Stand-up Comedians + Scientists + Beers = Stand-Up Science! That’s the appealing program of the upcoming science-based comedy show by award-winning comedian Shane Mauss. The show will be hosted on Sunday, Oct. 21 at The Underground Collaborative in Milwaukee. Tickets cost $12 if bought ahead of time, or $18 at the door, for 90 minutes of laughs followed by an interactive discussion with the audience.
Shane Mauss combines the best of both worlds, the fun and light-hearted tone of a comedy show with the intelligence of a science discussion. Guests include scientists like History and Gender Studies Professor Merry Wiesner-Hanks, former Yale Professor and memory expert Dr. Karyn Frick, as well as rapper and comedian Carter Deems. The point is to foster a thought-provoking discussion about real, serious science, while making the audience laugh and enjoy the night.
“Stand-up comedy and science have a lot in common,” Mauss explains. “They both reveal truth, change our perceptions, and challenge the status quo. So why are they so underappreciated? Admittedly, comedy sometimes underestimates the intelligence of their audience, catering to the lowest common denominator. And science has the stigma of being overly complicated, unrelatable or boring. Until now.”
Science is not a new subject for Mauss. In fact, it is the subject he is most inspired by: On Comedy Central, he talked of chemistry in a sketch about LSD, he also made an album about medicine and foot injuries, as well as a coloring book centered over the consumption of psychedelic substances. But, most importantly, Mauss is the host of the “Here We Are” podcast, which features weekly interviews with scientists around the world. With nearly 200 episodes so far, all of them over one hour long, Shane Mauss has certainly gathered more material about science than he could ever use in his stand-up show.
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Shane Mauss distinguished himself by being invited several times on “Conan” and “Jimmy Kimmel Live!,” and he has appeared countless times on Comedy Central on his own. He has also been featured on other top podcasts such as “You Made It Weird,” Marc Maron’s “WTF” and “The Joe Rogan Experience.” Mauss has a deadpan delivery and a drawling, almost bored voice, but his writing is always on point. All of his skits attract vast viewership, both online and in person.
In Madison and Minneapolis, where Stand-Up Science was performed before coming to Milwaukee, the show was entirely sold out. After the current Midwest run is complete, Mauss will keep touring the country, going to Oregon, North Carolina, Iowa, Washington, and even the District of Columbia in Feb. 2019.
“I had such a great night,” Mauss says about the first Stand-Up Science performance in Madison. “It was an incredible success, people absolutely loved it!” So much, in fact, that Stand-Up Science will come back to Madison, which was not planned at first, due to the resounding success the show encountered there for its premiere.
Stand-Up Science will perform on Sunday, Oct. 21 from 7:30-10:30 p.m. at The Underground Collaborative, 161 W. Wisconsin Ave, Milwaukee. You can purchase tickets here.
