from Alaska. Like, by far.
Isaac Pendergrass!
The Undisputable Geniuses show makes it a point to highlight the up-and-comers who are burning up the local comedy scene. Case in point: Isaac Pendergrass, who turned in a gut-bustingly hilarious and dry performance at the Portland’s Funniest Person competition, earning a spot in the finals. His comedy is informed from his upbringing in rural South Carolina—which, as you can guess, is a veritable gold mine of bizarre, laugh-filled anecdotes.
JoAnne Schinderle!
If you like your comedy with a little edge, may we introduce you to JoAnne Schinderle? She’s a veteran of Bumbershoot and Bridgetown, and has won several rounds of the Competitive Erotic Fan Fiction contest. As watchers and listeners of her podcast Control Yourself already know, she’s a walking stick of dynamite—exploding with a metric ton of sass and pervy charm. Expect to laugh, gasp, and nod your head in agreement.
Adam Pasi!
A past winner of Willamette Week’s Funniest Five, and a three-time finalist in the Portland’s Funniest Person contest, Adam is a big dude with lots of opinions. And happily, those opinions will make you kick over laughing. He’s also got plenty of stories to share about dead relatives, car mishaps, and completely unworkable ways to improve society. In short, don’t heed his advice, just laugh at it.
Whitney Streed!
Whitney Streed knows comedy, and has not only performed at the Bridgetown Comedy Festival, but helps run it as well! Whether opening for Maria Bamford or hosting the super fun game show Rants Off/Dance Off, Whitney is a wide-eyed, enthusiastic laugh-maker, transforming smart wordplay, puns, and off-kilter observations into sets brimming with comedic gold.
Phil Schallberger!
If you saw last year’s Undisputable Geniuses of Comedy show, you already know why we’re inviting him back. Phil is a master of character-driven, multi-media comedy, and his inventive PowerPoint presentations are a brain-spinning, hyper-absurdist delight. See him once, and you’ll agree: There’s nobody else like him.
The Aces!
Some more returning geniuses, the Aces are undisputably Portland’s number one sketch comedy group (hands down)! Comprised of local improv legend Shelley McLendon and handsome-faced actor Michael Fetters, the pair deliver smart, physical sketch comedy that is always sincere, thoughtful, and knock-down-drag-out funny. Oh, and their impersonations of animals are the best things in the world.
AND MEET YOUR UNDISPUTABLE HOST... NARIKO OTT!
After slaying last year’s Undisputable Genius show with an absolutely killer, 0-60 mph set of incisive, take-no-prisoners comedy... Nariko Ott left Portland for New York City. But we said, “HELL NO TO THAT!” and begged him to come back to host this year’s edition of the Undisputable Geniuses of Comedy. Nariko is the delicious Maraschino cherry on top of this laff-filled sundae of a night—and if you’re still not convinced to get your ticket immediately? Just leave and close the door behind you.
THAT'S THE UNDISPUTABLE GENIUSES OF COMEDY 2017! GET YOUR TICKETS NOW AND HERE!
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