Monday
Tim Cavanagh
Need a song about your governor? How about Flag Day? Tim Cavanagh is the man for the job. Hey, he’s even written a ditty about Writer’s Block! No subject is taboo – uh, oh, yeah, he’s even written a song about that! You never know what Tim’s next target will be. On the show, Tim is famous for previously being the”One-Minute Song Guy” and currently for his Cavalcade of Celebrity Birthdays feature. He hails from Chicago and is a huge White Sox fan!. Follow Tim on twitter and facebook. Check out his website here.
Tuesday
Roy Wood Jr.
The Hollywood Reporter called him “A Standout”, and Entertainment Weekly described it as “charismatic crankiness”. The thought-provoking comedy of Roy Wood Jr. crosses cultural lines and has entertained millions nationwide by stage, radio and television. Wood currently appears in the TBS‘ hit comedy, Sullivan and Son, guest-starring as the likable sidekick and best friend of bar owner Steve Byrne, who returns to Pittsburgh to run his parent’s local pub.
Wood, a native of Birmingham, Alabama, began his comedy career in 1999 at the age of 19 while attending Florida A&M University. In 2002, Wood earned a slot as one of 10 national finalists in Comedy Central’s Laugh Riots competition in Los Angeles. In March 2003, Roy was selected for Star Search on CBS where he advanced to the semi-finals. He also appeared on It’s Showtime at the Apollo, Live in Hollywood and the 2005 season of Comedy Central’s Premium Blend and BET’s Comic View.
Wood appeared at the 2006 Montreal Just for Laughs Comedy Festival in the “New Faces Showcase” where critics awarded him top honors. The Montreal Gazette said, “Roy Wood Jr. gives tremendous show” taking “the top spot”. In 2006, Wood appeared on the Bob and Tom Radio Show: The Comedy Tour a one-hour special, which aired on Comedy Central. In 2007 Roy performed on The Late, Late Show with Craig Ferguson and BBC America’s The World Stands Up in London.
In October 2006 Wood made his network television debut on Late Night with David Letterman. In 2008, Wood appeared on HBO’s historic Def Comedy Jam. In 2010, he was selected by America as one of the top three finalists on Last Comic Standing and followed that up with the first of numerous appearances on CONAN.
Wood has recorded three nationally-released prank call CD’s: My Momma Made Me Wear This (2003), Confessions of a High School Bench Warmer (2005) and I’ll Slap You to Sleep! (2009). And has recently released his first comedy CD Things I think, I think (2013). Visit his website here. Follow him on Twitter here.
Owen Benjamin
In addition to Sullivan & Son, Owen Benjamin recurs on Nick Swardson’s Pretend Time, and has appeared on The Tonight Show,Comedy Central Presents, Late Night with Jimmy Fallon, Punk’d and Live at Gotham. He played Marvin the bartender in The House Bunny and can be seen in Jack and Jill, Bucky Larson and All’s Faire in Love. Benjamin was featured as a breakout comedian on Comedy Central’s 2010 Hot List and currently tours the U.S. with Vince Vaughn. Benjamin’s one-hour standup special High Five ‘til it Hurts will premiere on Comedy Central on June 28, 2013. Visit his website here. Follow him on Twitter here.
Wednesday
Ms. Pat
Let’s start with Ms. Pat hasn’t lived the life of your typical comedian. Born to a single mother of 5, living on welfare in a tough West end neighborhood of Atlanta, Ms. Pat learned early on she would have to fend for herself in this world. Her Grandfather ran a “bootleg” house where as a kid Pat learned how to roll the drunks for food money. She had her first child at 14 and her second child at 15, “I knew I wasn’t going to college so I figured why not get an early start on my family”. She became a drug dealer in her teens known by the street name “Rabbit”. “I figured there were two things I could do in my neighborhood to earn money, either sell drugs or sell p*@#$y”. At 16 she purchased her first Cadillac. During her teens she was shot twice and arrested numerous times. At 19 years of age she met a man, and with his help and encouragement decided to get out of the “life”. “I was so tired, I thought for sure I was going to end up dead. He was 21 and a military vet and he showed me a way out”.
At 19 with two toddlers and a new husband she is handed 4 more young children from her sister who was struggling with drug addiction. The next 10 years of her life are spent raising those 6 children. Part of that process included visits to the welfare office for food stamps and Section 8 housing assistance for her sister’s children. It was during these visits that Ms. Pat was first told she had a talent for telling funny stories. In 2003 with her case-worker’s encouragement she decided to go on stage and appeared at the Open-Mic-Night at “The Pub” in Atlanta. From the moment she stepped on stage she knew she had found her place. She began pouring punch lines across stages at the rate other moms pour milk at the counter.
With a comedy career now spilling over 9 years this powerful woman brings an honest, in your face, and hilarious perspective to her shows. She has appeared on TV Guide Network’s “Standup in Stilettos”, and Nickelodeons “Mom’s Night Out”. She has an upcoming appearance on BET’s “Comicview” this fall. She is a regular guest on the syndicated Bob and Tom Radio Show, and appears on Katt Williams DVD “Kattpacalypse”.
Ms. Pat currently resides with her husband and three children in Indianapolis. Follow her on twitter and facebook here. Visit her website here.
Andy Beningo
Andy Beningo, named “Best Comedian” by the Detroit Metro Times, is a regular guest on the nationally syndicated Bob and Tom Radio Show. He has been heard on XM Sirius Radio and over seas on the American Forces Network. He was a final four finalist on CMT’s ‘Next Big Comic,’ and has appeared on the NBC affiliate show, ‘Night Shift with Kevin Ferguson.’ He performed at Gilda’s Laugh Festival in Grand Rapids, MI, where he was the warm up act for Betty White. Other festival appearances include the Detroit Comedy Festival, the Great American Comedy Festival at the Johnny Carson Theater, and the Clean Comedy Festival- where he won awards for being “audience favorite” and “Best New Comer” to the festival. He has also appeared on the Comedy Time Network, on Comcast Cable and on MavTV. He became a favorite on Rooftop Comedy,where his material was highlighted on three different series, including Comedy Cut Outs- an animated series. In 2012, he was tapped to host the National College Competition presented by TBS at both Michigan State and the University of Michigan. In 2013, he won the Clean Guy’s Unbleepable Contest, and his stand up clip on text messaging premiered before Dave Coulier’sClean Guys of Comedy movie- which was in over 600 theaters nationwide.
The Duluth Tribune raved about Beningo’s act, saying “he prides himself in clean material, and is extremely funny.” His energetic act centers around growing up as the middle child, technology, life as a college student, fast food restaurants, and a short lived career as a middle school teacher.
Now, Beningo continues to be a touring work horse, performing in some 250 shows a year in corporate events, colleges, theaters and casinos. He has performed in some of the top comedy clubs in the country, including Gotham Comedy Club in New York City, Zanies in Chicago, Comedy Store in Los Angeles, and nationwide in the Improv and Funny Bone Comedy Club chain. He regularly tours with MAD-TV star Frank Caliendo, and has shared the stage with his childhood hero Dave Coulier (Full House), the late great Greg Giraldo, Saturday Night Live’s Jim Breuer, Comedy Central’s Carlos Mencia andMaria Bamford, Last Comic Standing winners John Heffron and Jon Reep, and comedy legends Gilbert Gottfried, Jimmy Brogan, Emo Philips and many more!
In addition to stand up, Andy Beningo has starred in a very popular commercial for Pay Anywhere, and landed a small role in the film The End of The Tour starring Jason Segel and Jesse Eisenberg. Visit his website. Follow him on twitter here.
Thursday
Steve Byrne
Steve Byrne has risen through the ranks of the comedy world to become one of the industry’s most innovative and sought-after performers. He has evolved throughout the years into an extremely versatile entertainer that delivers on a day-to-day basis. Hailing from Pittsburgh, PA, Steve Byrne was born to a Korean mother and an Irish father. His unique background has given him the base comedic material for his first television show, Sullivan & Son, a half hour comedy on TBS. The show is heading into its third season, premiering on Tuesday, June 24th at 10pm.
Next up, Byrne will release his third one-hour standup comedy special, Champion, on Netflix in May 2014. He will then be taking his live show on the road along with his castmates; Owen Benjamin and Roy Wood Jr. The Steve Byrne & the Cast of Sullivan & Son Comedy Tour will begin at the Gotham Comedy Club in New York City in June and continue around the country through August.
In 2006, after winning TBS’ cutthroat competition, the “Standup or Sitdown Comedy Challenge”, Byrne was hurtled into a brilliant television and film career. As his popularity began to expand, Byrne was featured in his very own half-hour Comedy Central Presents which was soon voted as one of the best specials of all time in the Comedy Central Standup Showdown. His hilarious standup has been seen on TBS’s Conan, ABC’s Jimmy Kimmel Live, CBS’s The Late Late Show, BET’s Comic View and he has appeared on NBC’s The Tonight Show a total of 10 times. Visit his website here. Follow him on twitter here.
Greg Hahn
A favorite on the nationally syndicated Bob and Tom Radio Show. He has appeared on Late Night with Conan Obrien,Comedy Central, CBS, ABC, FOX, MTV and CMT.
Greg Hahn has parlayed his absurdly energetic, all out style of physical humor, one liners and crowd work, into a performance of immediate pandemonium and fun! His crazy, likeable stylings have led to numerous television, club, corporate and now theater appearances throughout the country.
Developmentally arrested, Greg was raised in South Florida where in high school he amused the Catholic nuns by poking holes in his pockets enabling pens and pencils to shoot out of his pant leg.
As a college basketball player his tendency for half court shots got him benched.
As a Captain in the Marines Corps, Greg kept his men highly motivated and could not overemphasize that camouflage is continuous.
While a buyer for Lockheed Corporation, he thought “Why make $200 a day, when I can be a comedian and make that in a week!”
After several serious jobs where he refused to be serious, Greg turned pro as a stand up comedian and landed the absurd gig as emcee for a lumberjack show at Six Flags Great America. This show supplied him with a microphone, four huge audiences a day, drunk ax swinging lumberjacks, and a log rolling dog.
Soon afterwards, he worked as stuntman in the Wild Wild Wild West Stunt Show at Universal Studios. “For $20 an hour, I’d run out, fall down a few times and get hit in the head with a stick”.
He continually honed his unique style of comedy and headed to New York City.
While in New York, Greg developed into a touring headliner and costarred in the independent film Tomorrow Night which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival. Then, after successful shows at the Montreal and Chicago Comedy Festivals, Greg enjoyed hit television appearances on Late Night with Conan O’Brien (NBC), Premium Blend (Comedy Central), Make Me Laugh (5 episodes, Comedy Central), Louis CK’s Pulp Comics (Comedy Central), 30 Seconds to Fame (Fox), Cedric the Entertainer Presents (Fox) and Star Search (CBS).
When appearing on Star Search, Greg was spotted by Tom Griswold of the nationally syndicated Bob & Tom Radio Show. Greg has since established himself as a favorite guest on the show and starred on the Bob @ Tom Comedy Central Special. He also headlines the Friends of The Bob @ Tom Theater Tour, which included a stop at the Las Vegas Comedy Festival.
A return appearance to the Montreal Comedy Festival along with the Halifax Comedy Festival and appearances on Country Music Television’s “Comedy Stage”, “Comics Unleashed with Byron Allen” and being tasered on “TOSH.O” (Comedy Central) have also added to Greg’s popularity across the country.
Continuing to advance his career in film and television, Greg now lives in Los Angeles where in between shows, he goes ballistic on the drums, destroys his pathetic fellow comics in ping pong, and flies indoor helicopters into his ceiling fan. Visit his website here. Follow him on twitter here.
Tim Gaither
It all began in church at the age of five…one Sunday the preacher called all the kids at the Southern Baptist church to the front to ask some questions. When the preacher asked a small tow-headed boy what he thought hell would be like, he calmly replied, “Preacher, hell will be hotter than the Wal Mart parking lot on the Fourth of July, barefoot.” The church erupted with laughter, the little boy was hooked on the sound and a comic was born.
Fast forward 25 years and Tim Gaither has been a comedian for 14 years, 12 professionally, working in 35 states so far and Korea for the U.S troops. In January,2009, Tim made the move to Hollywood. Since the move he has been seen on the Bob and Tom show, won the honor of “Best of Festival” at the Detroit International Comedy festival, become a paid regular at the historic Comedy and Magic Club, Comedy Store,Improv,and Laugh Factory in Hollywood and Long Beach. Tim is also a regular headliner at the Tropicana Laugh Factory in Vegas, where he will film his first hour special in March of 2013.
Tim Gaither has no specific audience, he is hilarious to all ages and ethnicities and he is a heckler’s nightmare. Great material, quick wit, and a wide range of original characters and stories, all spun together with Midwestern charm make his show a must see. More comfortable on a stage than in his own living room, he makes audience feel like he is in theirs. If Tim comes to your city don’t miss the opportunity to check out his show, you will not be disappointed. It is only a matter of time before Tim Gaither is a household name, in the meantime he will be touring the country, enjoying the journey, and doing what he was born to do.
Friday
Auggie Smith
When Auggie takes the stage, audiences across the country quickly realize that they’re in for an evening of riveting, take-no-prisoners stand-up comedy. During Auggie’s set, pop culture and political targets are dissected piece by piece into intelligently written manic rants. His seamless rapid fire style has developed a loyal following across the country. He has spent most of the last two decades keeping a constant road schedule honing his craft and creating a truly memorable, relevant, and constantly evolving live experience.
At the age of 19, Auggie Smith moved from Billings, Montana to Portland, Oregon to pursue a career in stand up comedy. After a few years of toil and struggle, he first achieved acclaim by winning the 1994 Sam Adams Comedy Contest, whose prizes earned him his first national exposure on the television show Evening At the Improv. Auggie truly found his comedy voice in 1997, when he placed second in the Seattle Comedy Competition to legendary comic Mitch Hedberg. This earned him an invitation to the 1998 Montreal Comedy Festival, where he performed a remarkable 12 shows, including New Faces, Danger Zone and The Nasty Show.
Keeping a continuous road schedule of clubs across the nation, Auggie introduced himself to a new legion of fans in January of 2004, with a now legendary appearance on the nationally syndicated Bob and Tom Radio Show. The morning was a mix of signature rants and brilliant improv highlighting his sharp point-of-view. His outstanding debut has become one their most replayed treasures.
This led to performing in theaters across the country on the very popular Bob & Tom Comedy Tour, where audiences quickly became aware that the only thing better then listening to Auggie on the radio was sharing the energy he creates in his live performance. Follow him on twitter here. Visit his website here.
Alonzo Bodden
Even before appearing on NBC’S ‘Last Comic Standing’, Alonzo Bodden knew there was nothing, absolutely nothing that would ever make him give up comedy. “That’s the drug”, he says “when they laugh it’s like I’m a jazz musician and they hear it, and they get it. It’s power to take the crowd wherever I want them to go. I love it when they laugh, especially when they relate through laughter. It’s a beautiful thing. It also means I’m going to get paid, which is nice.”
Bodden didn’t always make his living as a stand up comic. A graduate of Aviation High School, for 9 years he earned a paycheck as a jet mechanic for Lockheed and McDonnell Douglas. While comics around the country were making audiences laugh at airline jokes, Bodden was working on the top secret Stealth Bomber. It was during a stint as trainer that Alonzo discovered his ability to entertain a group of people. I was teaching airplane mechanics when I realized it was more fun to make them laugh, Bodden explains, I was laid off one more time and I never looked back, although it was nice to have a steady paycheck and benefits. He enrolled in a comedy class and the rest as they say, is comedy history.
Alonzo has always appreciated the benefits of doing stand up comedy, one of which is having fun on stage. He recalls one of his favorite experiences, I was working at the Brea Improv and in the middle of my set, a guy had a seizure. After the paramedics carted him off, I went up there, did 10 killer minutes on seizures and then got back to my set and the show kept rolling. It was great.
Bodden has ventured off the stage to have fun with his many roles on television and in film. He was the security guard, bouncer, crook, and/or a cop in ‘Bringin Down the House’, ‘The Girl Next Door’, ‘Angel’, and ‘Grounded For Life’, to name a few. Alonzo won the Season 3 grand prize on NBC’s ‘Last Comic Standing’ after placing as runner-up on Season 2.
Alonzo describes his material as cynically good natured in an angry suburban Negro kind of way. While he strongly believes that all young comics should study Bill Cosby, he freely admits that his mom is the funniest person he knows. When his family and friends attend his shows he loves and appreciates it.
One of the great things about Bodden’s career is that he can make you laugh and fix your Learjet. One day Alonzo hopes to have his own Learjet. Visit his website. Follow him on twitter.
Pat Brown
Pat Brown’s career is beginning to take off — and it’s about damn time. For 12 years, she has been performing everywhere she can, from black clubs and white clubs to corporate events and church group meetings; the industry is finally starting to take notice. Last month, Brown took home the prestigious honor of Best Female Comedian at the Las Vegas Comedy Festival.
Brown’s talents aren’t limited to the stage. She was a scholarship athlete at South Carolina State, where she played point guard for the women’s basketball team.
Brown moved to Atlanta after college. “The sheer number of black people that I saw here was shocking and inspiring.”
Brown starred as wise-cracking Aunt Agnes in the independent filmSomebodies, which received critical acclaim at the 2005 Sundance Film Festival as well as the 2006 Los Angeles Film Festival.
In February, you can catch Brown’s performance on Comedy Central’s “Laffapalooza.” She’ll also be touring with Brett Butler and the Southern Belles of Comedy starting in June.
“I love living in Atlanta but it’s hard to date because it’s 12-to-1 women-to-men. Competition is fierce so you’ve got to dress up just to go to Kroger. Be in the produce section in your prom dress like, ‘I hope somebody notices me.’”
