Ricky Velez
A high-strung Queens comic building elaborate defenses for his petty grievances.
2 specials · 2021
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Ricky Velez works the stage with a defensive slouch. He paces out a tight, nervous energy, gripping the mic and complaining about the world with genuine frustration. He will lean in to announce a harsh premise, like his belief that old people are no longer necessary or his refusal to like an ugly baby, and spend the next three minutes loudly justifying himself. He plays the fool, insisting his brain does not work correctly, while picking apart the social norms that confuse him.
Specials
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A cynical Queens native talks family, first-time fatherhood, and mental health.
HBO · 57 min
On stage
He operates near the center of the Pete Davidson and Judd Apatow comedy orbit, often serving as a cynical, grounded counterweight in their projects. In the clubs, he carries the specific energy of a comic who grew up in Queens and learned the mechanics of a room by taking tickets at the door.
Velez builds sets that function as a series of escalating complaints. He avoids writing material down, preferring to hammer out premises aloud in front of a crowd. This habit gives his act a spontaneous, conversational rhythm. His strongest bits take a petty grievance and stretch it until it gives way to a plain admission about his mental health or his fears about fatherhood. When a routine stalls, it is usually because his aggressive posture stays locked in place too long, leaving the joke without an exit.
He co-produced and acted in The King of Staten Island, a project that brought his abrasive charm to a broader audience. He also spent a year as a correspondent on The Nightly Show, an experience he treats primarily as a lesson in how much he dislikes the daily grind of television.
Turning points
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Winning New York's Funniest Stand-Up
Velez won the competition at the New York Comedy Festival, which catalyzed his transition from comedy club staff to contributor on The Nightly Show with Larry Wilmore.
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Co-Writing and Starring in The King of Staten Island
Collaborating closely with longtime best friend Pete Davidson, Velez co-wrote, co-produced, and co-starred in Judd Apatow's film, establishing his voice on a national platform.
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Debut HBO Special Here's Everything
Executive produced by Judd Apatow and Pete Davidson, Velez filmed his breakthrough debut hour at Brooklyn Steel after months of honing material during the pandemic.
At a glance
- On stage
- since 2007
- Style
- observational, storytelling
- Breakout
- Here's Everything
- Influences
- Bill Burr, John Mulaney, Pete Davidson, Aziz Ansari, Mike DeStefano
- Topics
- Elsewhere
- Website, Wikipedia
Fans also like
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Pete DavidsonLongtime best friends and former roommates, both share an unvarnished, confessional comedic sensibility rooted in vulnerability, mental health, and outer-borough New York grit.
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John MulaneyA stylistic contemporary for whom Velez opened on tour, offering audiences sharply observed, narrative-driven stand-up about personal foibles and modern neuroses.
Also on screen
- Master of None
- Crashing
- The King of Staten Island
- Pause with Sam Jay
- I Love My Dad
A clip to start with
Ricky Velez - There's No Anxiety In The Hood