Month: May 2026

The annual competition for young comedians starts next week at The Comedy Castle. Its curator, Bill Bushart, joins Joel to talk about why the prize is a trip to Austin and not L.A., the benefits of performing in the contest, how the judging works, and how comics can register. Hear why your friends may not actually vote for you if you’re in the contest, hear some of the names of Detroit’s most succesful exports, and hear Joel’s horrible history with comedy contests. Plus, lots of great acts are coming to the club soon, and hear about the next round of comedy classes. Tix for Detroit to Austin and all the shows mentioned can be found at the link below.

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Mike Bonner is a Detroit legend on the comedy stage, and this Memorial Day weekend he’s back for more shows. Mike tells Joel about his start at the club, the big star who inspired him (who he later watched bomb), and how he transitioned from acting to stand-up. Hear why the legendary Def Comedy Jam wasn’t the break you might think is, how he’s incorporating music into the live shows and his recent accolades from a return to film acting. Also, hear how Mike and Joel shared the radio airwaves on Trump’s election night in 2016 – they’ll never forget it. Plus, a Dave Attell weekend round-up and how Joel’s dog ended up on stage with Dave. Tix for Mike Bonner’s shows and Chad Daniels this weekend are on sale at the link below.

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