Ted Alexandro
A slow-burning New York veteran making political anger look incredibly calm.
3 specials · 2001–2018
Start with Comedy Central Presents, the breakout (2006 · Comedy Central)
Get an email when there's a new special. You'll need a Google account.
Ted Alexandro works the stage like a guy who realizes he has all the time in the world. He stands tall and still, speaking in a low, even murmur that makes a noisy club quiet down to listen. He trusts the pause. He will deliver a premise and just wait, letting silence hang over the crowd until the tension peaks, before dropping a punchline that resets the room. He builds a slow, deliberate rhythm, letting quiet do half the heavy lifting.
Specials
-
All Things Comedy · 56 min
-
A laid-back set covering gym culture, public schools, and Boston Market.
Comedy Central
On stage
He is bedrock in the New York scene, a veteran that younger comics crowd the back of the room to watch. He refuses to adjust his pacing for shorter attention spans. Instead, he takes his stage time to pick apart capitalism, political dysfunction, and the indignities of getting older. He helped lead a real-world push to get New York club comics better pay, and that pro-labor, anti-corporate stance anchors his material. But he never yells about the system. He outlines societal rot with the dry patience of someone explaining a basic rule to a stubborn adult.
The control in his delivery comes from his background. Before comedy, Alexandro studied jazz piano and spent years as an elementary school music teacher in Queens. You can hear both past lives in a typical set. He maps out a joke with the ear of a musician who knows exactly how long to hold a rest, and he commands the stage with the unshakeable calm of a guy who used to manage thirty restless children every morning.
Turning points
-
Co-founding The New York Comedians Coalition
Helped unionize and organize NYC comics to successfully negotiate the first wage increase at New York comedy clubs since the 1980s.
-
Occupy Wall Street Comedy Rallies
Co-organized comedy rallies during the Occupy Wall Street protests and co-founded Occupy Astoria Long Island City to bring topical stand-up to civic activism.
-
Independent Release of Senior Class of Earth
Released his hour special via Bill Burr's All Things Comedy network, marking his first full-length special outside traditional television channels.
At a glance
- Born
- , Bellerose, Queens, New York
- On stage
- since 1992
- Style
- observational, political, deadpan
- Breakout
- Comedy Central Presents
- Influences
- Louis C.K.
- Topics
- Elsewhere
- Website, Wikipedia
Fans also like
-
Jim GaffiganAlexandro and Gaffigan share extensive touring history and creative collaboration on Teachers Lounge, united by clean, sharp observational material about parenting and family life.
-
Louis C.K.Alexandro has cited Louis C.K. as an early career mentor and frequently opened for him across the New York stand-up scene.
Podcasts
-
Ted Alexandro and Hollie Harper · co-host
A weekly conversational comedy show exploring various topics across Apple Podcasts and Spotify.
-
The Ted Alexandro Show · host
A weekly podcast hosted by Ted Alexandro.
Also on screen
- 2000s
- Dr. Katz, Professional Therapist
- Teachers Lounge
- –
- Oz
- –
- Louie
- –
- Inside Amy Schumer
A clip to start with
Ted Alexandro Stand-Up 02/26/14 | CONAN on TBS