Anthony Lobaito
A wildly eccentric true-life storyteller, Anthony gives a bizarre perspective on what makes him what he is. Self awareness is the main tool he uses to keep the audience in stitches. From indecision on an riding an elevator to why you should never rob someone who owns a Michael Myers costume, Anthony is full of it, and ‘it’ is laughs.
-Stand Up Showdown 2011 Finalist -Underground Comedy Presents: Where No Nerd Has Gone BeforeAlex Carter
Popular culture, especially late night TV, as well as odd human behavior are comedy fodder for this accomplished comic and professional visual artist. Alex has become an endearingly fun and positive comic to watch and a promoter and ally of everyone in local stand up.
-Regular host at Beechwood Comedy Showcase -Logo design for multiple showcases as well as Standupdesmoines.comAmanda Geisel
One of the most off the wall stand ups you’ll see anywhere, Amanda draws on her life as a geek and accompanying social anxiety to build hilarious diatribes about her own life and even silly songs about the worst celebrity crushes a person could have.
-Funniest Person in Iowa Winner (Cedar Rapids Competition)-6 Chicks and a Mic (2011)
Andrew Lopez
Wordplay is a hallmark of this accomplished young comic who highlights the silliness of the dating scene, social norms, and writes letters to college newspapers to correct assumptions about how flexible men are with their own…free time.
-Host and producer of the M-Shop Comedy Series at ISU as well as their open mic -Stand Up Showdown 2011 FinalistAshley Poier
Race and sex are just some of the topics that Ashley attacks in her sets. Gravitating between delivering the truth of a situation with blunt honesty to swinging into the absurd. She is the organizer and promoter of the Comedy Showcase series at Beechwood Lounge.
-Stand Up Showdown 2011 Finalist -Iowa Comedy Festival and Underground Comedy present: Comedy CosmologyBen Herman
One of the original voices in the revitalization of the DM comedy scene over ten years ago Ben has been telling jokes for a while. He now hosts and runs Open Mic Boogaloo at the Fremont first and third Mondays monthly. His brainchild ‘Stand Up DesMoines’ is a unilateral promotional effort for Stand Up in Des Moines. Ben’s stand up chops have been featured in multiple albums, winning and placing in multiple comedy contests over his tenure as a comic.
-Stand Up Showdown 2011 Finalist and Winner -Iowa Comedy Festival and Underground Comedy present: Comedy CosmologyBilly Short
Acerbic wordplay and clever, hard-hitting, tight jokes are in no short (pun) supply for this comic. His wit and stage presence are deadpan to a degree, but rapid fire enough he grabs your attention and keeps moving. If you’re too slow for him, the loss is yours because his jokes sharp, fun, and oh…he’s a tremendous whistler.
Underground Comedy Showcase: ArmaGideon Wonder-ground presents: Highbrow + Lowbrow= Raised EyebrowBrad Gilbert
Brad likes his jokes like he likes his coffee: full of social and political commentary on the world we live in. Needless to say, he dips the New Yorker into his red-eye every morning. Brad’s style of joke writing moves toward absurdism and his delivery is wild and off kilter.
Stand Up Showdown 2011 Underground Comedy Showcase 2012 ( TBA)Brandon Ream
Brandon ‘Best Believe’ Ream has made a quick and indelible mark on DSM Stand Up. He’s the Host of Airborne Comedy at the Underground on the second and Fourth Mondays monthly. Brandon has defined himself as a guy whose style is predominately jokes and wordplay, but he also delves into longer storytelling bits flavored with a touch of the wacky.
Stand Up Showdown 2011 Underground Comedy Showcase 2012 ( TBA)Caitlin Farrell
A hard drinkin, hard living badgirl, Caitlin personifies the burgeoning trend of wild raunchy women in comedy. Simultaneously vicious and vulnerable she keeps the audience off-balance with her juxtaposition of collegiate wit and street wisdom.
-6 Chicks and a Mic (2011)Dan Umthun
I don’t talk to him much. I think he’s an alcoholic. Did I hear somewhere he was a she? Or a lesbian. I heard that somewhere I think.
He’s the host and director (if there is such a title) of Underground Comedy, the writer for Undergroundcomedy.org and the artist behind most of the promotional material and logos for the site, show, and showcases. Going for the absurd, the ‘nerdy’, the abjected, and the highbrow are his goals in stand up. His action figure collection cost more than your car and his IQ is higher than your systolic pressure after a pack of Marlboros. He is the Doctor Doom of Des Moines Stand Up: An delusional dictator with levitator boots and repulsor gloves. And jokes about Star Wars.
If Ernest Hemmingway banged Katherine Hepburn (Which lets admit, probably happened anyway) and then that kid was forced to bang Lady Gaga then they put her in a time machine and sent her to 1981 to give birth; that child would be as close to Dan as you could get if his mother was a gross Italian girl with a lazy eye and lupus.
And yes, this entry is long because this is my website and it put it here. No, No it’s not self serving. Half of it is ridiculous and the other half is sort of self deprecating.
Eddie Rhodes
The broadcasting dynamo behind Giant! Rants! Attack! Eddie has been a promoter of the scene and comic. Real life and observation jokes are the hallmark of his laid back style.
-Stand Up Showdown 2011 -Underground Comedy Showcase: Marc Von Awesome (2011)Gideon Hambright
A down to earth absurdist storyteller, Gideon relates oddities and eccentricities of life as well as fanciful impressionistic exaggerations of the world we live in. His stage presence and person is as wild, wacky, and friendly as his jokes are.
-Underground Comedy Showcase: ArmaGideon -Iowa Comedy Festival and Underground Comedy present: Comedy CosmologyGreg Altoff
Greg is one of the most recognizable names in Des Moines stand up and sketch comedy for good reason. He’s been involved in multiple sketch groups, won comedy contests and promoted his own series of showcases highlighting talent from around the midwest. He also hosted Comedy Splash at Billy Joes Pitcher Show, prior to the closing of the original establishment. Gregs style is self described as ‘smart comedy done stupidly’. And while his stage act takes on the persona of a charmingly oblivious everyman, Greg is far from stupid. His material is polished and clever and hits on subjects like trying to deal with friends hooking up with horrifically ugly people, and getting pulled over by a bike cop. He’s sort of the Optimus Prime of Des Moines Stand Up.
Underground Comedy Presents: Greg Altoff (2010)Greg Timmerman
‘If you like feeling awkward’ as one website has written ‘you’ll love Greg Timmerman’ Granted, that website was written and edited (hilariously) by a non-native English speaker. Gregs style is nothing short of charming and puts the audience at ease. Combinations of wordplay, anecdotes, and bits about being out of touch with the future of pop culture Greg has his finger on the pulse of the current movement in stand up.
-Underground Comedy Showcase: Where no Nerd has Gone Before -Stand Up Showdown 2011Jack Lewis
Jack got his start in Iowa City building the comedy showcase at the Summit. Working with some of the biggest names in national and midwest stand up, Jack has established himself as a great performer and promoter. He also currently supervises a weekly showcase at Fat Tony’s in Des Moines.
-Underground Comedy Showcase FrylingualJeff Caudill
Life with a family as crazy as Jeffs would have driven another man to the brink. Not Jeff Caudill, he takes it in stride and makes it fun. Humor about his kids and wife that’s fun and accessible has made Jeff a staple performer around the Midwest as a Funnybone MC and also as a performer at the top resorts and casinos in the Midwest. Jeff’s recent comedy album was rated highly on iTunes. Jeff is also an unabashed Transformers fanatic which totally endears him to me.
Jeff Davis
Named for a notable confederate president, this legend of Des Moines stand up must truly be seen to be believed. Pirates named Fudgebeard and what kind of liquor store he’d open on Beaver Ave are just some of his many now classic bits.
-Underground Comedy Showcase 2010 -Stand Up Showdown Outstanding Performer 2010,2011Jerad Cherniss
A pop culturist and storyteller, Jerad touches on his love of icons such as Brad Pitt and Batman. He’s been a host of Comedy on Court at Peoples and at Ak O’Connors downtown. His fun and absurd everyman way of looking at things makes him a joy to watch.
Underground Comedy Showcase 2012 ( TBA)Jeremy Hall
A musician and comic, Jeremy has become a tireless promoter and cheerleader of our local scene as well as distinguishing himself as a great comic in his own right with a finalist placing in C4 this year.
Underground Comedy Showcase 2012 (TBA)Jerry Tuttle
Des Moines King of rapid fire one liners and crazy stories, Jerry explains what the best breakfast in America truly is, and why you should never swear around your kids even if you’ve hurt yourself. One of the funnest and quickest sure fire comics in town, Jerry is sure to make you laugh no matter what.
-Stand Up Showdown 2011 Finalist and WinnerJoel Fry
The promoter behind the 2010 and 2011 Iowa Comedy Festivals, as well as the Co-host of Billy Jokes, the current incarnation of the long running original comedy open mic that started as Comedy Karaoke many years ago, Joel has defined himself as a comic as well. Ever wonder what unsung hobbies Jeffery Dahmer had, or what its like to hook up with a woman who has a small child living with her you never knew about? Joel has. And he’ll tell you all about it. From the realm of the silly, Joels light hearted fun jokes make him an excellent comic and a solid host as a cornerstone and friend of local comics in town.
-Underground Comedy Showcase: Frylingual Underground Comedy Showcase 2012 (TBA)Joey Ficken
Joey is living proof that you can go through life in sweatpants, and he’s determined to live that way no matter what it costs him. Joey’s style is a little self-deprecating, but endearing. He takes the audience on a journey of what its like to watch extenze commercials alone, look like a 45 year old man at 23 and the regularity with which he accidentally swears.
-Underground Comedy Showcase: Ames INVASION -Iowa Comedy Festival and Underground Comedy present: Comedy CosmologyJohn Eide
A freestyle rapper by training, this guy is proof that although white kids may love hip-hop, they love laughing more. His delivery and jokes have a timing and rhythm certainly influenced by a love of rap, wordplay and silliness are becoming a part of this comics personal style.
Underground Comedy Showcase 2012 ( TBA)Jordan Michael Tuerler
Often traveling with other local acts like Mack Mackus and RC Magnum, Jordan’s wit and stage presence often take the audience by surprise. The man’s a sexy dancer, sexy sexy in his trademark suspenders. If his clever wit doesn’t charm you, his skill at euro-electrosynth-avant-pop-house-trance will blow your freakin mind.
-Stand Up Showdown 2011 Finalist and Winner -Underground Comedy Showcase: Ames INVASIONLewis Bissett
A Des Moines area native, Lewis and his good friend Scout Wendricks revitalized the stand up scene in Des Moines in 2004 when they started Comedy Karaoke at Billy Joes Pitcher Show, opening the door for dozens of new comics to get a chance, introducing whats now become a familiar format of comedy contest locally and generally making it viable for untempered, raw, and unknown voices to take the stage and start making people laugh. He’s an accomplished comic and host in his own right certainly and is a Co-Host of Billy Jokes, the current incarnation at the renovated Billy Joes.
Underground Comedy Showcase 2012 (tba)Luke Ritter
With a delivery that sounds like a homicidal Garrison Keillor or a very relaxed Dennis Leary, Luke Ritter addresses the ridiculous circumstance in the mundane. A regular writer of new material, Luke always presents something new and different.
Underground Comedy Showcase 2012 ( TBA)Marc Von Ahnen
From wondering why Downs Syndrome isn’t contagious to how bored Lewis and Clark must have been going through Texas, Marc brings material deconstructing things we take for granted. Don’t expect Marc to be too formal, his style is personal and fun and wins the audience.
-Underground Comedy Showcase: Marc Von Awesome -Stand Up Showdown 2010Mike Kitzman
The organizer and host of the All Comedy Open Circus events on Thursday Evenings at the 4th Street Theatre. Mike is often described as a hipster, but that’s only because he dresses like a hobo and drinks cheap beer. Fortunately he’s not only a funny stand up, but also a very cool guy, and no amount of Grain Belt can improve on that.
-Underground Comedy Showcase 2012 (TBA)Morgan Hart
If you want a female comic to talk about her period and dieting go somewhere else. Morgan likes to deliver thoughts on dating and life through a sweet and fun lens.
-6 Chicks and a Mic (2011)Nick Costanzo
Nick likes to set the audience up for curveballs. He’s the kind of guy who likes to think his material out and get as much out of a topic as he can, a rarity in a writer and a talent any stand up comic should be envious of. His thin and youthful stature belies a voice full of authority and timber that keeps the audience with him.
-Stand Up Showdown 2011 Finalist -Underground Comedy Showcase 2012 ( TBA)Patrick Hastie
If you’ve ever seen Patrick, you know he doesn’t need a microphone. Patricks got a stage presence like curtains and a web presence like a spider. Patrick has been hosting a series of podcasts call ‘Tolstoi Made Shoes’ which features local and sometimes even national comics.
-Iowa Comedy Festival and Underground Comedy present: Comedy CosmologySam Hogan
A student at Baylor, Sam’s time in Des Moines is limited, but certainly enjoyed. His style is primarily marked by extremely tight well written one liners that take the audience by surprise.
-Underground Comedy Showcase: Marc Von AwesomeScott Vermulm
How impossible it was commit suicide in the 16th century and stupid skepticism pepper Scotts smart forward thinking look at a society that’s slowly collapsing of its simultaneous appetites and absurdity. Scott, also an accomplished visual artist, blends the starkly bleak with the fun and ridiculous. Scott also hosts, records and produces the unbelievably well-produced ‘No Segways podcast at Podbean. Really, its one of the most fun and silly non-stand-up side projects anyone locally has produced. He’s also an occasional cohost here at Underground Comedy.
-Iowa Comedy Festival and Underground Comedy present: Comedy CosmologySireono Sheley
Expect wildly ecclectic and imaginative stories and unique musical bits highlighted by theatricality when Sireono takes the stage. A practiced musician and music producer, Sireono has made a mark as a creative wit and strikingly exciting performer.
-The Underground Comedy Showcase -Underground Comedy Presents: The New ChallengersToll McGrane
Have you ever heard someone talk about a prosthetic vagina in golden radio voice? I thought not. Toll is a fun and witty performer who touches on a variety of subjects ranging from web swinging superheroes in skyscraper-less cities to having the most incredibly sexy car in the world. He never fails to entertain. While he enjoys making fun of himself quite a bit, he’s got a keen eye for odd things and behavior that he sees and highlights through his performances.
-Winner C4 2011 -Stand Up Showdown 2011 Finalist and WinnerTravis Cherniss
Travis is sort of like the Kim Jong-Il of Comedy. He’s not dead, its more that you’ve never got an idea of what he’s planning until he’s on stage and it might or might not involve nuclear weapons being detonated somewhere in near Japan. An accomplished actor and improv, he’s also contributed to several sketch groups in the area as a writer as well. Tirades at the various people who populate the mad world Travis lives in are a hallmark of his style.
Underground Comedy Showcase 2012 ( TBA)Wes Cozad
If you’re walking down the street at night and someone follows you, you’d better hope that someone is Wes Cozad because he totally won’t rape you. He might look at you and undress you with his eyes, but he won’t rape and murder you. Wes highlights the horrors of dating and the social awkwardness of modern life in his act. He’s a staple performer and friend to all. Wes also helps out as a co-host here at Underground Comedy.
Underground Comedy Showcase: Frylingual Underground Comedy Showcase 2012 ( TBA)