Ella Fritts got her start in comedy by going to Second City to take improv classes. She took the stand-up classes the next year and is still going. Now in her eighth year and growing in St. Louis' deep scene, she released her YouTube Special, "We Should Write Together," on Wednesday, March 15. She's traveling the country -- on small tours and participating in comedy festivals -- and loves any time she can get away from St. Louis. The lady just wants to be able to have an abortion, all right? Follow Ella Fritts: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fancymeatfritts/We Should Write Together: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aXui3VK_oe4&ab_channel=EllaFrittsSupport the show

Anthony Morelli has only been doing stand-up for about five years, but he's put the spotlight on the Erie, Pa., comedy scene. He runs the open mic in town and was in the Sixth City Comedy Festival in Cleveland. Morelli and Dan Brady founded the Flagship City Comedy Fest, which debuts this year between April 27 and April 30. They had 240 submissions for their first-year festival, and Morelli is expecting a big boost to the local scene. Follow Anthony Morelli: Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/offconstantlycomedy/Flagship City Comedy Fest: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100086379737622Support the show

Prateek Srivastava has been doing stand-up for the last 13 years. He started his career in Chicago, taking the train in and out of the city, and he wound up moving to Los Angeles in 2021. He released his debut album, Nick and Sheila's Kid in 2020. Prateek has been in festivals all over the country and he co-hosts the Gimmick Street Wrestling Podcast. He's got enough ideas to fill a career. And it all started with a speech at DePaul University. Follow Prateek Srivastava: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/prateekcomedy/Twitter: https://twitter.com/TheDailyPrateekWebsite: https://www.prateekcomedy.com/Support the show

Cody Montanye started doing stand-up in Albany seven years ago and has performed all over the Northeast. He's a regular at the clubs in Albany and Comix at the Mohegan Sun in Connecticut and just started to headline local shows. He's working on sketches, too, and plans to release them on YouTube soon. He's definitely making the most out of his art degree.Follow Cody Montanye: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/codymontanye/Twitter: https://twitter.com/CodyMontanyeSupport the show

Mike Celona got his start in stand-up in the Lehigh Valley in Pennsylvania before moving to New York City. He's in Nutley, N.J., now and is performing all over the country. Celona started out as a musician, playing in punk bands, and is always busy. He's working on a project with Hidden in Plain View, a punk band on the Drive-Thru label in the early 2000s, and plans on recording a special in 2023. Follow Mike Celona: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mannycotts/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/206221712742155YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAc8HD7X8z06C_D_rgE4JqwWebsite: https://www.mikecelonacomedy.com/Support the show

Aaron Naylor began doing stand-up in Tucson, Ariz., in 2013 before coming home to Kansas City, Mo., to help create the independent comedy scene. He spent nine years there running shows and building his set and decided to move to Chicago. Naylor co-founded the Fountain City Comedy Festival, which debuted in October of 2022 and has traveled all over the country telling jokes. He was named Kansas City's Funniest Comedian by KC Magazine in 2022 and has performed in more than 30 festivals. Now he's flying for free thanks to Delta's serverence package. Follow Aaron Naylor: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/iamaaronnaylor/Twitter: https://twitter.com/IamAaronNaylorWebsite: https://iamaaronnaylor.com/Support the show

Jacob Morrison started doing stand-up off and on in Buffalo when he was 17. Since the pandemic, he's become a big part of the comedy scene. A musician when he was a kid, he found a way to combine the two. He began producing the Comedy Jam last year and is bringing it back to Buffalo on Saturday, Feb. 4 and then taking it to the Comedy at the Carlson in Rochester on Friday, Feb. 10. He won't be wearing a werewolf costume for these shows, but The Gerk'n Jerks will be there. Follow Jacob Morrison: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mojoflojo716/Follow The Gerk'n Jerks:https://www.facebook.com/TheGerknJerksSupport the show

Tim Rager grew up in New Jersey and started doing stand-up on Dec. 13, 2019. Four months later, he had to pause. But he's made up for lost time and is one of the best up-and-coming comedians in Jersey. He gave up drinking and doing cocaine at 28 and is solely focused on writing the best jokes he possibly can. He's a regular at Uncle Vinnie's Comedy Club. Follow Tim Rager: Instagram: https://instagram.com/timothyrager?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=Support the show

Rose Vineshank is a hilarious comedian from Baltimore. She started on her birthday in 2018 and has already become a standout in one of the best comedy scenes in the Mid-Atlantic. She opens for Matt Braunger and works regularly all over Baltimore, D.C., and Virginia. She's a great joke writer and a must-follow on social media. Raised on cartoons and Jim Henson creations, she won't rest until she's a household name. Follow Rose Vineshank: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rose_vineshank_comedy/Twitter: https://twitter.com/RVineshankFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/rosevineshankcomedyTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@lezziekn0peSupport the show

Damon Millard has done stand-up all over the country over the last 13 years, but he's based in Brooklyn. A Binghamton native, Millard worked for a TV station in Milwaukee when he tried to impress a woman by telling her he was a comedian. He went to his first open mic after that and hasn't looked back. He tours the country, runs Punching Bag Comedy and stars in and produces the Low-Budget Show with Damon Millard, available on YouTube. Follow Damon Millard: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/millardcomedy/Low-Budget Show: https://www.youtube.com/DamonMillardSupport the show

Andy Malafarina went to Kutztown University and started his stand-up career in the Allentown area. He's in New Jersey now and co-hosts Panties in the Mouth with LeMaire Lee and Nate Marshall and Drag the Lake with Pat George. He also hosts No More Heroes. He just performed at Skankfest in Las Vegas. He's got opinions on everything, from stand-up to sandwiches. Follow Andy Malafarina: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/andymalafarina/Twitter: https://twitter.com/andymalafarinaPanties in the Mouth: https://www.youtube.com/@pitmNo More Heroes: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCu0VV8U-eWlyd6-IrnWRqKwDrag the Lake: https://www.youtube.com/@DragTheLake732Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/andymalafarinaSupport the show

Hedi Sandberg is a hilarious comedian in Bethesda, Md. A Silver Spring native, she got her start in the D.C.-Maryland-Virginia comedy scene back in 2015 with a strong first open mic. She's been a mainstay in the DMV over the last eight years and she's working to become a regular feature on the road. Sandberg's been at comedy clubs in the area, festivals all over the country and produces a monthly house show with Ivi Demi called The House Rules. Plus she's got a cat named Morpheus Eagle. Beat that. Follow Hedi Sandberg: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/teeheehee_hedi/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/teeheeheehediSupport the show

Jason Zongrone saw the Uptown Theater in Utica was coming back and decided to give improv a try. A few months later, he started doing stand-up. Now he's a member of the Bus Stop Robot improv troupe and does stand-up all over New York and making a name for himself in the comedy scene. He's going to do everything it takes to be the next Joey Gladstone. Jason's taking part in the Uptown Tonight's A Very Merry Uptown Family Christmas Holiday Special Broadcast Experience Live! on Friday, Dec. 23.  Follow Jason Zongrone: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yungjase/Twitter: https://twitter.com/YungJase Uptown Tonight's A Very Merry Uptown Family Christmas Holiday Special Broadcast Experience Live!: https://www.facebook.com/events/553378876262139/Support the show

Ryan Garcia started doing stand-up while he was a student at Rochester Institute of Technology. After joining the improv group at school, he decided to dive into stand-up. Since then, he's become one of the stronger, young comedians in Rochester's scene. He just did his first weekend at the Comedy at the Carlson club, hosting for Ian Lara, and he's been able to turn his wiseass remarks in class into something productive.Follow Ryan Garcia: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/realryangarcia/Twitter: https://twitter.com/FakeRyanGarcia/Support the show

Zack Lyman started doing stand-up in Phoenix, Ariz., when he was 18 years old. He hosted fire-breathers for an outdoor open mic until he was old enough to get into bars. Over the last 13 years, Lyman has been working all over the West, from Texas to Seattle, teaching himself how to become a headliner. He hosts the Zack Lyman Podcast and is producing The Big Laugh, a stand-up series he's pitched to streaming services. As soon as the edits are done, he plans on releasing the six-episode series. Lyman's also planning on moving to New York City.Follow Zack Lyman: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zacklymanpodcast/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@zacklymancomedyThe Big Laugh Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheBigLaughLLC/The Big Laugh website: https://biglaughshow.com/Zack Lyman Podcast: https://www.zacklymanpodcast.com/Support the show

Jim Search grew up in Binghamton and moved to New York City after college. He’s been doing stand-up for more than a decade and recorded his first album, Upstate Understandings, in July. The album is out now, so go buy it and see Jim live. He’s all over New York City and runs a monthly show in Brooklyn. He’s got big plans for 2023, including recording a special, and he even got some encouraging words from a big shot at the Special Victims Unit.Follow Jim Search:Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jim.searchInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/jimsearch/Twitter: https://twitter.com/JimSearchSupport the show

Luc Thiers started his stand-up career in Rochester after living in New Orleans and Boston. He saw an open mic in New Orleans, but didn't get on stage until 2017 after moving back home. Thiers works at the Comedy at the Carlson in Rochester and is launching a new podcast, Sports Lobotomy, with comedian Andy Kuhn. Plus he once met Steve Zahn in a bathroom. Follow Luc Thiers: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thiersofaclown/Support the show

Kirk Griffiths started doing stand-up while going to Kutztown University. He had a couple memorable performances in front of his fellow students before graduating and joining the comedy scenes in Lancaster and Philadelphia. Twelve years into his comedy career, he's incredibly balanced and happy with how things are going. He hosts the Proper Ebonics podcast with Alan Massenburg and is a regular all over the eastern part of Pennsylvania. Follow Kirk Griffiths: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/captainkeith24/Support the show

Brian Beaudoin started his comedy career twice. The first time was a tribute to Eddie Murphy. When he began again in 2007, it was all Brian Beaudoin. Since then, he's become the talent coordinator at the Comedy Connection in East Providence, R.I., and has toured the country, telling jokes. He hosted a weekly hardcore show at the Connection to build his chops. Now he helps develop the local talent and book the hosts and features at the club. Beaudoin hosts the Wicked Funny Podcast with Katie Arroyo and Frank Gazzero, too. Follow Brian Beaudoin: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/beaudoinbrian/Twitter: https://twitter.com/BeaudoinBrianTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@beaudoinbrian?lang=enPodcast: www.WickedFunnyPodcast.comSupport the show

Jesse Winterhalter started his stand-up career when he moved to Buffalo in 2014. He lived in Virginia, Philadelphia and New Mexico, but found himself a home in the Buffalo comedy scene. He's one of the best in the upstate area. He's a regular at the Helium Comedy Club and is on stage whenever he can be. He placed in a comedy contest by not saying a word. Plus, Doug Stanhope is a fan. What more do you want?Follow Jesse Winterhalter: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jessewinterhalter/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/early.merleTwitter: https://twitter.com/jrwinterhalterSupport the show