Category Archives: Comedy Scene in Houston

Talkin’ Shop with Nick Guerra

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By David Gavri

After featuring at the Houston Improv, Nick Guerra shared some words of advice about comedy. Nick not only performs stand up, but he’s also a writer, an actor, a director, and a producer. His hard work and dedication has granted him opportunities to perform with Jo Koy, Felipe Esparza, Anjelah Johnson, Pablo Francisco, and very recently, Gabriel Islagias on Comedy Central. He’s doin’ it right. His knowledge and his experience is something that we can all learn from.  Continue reading →

Andy Huggins: The Wise Old Man

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By David Gavri

The oldest member of the Texas Outlaw Comics, Andy Huggins is a veteran comic who came up during a time when Houston’s greatest included: Riley Barber, Steve Epstein, John Farneti, Jimmy Pineapple, Ron Shock, and Bill Hicks. A Houston favorite, Huggins was a graduate of both The Comedy Store in Los Angeles and Houston’s legendary, The Comedy Workshop. Throughout his career, he’s opened for Ray Charles, he’s written for Billy Crystal and The Academy Awards, and he’s developed superstars like Bill Hicks and Jay Leno. He has seen it all, he’s done it all, and he’s here to share with us his wisdom. Continue reading →

Maz Jobrani: Brown and Friendly

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By David Gavri

Maz Jobrani is a Persian American stand up comedian who was raised in the San Fransisco Bay Area, where he earned a degree at UC Berkeley. He was later accepted into UCLA’s Ph.D. program. While there, Maz visited the university’s prestigious theater program and was immediately hooked on acting—something he was involved with as a kid. He left the Ph.D. program and decided to pursue his childhood passion of acting and performing.

Maz’s first big break came as a founding member of the Axis of Evil Comedy Central Special, which premiered in 2007. It was the first show on American television with an all Middle Eastern American cast. The tour performed in the United States, and later went over to the Middle East, selling out shows in Dubai, Beirut, Cairo, Kuwait, and Amman, Jordan—where they performed in front of the king and queen.

Maz followed up his Axis of Evil tour with a Showtime special, Maz Jobrani: Brown & Friendly, for which he toured all over the world. He is currently working on his next special, Browner & Friendlier.

Since then, Maz has made TV appearances on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, The Late Show with Craig Ferguson, Lopez Tonight, Comedy Central’s Premium Blend, and The Colbert Report. Maz has also played roles in Ice Cube’s Friday After Next and Sydney Pollack’s The Interpreter.

And after selling out the entire weekend at The Improv, Maz took the time out of his busy schedule to hang with us and share his story. Continue reading →

Friends With Complications

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By Al Bahmani

It’s not often true friendship and show business combine. No matter how hard you try, you really can’t like everyone. Everyone you like might like you less. Especially when it comes to work or the possibility of future work. Who needs 30 pieces of silver when you have a spot to perform at a pub? Alliances and rivalries come and go at the drop of a hat. Despite all your cynicism, and self doubt, you meet someone and you make a friend.

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Theodore M.E. Taylor: Comedian, Performer

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By David Gavri

An all-around performer, Theodore M.E. Taylor is more than just a comedian. He’s also a singer, an actor, a storyteller, and a writer. Theo is part of the comedy troupe known as The Deadbeat Club, whose members include: Steven Katz, Keith Manning, John Gard, Frank Garcia, and Mark Hurtado. In 2011, Theo was crowned as Houston’s Funniest Person, and continues to kill it. You can catch him at The Improv–Houston’s biggest stage. We were lucky to hang with Theo and learn a few things about himself as well as the art of comedy.

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Rob Mungle: The Reverend

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By David Gavri

Both feared and revered, Rob Mungle, A.K.A. The Reverend, has been a staple of the stand-up comedy world here in Houston since the early 1990s. His brazen style and his foul language have caught the attention of comedy fans everywhere. And his near-bloody conflicts with the IRS, anime fans, along with strip-club managers have turned his punchlines into legendary stories.

Mungle is also a voice actor, as well as the founder of the highly successful comedy group known as The Whiskey Brothers. Needless to say, Robert Mungle is highly entertaining. We had the opportunity to hang with Mungle after his set to talk about the Houston comedy scene—what it used to be, and what it still can be. Continue reading →

Ali Siddiq: Houston Legend

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By David Gavri

Without a doubt, Ali Siddiq is a Houston comedy legend. To date, Ali has toured and has worked with comedy’s most notable talent to date. The list includes: D.L. Hughley, Katt Williams, J. Anthony Brown, Bruce Bruce, Bill Belamy, and Mike Epps, among others. His TV credits go something like this:
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Paul Oddo: Oddo Man Out

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By David Gavri & Al Bahmani

When I first started doing stand-up, there was a Houston Press article about Paul Oddo. I studied it like it was a strategy guide for a Nintendo game.  —Chase Durousseau

Nominated as “Best Local Comedian” by The Houston Press in 2006, Paul Oddo’s style is different from the classic set up, punchline formula. With Oddo, there is always a story. It takes time and attention to appreciate his style, but have faith in him, he’s worth it. Plain spoken and unpretentious, Oddo weaves a narrative tapestry thas full of twists, turns, and unexpected surprises. Currently residing in New York City, Oddo takes some time off from self-promotion to catch up and tell us what he’s been up to. Continue reading →

Houston Improv Open Mic Night: Be There

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By Steven Padilla

Open Mic Night is Back

It has been well over a year since The Houston Improv hosted an open mic. When there was one, it was held consistently every month or so.

On September 5, 2012, it was resurrected. This time on a more consistent basis. The plan is to have the open mic every other week. The dates are posted on the Improv website.

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