Photo: Daniel Van Kirk - danielvankirk.com
Daniel Van Kirk
Daniel Van Kirk
“We're not here to do negative material or get angry. I just want us all to have fun.”
So says comedian Daniel Van Kirk. “I don't do 'mean' comedy,” he emphasizes, about which he states further, "I always want my shows to be simply a hilarious good time.”
The rural Rockelle, IL native brings his act to The Laughing Tap on Thursday November 2 for a 7:30 PM show. “I think that is a very Midwestern trait. I feel like we are approachable people and tend to have a 'more the merrier' mentality,” he continues.
“My comedy is a reflection of growing up in a small farm town, my love for the Midwest, and a healthy dose of Chicago, all mixed with fun stories and observations that bring an audience together for a great time,” Van Kirk declares of the substance of his act. Amid the reminiscences and observations, however, is a penchant for calling out the disingenuous.
Calling out BS
“Any good Midwesterner can call out BS and easily yell, ‘What the hell is going on out there?!’ I want to have both energies in my comedy,” Van Kirk explains of his effort to maintain balance between the sunny and skeptical in his schtick. Seeing him keep that equilibrium of hilarity in online clips has thus far, however, been a pretty impossible undertaking. The reason for Van Kirk's absence from video-posting websites isn't so much the maintenance of a mystique as a less romantic consideration.
“I haven't shot a special yet,” Van Kirk explains. He will soon be remedying that, though. “I am shooting my first one on November 11 in Chicago at The Lincoln Lodge! So, I expect there will be a lot of my stand-up on social media and YouTube in 2024.”
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He has compensated through an abundance of podcast work, Of his current regular series—Pen Pals with Rory Scovel and Dumb People Town, which he co-hosts alongside Randy and Jason Sklar—he enthuses,. “I feel very lucky to work with such great comics, and podcasting is a great way have fun, meet new and legendary comedians, and most importantly, connect with comedy fans.” And in net-casting, Van Kirk sees another connection to his Midwestern roots, “I grew up listening to a lot of AM radio on the drives from Rochelle to Wisconsin, and I think that instilled a love for great conversation.”
Dairy State Ties
As for his connection to the Dairy State, Van Kirk recalls, “My family has been coming to Wisconsin regularly since the 1950s. We have a small cabin about two hours north-northwest of Milwaukee and I've spent as much time as I can up there every single summer of my life. For me, Wisconsin is a place full of great food, amazing lakes, friendly bars and even more friendly people.” Into his adulthood, Wisconsin remained a formative location for him. “Spending the warm months in those great local bars and hearing stories from those people while sharing a few brandy old fashioneds has definitely influenced who I am as a person and the type of comedy I perform.”
Attendees to Van Kirk's Milwaukee date can expect him to extol his host state further. “I explain that Wisconsin is wild and beautiful,” he shares as a clue to the material he will be bring to the Tap's stage. Additionally, for comedy lovers already familiar with him, he promises “a great new ending to the show!”
One document of Van Kirk's stand-up accessible online is his 2019's Thanks, Diane: A Comedy Album From Daniel Van Kirk. Here he is from that explaining some of his shortcomings as a grown-up ...
