Don't Tell Comedy
 | |
| Industry | Comedy |
|---|---|
| Founded | 2017 |
| Founder | Kyle Kazanjian-Amory |
| Headquarters | Los Angeles, California |
Area served | Over 100 cities throughout the United States, Canada, and United Kingdom[1] |
Key people | Kyle Kazanjian-Amory (CEO) |
| Website | https://www.donttellcomedy.com |
Don't Tell Comedy is a live stand-up comedy company that creates pop-up comedy shows in unique, non-traditional locations in over 100 cities in the United States.[2] Founded in 2017, the company is based in Los Angeles, California.[3]
History[edit]
Founder Kyle Kazanjian-Amory wanted to create local stand-up shows that felt more both more casual than a comedy club and more professional than other local independent shows. The company first started producing shows in locations around Los Angeles before expanding to other cities.
In March 2020, Don't Tell Comedy had to cancel shows and stop running live events due to the coronavirus pandemic. The company began creating digital content and live-streamed events, including a trivia format and private corporate events.
As of 2022, the company has produced shows in more than 100 cities in the United States,[3] including Atlanta,[4] Chicago,[5] Denver, Grand Rapids,[6] Las Vegas, Milwaukee,[7] Nashville, Palo Alto,[8] San Diego, San Francisco,[9] and others.
Shows[edit]
The typical Don't Tell Comedy show is held in a non-traditional venue with an average of five comedians, running for roughly 90 minutes. When selling tickets to events, only the date, time, and neighborhood are advertised. The specific location is later revealed on the day of the show. The final lineup is only known at the actual show. Events are normally BYOB.
Some shows have been filmed and posted to the Don't Tell Comedy YouTube channel.[10]
Digital Video[edit]
In 2021, Don't Tell Comedy released its first comedy special with comedian Danny Jolles. The video was released in collaboration with 800 Pound Gorilla Records and was distributed via YouTube and Amazon Prime Video.[11] The New York Times listed the special as part of their "Best Comedy of 2021" wrap-up, labeling the special as 2021's "Best Grand Unified Theory."[12] Forbes notes, "The project accomplished what Jolles set out to do: make a comedy special that’s actually, you know, special."[13]
In early 2022, Don't Tell Comedy began releasing digital content on social platforms such as YouTube, Facebook, TikTok, and Instagram, highlighting lineups of emerging comedians across the United States including Ralph Barbosa whose set earned 4.6M views on YouTube. [14][15][16] Other comedians who have released sets with Don't Tell Comedy include Fumi Abe, Andrea Jin, Leslie Liao, Opeyemi Olagbaju, and Gianmarco Soresi.[17][18][19]
Notable performers[edit]
| Performer | Notability |
|---|---|
| Michael Che | Cast member of Saturday Night Live |
| Sam Jay | Writer for Saturday Night Live, co-star of PAUSE with Sam Jay |
| Iliza Shlesinger | 2008 winner of NBC's Last Comic Standing, host of Excused and TBS game show Separation Anxiety |
| Ali Wong | Best known for Netflix stand-up specials Baby Cobra, Hard Knock Wife, and Don Wong |
| Nikki Glaser | Host of Not Safe with Nikki Glaser |
| Bill Burr | Comedy Specials include: You People Are All the Same, I'm Sorry You Feel That Way, Walk Your Way Out and Paper Tiger. |
References[edit]
- ^ Don't Tell Comedy website
- ^ Brodsky, Rachel (2022-06-15). "How these secret L.A. comedy shows became the hottest ticket outside the club circuit". LA Times. Retrieved 2022-06-18.
- ^ a b Post, Lisa Ryan Special to the (2023-08-01). "Surprise venues and lots of laughs: Don't Tell Comedy is here in Newark". Newark Post. Retrieved 2023-09-19.
- ^ Feaster, Felicia, "The best live show in town might be in your own living room", The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, retrieved 28 June 2022
- ^ Freeman, Zach, "You don't know what comedians or where they'll play, you just show up: Shhh, Don't Tell Comedy", Chicago Tribune, retrieved 28 June 2022
- ^ Poirier, Abby, "Mystery comedy show to play in Grand Rapids", Grand Rapids Magazine, retrieved 28 June 2022
- ^ Kirby, Hannah, "These secret comedy shows are put on in Milwaukee — and across the country. Here's what to know and how to go.", Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, retrieved 28 June 2022
- ^ Greenberg, Jack, "'Don't Tell Comedy' provides an inventive twist on the comedy club formula", The Stanford Daily, retrieved 28 June 2022
- ^ Jones, Kevin, "Don't Tell Comedy brings mystery and a new audience to live comedy", SF Chronicle Datebook, retrieved 28 June 2022
- ^ "Don't Tell Comedy YouTube channel", Youtube, retrieved 20 June 2022
- ^ "Danny Jolles - 6 Parts (Full Comedy Special)", Youtube, retrieved 28 June 2022
- ^ Zinoman, Jason (17 December 2021), "Best Comedy of 2021", The New York Times, retrieved 28 June 2022
- ^ Bloom, David. "Danny Jolles Sees Both Sides Now In Interactive Comedy Special On YouTube". Forbes. Retrieved 2023-09-14.
- ^ Pandya, Hershal (28 June 2022), "This Weed Joke Is As Potent As Today's Weed", Vulture, retrieved 28 June 2022
- ^ "Maybe some people don't know who Ralph Barbosa is, but the comedy world is about to learn". Los Angeles Times. 2023-02-22. Retrieved 2023-09-14.
- ^ Grobar, Matt (2023-09-20). "Comedian Ralph Barbosa Sets Fall Launch For First Netflix Special 'Cowabunga'". Deadline. Retrieved 2023-09-21.
- ^ Alter, Rebecca; Clark, Anne Victoria; Fox, Jesse David; Frank, Jason P.; Kroeger, Jake; Pandya, Hershal; VanArendonk, Kathryn (2023-10-02). "The Comedians You Should and Will Know in 2023". Vulture. Retrieved 2023-10-02.
- ^ Grobar, Matt (2023-10-23). "'Verified Stand-Up' Series Sets Netflix Premiere Date; Asif Ali, Dulcé Sloan, Rosebud Baker & Sabrina Wu Among Performers". Deadline. Retrieved 2023-10-23.
- ^ Humphrey, Julia (2023-10-23). "Netflix Announces New Comedy Special 'Verified Stand-Up'". Collider. Retrieved 2023-10-24.
