Laugh it up

Your guide to the 2016 Blue Whale Comedy Festival

The third annual Blue Whale Comedy Festival returns to Tulsa this weekend. From Thursday to Sunday, several dozen funny people from Tulsa and beyond will turn the Brady Arts District into a veritable factory of laughs, with national headliners including Ron Funches (NBC's "Undateable"), Fortune Feimster (Hulu's "The Mindy Project"), Eric Andre (Adult Swim's "The Eric Andre Show") and more, along with a slew of local gutbusters showcasing Tulsa's fast-growing comedy scene. Turn the page for festival highlights, interviews and more details.

Weekend passes are available for $85, and headliner performances can be purchased individually for $25. Get your tickets and find the full schedule at bluewhalecomedyfestival.com.

Okie Homies​

The local contingent of Blue Whale, in its own words
Compiled by Mitch Gilliam and Andrew Deacon

Top row, from left:

MADISON ALLEN - OKLAHOMA CITY, OK
Madison Allen is a comic based out of Oklahoma City. He runs two shows. Divine Comedy at The Speakeasy and Artsy Beatdown. He performs in clubs and bars all over the Midwest and has been selected to perform in festivals like The Hoboken Comedy Festival and Blue Whale Comedy.

CIAN BAKER - BROKEN ARROW, OK
Since 2012, Cian Baker has used the stage to work out deep-rooted emotional issues through self-deprecation, absurdism, and naïveté. Too real? He’s been said to “put the ‘aww’ in awkward.”

YASAMIN BAYATFAR - TULSA, OK
​Yasamin Bayatfar is a 22 year-old human woman of brown-ish descent. Her comedy reflects any average millennial’s life:
mild self-loathing, general confusion, and Shaggy trivia.

SHAWNA BLAKE - MULDROW, OK
Shawna has never met a cheeseburger she didn’t like and considers vodka an essential food group. Most of her life choices could be described as inappropriate.

CAMERON BUCHHOLTZ - OKLAHOMA CITY, OK
Cameron Buchholtz has been heard on the “Doug Loves Movies” podcast, seen in the comedy documentary “The Greatest Movie Ever Rolled,” and has performed on such festivals as the Moontower Comedy Festival and the infamous Gathering of the Juggalos. He’s also a DJ on Rock 100.5 the KATT in OKC.

JAMES CURTIS - OKLAHOMA CITY, OK
An experienced touring comic with witty one-liners and brilliant material that will leave you laughing long after the show is over.

VANESSA DAWN - TULSA, OK 
Vanessa Dawn went to college to be a housewife, but it didn’t work. She ended up graduating. 

ANDREW DEACON - TULSA, OK
Sometimes you have to lower your standards to raise your average. Andrew is the living embodiment of this philosophy. 

Second row:

DAN FRITSCHIE - TULSA, OK
For over eight years, Dan Fritschie has been performing on stages across the country, tirelessly showing audiences his view of the world through a prism of equal parts cynicism, wishful thinking, and cautious optimism. Now the father of a one-year-old daughter, he’s just hoping she learns to make better decisions.

UNCLE GARY - TULSA, OK
Uncle Gary likes to tell jokes and stories about his life. Personal thoughts on his experiences woven together into a cautionary tale and delivered with an endearing quality uniquely his own. Also, dick jokes!

RYAN GREEN - SAPULPA, OK
Ryan Green is a writer, performer and teacher of comedy. You can see him on stage any time the World of Warcraft servers are down.

SPENCER HICKS - OKLAHOMA CITY, OK
Spencer is from Shawnee and started doing comedy 12 years ago. He’s opened for Dave Chappelle three times, but his parents still aren’t impressed.

EVAN HUGHES - TULSA, OK
Evan Hughes loves many things including comedy, friends, hugs, Diet Coke, meeting new people, and spreading kindness. Also probably a serial killer.

CRAYONS IMPROV - TULSA, OK
Crayons Improv uses audience suggestions to create clean comedy for the family. They’re similar to “Whose Line is it Anyway?,” but create many of their own games and very unique recurring characters.

THOMAS KING - TULSA, OK
Tom King is from a small town in the Deep South and always dreamed of the big city. All he could find was Tulsa. With an open mind and a few bad decisions, he’s developed a strange perspective and even stranger life stories.

CJ LANCE - OKLAHOMA CITY, OK
CJ Lance is a young comedian who keeps audiences laughing with his use of personal stories and insightful wit. He’s a charming fellow who you will definitely like. Please like him.

Third row:

JOSH LATHE - OKLAHOMA CITY, OK
Josh Lathe is equal parts charisma and catharsis. His Midwestern charm makes it easy to forgive his millennial paranoia.

MIKE MODLIN - BROKEN ARROW, OK
Mike is a combat vet with seven kids, and you’re wondering why he got into stand-up?

ROB NEVILLE - OKLAHOMA CITY, OK
When it comes to women he dates, Rob Neville is color blind. He doesn’t see red flags. 

CR PARSONS - JENKS, OK
Much like the Blue Whale itself, CR can often be found on Route 66, or in a regional body of water, and is only hiding his age with a team of trained reconstruction specialists.

ALEX SANCHEZ - OKLAHOMA CITY, OK
Alex Sanchez is a nice boy with good opinions. He enjoys professional wrestling and refuses to ever watch a good movie.

STAN SILLIMAN - NORMAN, OK
Funniest Person in OKC, Stan Silliman is an old, gimpy, arthritic, one-handed Jew who walks like a zombie, and even with all that going for him he probably still won’t win your contest. But he has been busy writing eight books, 850 humor columns examining the fuzzy, linty underbelly of sports.

RICK SHAW - TULSA, OK
Loud and portly is the best description for Rick Shaw. You will wonder how a comedian with this much energy doesn’t burn more calories!

Bottom row:

AMBERLA TEPE - ENID, OK
No doubt you’ll remember Amberla as the 2001 Stillwater High School Band Homecoming Queen. Now she’s back after 5 years in LA and she’s, like, really funny.

JEFF THOMAS - TULSA, OK
Jeff is a middle-aged single straight man with three cats. Besides that his life is kind of sad.

GARY THOMPSON - TULSA, OK
The son of a pastor, Gary Thompson is an alcoholic. But his jokes are clean.

KATIE VAN PATTEN - TULSA, OK
Katie Van Patten is a breathtakingly beautiful young woman from Tulsa, Oklahoma. She has been performing in shows since April of 2016 and plans to continue until she can’t hear the laughter anymore.

ANDREW WAGNER - NORMAN, OK
He’s got the looks of a 15-year-old and the mind of one, too. Wagner’s jokes have been described as “often taking a turn for the cute” and “mostly lies.”

DREW WELCHER - TULSA, OK
Drew Welcher is a short and quick comic with even quicker punch lines. Her comedy will have you asking, “Is it worth it?” Yes, yes it is!

AARON WILDER - OKLAHOMA CITY, OK
Aaron Wilder is an organizer for Planned Parenthood and veteran Democratic politico. He believes his obsession with television is an academic pursuit.

MICHAEL ZAMPINO - TULSA, OK 
Michael Zampino is a comedian and musician from Tulsa, OK who began doing standup in January 2010. In 2013 Michael was named Tulsa’s Funniest Comic, and at last year’s Blue Whale Comedy Festival he opened for Nick Thune and Chris Cubas. In addition to standup, Mike can also be seen, and heard, playing lead guitar for Tulsa based rock band “Greater Than Planes.”

The out-of-towners:

A glossary of Blue Whale's visiting comics

Ron Funches is a funny stand-up comedian with a unique delivery and lovable demeanor. Ron appears on the NBC’s series “Undateable.” Other appearances include Comedy Central’s “@Midnight,” “Kroll Show,” “Drunk History” and more. He has also performed on the “Conan O’Brien Show” and “The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon.”

Fortune Feimster, known for her work on “Chelsea Lately,” made her first TV debut on “Last Comic Standing” in 2010. In 2014, Variety named her one of its “Top 10 Comics to Watch.” Feimster has made appearances on “Glee,” “Two Broke Girls,” “Workaholics” and more. Catch Feimster on her half-hour special on Comedy Central.

Eric Andre is the creator and host of Adult Swim’s series “The Eric Andre Show.” He currently co-stars on the FX series “Man Seeking Woman.” Eric’s previous credits include “The Internship,” the ABC series “Don’t Trust the B–In Apartment 23” and “Two Broke Girls.” 

Nate Bargatze is a stand-up comedian. He has made two appearances on both the “Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon” and “Late Night with Jimmy Fallon.” He has appeared on the “Conan O’Brien Show” four times and is a recurring guest on Comedy Central’s “@Midnight.” His debut one-hour special “Full-Time Magic” premiered on Comedy Central in May 2015. 

James Adomian is a well-known comedian and actor. He has guest starred on Comedy Central’s “@Midnight,” “The Meltdown” and “Drunk History.” He performed standup on John Oliver’s “New York Standup Show” on Comedy Central and on NBC’s “Last Comic Standing,” where he was a Top 10 finalist. His debut comedy album “Low Hangin’ Fruit” was released in 2012.

Actress/writer/comedian and cabaret dancer, Scout Durwood will be seen as the lead of the new MTV comedy tentatively titled “Dope Girls.” Her work has been featured on “The Mindy Project,” “Howard Stern,” “The Moth,” “Upright Citizens Brigade,” The Miss America Pageant and many more. 

At The Goddamn Comedy Jam, every comedian wants to be a star.  Comedians do a stand-up set and then perform their favorite cover song with a live band. This show rocks so hard it broke the stage- twice. Stand-up comedian Josh Adam Meyers and his band, Elemenopy, host the premiere underground event.

Tony Hinchcliffe is known for his writing on five of Comedy Central’s “Comedy Central Roasts.” He hosts his own weekly show podcast, “Kill Tony,” and has over 100,000 downloads per week. Tony’s one-hour special for Netflix, “One-Shot,” released in January 2016.

Maronzio Vance, the writer/actor/comedian is known for his blunt and sarcastic style. He has made appearances on “Wanda Sykes: Wanda Does It,” Jamie Fox’s “Laffapolooza,” “Last Comic Standing” and “The Tonight Show.” He co-stars in “Lopez,” starring George Lopez, as a series regular playing himself. 

Ian Abramson is a regular contributor to “The Onion” and is the creator and host of the Comedy Central digital show “7 Minutes in Purgatory.” He has made appearances on “The Comedy Show Show,” “Coming to the Stage” and more. His recent credits include ABC’s “The Middle” and History Channel’s “Join or Die.”

Julian McCullough is a comedian and actor who can be seen co-hosting “We Have Issues” on E! He has made appearances on “Inside Amy Schumer,” “Love You Mean It,” “Chelsea Lately,” “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon” and more. He won the “New York’s Funniest” comedy competition in 2008.

Brent Weinbach is a winner and recipient of the Andy Kaufman Award. He has made appearances on “Conan O’Brien Show,” “Lopez Tonight,” “@Midnight,” “Comedy Bang Bang,” “Meltdown,” “The Middle,” “Kroll Show” and more. He is also known for various internet videos such as “Ultimate Drumming Technique” and more. 

Byron Bowers is a stand-up comedian and actor. He has toured with Dave Chappelle, Hannibal Buress, Eric Andre and John Caparulo. He has made appearances with comedians such as Louis CK, Jim Gaffigan, Sarah Silverman and more. Appearances include “The Eric Andre Show,” “Adam Devine’s House Party” and more.

Brian Moses is a stand-up host, writer, producer and comedian. He is the creator and host of “Roast Battle” on Comedy Central. He writes for MTV’s “Wild N’ Out” and has featured for comics like Cheech & Chong, Sarah Silverman and Bill Burr. 

DJ Douggpound is a comedian, editor, writer and musician. His work has been featured on shows like “The Eric Andre Show,” “Portlandia” and “Tim & Eric’s Awesome Show.” He leads the internet series “Pound House” and the Adult Swim pilot “The Poundhole.”  

Ahmed Bharoocha is a stand-up comedian and actor. He has performed on “Conan” and “Adam Devine’s House Party.” His sketch-comedy group, “Dead Kevin,” has been featured on Comedy Central Studios, Funny or Die, Huffington Post UK and more. 

Ryan O’ Flanagan is a comedian. He is a member of the sketch group “Dead Kevin,” which airs on Comedy Central Digital. The group has been featured on Funny or Die, Huffington Post UK and more. Ryan has appeared on “New Girl” and was a new face at Montreal’s Just For Laughs Comedy Festival. 

Nemr is a stand-up comedian who is credited with establishing and pioneering the stand-up comedy scene throughout the Middle East. He has accomplished six full-feature specials, a prime-time television show “A Stand-Up Comedy Revolution” and two movie releases, “Epic” and “Victorious Secret.” 

Ashley Barnhill is a comedian known for her dark and compact one-liners. She has toured with Dave Chappelle and Marc Maron. She has written, directed and acted in many of her own short films, which have been featured on Funny or Die and Huffington Post. You can also catch her on “Drunk History” and “Maron.” 

Monroe Martin made his debut in 2014 on the 8th season of “Last Comic Standing” on NBC. He has made appearances on “Adam Devine’s House Party” and “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.” Monroe made his acting debut in the Netflix series “Master of None” and made a guest appearance on “The Jim Gaffigan Show.” 

Tulsa native Josh Fadem is a comedian who has made appearances on “Twin Peaks,” “Powerless,” “Better Call Saul” and “Freaks of Nature.” He also played a recurring role on “30 Rock” as Liz Lemon’s agent. Josh has been named a “Comic to Watch” by Variety, Nylong Magazine, Comedy Central and New York Comedy Festival. 

Johnny Pemberton is an actor/writer/comedian originally from Oklahoma who was most recently seen Marvel’s “Ant-Man.” He has appeared at the Just For Laughs Toronto Festival and co-headlined a U.S. stand-up tour with Matt Braunger sponsored by Funny or Die. He regularly performs stand-up comedy in venues around Los Angeles. 

Megan Gailey made her late-night debut on “The Conan O’Brien Show.” She participated in the Just For Laughs “New Faces” and was a finalist in NYC’s Laughing Devil Fest. She has been a featured performer at the Traverse City Winter Comedy Festival, New York Comedy Festival and Comedy Expo. 

Jeremiah Watkins is a comedian. He performs regularly at The Comedy Store, The Improv, The Laugh Factory and more. Watkins has appeared at Just For Laughs in Montreal, Comedy Central’s New York Comedy Festival, South by Southwest and Riot LA. He can also be seen on “Jimmy Kimmel Live” and Comedy Centrals’ “Roast Battle.” 

WHO, WHERE, WHALE

YOUR BLUE WHALE COMEDY FESTIVAL SCHEDULE

Thursday, September 8

Blue Whale Comedy Short Film Fest
6:30 – 8:30 pm
Woody Guthrie Center Theatre
Festival passes or $5 at the door

Blue Whale Kick-off Party with Vincent Carbone
8 pm – 12 am
​Soundpony Bar

Friday, September 9

Okie Homie Showcase Hosted by Evan Hughes
4 – 6 PM
​Soundpony Bar

Loosen Your Typros with Julian McCullough & Scout Durwood
Also: Charlie Vergos, Raj Suresh
5 – 7 PM
Inner Circle Vodka Bar

Monroe Martin & Ahmed Bharoocha
Also: Jame Draper, CJ Lance
6:30 – 7:30 PM
The Yeti Inside

Megan Gailey & Brent Weinbach
Also: Jay Light, Ryan Green
6:30 – 7:30 PM
The Vanguard

The You Oughta Know Showcase Hosted by Thomas King
7:30 – 8:45 PM
The Hunt Club

Josh & Johnny’s Special Variety Hour
8 – 9 PM
​Soundpony Bar

7 Mins In Purgatory with Ian Abramson
Also: Andrew Deacon, Megan Gailey, Steven King, Brent Weinbach, Ashley Barnhill, Brian Moses, Maronzio Vance, & more!
8 – 9 PM
Fly Loft

James Adomian
Also: Byron Bowers, Shawna Blake, Alex Sanchez
8 – 9 PM
Club Majestic

Eric Andre
Also: Ryan O’Flanagan, Steven King, DJ Douggpound
9:30 – 10:50 PM
Cain’s Ballroom

Melt Your Face with George Turbo
Also: Darku
10 PM – Close
​Soundpony Bar

Saturday, September 10

Comedy Roundtable w/ Brent Weinback, Ashley Barnhill, Katie Stone, Tony Hinchcliffe, and Jason Webb
Hosted by Michael Zampino
12 – 1:15 PM
Comedy Parlor

Special Screening – TBA
1 – 2 PM
Fly Loft

Industry Roundtable w/ Abbey Londer, Charlie Sotelo, Tyler Amato, and Toby Morton
Hosted by Ryan Drake
2 – 3:15 PM
Fly Loft

Family Friendly Comedy Show w/ Crayons Improv and Gary Thompson
4 – 5 PM
Fly Loft

Podcast: The Poundcast w/ DJ Douggpound
Guests: Brent Weinbach & More!
4 – 5 PM
Comedy Parlor

Okie Homie Showcase Hosted by Uncle Gary
4 – 6 PM
​Soundpony Bar

NEMR
Also: CR Parsons, Ryan Howell
5:30 – 7 PM
The Vanguard 

Maronzio Vance & Ashley Barnhill
Also: Justin Smith, Jake McKenzie
6  – 7 PM
The Hunt Club

Tony Hinchcliffe & Ryan O’Flanagan
Also: Abby Stassen, Josh Lathe, Cian Baker, Rich Shaw
6  – 7 PM
Inner Circle Vodka Bar

Nate Bargatze
Also: Jason Webb, Andrew Deacon
6  – 7:30 PM
Club Majestic 

Brian Moses & Josh Adam Meyers
Also: Allie Amrien, Jeremiah Watkinds, Michael Zampino
6:30  – 7:30 PM
The Yeti Inside

Josh Fadem & Johnny Pemberton
Also: Katherine Jessup, Cameron Buchholtz
7:30 – 8:30 PM
The Hunt Club

Fortune Feimster
Also: Monroe Martin, Jasmine Ellis, Spencer Hicks
8 – 9:15 PM
Cain’s Ballroom 

BWCF Open Mic with Special Guests
8 – 9:30 PM
​Soundpony Bar 

Podcast: Julian Loves Music
8 – 9:30 PM
The Vanguard

The You Oughta Know Showcase Hosted by Dan Fritschie
9 – 10 PM
Inner Circle Vodka Bar

DJEd & Brother’s Griiin
10 PM – Close
​Soundpony Bar

Ron Funches
Also: Brian Moses, Ella Gale, Ashley Barnhill
10:30 – 11:45 PM
Cain’s Ballroom

After Party: Goddamn Comedy Jam
Also: DJ Douggpound
10:30 – 1:30 PM
The Yeti Backyard

Sunday, September 11

Wake & Bacon Brunch
​Maronzio Vance, Ahmed Bharoocha, and more!
11:30 AM
Hey Mambo
(No passes, separate tickets purchased for this event)

For more Blue Whale Comedy Festival coverage, read Claire Edwards's profile of headliner Fortune Feimster, Joe O'Shansky's profile of Blue Whale Comedy Short Film Fest co-curator Toby Morton, and Mitch Gilliam's profile of Okie Homies host Evan Hughes.