Interview

Chicago comedian Ricky Gonzalez is set to record his debut live comedy album this weekend. Ricky is an associate producer and regular performer at Comedians You Should Know (CYSK), the powerhouse of a weekly showcase that’s been holding it down at Timothy O’Toole’s since 2010.

John Eide was the first person to take me under his wing when I moved to Chicago. I didn’t have a car and had no clue how to find open mics. I showed up to one, did a set, and John immediately offered me a ride to another. After that, I’d see him at mics all over the city, and we’d hit up as many as possible. He was a friendly welcome to a Chicago Comedy scene that can feel intimidating when you’re new. Thanks, John, hope you’re doing well.

Chris Hamilton is one of those comics who doesn’t just do stand-up — he lives it. At the time of this interview, I was a young comic writing for Best Comedy Tickets and trying to shine a light on performers I respected. Chris gave me my first show in New York while I was still in college. I had no "material" and I had been on stage four times. Thanks Chris.

I conducted this interview with Kevin Bartini over the phone and loved getting a behind-the-scenes look at the world of television. I genuinely had no idea that warm-up comics were even a thing, and I came away having learned a lot. I didn’t grow up around showbiz, so with every interview I did back then, I walked away with a whole new understanding of the industry.

This was one of my favorite interviews because it happened in person. Most of my interviews were conducted over the phone or through email. At the time, I was just an open mic comic and fledgling actor and I hadn’t even performed on a showcase in the city yet. Sean White was one of the veterans I looked up to and learned from. Sean took the time to recommend some books and gave me genuinely valuable insight into both comedy and the craft. I’m pretty sure I was the worst inte

It’s interesting to look back and see how online ad campaigns—especially pre-TikTok—were already shaping what comedy would become. These weren’t just commercials; they were backdoor pilots, short films, sketches with a brand attached. The line between content and advertising was blurring, and comedians like T.J. Miller were right at the center of it.

Thanks to the democratization of digital media, comedians and creators no longer need a greenlight from Hollywood to make something funny. Just ask the teams behind Workaholics, The Lonely Island, Broad City, or Drunk History.

This was a promo piece I wrote for Colorado comedian Brent Gill in 2016. It was the last blog I did for Best Comedy Tickets before stepping away to focus on my own stand-up career and trying to survive in Chicago. At the time, I was unpaid and couch surfing, and while I loved interviewing and writing about comics, I needed to pivot toward paid work and live performance. I felt this article—alongside the rest of the writing I had contributed—served as a solid portfolio to show

Conducted by Gary Miller — Originally Published January 27, 2016 on BestComedyTickets.com I n January 2016, I had the opportunity to...