Kurtis Conner
Loose, meandering setups that turn a sold-out theater into a group hangout.
1 special · 2017
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Kurtis Conner paces the stage like he just walked into a friend’s living room and remembered a funny story. He skips the tight rhythm of a traditional club comic. Instead, he speaks with a deliberate, meandering cadence, letting a premise stretch out and breathe. A bit about childhood pranks or strange rock lyrics will wind its way to a punchline, sometimes stopping entirely so he can click through a slideshow presentation. He leans into an awkward, gentle charm, smiling through quiet moments and trusting the room to follow his train of thought.
Specials
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A self-released, lost debut hour from the former Vine star.
kurtisconner.com · 45 min
On stage
He occupies a massive lane in live entertainment: the internet heavyweight who skips the local ladder and goes straight to selling out global theaters. He brings a young, intensely online crowd into performing arts centers.
They are there because they know his lore.
His material blurs the line between a standup hour and a live extension of his digital commentary. He takes his time reaching a punchline, letting setups run long because that relaxed pacing is the actual product. He avoids heavy crowd work, relying instead on inside jokes and affable banter. He essentially films a live video without the camera, recreating the exact tone of his channel to give his fans the hangout vibe they bought a ticket for.
Though he built his following on video platforms, he studied comedy writing and performance in Toronto before his numbers took off. That formal background acts as a hidden guardrail, keeping the deliberately loose format from unraveling.
Turning points
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Transition from Vine to Full-Time YouTube
After building an initial audience on Vine, a sudden surge of 600,000 views in two days prompted Conner to quit his office job to focus exclusively on YouTube and comedy.
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Independent Distribution of Keep Busy
Conner financed and self-distributed his stand-up comedy special Keep Busy directly through his own website rather than signing distribution rights to a streaming platform.
At a glance
Podcasts
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Very Really Good · host
Kurtis Conner's weekly solo show discussing internet drama, absurd trends, personal stories, and comedic pop culture topics.
Also on screen
- James Chapeskie's Darkness
- St. Bulges Day
- The Trades
A clip to start with
Kurtis Tries A New Bit!