Blake 182

Blake Hammond stands in a packed Cincinnati basement and yells jokes about the inherent creepiness of 2000s pop-punk bands. The core of his act is a loud, unpretentious energy that treats the crowd at the MOTR Pub like old friends he is trying to talk over at a noisy bar. He is not trying to change the world; he is trying to make sure everyone in the room hears why naming a baby Merrick makes them look like they are raising a vampire.

Filmed in 2022, the half-hour special Blake 182 catches Hammond in his element as a staple of the local Ohio comedy scene. At the time of filming, he was working as a staff writer for The Bob & Tom Show and pulling opening duties for comics like Patton Oswalt and Doug Stanhope. The set feels like a late-night club gig, packed with fast-paced bits about gay chicken, the tragedy of getting a haircut at Great Clips, and writing his own wedding vows. The special was released on YouTube by production company Four by Three.