Headliners
Phil Hanley
Performing March 1st and 2nd at the Ann Arbor Comedy Showcase (3 shows)
Phil Hanley began standup comedy by performing at open mics around Vancouver, often in between bands at music venues. In these establishments he discovered and honed his unique blending of material and crowd interaction that makes no two of his performances the same. Phil’s style can best be described as unpredictably reflective, delivered with sharp accuracy, and rooted in the grand tradition of joke-telling.
Phil's Comedy Central "The Half Hour" premiered November 14, 2015. Phil has previously been seen on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, Late Night with Seth Meyers, The Late Late Show With Craig Ferguson, The Pete Holmes Show, John Oliver’s New York Stand-Up Show, and @midnight. He has been showcased at numerous comedy festivals and can be seen regularly at The Comedy Cellar in New York City.
Irene Tu
Performing March 2nd at the Blind Pig
Irene Tu is an LA-based stand-up comedian, actor and writer who honed her chops in San Francisco. Her first comedy album WE’RE DONE NOW debuted in March 2023 at #1 on the iTunes comedy charts. Irene has performed at Netflix Is A Joke comedy festival in the highly coveted “INTRODUCING” showcase. Her STAND-UP FEATURING set is the most watched reel on Comedy Central’s Stand-Up’s Instagram page, with over 2.7 million views. Paste Magazine praised Irene’s “quick wit, relaxed stage presence, and hilariously off-the-wall observations” in this album that “ticks all the boxes of a winning introduction, and then some.” She was named one of Vulture’s “Comedians You Should and Will Know” and singled out in The SF Chronicle as an “artist on the brink of fame.” She’s a regular at festivals and clubs around the country and opens for comics like Taylor Tomlinson and Patton Oswalt.
Emma Willmann
Performing March 1st at the Blind Pig
Emma Willmann is a stand-up comedian, actress, and podcaster originally from Blue Hill, Maine. A comic who’s mastered chaos under control, Willmann’s vibrant presence, warmth, and unflinching honesty make her a comedian to be reckoned with. She was a part of the inaugural season of Netflix’s The Lineup, and has made memorable appearances in CW’s Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, Judd Apatow’s Crashing and The Good Fight on Paramount+. Emma has also made multiple appearances on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, and is a regular at the prestigious Comedy Cellar in New York City. She is also the creator and host of the recently released BETCHES Network podcast, AMA: Ask Men Anything
Demetrius Fields
Performing February 29th at the Blind Pig
Demetrius Fields was born in Windsor, Ontario, and raised in the suburbs of Detroit, Michigan. He has been making comedy sketches since he was 12 years old and started performing stand-up comedy in 2017. He moved out of Michigan and to NYC and since has been seen performing at the New York Comedy Festival and at The Stand. He has also started an improvised Stand-Up comedy show called Boyfriend Material. Since moving he has gained a massive following of over 3 million people and half a billion views on tIktok. Demetrius has performed at colleges across the United States. He has won stand-up comedy competitions, including Mark Ridley’s “Detroit to L.A.” competition as well as having been featured at the Big Pine Comedy Festival.
Featured Comedians
Alaina Bamfield
Hailing from Michigan, Alaina Bamfield has quickly become a standout in the world of comedy with her sharp wit and unique brand of dark humor. In 2023, she took her talents to the bustling comedy scene of Brooklyn, New York, and has since been leaving audiences in stitches on stages across America. Known for her fearless approach to taboo topics and a comedic style that is uniquely her own, Alaina's performance is a captivating blend of dark humor and insightful storytelling that resonates with audiences from coast to coast. Sharing the stage with luminaries such as Dave Attell, Sam Tallent, Jordan Jensen, Tom Thakkar, Joe Machi, and more.
Jacob Barr
Jacob Barr is a young comic who has been performing since 2015. He uses his disability and unique life experiences to make people laugh....or scared. In the past he has opened for Big Jay Oakerson, Tim Meadows, Chris Gethard, and Joe List.
Osama Basal
A Syrian stand up comedian who uses his quick wit and sharp observational humor to paint a picture of what it is like to be a refugee living in America.
Danielle Bentzley
Danielle is a stand up comedian from Metro Detroit. With dry delivery and hard-hitting punchlines, she finds a fun way to talk about the hard parts of life. Danielle has performed stand-up all across Michigan and has opened for NYC’s Matteo Lane, Liz Miele, and Kate Willett.
Alex Bozinovic
Alex Bozinovic began his stand-up comedy career in 2014, in Detroit, MI. He has opened for nationally touring comedians Chris Gethard, Eddie Pepitone, Jen Kirkman. He has also appeared in Limestone Comedy Festival, Flyover Comedy Festival.
Ryan Brown
Ryan Brown is a stand-up comedian who uses “his little comedy thing” as an excuse to both annoy and amuse his family. He's performed all over the country including the Laugh Factory in Chicago and is a regular at Mark Ridley's in Royal Oak, MI. Nothing is off limits and everything is funny.
Michael Bussler
Michael Bussler is a stand-up comic based out of Grand Rapids, MI. He's the self proclaimed "Second Funniest Person in Grand Rapids" and they call him Iron Mike. If he's in town, come see him. If not, watch out for his new comedy special "Michael Bussler: Live at Home!".
Simon Carlson
Simon is a comedian from Grand Rapids, Michigan. He's performed at clubs across the state of Michigan and enjoys a nice slice of banana bread.
Caitlin Checkeroski
Caitlin Checkeroski is a Michigan bumpkin turned Chicago comic and now performs all over the country. She has participated in many prestigious comedy festivals including Altercation Fest, Memphis Comedy Festival, Motor City Comedy Festival and 10,000 Laughs. She recently headlined Zanies Chicago.
Ryan Chernick
DC-based comedian Ryan Chernick delights every audience he meets with his quick-paced observations and infectious energy. His warm personality leaves onlookers feeling like they've made a new best friend... or, perhaps, a new Secret Friend, the apt title of his debut comedy album.
Andrew Dziobak
Andrew Dziobak is a Michigan based comedian who has opened for Marie Faustin, Carmen Lynch, and was a showcase performer in the Motor City Comedy Festival. His true dream is to professionally compete in hot dog eating contests.
Blake Hammond
Blake Hammond is a fat and Loud comedian from Cincinnati. He’s done Skankfest and Limestone Comedy Festivals and has opened for Mark Normand, Kyle Kinane and Patton Oswalt.
Bret Hayden
Bret Hayden is the creator and host of Comedy Rumble. He is a regular at the Ann Arbor Comedy Showcase and has worked with some of comedy’s biggest names including Mark Normand, Gary Gulman, and Andrew Schulz.
Melanie Hearn
Melanie Hearn is a dynamic rising talent on the comedy scene and native of The “D” Melanie has always enjoyed entertaining people “just cause”. Her quick wit a sharp observations makes her incredibly dynamic comedian to watch live. She has performed all across the country at such clubs as The World Famous Comedy Store, Hollywood Improv and headlined her very first weekend at the historic Mark Ridley’s Comedy Castle. Melanie has opened for several national touring acts such as Maria Bamford, Preacher Lawson, and Dean Edwards. Melanie is also a regular on Channel 4 WDIV’s “Live in the D.” Melanie definitely an act you will not want to miss.
Blain Hill
Blain Hill has been a mainstay of the Detroit Comedy Scene for almost a decade. Thanks to his sharp wit, clever joke writing and deadpan delivery Blain has entertained audiences at clubs and festivals across the country. He is a regular performer at Mark Ridley's Comedy Castle, The Ann Arbor Comedy Showcase, and The Detroit House of Comedy.
Ella Horwedel
Often described as raunchy, irreverent, and a disappointment by her mother, Ella Horwedel has been an energetic force in the Michigan comedy scene for the past five years. She has featured at clubs and festivals all over the country, where she explores the difficulties of being a 25-year-old woman through bawdy stories and intimate self-reflection. She has opened for Kyle Kinane, Eddie Pepitone, and Beth Stelling, and was a featured performer at Laughing Skull Comedy Festival, Blue Whale Comedy Festival, Altercation Comedy Festival, Let's Fest, and Skankfest.
Erich Laux
Beginning his comedy career in 2010 as president of the standup comedy group at University of Michigan, Erich Laux has become a well-known comic across the state; he’s performed at Gilda’s LaughFest in Grand Rapids, Treetown Comedy Festival in Ann Arbor, and Motor City Comedy Festival in Detroit. Nowadays, Erich travels all over North America performing at festivals — such as Alaska B4UDie Fest in Anchorage & Park Slope Comedy Fest in Brooklyn — and at any club, bar, or basement he can find with a microphone.
Connor Meade
Connor Meade is a Detroit bred comedian who twists her life experiences into punchlines that will have you saying, “I don’t think I wanted to know that about her.” She’s been described as raw, vulnerable and kind of gross. Winner of Comedy Rumble 9 and featured on NPR. Opened for amazing comedians like Robert Kelley, Matt Braunger, Eddie Pepitone and many more.
Brett Mercer
Brett Mercer has been performing comedy and producing shows in Detroit since 2014. He’s performed in bars, coffee shops, living rooms, recycling centers, and (occasionally) comedy clubs all over the country, wondering what “the deal” is with a variety of topics, large and small.
Dante Powell
Dante Powell is a really good comedian. Raised in Louisiana, currently based in Iowa. Could easily smoke crack and not become addicted to it.
Bruce Pych
Bruce's comedy will push the boundaries of what you find funny. His interesting twists and comparisons of rather dark subject matter comes out surprisingly light-hearted, and dare I say...cute? Leave your preconceived notions of what’s acceptable at home.
Colin Rankin
Colin Rankin is a Comedian and Musician and based in Brooklyn, NY. He is the cohost of the Lover Boyz Comedy and a Producer and Sound Designer with the Murmuration Theatre Company. Before moving to New York he lived full time and performed standup comedy in Michigan and Seattle and he has been a selected performer in the Charm City Comedy Festival and North Carolina Comedy Festivals. He produces music under the name “Warrener.” He has been known to meme under extreme circumstances.
Tim Reaburn
Tim Reaburn is an up-and-coming comedian from Windsor, Ontario. He started off making a fast impression in the Windsor comedy scene by winning Windsor’s Funniest Comedian in 2017. He was a finalist in the 2019 Detroit to LA contest, and was the winner of Detroit’s Comedy Rumble in 2018. He’s soon to be headlining comedy clubs as he hones his craft with his love of joke writing and performance.
Jake Russell
Jake Russell is a comedian, Improviser and writer. Creator of the Stand up/Improv show “I ain’t no joke” and One man shows “Birth of a Ho ass Nation” and “Birth of a Ho Ass Nation Part 2”. He’s also a sneaker enthusiast lol.
Alexa Stanton
Alexa Stanton grew up in a small, rural Michigan village where her fondness of corn and milk flourished. She began comedy in the Amazon capital of the world, Seattle, WA. After facing much ridicule for her name, Alexa returned to Michigan in 2022. Alexa and her short butt crack continue to travel the States looking to tell tales of her outlandish life to fresh faces. You can find her viral hit series “Barefoot and Pregnant” on YouTube and her podcast “The Budcast” on all platforms.
Esteban Touma
A recent transplant to Michigan, Esteban Touma is a comedian adjusting to life in the US. His comedy has been featured on Comedy Central, NPR, Sirius XM, and The Moth. He has worked with director Judd Apatow, and comics such as Roy Wood Jr., Mark Normand, Rory Scovel, and Michelle Wolf, among others. The U.S. Government officially declared him an “authorized legal alien with a reentry permit.”
Brad Wenzel
Brad Wenzel’s offbeat one-liners, dry delivery, and unassuming presence are what set him apart from other comedians. Brad has made 3 stand-up appearances on CONAN and more recently performed on Netflix is a Joke Radio. His debut comedy album Sweet Nothings was released on Jack White’s rock label, Third Man Records and can be heard on SiriusXM. Paste Magazine described Brad’s 2023 special, joke. joke. joke. as “Watching Wenzel feels like hanging out with your funniest, weirdest friend; it's relaxing and utterly enjoyable" Paste also listed joke. joke. joke. as one of the 20 best comedy specials of the year.
Zach Wycuff
Zach Wycuff is a nationally touring stand-up comedian, writer, and content creator. Zach is fresh off recording his debut special with Dry Bar Comedy. Zach started his comedy career in the midwest, being twice named the Funniest Person in Cincinnati, once named Funniest Person in Columbus, and many times named other words that we aren't allowed to repeat here. He has been a part of comedy festivals all over the country, including SF Sketchfest, Cleveland Comedy Festival, and Flyover Comedy Festival, to name a few. Come hang with this lovable dork and you might just leave having found a new best friend.
Andrew Yang
Andrew Yang is a comedian from Ann Arbor, Michigan. Voted “Best Comedian in Washtenaw County” in 2022 and 2023 by Current Magazine, Andrew runs shows at a punk rock venue in the Blind Pig and is a founder of the Tree Town Comedy Festival. Onstage, Andrew charms audiences with his energetic personality and engrossing stories mostly at his own expense. He has been fortunate enough to work with a few of his comedy heroes including Beth Stelling, Jackie Kashian, and one time had lunch with Maria Bamford. Andrew has performed on festivals across the country including the Motor City Comedy Festival, Let’s Fest, and the Cleveland Comedy Festival. When he’s not on stage he’s probably on Yelp trying to decide what to eat later.