Brett Davis (comedian)

Last updated

Brett Davis
Brettdavis.jpg
Born
New Jersey, US
Occupation(s)Comedian, actor
Years active2006–present
Television The Special Without Brett Davis
Website www.brettdavis.rip

Brett Davis is an American comedian, actor, and writer. He is the creator and host of the public-access television series The Special Without Brett Davis and the podcast The Podcast for Laundry. A recipient of the Andy Kaufman Award in 2015, Davis was also a cast member on the rebooted National Lampoon Radio Hour and co-hosted the live comedy showcase The Macaulay Culkin Show.

Contents

Career

Davis grew up in New Jersey. As a teenager, he was a frequent caller and contributor to The Best Show with Tom Scharpling and guest-hosted NYCTV's New York Noise . He also performed regularly in the New Brunswick punk scene, which became the subject of his early short film, BANANAZZZ. [1]

Davis hosted the public access show The Special Without Brett Davis on the Manhattan Neighborhood Network, taking over the time slot previously held by The Chris Gethard Show . The show aired for over 170 episodes, with Davis playing a different character hosting a new show each week. It featured a rotating cast of performers, including Jo Firestone, Cole Escola, Joe Pera, Patti Harrison, Conner O'Malley, Sunita Mani, Ikechukwu Ufomadu, Julio Torres, John Early, Matt Rogers, Zach Cherry, Ana Fabrega, Ziwe Fumudoh, and Bridey Elliott. Guests, who were often integrated into the show's scenarios, included Gilbert Gottfried, Michael Shannon, Richard Kind, Janeane Garofalo, Lita, Rose McGowan, The Thermals, and Screaming Females. [2]

Davis later created and hosted The Podcast for Laundry, described as "a satire of podcasting." On the show, he played a version of himself driven mad by the premise of hosting a weekly podcast about laundry. His guests included David Cross, Tim Heidecker, Jon Glaser, Rachel Sennott, Sarah Sherman, Wyatt Cenac, Kevin Corrigan, James Adomian, and Aparna Nancherla. [3]

He performs character-based comedy throughout New York City [4] and, in 2015, won the Andy Kaufman Award for his interactive live performances. [5] [6]

From 2013 to 2017, Davis and Sally Burtnick co-hosted The Macaulay Culkin Show, a monthly comedy showcase at the Shea Stadium DIY venue in East Williamsburg that included an annual summer comedy festival. [7] Though previously unaffiliated with the actor, the show's namesake, Macaulay Culkin, made a guest appearance in 2019. [8]

In 2019, Davis became a cast member of the rebooted National Lampoon Radio Hour alongside Cole Escola, Jo Firestone, Alex English, Maeve Higgins, and Megan Stalter.

In 2024, Davis launched the podcast The John Gentle Show. The series features his recurring character, John Gentle, a disgraced poetry professor who returns to a New Jersey community college to take over his late mentor's jazz radio show following the mentor's mysterious death. The show stars Emma Callahan as producer Eva, with guest appearances from Cole Escola, Sarah Sherman, Jon Daly, Bridey Elliott, Hayley McFarland, and Tom Scharpling as students and faculty. [9]

Filmography

Television

YearTitleRoleNotesRefs
2006 New York Noise MC Steinberg4 episodesWebsite
2011Weird Vibesvarious3 episodesWebsite
2014 The Chris Gethard Show Smith3 episodes [1] [10]
2015–2019 The Special Without Brett Davis Host, various charactersAlso creator, cable access show [10]
2016Boy BandShane6 episodes; also creator [11]
2016 Jon Glaser Loves Gear AgentWebsite
2017 Animals. Lizard Man2 episodesWebsite
2018 The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon Roy Orbison Website
2018 The Late Show with Stephen Colbert Various characters2 episodesWebsite
2018-2020 Our Cartoon President Anderson Cooper Voice role [12]
2020 National Lampoon Radio Hour Various characters11 episodes [13]
2022 The Best Show with Tom Scharpling Various characters [14]
2024The John Gentle ShowJohn Gentle [14]

Film

YearTitleRoleNotes
2009SteinjiveMC Steinberg
2016 Long Nights Short Mornings Grokkq
2018 Clara's Ghost Driver

References

  1. 1 2 Goldstein, Ian (August 25, 2017). "On the Verge: Brett Davis". Vulture . Retrieved August 9, 2019.
  2. ↑ Malin, Sean (June 13, 2019). "10 of the Weirdest and Most Surreal Moments From The Special Without Brett Davis". Vulture . Retrieved August 9, 2019.
  3. ↑ https://foreverdogpodcasts.com/podcasts/the-podcast-for-laundry/
  4. ↑ Zinoman, Jason (April 10, 2018). "The Sociopathic Comedy of Brett Davis" . The New York Times . ISSN   0362-4331 . Retrieved August 9, 2019.
  5. ↑ https://thecomicscomic.com/2015/10/12/brett-davis-wins-2015-andy-kaufman-award/
  6. ↑ http://andykaufmanaward.com/hall-of-fame/
  7. ↑ https://bedfordandbowery.com/2018/08/the-return-of-the-macaulay-culkin-show-and-more-performance-picks
  8. ↑ http://www.brooklynvegan.com/macaulay-culkin-appearing-at-brett-davis-macaulay-culkin-show-for-1st-time-ever/
  9. ↑ https://www.brettdavis.rip/podcasts
  10. 1 2 Yanick, Joseph (September 1, 2015). "'The Special Without Brett Davis' Is the Best Punk Rock Comedy Show on Public Access TV". Vice .
  11. ↑ Wright, Megh (March 22, 2016). "Brett Davis Assembles the Next Big Boy Band in His New IFC Web Series". Vulture .
  12. ↑ "Showtime to Premiere Season Two of Our Cartoon President on May 12". Broadway World . April 9, 2019. Retrieved August 9, 2019.
  13. ↑ "Watch National Lampoon Radio Hour". Roku . April 9, 2019. Retrieved August 16, 2020.
  14. 1 2 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t_f6KOONnfw
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