Kevin Brennan (comedian)

For other people with the same name, see Kevin Brennan (disambiguation).
Kevin Brennan
Brennan at The Stand Comedy Club in 2019
Born
Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
Years active1980s–present
RelativesNeal Brennan (brother)
Comedy career
Medium
Comedy
Television
Podcast
Genres
Observational comedy
Insult comedy
Black humor
Cringe comedy
Human behavior
Subject(s)
Notable works and roles
YouTube information
Channel
Years active2016–present
Subscribers13.9 thousand[1]
Total views930.2 thousand[1]
Last updated: May 24, 2024[2]
Websitewww.kevinbrennan.com

Kevin Brennan is an American stand-up comedian, podcaster, and writer. He is the host of the Misery Loves Company podcast, and is best known for his work on Saturday Night Live's Weekend Update in 1999 and 2000.[3][4]

Brennan was voted "Best Comedian" at the 2005 Aspen Comedy Festival and his half-hour stand-up special was featured on HBO that same year. He was featured on the 2007 cross-Canada Just for Laughs comedy tour and performed at the Just for Laughs festival in Montreal in 2009. He was also a repeat panelist on Red Eye w/ Tom Shillue in 2016 and 2017.

Early life

Brennan was born in Chicago to an Irish Catholic family and has nine siblings.[3][5] The family also lived in Philadelphia.

Career

Early career (1980s–1998)

Brennan first started stand-up in Chicago in the 1980s at the suggestion of a coworker at a restaurant where he was working.[6][7] He moved to New York City in 1987 to further pursue a career in stand up comedy.[5][7]

Within two years of moving to New York City, Brennan was hosting open mics and other comedy shows at the Boston Comedy Club, a now defunct comedy club in New York City.[8][9][10] By the early 1990s he was appearing on A&E's stand-up comedy series An Evening at the Improv and Caroline's Comedy Hour.[11][12]

In 1993, Brennan appeared on the entertainment competition show Star Search where he competed unsuccessfully against 19-year-old Dave Chappelle.[13]

Brennan first appeared as a guest on Late Night with Conan O'Brien in 1994 and went on to make multiple appearances on the show from 1995 to 2007.[14]

In 1997, Brennan appeared in a small role in the film Half Baked, which was co-written by his brother Neal Brennan and Chappelle.[15][16] By this time Brennan was established in the New York comedy circuit and had appeared twice on Late Show with David Letterman.[17] That same year the Brennan brothers had a development deal with NBC and Universal for a sitcom based on their own experiences growing up in an Irish-Catholic family with 10 kids in Philadelphia.[17]

Saturday Night Live (1999–2000)

Brennan was a writer for Saturday Night Live in 1999 and 2000 and also appeared on the show as a Weekend Update correspondent in two episodes of the show's 25th season while Colin Quinn held the anchor post.[3][18][19] Quinn left Saturday Night Live in 2000 and Brennan was in contention for the anchor position but, after the job was given to Jimmy Fallon and Tina Fey, Brennan decided not to return as a writer for the following season.[20]

Post Saturday Night Live (2001–present)

From 2003 to 2005 Brennan made multiple appearances on Last Call with Carson Daly.[21][22] Brennan was voted “Best Comedian” at the 2005 Aspen Comedy Festival, which lead to his half-hour stand-up special on the HBO series One Night Stand that same year.[21][23] He was one of six comedians featured on the 2007 cross-Canada Just for Laughs comedy tour, which also featured Greg Behrendt, John Wing, Louis Ramey, Fiona O'Loughlin and Tom Papa.[24] He also performed at the Just For Laughs festival in Montreal in 2009.[25] In 2011, Brennan wrote for the Comedy Central series Sports Show with Norm Macdonald.[6]

Misery Loves Company

Misery Loves Company
Presentation
Hosted byKevin Brennan
GenreComedy
Talk
Entertainment
Culture
Satire
FormatAudio & video
Created byKevin Brennan
LanguageEnglish
Length90 – 240 min.
Production
ProductionAdam Hiniker[26] (2018-2024)
No. of episodes641 (Patreon)
(as of September 25, 2023)
Publication
Original releaseJanuary 2016
ProviderSoundBetter[26] (2018-2024)
Related
WebsitePatreon (Premium audio and video, and livestream archives)
YouTube (Video and livestreams)

Brennan started the comedic podcast titled Misery Loves Company (MLC) in January 2016, and added fellow New York-based comedian Lenny Marcus as his co-host. Marcus quit the podcast after ten months following several on-air and off-air disagreements between the two comedians.[3]

Burning Bridges

In 2017, Compound Media owner and former Opie and Anthony radio personality Anthony Cumia, a fan of Brennan's tirades against other comedians on Misery Loves Company (including Brennan's brother, Neal), brought Brennan to his Compound Media network, where Brennan hosted Burning Bridges with co-host Brian Mccarthy. Brennan and Mccarthy left Compound Media in 2019.[3]

Other ventures

In 2018 he produced a live comedy show in New York City called White Guys Matter that was billed as "all white guys" and "no safe spaces" with the promise to "make comedy great again."[27][28] Comedian Aaron Berg, who performed at the New York show, brought the show to Yuk Yuk's comedy club in Toronto, Canada that same year, causing several local comedians to take to social media to protest the show.[28][29]

Brennan played himself in an episode of Pete Holmes' HBO series Crashing that aired in 2019.[30] A roast of Kevin Brennan was held at The Stand comedy club in New York City that same year.[31] Roasters at the event included comedians Dan Soder, Jim Norton (in character as Chip Chipperson), Krystyna Hutchinson and Corinne Fischer of the Guys We Fucked podcast, Patty Rosborough, Chad Zumock and Mike Bocchetti.[32][third-party source needed]

In October 2022, Brennan, along with fellow comedian Bob Levy, opened a comedy club called the Brennan & Levy's Comedy Loft in Vineland, New Jersey.[33][34]

Comedic style

Brennan's delivery has been described as "laid-back" and "laconic".[4] He is also known for insult comedy directed at members of the audience, and for jokes about racism, pedophilia and misogyny.[7] As his podcast title Burning Bridges suggests, Brennan is also known for confrontational statements about other comedians and podcasters.[3] Brennan drew public criticism for his remarks about the unexpected death of Friends actor Matthew Perry on social media, in late October 2023.[35]

In a 2017 interview with New York magazine, comedian Jim Gaffigan was quoted as saying: "I am a New York comedian in the vein of like Dave Attell and Kevin Brennan, where they're supposed to laugh at your jokes and not like you."[36]

Personal life

Brennan is married and resides in New Jersey.[5] His youngest brother is Neal Brennan, comedian and co-creator of Chappelle's Show.[3]

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role Notes Ref.
1998 Half Baked Pothead
2008 Turbocharge: The Unauthorized Story of The Cars Alan Hunter

Television

Year Title Role Notes Ref.
1990, 1992 An Evening at the Improv Self Season 6, Episode 17 (October 20, 1990)

Season 9, Episode 2 (January 4, 1992)

1994–2007 Late Night with Conan O'Brien Self Season 1, Episode 147 Pam Dawber/Dixie Carter/Kevin Brennan (April 21, 1994)

Season 3, Episode 56 Garth Brooks/Kevin Brennan/Kimberly Williams (December 12, 1995)
Season 5, Episode 89 Scott Wolf/Flea/Kevin Brennan (March 5, 1998)
Season 6, Episode 34 Jennifer Love Hewitt/Marc Maron/Kevin Brennan (November 19, 1998)
Season 10, Episode 4 Topher Grace/Jamie-Lynn Sigler/Kevin Brennan (September 6, 2002)
Season 13, Episode 36 Reese Witherspoon/Jon Favreau/Kevin Brennan (November 15, 2005)
Season 14, Episode 90 Serena Williams/Donal Logue/Kevin Brennan (February 1, 2007)
Season 14, Episode 132 Kevin Brennan (April 23, 2007)
Season 14, Episode 200 Kevin Brennan (September 4, 2007)

1996 Tompkins Square Self Season 1, Episode 2
1997 Late Show with David Letterman Self September 21, 1994; January 17, 1997
1999 Comedy Central Presents Self Season 1, Episode 8 (January 19, 1999)
2000 Saturday Night Live Self Season 25, Episode 14 Joshua Jackson/'N Sync (March 11, 2000)

Season 25, Episode 18 John Goodman/Neil Young (May 6, 2000)

2002 Dr. Katz, Professional Therapist Ken (voice) Season 6, Episode 17 (February 13, 2002)
2003, 2005 Last Call with Carson Daly Self February 14, 2003; October 3, 2003; April 2, 2004; November 11, 2004; February 25, 2005; July 22, 2005
2005 One Night Stand Self Season 1, Episode 3 Kevin Brennan September 2, 2005 [37]
2009 Just for Laughs Self Season 1, Episode 4 Martin Short (October 19, 2009)
2016, 2017 Red Eye w/ Tom Shillue Self (Panelist) June 22, 2016; August 31, 2016; October 5, 2016; December 20, 2016; February 7, 2017; March 10, 2017; March 29, 2017
2018 WGN Morning News Self August 17, 2018
2018 Porsalin Self Almost Famous: A Kevin Brennan Documentary (March 27, 2021) [38]
2021 Crashing Self Season 3, Episode 6 The Viewing Party (February 24, 2019)

References

  1. ^ a b "About MLC Podcast". YouTube.
  2. ^ "MLC Podcast's YouTube Stats (Summary Profile) - Social Blade Stats". Social Blade. Retrieved May 21, 2024.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g King, Scott (September 25, 2018). "How Comic Kevin Brennan Turned Burning Bridges Into A Business". Forbes. Jersey City, New Jersey, United States. Retrieved April 20, 2020.
  4. ^ a b Egner, Jeremy (July 22, 2003). "Double the laughs for half the price". Austin American-Statesman. Austin, Texas, United States. p. E2. Retrieved April 20, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. ^ a b c Hubbard, Ryan (December 28, 2006). "Kevin Brennan". Chicago Reader. Chicago, Illinois, United States. Retrieved April 20, 2020.
  6. ^ a b Lisko, B.J. (April 17, 2018). "Going for broke: Comedian Kevin Brennan lets loose; Funny Stop shows set". The Repository. Canton, Ohio, United States. Archived from the original on December 12, 2018. Retrieved April 20, 2020.
  7. ^ a b c Gargan, Scott (December 28, 2010). "Comics ring in the new year with "2011 Comedy Countdown" at Foxwoods". Connecticut Post. Bridgeport, Connecticut, United States. Retrieved April 20, 2020.
  8. ^ "City Lights Guide: Comedy/Magic". Daily News. New York City, New York, United States. May 28, 1989. p. 19. Retrieved April 20, 2020 – via Newspapers.com. BOSTON COMEDY CLUB (82 West Third St., 477-0622):Kevin Brennan hosts "Comedy Showcase" tonight at 9...
  9. ^ "City Lights Guide: Comedy/Magic". Daily News. New York City, New York, United States. June 11, 1989. p. 19. Retrieved April 20, 2020 – via Newspapers.com. BOSTON COMEDY CLUB (82 West Third St., 477-0622):Kevin Brennan hosts "Comedy Showcase" tonight at 9...
  10. ^ "City Lights Guide: Comedy/Magic". Daily News. New York City, New York, United States. September 3, 1989. p. 19. Retrieved April 20, 2020 – via Newspapers.com. BOSTON COMEDY CLUB (82 W. 3RD ST., 477-0622): Jimmy Tingle performs in his one-man show tonight. Kevin Brennan hosts "Open Mike" Mon...
  11. ^ "TV listings: 11:00 p.m. A&E—Richard Dysert at the Improv. Comics: Kevin Brennan, Jeff Stillson and Joe Bolster". The Journal News. White Plains, New York. September 5, 1990. p. C5. Retrieved April 20, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
  12. ^ "TV listings: Caroline's Comedy Hour. Comics: Billy Martin; Henriette Mantel; Daniel Rosen; Bob Rubin; Kevin Brennan. Host: Richard Jeni". Times Recorder. White Plains, New York. July 9, 1993. p. 8-D. Retrieved April 20, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
  13. ^ Barna, Daniel (March 27, 2014). "Peep Your 9 Favorite Comedians Before They Were Famous". Refinery29. Vice Media. Retrieved April 20, 2020.
  14. ^ "Video playlist of Kevin Brennan's Conan appearances". TeamCoco.com. Retrieved April 20, 2020.
  15. ^ Ogunnaike, Lola (February 18, 2004). "A Comic Who Won't Hold Back; Nothing Is Out of Bounds For Dave Chappelle's Show". New York Times. Retrieved April 20, 2012.
  16. ^ Alspector, Lisa. "Kevin Brennan". Chicago Reader. Chicago, Illinois, United States. Retrieved April 20, 2020.
  17. ^ a b Hontz, Jenny (December 9, 1997). "NBC, U plan sitcom for Brennans". Variety. Los Angeles, California, United States. Retrieved April 20, 2020.
  18. ^ "Political Correspondent Kevin Brennan discusses candidates Al Gore and George Bush.". Saturday Night Live. Season 25. Episode 14. March 11, 2000. NBC. Retrieved April 20, 2020.
  19. ^ "Correspondent Kevin Brennan gives his personal response to Cuban immigrant Elian Gonzalez.". Saturday Night Live. Season 25. Episode 18. May 6, 2000. NBC. Retrieved April 20, 2020.
  20. ^ Evans, Bradford (October 27, 2011). "The Lost Weekend Update Anchors". Vulture.com. Vox Media. Retrieved April 20, 2020.
  21. ^ a b "Kevin Brennan, Steve Byrne and More Are Coming to the Plaza Hotel & Casino". BroadwayWorld. January 29, 2020. Retrieved April 20, 2020.
  22. ^ "Full List of Last Call With Carson Daly Episodes". Ranker. Retrieved April 20, 2020.
  23. ^ "Kevin Brennan at Helium Comedy Club". Philadelphia. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States: Metrocorp. November 20, 2006. Retrieved April 20, 2020.
  24. ^ Fuller, Cam (November 7, 2007). "On tour, just for fun". The StarPhoenix. Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada. Retrieved April 20, 2020 – via PressReader.
  25. ^ "Kevin Brennan Stand Up - 2009". Just For Laughs. Retrieved April 20, 2020.
  26. ^ a b "Adam Hiniker: Mixing Engineer". SoundBetter.com. Retrieved 27 December 2022.
  27. ^ Smith, Tracey Erin (April 17, 2018). "Why I attended a comedy show called White Guys Matter". NOW. Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Retrieved April 20, 2020.
  28. ^ a b Di Menna, Hillary (May 10, 2018). "Comedy is a reflection of our society. It's time for it to get with the times". This Magazine. Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Retrieved April 20, 2020.
  29. ^ da Silva, Michelle; Jackson-Kelso, Rhianna (April 11, 2018). "Toronto stand-ups call out White Guys Matter comedy show". NOW. Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Retrieved April 20, 2020.
  30. ^ Gurian, Jeffrey (July 23, 2018). "Live From the Set of Crashing in NYC, Bo Burnham Talks About His Acclaimed Movie, and More". The Interrobang. Orange Pop Media. Retrieved April 20, 2020.
  31. ^ "The Roast of Kevin Brennan!". TheStandNYC.com. Retrieved April 20, 2020.
  32. ^ The Roast of Kevin Brennan (Live recording). YouTube. Archived from the original on 2021-12-12.
  33. ^ Steve Trevelise (October 11, 2022). "SNL and Howard Stern Alumni Open Comedy Club in Vineland, NJ". Trenton, New Jersey, United States: WKXW. Retrieved December 18, 2022.
  34. ^ "Brennan & Levy's Comedy Loft: Kaycee Ray's". kayceerays.com. Retrieved December 18, 2022.
  35. ^ Koenig, Melissa (October 30, 2023). "Ex-'SNL' writer Kevin Brennan mocks Matthew Perry's death: 'I do love it when junkies die'". Archived from the original on October 30, 2023. Retrieved October 30, 2023.
  36. ^ Fox, Jesse David (February 17, 2017). "Jim Gaffigan On Writing a Joke About Attractive Cable News Anchors, and How He Stopped Using the Voice". Vulture.com. New York. Retrieved April 20, 2020.
  37. ^ "HBO One Night Stand Presents: Kevin Brennan". HBO. Retrieved December 6, 2022.
  38. ^ "Almost Famous: A Kevin Brennan Documentary". YouTube. March 27, 2021. Retrieved December 6, 2022.