KT #767 - ARI SHAFFIR - LUIS J GOMEZ - PEYTON RUDDY

Opening regular set, introduced as the former 'Dark Storm of Atlanta' now the 'Dark Storm of Austin, Texas.' Bit about wanting people to be silly again, a reheated-French-fries ex-dating joke, and the 'rocket ship effect' (10-9-8-7) closer. In the interview Luis J Gomez said he was dressed like a bumper sticker on a Texas pickup truck for a guy from Nigeria; he had a rabbit's foot clipped to his belt that a woman gave him after WrestleMania.

First bucket pull. Family from Czechoslovakia, calls himself a gypsy and joked that a gypsy is just a Jew who lost their documents, plus country puns (Greenland, Turkey, Hungary). Said about six years of standup 'on and off'; works as a hiking/national-park tour guide and speaks Czech and Slovak. Just back from the Peak State festival. Panel roasted him for barely answering questions and compared him to Brian Laundrie.

Greek-Canadian from Windsor, Ontario, now living in Toronto; three years in standup and runs career days for a nonprofit in high schools. Set was long-neck self-deprecation plus a Greeks-invented-democracy-and-anal joke aimed at Tony, who called it a cheap loophole. In the interview he described his dad dying of a heart attack in front of him about two years ago while he did chest compressions. Knows the Toronto Kill Tony crew (Jared, Kai).

Third appearance; the show's resident Mitch Hedberg lookalike/soundalike, which Tony dug into at length. One-liners about a stolen wallet with 8K of credit card debt, free cheese vs. paid queso on a burrito, a vegan sister eating alone on Thanksgiving, and 'in case of fire use stairs.' Claims 1,500 jokes and an hour of material, and teased an 'epiphany' he refused to explain beyond 'the ghost pivot.' Tony ended by offering him a Secret Show spot.

24-year-old Jewish comic from New York, seven years in, born in 2001; whole minute was a 9/11 'trays of cupcakes' runner. Took Amtrak three days to get to Austin. Formerly did financial consulting, now runs a New York open mic website and a weekly Brooklyn show, and kept plugging both until the panel cut him off. Announced an upcoming '69th body party' at the Brooklyn Art House and produced a kiwi from his hoodie pocket. Panel said he sounds like RFK Jr.

Huge, muscular comic from Tulsa, Oklahoma, 10 years in standup; drives for Uber and jokes about OnlyFans. Steroid/small-balls bit, then Tony gave him the spotlight for a second run on holidays that ended with him revealing a giant OJ Simpson tattoo (knife, glove, Bronco) which Tony called the most diabolical tattoo he had ever seen. In the interview he said he once had life without parole for drug trafficking, got out on a plea after a dirty cop was exposed, and has gone viral for hitting a heckler with a microphone.

One-word name; 25, born in Nepal (Chitwan-area village), came to the US at six via the diversity lottery, lives in the Dallas area (Irving, then Euless), two and a half years of standup. Set built on his name meaning 'surgeon,' a brother named for engineer and a sister joke, plus a four-months-sober-from-the-n-word bit and a knock-knock joke he mistimed. Solutions architect for an IT company, first job was Whataburger, eight years with his high school sweetheart. Fifteenth time signing up; came because it was 4/20 on a Monday.

First time on the show and first time in Austin, flew in from Detroit on Delta. 45 years old, started standup during the pandemic via TikTok. Set about leaving a 22-year 'lesbian relationship' with a man, and gastric sleeve surgery. Has lost 350 pounds over a 13-year journey, the last 50 with a GLP-1. Works as an insurance claims adjuster for a union insurer; two sons, the younger one level three autistic. Tony praised her timing and energy.

23 years old, lives in Fort Worth, originally from California; this was essentially his first real set after one empty open mic. Minute was about meeting a girl with herpes and considering catching it himself. Says he really wants to be a scripted-comedy writer and did standup to get noticed. Closed with a rambling story about his mother losing her job after a drunken shoving match with ICE protesters outside a bar, which Ari Shaffir workshopped on the spot as a storytelling lesson. Panel liked his confidence for a first-timer.

32, three years of standup in Austin after starting at 18 in Dallas and losing twelve years to drinking; just hit five years sober. Jokes about a cousin who joined ISIS, a Crazy Rich Asians sequel called Crazy Poor Asians, and a Hunter Biden movie. Works in tech sales. Revealed he has played drums since he was 12, which triggered a Mexican Drum Off against resident drummer Michael Gonzalez; the audience gave it to Gonzalez, so no job swap. Left with a big joke book.

Handle-only name, first time doing standup, had seen the show about three times and did it because a friend told him to. The minute was just repeatedly asking Tony 'you with raves, Tony?' with no punchlines, which bombed hard; Tony made him redo it and then berated him for signing up without preparing a minute. Says he is a rapper and did freestyle-style bars on stage, which went better than the set. Tony joked about editing him out of the episode.

Comedy Store door girl from Los Angeles, eight years in standup as of the 25th; known to the whole panel. Dark set about fingering her girlfriend, being a squirter, and being molested by an uncle in Michigan. Interview covered her two-and-a-half-year relationship with her girlfriend, scissoring, toys and 69ing, with Tony calling this her best appearance on the show so far. Tony plugged seeing her when Kill Tony comes to the Intuit Dome in LA.

Closing regular set, introduced as one of the most promising regulars with only a couple of appearances under his belt. Jokes about autoerotic asphyxiation as 'the cinnamon challenge,' porn giving him unrealistic expectations of lesbians, dating a Jewish girl who turned out to be a lesbian ('the old double Ike'), and the ancient Jews at the Last Supper. Tony called it clearly the set of the night; the panel roasted his hair and vampire/Dr. Frankenstein look. Luis J Gomez invited him to Skankfest and Tony offered him the Secret Show.