Michael Colyar
He works a room like he's still trying to stop foot traffic.
4 specials · 1991–2015
Start with Russell Simmons' Def Comedy Jam — Season 1, Episode 6, the breakthrough (1992 · 26 min · HBO)
Get an email when there's a new special. You'll need a Google account.
Michael Colyar does not do quiet observation. He performs at a high, booming register, working the stage with the sheer volume of a guy who learned how to hold an outdoor crowd. He steps to the mic in a brightly colored suit, plants his feet, and starts talking before the audience settles. He uses his voice as a blunt instrument. He drops into a theatrical baritone to hammer home a punchline, then chuckles at his own setups to keep the rhythm moving. When a bit stalls, he does not pull back. He gets louder and smiles wider, forcing the room to match his energy.
Specials
-
A seasoned club comic tackles politics, aging, and recovery.
Comedy Dynamics · Album · 50 min
-
A veteran club comic running through classic rhythms and road stories.
Comedy Dynamics · Album · 50 min
-
Russell Simmons' Def Comedy Jam — Season 1, Episode 6 with William Wilson, Tony Brown & 1 more
Martin Lawrence hosts four stand-ups at the Academy Theatre.
HBO · 26 min
On stage
He is respected in comedy as a relentless worker. He routed around the traditional club system in the eighties and nineties by setting up on the Venice Beach boardwalk. He did five shows a day for nine years to tourists and locals alike. That grind led to a steady television career, bringing him to Def Comedy Jam and movies like House Party 3. He operates as the guy you book when a tired room needs waking up.
The material relies entirely on his delivery. He talks about his Chicago upbringing, his decades of sobriety, and the plain mechanics of staying alive in Hollywood. He turns his history with addiction into big, physical stories. He recounts his worst decisions with a giant grin, forcing the audience to laugh at the mess rather than feel sorry for him. You watch him because he never lets the air out of the room. He demands a reaction.