Last year's crop of new comics brought us some huge names handpicked to come out and perform in and around town. Of course, over here at the Weekly, we have a lot of pride when it comes to our own. We can brag about how we've produced a lot of homegrown talent that has swept the world by storm (ahem, Will Farrell and Steve Martin) but the truth is, we also take great pride in watching promising cutting-edge artists from around the country hit the touring circuit at some of our favorite city spots.Thanks to Twitter and YouTube, comics are somewhat of a dime a dozen these days, so we picked out a few comedians that we think everyone will be laughing at and talking about in 2014.
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5- Jodi Miller
Jodi Miller has the gift for gab and comes armed with plenty of wisecracks and we're proud to say that even one of our favorite papers, LA Weekly, agrees with us on this because they too have given her a shout out. Miller has been cracking up crowds for a while but not just on the stage, she's got mad skills in writing, on TV, and in radio. Even with all that work on her resume, we're still going to back up our choice here because Miller is set to impress even more in 2014. With a schedule that includes popping up all over our area (like in Brea March 12th), we suspect Miller's degree in hilarity will be schooling us all this year.
4- Evan Cassidy
With superb stage presence, an aptitude for incorporating music, and plenty of fantastic sketches in his arsenal, Evan Cassidy is well on his way to blowing up. This Fountain Valley native has stayed dedicated to his craft with frequent shows all over O.C., L.A., and the I.E., leaving us to wonder what he'll do next all in the name of comedy. You can also see him on a weekly basis when starting up this February, he'll be hosting his newest show at the Brea Improv called, “Hump Day Eve.”
3- Jen Murphy
Jen Murphy tackles topics from her misadventures in dating to the struggle of affording life in general and while it's easy to be categorized when you're a female comic, the only category that really matters is being grouped in with “funny.” In regards to our number three pick, well, she handles the “funny” part perfectly. 2013 had Murphy on the up and up headlining gigs at some of our most beloved venues as well as hot spots all around the USA. Jen also busted out her acting chops in the movie Dumbbells (released January 10th) solidifying that this gal has a lot of comedic ability and we'll be watching for it to be showcased more now than ever.
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2- The Smash Brothers
Cory and Chad (aka The Smash Brothers) set crowds ablaze with raunch-filled sets when filming their first comedy special while touring the country (and even dipping into Canada) with Ralphie May. And these guys might be #2 on this list, but they are #1 with maintaining the sold-out status of “The Dirty Show” which just goes to show that they are on the path to slaughter 2014. Continuing on Ralphie's “Filthy Animal” tour this year, The Smash Brothers are no doubt about to be on everyone's radar.
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1- Dean Delray
An important part of comedy is self-promotion and when you want to learn a thing or two about marketing your brand, Dean Delray is one of the best to watch. It seems like this guy was everywhere last year bringing venues across the country to their knees with his rock and roll vibe. He also a pulled in some incredible names on his podcast “Let There Be Talk” all while maintaining his stage presence and picking up quite the loyal following (aka Delraisers) locally at the Improv, Comedy Store and Laugh Factory. The description for his podcast really sums it all up because in the case of what Delray will be doing in 2014, you can just go ahead and, “strap on your helmets folks and get ready for one helluva ride!” Dean is a straight up rock star in the comedy world and he's primed to rock all of the way to the fucking top!
Do yourself a favor and check out where these comics will be performing next by following them on Twitter: @DeanDelray, @CoryNChad, @JenMurphyComedy, @McEvanMcCassidy, and @JodMill.
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Ali Lerman knows much about comedy, basketball, and celebrating Wu-Tang Wednesday. She’s been writing for sixteen years and still calls her mom with grammatical questions.