Tag Archives: houston comedy

Training Day with Steve Flye

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NewFlyeBy David Gavri

Born in Houston, seasoned in Los Angeles, Steve Flye has spent the last fifteen years entertaining audiences all over the world. And that’s just for comedy. An all-around entertainer, ever since the age of five, Flye was starring in commercials for CBS. Throughout his childhood, he successfully auditioned for a choir known as The Singing Boys of Houston. So at an early age, Flye became accustomed to performing and life on the road as he toured with the choir for years. He was granted the opportunity to perform in places like San Fransisco, Canada, and New York’s famous, Carnegie Hall.

In 1997 Flye was first introduced to comedy at Houston’s Laff Stop where he entered Houston’s Funniest Person Contest, finishing in the final four. That same year, he moved to Los Angeles, where he spent his career acting, writing, and performing comedy. Flye has made quite a name for himself out there in the Los Angeles comedy circuit, appearing in top comedy clubs, such as the famous Hollywood Improv, The Ice House Comedy Club, and The Laugh Factory. Flye has been seen on BET’s Comic View, Loco Comedy Jam, CSI: Las Vegas, and recently, Bar Rescue on SPIKE. Getting Steve Flye to agree to this interview was easy, but attaining the interview from him was rather difficult. Although, CSiH managed to pull it together and make it happen. These are the events that took place throughout the Steve Flye interview. Catch him tonight and all weekend as he performs with Corey Holcomb at the Houston Improv.

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Aaron Aryanpur: Funniest Comic in Texas 2012

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Aaron Aryanpur headshotBy: Steven Padilla

Aaron Aryanpur has opened up for the Axis of Evil Tour. He was also named Maxim Magazine/Bud Light “Real Men of Comedy.” From Dallas, he’s been gracing the comedy stage for over 10 years. Fresh off of winning the Funniest Comic in Texas contest, he gave of some of his time.

First of all, congratulations on winning Funniest Comic in Texas. How does is feel?

It feels pretty good. Really good. A lot of people gave me a lot of support. With that was added pressure. People were saying that they were counting on me. More and more each year I was in this contest.

How many years have you been in this contest?

Since it began. Five years now. It may be easier for me to say this now that I have won, but I don’t like contest at all.

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The Cocaine Crazed Cholo Interview

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CRAZYCHOLOBy Coleman Cox

Some people say that you shouldn’t interview the cocaine crazed cholo at the end of your street. Some other, less motivated, mainstream journalists might scoff at the idea. Hell, some websites wouldn’t even post something like that.

“It’s a bad idea.” They say. “Don’t push buttons that don’t need to be pushed!” They warn. “Get out of my house! I don’t have anything valuable!” they plead. Well, I know better. I won’t be scared by their warnings. Their childish worries. Their threats to call the police if I don’t put some pants on and get out of their house. Then they get all mad when I steal their pants.

I’m not that type of journalist. I don’t listen to those people. I don’t listen to common sense, no matter how common. I don’t care about your opinions. And on top of all that, I’m lucky enough to know one site with the cajones and foresight to get this information out. Continue reading →

Battle for Funniest Comic in Texas

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FCIT

By David Gavri

By The ultimate contest is here! And the crown is for the funniest person in Texas! Big state—big competition. Comics from all over Texas have done whatever it takes to get in on the action. When it’s all said and done, a total of 70 comics will have competed against each other for the title. And it all takes place tonight and tomorrow night at The Addison Improv in Dallas!

The breakdown of the contest goes like this: It consists of six semifinal rounds, in which the sixth and final round takes place tonight. Only the top two comics from each semifinal round advance to the finals. The final twelve will be competing tomorrow night for a first place prize of $1,000, a weekend featuring spot, AND a one-nighter headlining spot.

The competing comics of the Houston comedy scene include: Matthew Broussard, Theodore M.E. Taylor, Barrett Goldsmith, and Owen Dunn. Broussard won this year’s Stand Up Stand Off Contest, and he won this year’s Houston’s Funniest Person Contest—in which Goldsmith placed second in the final round that also included Dunn. M.E. Taylor won Houston’s Funniest Person Contest last year. The Houston team is stacked, and they’re ready to take on the state of Texas. Here’s what they had to say: Continue reading →

Juan Villareal: Texas Bad Boy

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By David Gavri

Juan Villareal is a name that’s practically legendary in this city. He’s shared the stage with some of the greatest: Steve Harvey, Paul Rodriguez, Cedric the Entertainer, Jamie Foxx, and Carlos Mencia. His TV credits are outstanding. He’s appeared on HBO and Showtime, and he’s performed on BET’s Comic View an honorary eleven times—more than any other comedian. For the past twenty years, he’s been traveling the country, entertaining audiences from coast to coast. But no matter how long he’s on stage, it’s never enough. He always leaves the crowd wanting more. Get your fix this weekend, as he takes the stage tonight and tomorrow night, right here in town, at The Comedy Showcase.

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Duncan Trussell: Family Hour

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By David Gavri

Duncan Trussell is a writer, actor, and stand up comedian who can be seen regularly at the Hollywood Improv and The Comedy Store in Los Angeles. He has written and appeared in sketches for Fuel TV’s Stupidface, Showtime’s La La Land, Comedy Central’s Nick Swardson’s Pretend Time, and HBO’s Funny or Die Presents. Recent TV credits include MADtV, Curb Your Enthusiasm, and Roots 3. Duncan hosts his own podcast, The Duncan Trussell Family Hour, and he frequently appears on Joe Rogan’s podcast, The Joe Rogan Experience. Currently in the middle of a tour, Duncan’s next stop is right here in Houston, tonight at Fitzgerald’s.We were lucky to meet him and talk with him about his tour, his podcast, and psychedelic meditation.

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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 →

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 →