Doug Benson
He built a comedy empire by reading his phone on a stool.
5 specials · 1991–2015
Start with Super High Me, the breakout (2008 · 1 h 34 min · Prime Video)
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A Doug Benson set barely qualifies as a traditional performance. He ambles onto the stage, pulls up a stool, and sits down. He will frequently spend large chunks of his stage time scrolling through his phone or shuffling notes, reading his own tweets and random thoughts aloud. The rhythm is incredibly loose, punctuated by long pauses and his own soft, wheezing laugh. He doesn’t deliver material so much as he relays it to the room, presenting jokes as amusing things he happened to find in his pocket.
Specials
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Stoned punchlines and Twitter crowd work at the Neptune Theatre.
Comedy Dynamics · 50 min
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A loose Denver club set built on audience tweets and weed.
ASpecialThing Records · Album · 50 min
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A comedian spends thirty days sober, then thirty days completely stoned.
Prime Video · 1 h 34 min
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A relaxed, weirdly dirty half-hour of early-career stoner stand-up.
Comedy Central
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MTV Half-Hour Comedy Hour: Episode #1.76 with Greg Behrendt, Louis C.K. & 6 more
A 1991 cable showcase packed with future stand-up stars.
MTV · 30 min
On stage
This casual approach hides his actual influence on how modern comics tour. Long before podcasting became mandatory for standups, Benson wrote the blueprint. With Doug Loves Movies, he figured out how to mobilize a dedicated fan base, taking a live audio show on the road and packing venues without relying on a polished hour or a sitcom role. He proved you could build a touring career just by recording yourself talking about movies with your friends.
The standup itself relies heavily on wordplay, fast-food menus, and pop culture minutiae. He uses his very public affinity for weed as a shield for groaner puns and low-stakes riffs. If a punchline lands with a thud, he just shrugs, adjusts his posture on the stool, and looks down at the next note. He never breaks a sweat, never forces the energy in the room, and never pretends to be doing anything more important than killing an hour. The room works precisely because of that total absence of stakes. You are just spending an evening watching a guy remain mildly, comfortably amused by his own brain.
Turning points
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Pioneering Live Comedy Podcasting with Doug Loves Movies
Benson launched Doug Loves Movies at the Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre, building an influential comedy podcast around movie fandom and interactive games like the Leonard Maltin Game.
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2007–2008
Stoner Documentary Experiment in Super High Me
Benson conducted a 30-day marijuana cleanse followed by 30 consecutive days of heavy cannabis use, turning the experiment into a feature documentary that cemented his reputation as comedy's foremost stoner personality.
At a glance
- Born
- , San Diego, California
- On stage
- since 1986
- Style
- observational, satire, alternative comedy, sarcasm
- Breakout
- Super High Me
- Topics
- Elsewhere
- Website, Wikipedia
Fans also like
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Brian PosehnBoth emerged through the alternative comedy scene and share an affinity for pop culture, nerd fandom, and stoner humor.
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Arj BarkerBenson co-created and starred in the hit marijuana-centric stage show The Marijuana-Logues alongside Barker.
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Tony Camin
Camin co-created and performed in The Marijuana-Logues with Benson, sharing a focus on counterculture cannabis comedy.
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Greg ProopsBoth are long-standing veterans of the 1980s alternative comedy circuit who share a love of sharp, quick-witted banter.
Podcasts
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Doug Loves Movies · host
Recorded live in front of audiences, Benson invites comedian and celebrity guests to discuss films and play movie trivia games such as the Leonard Maltin Game.
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The Benson Interruption · host
A podcast and live format where Benson periodically interrupts performing standup comedians during their sets.
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Getting Doug with High · host
A talk show and podcast where Benson interviews guests while smoking marijuana.
Also on screen
- 2004–2008
- Best Week Ever
- 2007–2008
- Super High Me
- The Benson Interruption
- 2016–2019
- You're the Worst
- The High Court with Doug Benson
A clip to start with
Doug Benson Gets Naked - This Is Not Happening - Uncensored