On Saturday, August 19, some of the Pacific Northwest's funniest people will take the stage at the Egyptian Theatre as part of The Stranger's Undisputable Geniuses of Comedy showcase. Emmett Montgomery! Dewa Dorje! Derek Sheen! Alyssa Yeoman! Natalie Holt! And those are just the Seattle folks performing! We're also bringing up Portland's Arlo Weierhauser, Kate Murphy, Steven Wilber, and Jamie Carbone, and the evening will be hosted by Nariko Ott, winner of Portland's Funniest Person contest in 2016 and writer for The Hard Times.Ā
It's going to be very funny! This week, ahead of the show, let's get to know the Seattle comics. Say hello to Alyssa Yeoman! Yeoman co-hosts the podcast Is This Normal? with Erin Ingle and the monthly comedy show Puff Puff Laugh at Here-After. They have also performed at the Upper Left Comedy Festival and Bumbershoot.
How does it feel to be declared an Undisputable Genius of Comedy?Ā
I feel overwhelmed. It may be too much. It's hard to be declared a genius in such a subjective field. But that being said, I accept the compliment and the crown. And shoutout to my haters, it must hurt to see me thriving.Ā
The show is at the Egyptian, which is rumored to be haunted. Do you believe in ghosts?
Absolutely. My ghost stories are all pretty tame just the casual ghost sitting on the edge of the bed type stuff. I live in harmony with the otherworldly.Ā
I feel like Seattleās comedy scene has gotten stronger in recent years. There are new(ish) venuesāComedy/Bar opened earlier this year on Capitol Hill and Here-After has been open for about a year and a half now, hosting both local and touring comics. Do you agree?
Sure! LOL but really, comedy has always been good in Seattle, in my tenure at least. We've always had witty writers and fun alt roomsānot our fault that the media is just now taking notice. Well, it might be one comedian's fault but that's an old story for another time.Ā
Where is your favorite place to see comedy in Seattle right now?
There are a few... I love some of the independent shows run at Olmstead like the Blackout and Flock. Then there's of course, Don't Tell, Good Comedy, Safeword, the Disabled List, and Upper Left Festival. And we cannot discount Tacoma, which has a bustling comedy scene that's worth the drive. Other than that, I love getting to see comedians I look up to come through Here-After, the Paramount, and the Neptune. Also, if you want a really good time check out my show Puff, Puff, Laugh happening September 7 at Here-After. It's a communal experience that's all about standup, weed, and the internet.
Some of the participants in the show are from Portlandāour sister paper, The Mercury, also hosts its own Undisputable Geniuses of Comedy show. Itās Portland vs. Seattle! Rose City vs. Emerald City! Who has the funnier comedians?Ā
HA! I will reiterate that comedy is subjective. I believe in being in community with our comedy peers down in Portland not competition. Also, I like getting booked down there. And seriously, both places offer a lot of good, fun comedy.Ā
ĀĀĀĀĀView this post on InstagramĀĀĀĀĀĀĀĀĀĀĀ
You also host a podcast called Is This Normal?, where listeners ask you and co-host Erin Ingle if their habits or quirky behaviors are normal. What quirk do you have that some people might not consider ānormalā?
OMG, my podcast. my pride and joy. I have a few quirks and will do anything for a story so I have a lot that's not "normal." But for this answer, I will go with something that people will cringe at... which is that I love crafting an email. I say crafting because they are artisanal. Like, a good-ass email makes me feel like a f*cking god amongst men.
Read our interviews with Undisputable Geniuses of Comedy Natalie Holt and Derek Sheen!
