Austin Texas Comedy // First Looks

A few years back I was at the Comedy Store hanging out with a few friends after their show. I was introduced to these super nice dudes from Florida. Adam and Anthony who were mutual friends of my comedian buddy, Billy Bonnell. We stayed in touch over the years and in 2019 the pandemic hit. Because of the draconian measures instituted by our government in most states, Adam told me he was planning to open a comedy club in Texas. A place where lots of comedians were starting to prospect as a free-er location to get stage time.

When I think Texas, I think outlaws. I think of the wild west. Railroads and horses. I think about manifest destiny, and the Texas rangers. I think of homesteading, resourcefulness, resilience, and independence. I think that rich history echoes into the current ethos of the state. From Bill Hicks to Ron White, the comics there have always taken giant risks, and been unapologetic about it.

Adam saw opportunity in one of the darkest moments in our country and worked hard to make this dream a reality. In 2021 he opened the Sunset Strip, and got things moving on a large scale. Over the course of that year they saw their own hardships and struggles & location changes, but came through the other-side. Now they plan on opening a forever home in Austin to keep the laughs rolling. People really need to laugh right now.

I was lucky enough to document this growing scene over the past few weeks. I’ve heard folks pontificate about this scene on podcasts, but to see it for myself was incredible. What I found was a group of outlaws and pioneers, striving to create something unique in a city known for creativity and risk taking. A combination of music and comedy, the city of Austin has always been an incubator for talent.

Working with wildman Gary Faust, we pieced together a roster of 4 comics to feature in our documentary film as characters. The goal being to show the micro and the macro of the scene and showcase talent from headliner to open mic. Creating comprehensive coverage of the movement there, through the stories of these comics and other supporting characters.

We featured Hans Kim, Uncle Lazer, Leonarda Jonie, and David Lucas, as well as any other amazing comics we met along the way. Each one of these folks are at different levels of their career, and attack the craft from very different angles. Alongside out character shoots, the Sunset Strip was holding a comedy competition contest. This is the backdrop of our storyline. It quickly became apparent that we would not wrap this one in 7 days. We will need to go back for additional coverage and showcase a lot more comedy.

I had an amazing time shooting this one, and it translates on screen. Excited to start dig into this and honestly, we have just cracked the surface here. We plan on shooting a few more times to create a more well rounded portrait of the scene, and showcase some more of the essential characters that are shaping the comedy scene there. As this film develops, I am sure we will settle on an impactful title, and I am excited to grab onto some of the imagery unique to this movement. Austin is such a dynamic place with lots of history and I plan on doing it justice. When I moved to LA in 2014 the Comedy story was experiencing a huge boom. I really wish I could of documented that growth, and now I am lucky enough to be the one doing that here.

Can I get a “Oh Hell YEAH?!”. Hell yeah.