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In Spite Of

Aaron Aryanpur

Stand Up! Records · Album · 2016 · 48 min

A father of two handles parenting anxiety and rowdy hecklers.

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Parenting stand-up usually relies on a cheap trick of performative exhaustion, but Aaron Aryanpur opts for an anxious, self-reflective frustration. He builds his jokes on the agonizing realization that no matter how hard you try to raise well-adjusted children, they will inevitably humiliate you in public. The peak of this dynamic is a bit about a trip to the pediatrician, where his toddler’s love of green toy soldiers accidentally gets misconstrued as historic xenophobia.\n\nRecorded at Hyena’s Comedy Nightclub in Dallas, the 2016 album In Spite Of earned its name from the sheer chaos of the live recording. Aryanpur, a former graphic designer who went full-time into stand-up in 2013, spent the set managing a rowdy crowd. This included a group of loud, inebriated women near the front and an entirely sober patron who managed to trip and fall face-down next to the stage. Rather than ignoring the disruptions, he treats the room like rowdy toddlers—using the same parental patience that fuels his family material.\n\nThe 48-minute set, released through Stand Up! Records, peaked at number one on the iTunes comedy chart and entered the Billboard Top Ten. Beyond the parenting material, Aryanpur addresses his own physical vulnerabilities, most notably on Funnel Cake Epiphanies, which details a gallbladder emergency triggered by Texas State Fair food, and Coconut Shrimp, where he breaks down the strange compromises of married life.

The set list

3 bits

  1. Childish weddings

    Observing that weddings are essentially parties for five-year-olds complete with cake, presents, the hokey pokey, and the cupid shuffle.

  2. Driving through Texas to Lubbock

    Pointing out the vast empty stretch of nothing between Dallas and Lubbock, only to arrive and find more nothing.

  3. Accidental racism from children

    Exploring how well-meaning, innocent statements by young kids lead to awkward social situations.

How it plays

Tone
Relatable, self-deprecating, thought-provoking, and (sort of) clean.
On stage
Relatable everyman, honest, open, and vulnerable family man who rejects gimmicks in favor of authentic personal experiences.
Pace
Sharp delivery and expert timing, rolling with unexpected live club chaos with finesse.
About
Fatherhood and parenting, Marriage and domestic life, Embracing chaos and lack of control, Accidental racism, Childish adult rituals

What the critics said

Praised for sharp delivery, relatable family-man observations, and the ability to maintain composure and turn unforeseen audience chaos into an asset on record.

In the room: Chaotic and disruptive club atmosphere featuring inebriated audience chatter and an attendee falling flat on her face mid-set.

Summed up from reviews, articles and listings. Sources: allmusic.com, dallasobserver.com, dallasnews.com, en.wikipedia.org, standuprecords.com, centraltrack.com, imdb.com.

Backstory

Father of two young children who deliberately chose an authentic live club performance over an elaborate theater taping to capture spontaneous moments, embracing chaos after dealing with inattentive and collapsing audience members during the taping.

Details

Released
Taped
2015, Hyena's Comedy Night Club, Dallas
Runtime
48 min
Where
Stand Up! Records (album)
Honors
No. 1 on the iTunes Comedy ChartNo. 10 on the Billboard Comedy Chart
Topics
After
Employee of the Day (2018)

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