Denver's Queen of Quips: Georgia Comstock Talks Life, Laughs and the Art of Standup

"I just feel like life is my biggest influence," says Denver-based comedian Georgia Comstock. "You've got to keep laughing, or otherwise you're going to be crying."

In a field where humor is a currency, Comstock is striking it rich. Originally from Omaha, she's been a comic for more than a decade and recently secured a coveted recurring spot at Denver's Comedy Works. Her rise to prominence is highlighted by appearances at such prestigious festivals as the High Plains Comedy Fest and Limestone, demonstrating the power of a punchline and the allure of an authentic voice. "I began headlining [Comedy Works] in September, and having that much time on stage in front of supportive audiences, with people coming out specifically to see me, is an incredible experience, especially for a local comedian," she says.

"During the day, I have a regular life, and I’m always trying to better myself as a person," Comstock adds. "I feel like a lot of my material comes from life and family; I'm married, so I make jokes about my in-laws and stuff like that. Being in my thirties, I like to look back at my early twenties and be like, ‘Oh, my God, what was I doing?’"

Those days were back when Comstock's foray into comedy began; it was 2013, and she recalls she "wasn't sure" what she was doing and feeling lost. "I was working a day job and taking some improv classes for fun," Comstock recalls. "I did that for about a year before deciding to try standup on my own. I was having fun doing it, but at that age, you wonder, 'Is this what I'm going to do long-term?' I had no idea, but it just kept being fun, and I kept getting better and booking bigger and bigger things."
Denver, she discovered, was the perfect playground for her comedic ambitions. Comstock moved here in 2015 with her husband, Nic Dean, a fellow comedian. She came here because she had heard great things about the city, especially Comedy Works, and she fell in love with Denver right away. The area has served as a nurturing ground for Comstock to develop new material in front of encouraging audiences.

"I feel like I just stumbled into this amazing thing," Comstock says of the local scene. "I'm 32 now, and I was 21 — right on the cusp of turning 22 — when I started. I just celebrated ten years of comedy last September, so being able to headline my hometown club is a huge deal. People do cool things out here but never make it to that point, so it was a cool milestone. There are not many tangible milestones in comedy, so this felt fantastic."

Comstock is particularly grateful to Comedy Works for believing in her and giving her so much stage time. "Comedy Works is one of the best clubs in the country," she says. "The downtown club is legendary, and I've been super fortunate to be able to work with such cool people and do such cool shows. Denver comics are good, so a lot of people say we keep them on their toes; we're also always doing new stuff and being weird. It’s just the best stage to be able to frequent and grow as a comic, because Denver has truly incredible audiences."

Over those years, Comstock has also witnessed firsthand the evolution of comedy in the age of social media. She believes that the internet has democratized the industry and made it easier for fans of specific styles to discover comics that interest them.

"On the internet, you can be a niche comic and do a style that you like," Comstock explains. "Comedy is so readily available now. There used to be a path you would take — people would say, ‘You have to do these sets to get late-night, so you can get represented, and blah, blah, blah.’ And now you can put stuff out on your own and create your audience. You can still take other paths, but there are so many paths now, and just because something worked for somebody else doesn't mean it's going to work again. It’s just interesting how many shapes it can take now, and you just never know what's going to be popular and what people are going to latch on to.

"Back in the day, the people who made it had been doing it for fifteen to twenty years," she continues. "Now you have people who have been doing it for about two to three years saying, 'I guess I have to do an hour now.' With social media constantly evolving, I believe [comedy] will continue to change."

And Comstock is a comic who practices what she preaches: Her upcoming show at Comedy Works South on Wednesday, January 24, promises a mix of old favorites and fresh material.

"I've been working on a new chunk of my set that I'm pretty excited about," she explains. "I mentioned it briefly in my show on January 3, but I am bringing back an old story that was simply too long to fit into a fifteen- to twenty-minute set, because it would have taken up the majority of it. I'm excited to bring that out and experiment with new topics that I'm passionate about."
Comstock's 2024 is bustling with even more exciting projects. In addition to her regular sets, she's looking forward to the new show Catfish Comedy at Comedy Works. "It's a fun, weird time," she says, inviting audiences to experience the unique format. The show features comedians performing standup routines based on suggestions from the audience. And, because performers are not announced ahead of time, you never know who might show up at Catfish Comedy. Upcoming shows are scheduled for Thursday, January 18, at Comedy Works Downtown and February 16 and 17 at Comedy Works South.

While Comstock is excited about the future, she's also using the new year to reflect on the opportunities she's had over the last few years. "I'm always growing and looking for that next thing, but I'm also taking the time to honor a lot of great achievements," she concludes. "I have some cool dates coming up this year; I will be back on the road with Dusty Slay for a few days in about a month, and I'm doing a lot of cool stuff with Comedy Works. I'm trying to soak up those accomplishments so I can enjoy them before moving forward."

Georgia Comstock, Wednesday, January 24, Comedy Works South, 5345 Landmark Place, Greenwood Village. Tickets are available at comedyworks.com.