Comedy Central Presents: Matt Braunger

Matt Braunger uses his booming, theatrical delivery to escalate minor absurdities into full physical performances. He spends his stage time zeroing in on odd, specific scenarios: explaining why the fourth wall should never be broken in pornography, recounting the process of obtaining medical marijuana in California, and outlining his unexpected appreciation for overly literate athletes. It is a set built on weird observations delivered by a comic who looks like a defensive lineman but leans heavily on his theater background.

Aired in the spring of 2010, the set caught the Portland native right as his profile was rising in the comedy club circuit. Braunger was fresh off a stint as a cast member on the final season of Fox’s MADtv and had just released his debut album, Soak Up the Night. This episode of Comedy Central Presents acts as a tight national showcase of his storytelling chops before he moved on to recording hour-long specials.