Podcasts are in tune with the democratized spirit of internet media; anyone with a microphone and a computer can offer their listeners unlimited hours of recordings, usually for free. Limited only by their imaginations, podcasters have a freedom of expression unrestricted by commerce, censorship, or geography. Indeed, several great podcasts have blossomed from Denver’s own flourishing arts community. Here to celebrate them is Podcast Profiles, a new series documenting the efforts of local podcasters and spotlighting the peculiar personalities behind them.

As the year lumbers toward autumn and Denver shakes off its various summer-festival hangovers, our city’s bleary-eyed revelers have few better live entertainment options this month than comedy. From a nice roster of comedy club headliners rolling through town, banner months for some of Denver’s most esteemed local showcases, to a greedily stacked comedy festival, comedy fans have solid options nearly every week this month.

Eugene Cordero is an improviser, actor, and comedian who developed his skills in comedy laboratory of the Upright Citizens Brigade theater. He’s recently appeared on the Showtime series House of Lies as well as Comedy Central’s Kroll Show and Key & Peele. Westword caught up with Cordero for a phone interview before he joins the 65 other comics descending on Denver for the High Plains Comedy Festival to discuss following the cues of soused storytellers on Drunk History and going to high school with HPCF co-owner Andy Juett.

Kate Berlant’s performances defy easy categorization. Verbally non sequitur and tonally absurd, Berlant has crafted a truly sui generis comedic persona untethered to the traditions of the surprisingly hidebound medium of standup. An NYU alumnus, Berlant gained renown in the New York comedy scene, earning her glowing (if befuddled) profiles in Playboy and The New York Times. A highlight of last year’s High Plains Comedy Festival, Berlant also has a groundswell of fans among Denver’s comedy community who turned up to see her at one of the first few Sexpot Comedy showcases. Westword caught up with Berlant before she returns for this year’s festival to discuss touring with musicians, finding her unique style, and her contingent of bro fans.

Pete Holmes is a comedian whose irrepressible spirit has endeared him to audiences nationwide. His last special Nice Try, the Devil aired last year on Comedy Central to widespread acclaim, including within these very pages, where we named it one of the best comedy specials of 2013. Until a couple months ago, Holmes also hosted the Conan O’Brien-produced talk show The Pete Holmes Show on TBS. His podcast You Made It Weird, features in-depth In town this week to co-headline the locally produced High Plains Comedy Festival with his friends and early colleagues Kumail Nanjiani and T.J. Miller, Westword caught up with Holmes to discuss doing festivals with his friends, the silver linings in the aftermath of his show’s cancellation, and Adam Cayton-Holland’s ridiculous name.

Podcasts are in tune with the democratized spirit of internet media; anyone with a microphone and a computer can offer their listeners unlimited hours of recordings, usually for free. Limited only by their imaginations, podcasters have a freedom of expression unrestricted by commerce, censorship, or geography. Indeed, several great podcasts have blossomed from Denver’s own flourishing arts community. Here to celebrate them is Podcast Profiles, a new series documenting the efforts of local podcasters and spotlighting the peculiar personalities behind them

By the time August rolls around, summer seems to have lost some of its summery luster. After sweltering in the muggy heat and unexpected downpours for two months, August
Schools re-open, attractions close, and Hollywood has already burned through its popcorniest blockbusters. It falls to comedy then, to entertain browbeaten Denverites, and fortunately for them, this August, Denver is replete with giggles. With two showcases in Boulder’s rapidly growing comedy market, a Red Rocks birthday celebration with an increasingly less reclusive comedy icon, and a homegrown comedy festival, there are enough great shows this month to keep you laughing until autumn.

Adam Sank is a nationally reknown comedian who has appeared on Last Comic Standing and VH1’s Best Week Ever. In June, Sank debuted his one-man cabaret show Mama, I Want to Sing Showtunes: A One ‘Mo Show to sell out crowds, with another run planned for august. Westword caught up with Sank before he comes to town this week to headline the LOL Presents showcase at the Denver Improv for phone interview where we discussed transcending an audience’s labels and performing naked at nudist retreats.

Comedy shows come and go all the time, usually whimpering out of existence after a few ignominious months of effort. So when a show reaches its second anniversary, it’s truly something to celebrate. Comedy fans can help ring in the anniversary this year on July 27th at Lannie’s Clocktower Cabaret. Named 2014’s Best Comedy Night by this very publication, Propaganda! has excelled thanks to host and producer Matt Monroe’s savvy booking, mingling a roster of enviable headliners with Lannie’s classy ambience month after month for free. July’s lineup features out-of-towners Raj Silverman and Brandie Posey along with local favorites Chris Charpentier, Adrian Mesa, Dr. Kevin Fitzgerald and headliner Adam Cayton-Holland. Doors open at 7:00pm for the free showcase.
In celebration of reaching this milestone, Westword caught up with Monroe to discuss the highlights of the past 2 years and how his commitment to Propaganda! would surprise his exes.

As Denver comedy fans gear up for next month’s High Plains Comedy Festival, Sex Pot comedy is there the whet their appetites with another weed and jokes pizza party at the Oriental Theater to kick things off. The lineup, which Sex Pot has has finely curated each month, is packed with crushers from start to finish. Sex Pot host Jordan Doll and comics Sean Patton, Ashley Barnhill, and Ian Douglas Terry join headliner Aparna Nancherla for an evening promises to be a greasy slice of laughter pie.

Nancherla is a fast-rising star on the alternative comedy scene whose absurdist perspective informs a wide-ranging act that can range from the gross combo of orange juice and toothpaste to imperialism within the same five minute set. Nancherla has appeared on Conan and @Midnight and contributed several memorable segments as a performer and staff writer on the pre-maturely cancelled Totally Biased with Kamau Bell. Westword caught up with Nancherla to chat about about Sex Pot, Australian audiences, and avoiding the dregs of twitter.

Most comedy nerds are already familiar with Marc Maron’s biography. He rose to prominence in the 90s alt-comedy scene before floundering through a few TV and radio gigs that never felt like a perfect fit. Despite racking up over 40 appearances on the various incarnations of Conan and never leaving the airwaves for long, Maron’s career was at a low point when he started the WTF podcast in his garage. In addition to the in-depth interviews with comedians, musicians, and the occasional movie star featured on WTF, Maron’s chronic over-sharing gets plenty of mic time as well. Though off-putting at first to some listeners, his rambling engenders a more personal connection with his legion of listeners, who have flocked to his shows. Currently starring in the final few episodes of the second season his IFC sitcomMaron, he’ll also be headlining this weekend at Comedy Works Larimer Square. Westword caught up with Maron to discuss patent trolls, Denver’s drunk crowds, and his attempts at a spiritual experience in the dessert.

Christopher Titus is a singular voice in standup comedy with a unique style and profound personal connection to his fanbase. Titus stood out early on in his career with appearances on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, Premium Blend, and managed to turn his one man show Norman Rockwell is Bleeding into the eponymous sitcom Titus which ran from 2000-2002 on Fox until it was cancelled following a dispute with executives. Titus has remained prolific in the aftermath, releasing standup specials The Fifth Annual End of the World Tour, Love is Evol, Neverlution, and The Voice in my Head in the space of a few years. He also co-hosts the Titus Podcast and is currently working to fund a movie called Special Unit, co-starring Denver’s own Josh Blue. In town this weekend to headline at Comedy Works South as he gears up for his next special The Angry Pursuit of Happines, Westword recently caught up with Titus to discuss honesty in comedy, dismantling pro-gun hysteria with humor, and his new History Channel game show, Pawnography.

July days, with their sweltering afternoons and late evening sunsets, are filled with a kind of sun-dappled shapelessness; days once described by Ada Louise Huxtable as “jeweled balm for the battered spirit.” Balming the battered is also a standup comedian’s job description, and this month promises a healing wave of laughs washing over our arid city, featuring seasoned chortle-mongers from across the country. From one-night only theater appearances from sitcom stars to comedy nerd heroes headlining our local clubs over the weekend, battered spirits from across the spectrum of comedy fandom will have plenty of opportunities to laugh in air-conditioned comfort.

Adam Cayton-Holland is a comedian, podcaster, and former Westword scribe who forged his craft in ego-battering Colfax open mics before co-founding The Grawlix with Ben Roy and Andrew Orvedahl, a union that has produced a self-titled parodic web series and Denver’s best monthly standup showcase –which just so happens to be happening tonight at the Bug Theater at 10:30pm. Cayton-Holland has amassed an enviable list of TV credits, delivering strong sets on shows Conan and The Pete Holmes Show while steadfastly residing in his native Denver, where the outspoken baseball fan recently realized his lifelong dream of throwing out the opening pitch at a Rockies’ game after a long social media campaign. Cayton-Holland’s brainchild, The High Plains Comedy Festival, continues to thrive under his quiet but determined stewardship as its second birthday approaches. The unbelievably stacked lineup includes returning champions from last year’s fest like Beth Stelling, Sean Patton, Kate Berlant, Ian Douglas Terry, and Cameron Esposito in addition to Silicon Valley’s Kumail Nanjiani and T.J. Miller as well as ringers like Chris Fairbanks, Baron Vaughn, and the top-billed Pete Holmes. Check High Plains’ website for the complete lineup. Westword met up with Cayton-Holland at the favored Baker haunt and High Plains venue Mutiny Information Cafe to discuss his post-surgery Frankenfoot and doubling down for the festival’s second year.

Allen Strickland Williams is a Los Angeles-based writer, comedian, and former NBC page who nevertheless retained the office’s button-down aesthetic. Williams, along with fellow standups Jake Weisman, Dave Ross, and Pat Bishop comprise the sketch comedy group Women whose widely circulated videos are nibbles of absurdity dolloped by grim punchlines. Women are descending on the Oriental Theater tomorrow night for the monthly Sexpot Comedy showcase. The show, hosted as always by Jordan Doll, features standup from each member, as well as videos and live sketches. It’s also a Sexpot show, with all the dab dabbling that implies. Westword caught up with Williams to discuss what makes Women’s sketches different, his fondness for one liners, and his essay about the #YesAllWomen hashtag.

To anyone who grew up watching too much basic cable in the ’80s and ’90s, the sight of Paul Reiser cracking wise is comfortingly familiar. Whether on contemporary classics like Aliens and Diner or the long-running and widely syndicated sitcom Mad About You, chances are good that Reiser’s face is on a television somewhere at this exact moment. Not one to rest on his considerable laurels, however, Reiser is currently in the midst of a mid-career renaissance, appearing in several upcoming movies and honing his standup act in clubs across the country. In town this weekend to headline Comedy Works’ South club, Westword caught up with Reiser to discuss his role in the Sundance film festival smash Whiplash, the lasting influence of Aliens, as well as his experience returning to the stage after a 20 year hiatus from comedy.

Bobby Lee is a comedian and actor who gained notoriety in San Diego comedy clubs before moving on to a featured role on Mad TV for eight seasons. Recently, he’s known for his numerous Chelsea Lately appearances and landing parts in films like The Dictator and Harold and Kumar go to White Castle series. In town to headline Denver’s esteemed Comedy Works Larimer Square all weekend, Westword caught up with Lee to discuss Hollywood’s lack of roles for Asian actors, getting sober with comedians’ support, and an ambush from a naked fan in his dressing room.

As midsummer approaches at its leisurely flip-flopped gait, comedy fans have a full calendar of laugh appointments ahead. While almost nothing can compete with the natural splendor of a languid June evening spent outdoors in Denver, only a jejune goon would miss out on these fine shows. Besides, at a comedy club, you’re significantly less likely to accidentally drink the moth that flew into your beer. From stars of stage and screen gracing local venues to a showcase that actually encourages comments from the audience, comedy nerds will be drawn to these events like an eclipse of moths to an outdoor light bulb.

It’s important to note that a lot can happen in a month, and national headliners often have to reschedule long after press time, so dates are subject to change (which happened last month with Bobcat Goldthwait). Regardless, go see live comedy shows this June and be free from melancholy, as well as the unmistakable taste of foamy moth.

It’s important to know that a lot can happen in a month, and national headliners often have to reschedule long after press time, so dates are subject to change. Regardless, go see live comedy shows this June and be free from melancholy, as well as the unmistakable taste of foamy moth.

Andy Kindler is widely known for his recurring roles on Bob’s Burgers and Everybody Loves Raymond, but he’s revered among comedy nerds for his scathing “State of the Industry” addresses at the Montreal Just for Laughs Festival, which in the past has included gems such as “Adam Carolla is like Hitler if Hitler weren’t funny.” In town this week to headline Sex Pot comedy’s six month anniversary showcase, the aptly titled Sex Pot American Summer, which also features Chuck Roy, Mara Wiles, Christie Buchele, Bobby Crane and host Jordan Doll, Westword recently spoke to Kindler about how hackery has changed, his upcoming album release, and criticizing comedy from within.

Dave Ross has accomplished a great deal in his comparatively short career. A member of Women, an all-male sketch comedy group comprised of Ross and fellow comedians Jake Weisman, Allen Strickland-Williams and Pat Bishop. On his Nerdist network podcast Terrified, Ross and his guests delve into their fears and insecurities. His monthlong cross-country tour rolls through Denver next wednesday, where Ross will be headline the Fine Gentleman’s Too Much Fun showcase at the Deer Pile as well as Phil’s Radiator Service in Pueblo. Westword caught up with Ross to discuss booking his own tour, storytelling, and appearing on the next season of Comedy Central’s Drunk History.