These People Are Killing Us
| By John Paul Burgess |
ShareThisTommy Ryman
Age: 26
Hometown: Edina, Minnesota.
Natural habitat: ACME Comedy club, Bryant-Lake Bowl.
Past & Present: Tommy first appeared at ACME in 2005 while working toward a theater major at the University of Minnesota. He has also been known to perform with his mommy, folk singer Barb Ryman. Tommy will be at ACME August 18–22 along with headliner Greg Warren.
Style: Absurdist and clever, masked behind a very likeable and innocent demeanor; oft thought of as “disturbingly adorable.”
IN HIS WORDS:
Funniest Movie: Bottle Rocket.
Funniest TV Show: Freaks and Geeks.
Funniest Word: Woozle.
How might one actually utilize a rubber chicken for the sake of comedy? I could say, but then no one would respect me.
When/if heckled, I respond by: Crying.
Most irritating comedy cliché: Comics that do comedy with no shoes on.
I don't have a sense of humor about: Things that are not funny.
Zinger: I hit a blue jay with my car last week … pretty sure that guy won’t play baseball again.
Jill Bernard
Hometown: Downer’s Grove, IL
Age: 36
Natural habitat: Comedy Sportz, Chicago Improv Festival.
Past & Present: Jill got her start in improv comedy in 1993 at ComedySportz in Minneapolis. A founding member of HUGE Theater, Jill can also been seen occasionally performing as Drum Machine, a one-woman improvised historical musical. She will be appearing at Sample Night Live on August 5.
Style: Joyful and completely void of cynicism; for the love of it all.
IN HER WORDS:
Funniest Movie: Supercop.
Funniest TV Show: Hogan’s Heroes.
Funniest Word: Fazzoletto (that’s Italian for handkerchief).
Local Comedy Crush: Geoff Herbach from Lit 6.
Worst Performance: I did a private one-woman performance for a symposium on whole wheat. That was weird.
Best Performance: I say, “You’re late, sit down!” in a mean voice on an episode of MTV's Made. That’s a career highlight.
Always “on,” or shy when off stage? I’m always on so no one knows I’m shy.
I don’t have a sense of humor about: People who make fun of mentally challenged people. I always think, “Wow, really? That’s your target?”
If given the choice, I’d rather: Wait out the apocalypse in a comfortable bunker filled with canned goods and video games.
Pancakes or waffles? Pancakes. Do I look like I’m incredibly wealthy or something?
Knock-Knock. Who’s there? Doctor. Doctor Who? WHAT ARE YOU, A NERD?
Why did the chicken cross the road? It was pre-emptive. You don’t want a road crossing you.
Zinger: 186 socks walk into a bar. Only 185 walk out.
Age: 26
Hometown: Edina, Minnesota.
Natural habitat: ACME Comedy club, Bryant-Lake Bowl.
Past & Present: Tommy first appeared at ACME in 2005 while working toward a theater major at the University of Minnesota. He has also been known to perform with his mommy, folk singer Barb Ryman. Tommy will be at ACME August 18–22 along with headliner Greg Warren.
Style: Absurdist and clever, masked behind a very likeable and innocent demeanor; oft thought of as “disturbingly adorable.”
IN HIS WORDS:
Funniest Movie: Bottle Rocket.
Funniest TV Show: Freaks and Geeks.
Funniest Word: Woozle.
How might one actually utilize a rubber chicken for the sake of comedy? I could say, but then no one would respect me.
When/if heckled, I respond by: Crying.
Most irritating comedy cliché: Comics that do comedy with no shoes on.
I don't have a sense of humor about: Things that are not funny.
Zinger: I hit a blue jay with my car last week … pretty sure that guy won’t play baseball again.
Jill Bernard
Hometown: Downer’s Grove, IL
Age: 36
Natural habitat: Comedy Sportz, Chicago Improv Festival.
Past & Present: Jill got her start in improv comedy in 1993 at ComedySportz in Minneapolis. A founding member of HUGE Theater, Jill can also been seen occasionally performing as Drum Machine, a one-woman improvised historical musical. She will be appearing at Sample Night Live on August 5.
Style: Joyful and completely void of cynicism; for the love of it all.
IN HER WORDS:
Funniest Movie: Supercop.
Funniest TV Show: Hogan’s Heroes.
Funniest Word: Fazzoletto (that’s Italian for handkerchief).
Local Comedy Crush: Geoff Herbach from Lit 6.
Worst Performance: I did a private one-woman performance for a symposium on whole wheat. That was weird.
Best Performance: I say, “You’re late, sit down!” in a mean voice on an episode of MTV's Made. That’s a career highlight.
Always “on,” or shy when off stage? I’m always on so no one knows I’m shy.
I don’t have a sense of humor about: People who make fun of mentally challenged people. I always think, “Wow, really? That’s your target?”
If given the choice, I’d rather: Wait out the apocalypse in a comfortable bunker filled with canned goods and video games.
Pancakes or waffles? Pancakes. Do I look like I’m incredibly wealthy or something?
Knock-Knock. Who’s there? Doctor. Doctor Who? WHAT ARE YOU, A NERD?
Why did the chicken cross the road? It was pre-emptive. You don’t want a road crossing you.
Zinger: 186 socks walk into a bar. Only 185 walk out.
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