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by Wm. Steven Humphrey

Good news, laugh lovers!… The Undisputable Geniuses of Comedy are BACK! The biggest night of Portland comedy is returning to Revolution Hall on Friday, January 13, and you’re not gonna wanna miss it!

That’s right,  the Portland Mercury’s Undisputable Geniuses of Comedy 2023 returns for 2023, and features Portland’s funniest people (and hilarious up-and-comers) all on one stage.

Stand-up comedians, improv comedy, and crazy stuff that defies explanation… and all of it laugh-out-loud funny—which is exactly what you need right now, right? (Get those tickets here!)

So what do you say? Let’s meet this year’s lineup of the Mercury‘s Undisputable Geniuses of Comedy!

YOUR HOST… NARIKO OTT!

Not only was the whip-smart Nariko the winner of the Portland’s Funniest Person Contest 2016, he was also named one of SplitSider Magazine‘s “Top Up and Coming Comedians,” and has also been seen on EPIX, “Laughs” on FOX, and was featured in the Seattle International Comedy Competition, the Bridgetown Comedy Festival, while also being the co-host of the What’s More Metal podcast. (Plus he’s hosted the last four Geniuses of Comedy shows, sooooooooo…. yeah, he’s funny.) 

SEAN JORDAN!

Sean Jordan is a stand up comedian and podcaster who co-hosts the wildly popular podcast All Fantasy Everything and hosts the always-good-news podcast What’s Dank That I’m Stoked On. Sean was named Portland’s Funniest Person by Willamette Week, has written for Comedy Central, and he was named one of the “Comics to Watch” by Splitsider Magazine. Sean has performed in comedy festivals around the country, including the High Plains Comedy Festival, Bridgetown Comedy Festival, and Sketch Fest in San Francisco. Plus he has a can-do, positive attitude that we just adore—and you will too!

ARLO WEIERHAUSER!

A longtime Portland staple, Arlo Weierhauser has triumphantly returned from Los Angeles with movie credits under their belt, and appearances on Late Night with Stephen Colbert and Unprotected Sets on EPIX, but you’ll remember them as a co-founder of Lez Standup, a former host of the Mercury‘s I, Anonymous Show, a comedy festival regular, and a bottomless well of hilarious childhood stories that can be heartbreaking while brimming with WTF? Arlo also wields hilarious facial expressions like a samurai uses a sword. Now they’re back in Portland and we’re so lucky to have ’em!

IMANI DENAE!

Imani Denae is a 26-year-old comedian right here in Portland, who also happens to be the 2021’s House of Hyjinx Comedy Competition winner and the creator of the Hip Hop comedy podcast, Rap Dumbass. Her comedy is a mix of nerdy, dirty, and daring—and just like us you’re gonna flip ass over teakettle for her!

STEVEN WILBER!

Oh, this guy is good. Steven Wilber is a former winner of the Portland’s Funniest contest at Helium, was featured at Montreal’s Just for Laughs festival, SF Sketchfest, Bridgetown Comedy Fest, Treefort, AND released his debut comedy album in 2020, 16 Bits. And in case you’re interested, he’s also known around comedy circles as an “agent of chaos.” So who the hell knows what Wilber is going to bring to this year’s Geniuses of Comedy? But rest assured it will be sharp, odd, and gut-bustingly funny. (Note: He also carries a miniature version of himself inside his mouth. But don’t let that stop you from buying tickets… he’s harmless.)

BROKE GRAVY!

There’s allll sorts of great comedy happening in Portland, and not just in the world of stand-up. That’s why the Geniuses of Comedy show always likes to spotlight people who are bringing the laughs in ways you might not expect. And so? Meet the improvisation giants known as Broke Gravy, who uses improv comedy and storytelling to discover truth between the blurry lines of the daily grind. Utilizing their unique voices as Black Americans, they spark thoughtful conversations on and off comedy stages—exploring deeper perspectives on comedy, relationships, and humanity. And… oh yeah! They’re also funny AF.

KATIE NGUYEN!

One can easily say that Katie Nguyen is… kinda impressive? Her work has been featured in The New Yorker, you can hear her stand-up on SiriusXM, and she’s a regular at Helium Comedy Club. She was a writer and the host of PBS Kids’ Mega Wow, and co-wrote and starred in the short film Crouching Comic. Katie also teaches stand-up classes at Helium, offers free comedy workshops for people of color, and has thrice been named a Genius of Comedy by the Portland Mercury, as well as being named 2021’s Portland’s Funniest Person by… *checks notes, can’t find it*… a different publication.

JAMIE CARBONE!

Jamie Carbone is a comedian whose lifetime of awkward experiences and faking adulthood have helped them find a voice for themselves, originally in West Virginia, then Chicago, now Portland. They’ve been a featured performer for showcases and festivals across the country, including Boston’s Thunderfest and Phoenix’s Bird City Comedy Festival, and is a past winner of West Virginia’s Last Comic Standing. Even better… they spend their free time making fake Seinfeld scripts on Instagram and Twitter!?! 👀 What?? YES.

KATE MURPHY!

This just in: We love Kate Murphy! You remember her as the latest host of the Mercury‘s I, Anonymous Show, the co-host of Dark Web Tonight, and a finalist in Helium Comedy Club’s Portland’s Funniest Person 2018. Plus she’s been featured in soooo many fests, including the Hell Yes Fest, The NW Women’s Comedy Festival, Pacific Crest Comedy Fest, and more! After a stint in LA, Kate is back and already wowing post-pandemic crowds with her razor sharp, yet adorable, yet hilariously bizarre observations on modern life. It bears repeating: We love Kate Murphy! 

JAREN GEORGE!

Meet “feel good” comedian, Jaren George! (And by that we mean he wants YOU to “feel good,” not necessarily that he feels good… but he probably does?) Jaren has been seen on Hulu’s hit comedy Shrill, he’s the host of the monthly Optimism! Comedy Showcase, as well as the improvisational IT Desk podcast. You may have also seen him knocking the crowd dead in Portland’s summertime Comedy in the Park, and he was also rightly chosen as one of WW‘s Portland’s Funniest 5. We absolutely looooove Jaren’s smooth, hilarious style, and if you don’t love him yet? You will!

DYLAN JENKINS!

Dylan Jenkins is a Portland-based stand up who just keeps getting better every time we see him. You can often find him at Helium Comedy Club and such prestigious national comedy festivals as the SF Sketchfest and the 10,000 Laughs Comedy Festival. He’s a regular finalist in Helium’s Portland’s Funniest contest, has a podcast called North Of Failing aaaaand… what else? Oh, he also plays bass guitar and provides his Netflix password to three-to-five people at any given time—but you probably shouldn’t bug him about it, because three-to-five people is a lot.

JAMES BOSQUEZ!

If you grew up in the ’80s and ’90s… congratulations! Chances are James Bosquez has a joke tailor made for you. His nostalgic brand of comedy takes snarky references mixed with everyday life to make his performance a relatable and unique experience. Originally from Texas, James has opened for dozens of headliners in his over decade long career including Tom Segura, Pauly Shore, and Russell Peters. He’s currently a producer for the upcoming Rip City Comedy Festival—another great way to see comics you’ll fall in love with! (But watch the Geniuses show first.)

Folks, this show is gonna be a certified BANGER. Don’t miss this opportunity to catch the best comedy Portland has to offer… and all on one stage in one night! That’s the Undisputable Geniuses of Comedy, this coming Friday, January 13, 2023 at Revolution Hall… get those tickets now, babies, because IT WILL SELL OUT!