KT #769 - CHRIS O'CONNOR + MAT EDGAR

Introduced as the former 'Dark Storm of Atlanta, now the Dark Storm of Austin' and opened the show with a brand new minute about learning 'steel-toe non-slip Spanish' on construction sites. In the interview he explained he used to build car washes and was a GM at the company, which set off a long run of car-wash and 'hose' jokes with the panel. He had just returned from his first-ever trip to Los Angeles for the Kevin Hart roast weekend, where his phone was stolen.

First bucket pull of the night, from San Diego, California, with a set about San Diego surf/blonde culture and kids named after energy drinks. Only about three months into standup; she said she started because it terrified her and she wanted to face her fears. A lifeguard by trade who lives in Portugal half the year for the surf and lifeguarding, recently out of a six-month long-distance relationship. Tony was harsh on the set but invited her to the Secret Show.

Middle Eastern comic who grew up in Paterson, New Jersey, with a set contrasting white friends' summer camp against his refugee camp. Started comedy in 2008 but took a roughly 17-year break after a stroke in 2010 that cost him his speech and the use of an arm. He had been laid off that week from a fintech job after eight years, has lived in Austin eight years, and sang an original punk song called 'Better Off Dead' with the house band. Only ever addressed as 'BK' on mic; a doctor in his story called him 'Mr. Khalen', so the full name is uncertain.

High-energy, deliberately unhinged set billing himself as 'ugly Ryan Gosling' fresh from a strangling competition, with cartel and autism bits. Lebanese Arab, born in Montreal and raised around Ottawa, Ontario; says he is 29 and started at 19, so ten years in comedy. Panel guest Chris O'Connor called it 'hard to go from real weird to fake weird' following Martin Malloy. Got a medium-sized joke book; the surname spelling is the weakest in this episode.

29 years old, originally from Dallas, about two and a half years into standup and a repeat bucket pull. Set was about a 'spontaneous' new girlfriend and a passive-aggressive ex during a game of Monopoly. Works as a shift leader at Chicken Salad Chick (wore the hat on stage) after being jobless at his last appearance; admitted to a dropped weed-selling charge in Dallas. His girlfriend of a few weeks had just moved to Chicago to work at a Marriott, which the panel took apart at length. Got a medium-sized joke book.

Dark, aggressive set about carrying a condom and a vein-in-the-tooth-gap bit that ran over time. 29 years old, six years in standup, and about to hit two years sober after heavy cocaine and alcohol use; said he has looked the same since 18 and drove drunk daily for six years without being caught. Lives alone in a studio apartment with cement floors where he keeps breaking hot sauce bottles, hangs framed Goodwill photos of strangers and invents backstories for them, and runs his own mobile car-cleaning business after being fired from every job. Already had a big joke book.

51-year-old Austin litigation attorney of about 20 years, UT undergrad, back in town since 2011, doing standup for the very first time though it was his second bucket-pull sign-up. The set was a deliberately inflammatory bit about white women dating black athletes ruining professional sports, which Tony called 'punched up hate speech'. Interview covered burnout on online dating, walking out the back of 24 Diner on a date who turned out to be visibly pregnant, and a much better date that ended at his kitchen counter. Earned a big joke book on a first-ever set.

From Baltimore, Maryland, recently moved to Austin; 37 years old with 10 years in standup and a returning performer who already had a big joke book. Strong set about being too ticklish to be a gangster and running from a shootout in thong flip-flops. The interview soured when he interrupted Tony's Price Is Right / Bob Barker tangent, drawing a sustained on-mic scolding, and ended on a run about his St. Lucian father's 'netted shirt' that the room could not decipher.

First-timer on the show who used most of his minute to perform an original song about Bill Gates at the pearly gates, then got a second shot at a joke about chewing gum while going down on a girlfriend. 36 years old, a working musician for years and about one year into standup; plays covers at the Edge rooftop on the Marriott and the Domain. Claims one of the largest vocal ranges alive and demonstrated it, toured European arenas in 2019 alongside a former Elvis bandmate, and has lived full-time in a van for seven years including a drive to Cabo San Lucas. Got a little joke book.

32-year-old in an oversized Dolphins jersey, only his third time on a stage though he has signed up for the show six or seven times. Rambling set about a four-inch cockroach, Dubai chocolate and bisexual erasure that the panel found completely incoherent. Admitted on mic he was drunk on vodka with no food, that he only drinks on the Mondays he signs up, and that he is divorced and low on confidence; said his comedy education is Rodney Dangerfield and Don Rickles on Carson. Got a little joke book and a gentle push toward open mics.

Final bucket pull of the night, a sharply dressed comic with a curled 12-year-old mustache whose set was a ranking of insults he has received about his look. Originally from Pakistan, studied at the University of Sydney, moved to Amsterdam about seven or eight years ago and works in finance; 33 years old and roughly two years into standup, doing '9 to 5 work and 5 to 9 comedy' around Europe. Revealed his mustache is named Jessica after a girl at an Australian festival, which triggered a 'Kiss Me' segment with an audience member named Sabrina visiting from Chicago. Got a big joke book.

Closed the episode as the newest regular, introduced by Tony as becoming his and Redban's favorite comedian, with a brand new minute of short punchy jokes about sloppy head, loving fat girls and a 'light-skinned Latina'. Interview covered his sudden recognition after the previous week, people pushing him to make merch, being a fat kid in high school with divorced parents, and his father dying of liver cirrhosis at 40 when Pat was about 16.