Internet sensation Ryan Davis blessed the DC Improv with his comedy stylings on Friday December 3rd. The first of a sold out weekend of shows validated how much of a force Davis is in terms of stand up. Before Davis took the stage, the audience was introduced to our MC, Trevor Springs, who warmed the crowd up with jokes. Dante Chang was up next, beginning his set by telling the audience he was high. Chang’s jokes didn’t always connect for me personally, however I do think he has potential and just needs to find a style that works well for him.
Dave Butler graced the stage next, opening his brief set with a joke correlating alcohol to Chris Brown. Out of respect for Butler‘s profession, I won’t ruin the punch line. However, it was a great way to begin his set. Butler’s set was sharp, mixing puns with insightful anecdotes. I would love to see Butler in an improvisational style setting as it was that impressive.
Austin Hall, Davis’s co-host on the podcast, With All Due Offense was the final opening comic of the night. Hall possessed the confidence of a comic well beyond his years. Hall delivered joke after joke, keeping the audience in stitches throughout. My favorite moment in Hall’s set involved a compare and contrast of sex and fighting Mike Tyson. Hall has a great future ahead of him and it wouldn’t surprise me if he’s headlining his own shows soon.
Finally, it was time for the man of the hour, Mr. Ryan Davis. As I often do with most comics, I avoided any reviews of Davis’ previous work or seeking out any video footage of his prior shows. I know Ryan from his Facebook videos where he displays a social commentary style that recalls Lenny Bruce. Davis prides himself on bringing his A game during his live shows and he more than delivered.
Throughout his set, Davis never missed a beat, keeping the audience laughing out loud one second and then applauding in agreement with his realistic viewpoints the next. Davis touched on topics including dating, parenting, race relations and his childhood. One particular bit about his parent’s age difference and their tastes in music really hit home for me as I’ve always been an old soul myself.
While Davis is a huge internet success, he is an extremely talented comic in his own right and deserves all of the accolades coming his way. I look forward to his next show in the DMV and highly recommend making time to see him.
Final Grade A-
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