Join us for a night a of comedy with some of the top comedians from the Midwest! 2019 Madison’s Funniest Comic winner Rory Rusch performs, one of the New Faces at Just for Laughs in Montreal, Lael O’Shaughnessy,along with Bennett Brown, Moe Yaqub, Molly Kearney, and Michael Njuguna Robinson.
Bennett Brown fresh out of college, Bennett decided that his math major would be best put to work in science’s most daring field, stand up. Most of the writers of the Simpsons were math majors, and like them, Bennett can only express emotions through cartoons and one-liners. Bennett co-runs Madison’s Backyard Comedy Show. He regularly performs at Madison’s Comedy on State and has opened for Noah Gardenswartz, TJ Miller (post bomb threat), and Dulce Sloan. In the last year Bennett has been in Madison Comedy Week, The Hoboken Comedy Festival, Gilda’s Laughfest and is Madison’ Big Diss Roast Champion 2018.
Lael O’Shaughnessy is a Chicago based stand-up comedian and writer. Lael’s candid brand of humor and energetic stage presence has made her a regular all around Chicago and the Midwest. Along with performing regularly around Chicago, Lael was also selected as one of the New Faces at Just for Laughs in Montreal. Lael got her start at The Drop Comedy Club in South Bend, IN, Indiana’s best comedy club located next to the local jailhouse.
Michael Njuguna Robinson is a Chicago based stand up comedian, writer, actor and just a real nice guy. He is a member of the Chicago comedy troupe, The Martin Luther Kings of Comedy. They produce the shows like the Red Eye Chicago Recommended “Black Friday” and “The Gumbo”. Michael also performs all around the city at bars and comedy clubs such as The Laugh Factory, Comedy Bar, & Zanies
Moe (Mohtasham) Yaqub is a young and upcoming comedian from Minneapolis. Moe was born and raised in Pakistan, but moved to America in 2012. Growing up in Pakistan, he spent many childhood years acting on television. After moving to America, Moe wanted to make the transition back into TV and that venture led him to standup comedy. Moe has been a finalist in Acme’s Funniest Person Contest, Rick Bronson’s House of Comedy Funniest Person with a Day Job Contest, and Sisyphus Brewing’s Funniest Person in Minnesota Contest. He is also one of the Producers of Minnesota’s 10,000 Laughs Comedy Festival.
Molly Kearney is a Chicago-based comedian who began honing her craft during her college summers working on South Bass Island of Ohio (the comedy hub of America). Molly was recently selected for Comedy Central’s Up Next and performed at Clusterfest in San Francisco. She is a cast member of the nation’s longest running independent standup showcase, The Lincoln Lodge, as well as a producer at Blackout Diaries, a weekly storytelling show where comics share their funniest drinking stories. Her comedy will leave you wondering ‘What just happened?’ Follow her at @kearnival if you want a new best friend who will help you move.
Rory Rusch is the current reigning champion of Madison’s Funniest Comic Competition 2019
