What would a festival be without some totally tubular events? We had some newbies, we had some classics. And of course some will be returning, and some will be brand new for 2020. But I guess you’ll just have to wait and see what’s in store!
Greetings MAGFestians, and welcome MAGLaughs! What is it? Well, it’s a stand-up comedy showcase featuring comedians from around the country who, well, let’s just say they know their way around their joysticks. Without further ado, let’s see our lineup:
L. A. Hardy
L. A. Hardy is BlackDad. A character, superhero, sage and most of all a Dad! A world of experience traveling to over 32 countries entertaining the US military since 1996. L.A. has Headlined shows from coast to coast and internationally. He is welcomed nationally at clubs, private events AND Television. He's been seen on 'Comics Unleashed' w Byron Allen, Comedy.TV, BET Comicview, Fusion, and MTV.
L. A. brings big laughs from topical to personal and back again. An old school guy with a 'new school' approach to the everyday. BlackDad doesn't have time to play and gets right to the point. A veteran comedian with fresh baked ideas on everything from kids to culture. L. A. created the B.O.B.A. and is a staunch supporter to this day. Where L.A. goes…the laughs follow!
Bryan Preston
Bryan Preston, also known as the greatest man who ever lived, is a well-respected author, educator, comedian, lover, and rhetorician. Since his humble beginnings in Baltimore comedy, Bryan Preston has always been a shining beacon of wit, intrigue, and moral decay. He has had his hand in authoring feature films such as the critically acclaimed screwball comedy Driven to Succeed, while also creating and starring in three seasons of the much-lauded internet darling situational, high concept, super villain comedy Meanwhile at the Skull Base. When he isn’t being a whirling dervish of literary ferocity, he is dazzling audiences with his nuanced, laconic, pop-culture-laden standup comedy, opening for such notables as Hal Sparks, Ari Shaffir, and the original Cheerios Bee.
His unique, piquant sensibilities and razor sharp, incisive, terrifying observations make him, frankly, a pretty above-average party and podcast guest. When he isn’t busy churning out genre redefining masterpieces, he is inspiring America’s youth and dazzling audiences at clubs and colleges nationwide (Baltimore). Frankly, you wanted the best, but they couldn’t make it, so here’s Bryan Preston.
Fard Muhammad
Fard Muhammad, the host and producer of MAGLaughs, is an actor, comedian, and voice-over performer. He’s been seen and/or heard on shows and movies including “Jesus, Bro!”, “Dragonbored”, “The Nostalgia Critic”, “Disco”, “Hagan Reviews”, “Atop the Fourth Wall”, “Weird Video Games”, and “Rocked”. He’s also the opening and closing announcer of the “Dennis MIller Option” podcast. He has performed stand-up, sketch comedy, and improv in the Chicago area for the last decade. You’ll see him in “Another Cinema Snob Movie” in the spring of 2019.
Chloe Ketchum
Chloe Ketchum has been traveling the country as a professional nerd for seven years. A newly hailed Philly-girl, Chloe's dry wit and play on words in stand-up, sketch and nerdprov keep audiences anywhere from shaking their heads to roaring with laughter, whether a hole-in-the-wall bar or an anime convention. She co-hosts a literary analysis podcast that is covering the A Song of Ice and Fire series, called Girls Gone Canon, and can be found writing meta-analysis on books and TV on her blog. Girls Gone Canon can be found on most podcast providers, and can be checked out at http://girlsgonecanon.podbean.com.
Sam & Bill
Sam & Bill are an award-winning comedy music duo from NYC. Their debut album Sam & Bill Are Huge peaked at #1 on Amazon's comedy lists, and they just released a brand new geeky comedy EP, Geek Friend Experience. Sam & Bill are playing MAGfest for a second time thanks to requests from folks who saw them the first time! Follow them on twitter @samandbillmusic or instagram @badmotherfolkers.
Tommy Sinbazo
Tommy Sinbazo is a veteran of the nerd comedy scene. His quick wit and off the cuff humor has been slicing though crowds like a Vorpal sword rolled by a loaded D20 for over 18 years. Crawling from the depths of the Geek Comedy Tour, this Cosplaying, Leathersmithing, Magic Missle of Myrth is a guaranteed hit. He has shared the stage with comedians Ralphie May, Brian Posehn and Kevin Meeny. He has been invited to perform at numerous comedy festivals, conventions and has even entertained American troops stationed overseas. If his face is familiar, you may have seen him in a mattress commercial. If his voice rings a bell you may have heard him on the radio or as one of the hosts of The Laughfinder Podcast.
Violet Gray
Game master of the Laughfinder podcast, Violet Gray's humor combines things geeky and political with the experiences of being the only gender non-conforming Dungeons and Dragons player in northwest Baltimore. Chris Rock. Doug Stanhope. Gilbert Gottfried. Violet hasn't opened for any of these people, but she has opened for comics who have. Come get these nerd jokes!
Dash Kwiatkowski
Dash Kwiatkowski is a chubby nerd. He's the DM of your fourth favorite DnD podcast, Lost in the Multiverse.
He is currently the longest reigning Intercontinental Comedy Champion.
Dash features at The Comedy Attic, Comedy on State, Dr. Grins, The Seattle Comedy Underground, and he is a regular at the SF Punch Line, The Sacramento Punch Line, and Cobbs comedy club. He's been featured in Sketchfest, Limestone, Laugh Your Asheville Off, Crom Omaha, and The Arch City Comedy Festival, as well as SF Comedy Day and the SF International Competition. He's the star of popular web series, Neighborhood Watchmen.
He's really into Dim Sum. He has dope sideburns, but it's not a Wolverine thing, so be cool about it.
Insane Ian
Insane Ian is a musical comedian and nerdcore rapper, originally from Baltimore, who now operates out of Chicago. Ian's song run the gamut of nerdy pop culture; from comic books and video games to TV and movies, there's no subject safe from his satiric eye. His music has been featured on The Onion's AV Club, Wired's GeekDad, Vulture's Splitsider, and the legendary Dr Demento Show, where he had the #1 song for the year for 2015. He is a member of the Funny Music Project, aka TheFuMP.com, where he and other artists present 2 free comedy songs a week. You can find Ian and his music at the following links:
http://insaneian.bandcamp.com / http://YouTube.com/InsaneIan / http://Patreon.com/insaneian
http://Twitter.com/insaneianb / http://Twitch.com/insane_ian / http://Facebook.com/insaneianmusic
Joey Purse
As an innocent looking young man, Joey Purse has been seen at multiple clubs in the north eastern region of the United States including Dangerfields in New York City, Broadway Comedy Club in New York City and the Pittsburgh Improv to name a few. His innocent charm has the ability to make anyone smile.
Chris Barylick
Standing at 6’3” and 160 AMAZING, squirrel-fighting pounds, Chris Barylick is a stand up comic, the founder of the Geek Comedy Tour (‘Comedy that KNOWS Han shot first’), two-time finalist of the “Fly Me Away” contest at the Stress Factory in New Brunswick, New Jersey, Sacramento Comedy Festival participant and creator of the ‘Through The Wash’ web site (wherein gadgets are reviewed as to how well they survive the washer and dryer cycles), noted bar quiz host and recipient of the Daily Cal newspaper’s “Best Trivia of 2013” award, avid gamer and former pet rat owner.
A frigging nerd at heart, Chris combines an energetic mix of pop culture, everyday humor, the absurd and tech/nerd triviata to make fun of the things closest to him. He has performed at venues throughout D.C., Maryland, California, New York, Virginia, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, North Carolina, on Sirius satellite radio, has hosted for comedians such as Joe Recca, Kevin Lee, Adam Dodd, Brent Weinbach and Erin Jackson and has performed at the Geek Week Comedy Festival, the Redwoods Comedy Festival and the Sacramento Comedy Festival.
Chris currently resides in College Park, Maryland and believes you should be allowed to punch a seal if it just stole your sandwich.
Derek Williams
Feature Derek Williams is one of the funniest comedians from the beaches of Virginia. He will bring out your inner geek, whether it be his addiction to going to comic book conventions, his impressions of your favorite Saturday morning cartoons, he brings it all to the table. Derek has competed and placed in many comedy contests including the Virginia Beach and Richmond Funnybone Clash of the comics earning multiple 1st place spots. He was featured in the Norfolk Comedy Festival and has worked with and opened for many comics including Godfrey, Steve O, Josh Blue, and many more.
Laura Prince
Laura Prince is the Host and Lead Researcher for the Stay Doomed podcast. She is an experienced improv performer, ring announcer, and stand-up comedian. She performs at MAGFest with These Guy Are Sick, and this is her second MAGLaughs.
Justin McDonald
Justin "Struggle" McDonald is a New York comic, before comedy he spent 20 years as a hiphop artist and 10 years as a radio personality on 90.1fm and 107.3 FM WUSB NY. After retiring from hiphop he went into podcasting with the launch of The Know Good Struggle Podcast, shortly after that started doing comedy. Justin has performed at many major clubs Governor's, Governor's at McGuires, Brokerage, Dangerfield's, Broadway Comedy Club, and Greenwich Village Comedy Club. Justin has just started to break thru in the Comedy scene in NY and is looking foward to what the future in comedy holds.
Noah Houlihan
One of the founding members of +2 Comedy, Noah Houlihan has appeared at over eighty conventions up and down the eastern seaboard and into the midwest. Noah is the host of Game the Gamer on YouTube and the Stay Doomed podcast as well as Geek Out. This is his third MAGLaughs.
Will Liam
Will Liam is both a veteran podcaster and stand up. He has been doing comedy in Philly, and touring conventions for over six years. He has also co-hosted the +2 Comedy Podcast and is the co-host of the new Positively Horrid podcast, a horror movie review cast with a morbid affection for the macabre.
Matthew Casella
Matthew Casella is an actor, comedian and musician originally from Baltimore, Maryland. He has performed at The Kennedy Center, Baltimore Center Stage and Artscape. In 2018 Matthew wrote, produced, and starred in a one man show based on the music of Tom Waits called "Ghosts of Saturday Night" and he looks forward to performing the same in Capital City Fringe this summer. His band, Haze Mage, is recording their first full-length album to release in Spring 2019. Matthew dropped out of culinary school in 2009 and doesn't hold a degree in anything.
Find them with the Robotics Center down in Expo E behind Registration!
“FutureMakers is a team of visiting maker educators that activate projects, tools and creative technologies in PK - 8 classrooms across greater Baltimore and Washington, DC. We’re project-based innovation coaches for small hands with big ideas, teachers and caregivers. Learn how we can be a part of a child’s learning at www.kidsmakethingsbetter.com.”
Game jams for kids! Making games not preserves.
Juice Box Jam is the behind the scenes team who designs and develops the platforms that deliver PBS KIDS shows, games, and activities to millions of children across the U.S. every month.
It is a project by PBS KIDS to give back to the community by running events and panels. Our goal is to have a discussion around the process of making media for kids.
These events and activities are directed towards developers and the creative community who are curious, want to learn and want to discuss these processes.
PBS KIDS is committed to making a positive impact on the lives of children through curriculum-based entertainment. With a 360-degree approach towards learning and reaching children, PBS KIDS leverages the full spectrum of media and technology to build knowledge, critical thinking, imagination and curiosity. By involving parents, teachers, caregivers and communities as learning partners, PBS KIDS helps to empower children for success in school and in life.
We can’t wait to come play and meet you all at MAGFEST!
Juiceboxjam.com / Pbskids.org / Twitch / Instagram / Twitter - Juice Box / Twitter - PBS
“The mission of the Baltimore Robotics Center (BRC) is to inspire Baltimore’s youth to pursue careers in science, technology and manufacturing by providing opportunities for youth to explore STEM programs like Competitive Robotics, 3D Printing, Coding and Making. We also work to connect these youth to stable STEM jobs and careers by demonstrating pathways and facilitating internships.
We serve Baltimore City’s robotics league competitors by offering a dedicated space to practice, learn and compete”
Namaste everyone.
“The Y4G concept is simple: video game music playlist + yoga + meditation + gaming concepts for inspiration. The combination allows for links to form between the focus-driven experience of gaming and the process of understanding and clarifying the mind, in yoga philosophy. In time, the hope is that participants will be able to craft their own experiences with more awareness and confidence than without the mind-body training. Danielle Foley is a RYT-500 Yoga Instructor with a focus in therapeutic and creative aspects of the practice. She lives in Detroit, MI.”
They bring the hijinks and shenanigans to the table.
“We are group of actors and dorks (but I repeat myself) who love rolling dice and making stuff up. We are Derek the Cleric, Drob the Mage, Philgamesh the Barbarian, Pierogi the Rogue(i), and Eric (not a Cleric) the Dungeon Master.”
Fitness and cooking classes? Yes please!
“Mahoney is a former Marine and life long gamer that has found a calling in helping others maintain a healthy lifestyle so that we can all enjoy our favorite games together through the years.”
Belly dancing hasn’t known such nerdery.
“Antipode was originally founded in 2006. The eccentric dance group has combined their love of video game/nerd culture with their love of belly dancing to create a unique form of dance known as geeky bellydance. Antipode performs throughout the year at numerous conventions along the East Coast.
The group is primarily made up of four dancers. Co-directors Ayla, the choreographer, and Merika, the costumer, are joined by members Kaiya and Termariel. Though primarily the four, Antipode has had multiple guest dancers grace their shows.
Fusing the theatrics of acting with a mix of cosplay, pop-culture, and off-beat humor Antipode brings the audience not just dance, but full geek entertainment.
Photograph by Ethereous Photography”
It’s a roaring good time.
“Cut Throat Cosplay is a game show where 3 teams of expert builders go head to head with an hour to build costumes out of random scraps. Every 5 minutes, the teams may be sabotaged due to efforts made by the audience. Audience members may have to compete in physical challenges or answer trivia questions in order for their team to remain on top.
It’s like MacGuyver meets JoAnn Fabrics in the Thunder Dome.”
Video game sound peeps, Unite!
“The Game Audio Network Guild Northeast is hosting a remix competition open to any and all remixers, YouTubers, composers, bands, and chiptunes artists! This competition is going to be a listening party/mixer. Game music remixes will be played, prizes will be won, and fun will be had! After the nominees in each category have been played, judges in the game audio industry will announce the winners of the competition, and distribute prizes.
Plugin-prize packages worth no less than $500! Deadline is Dec. 21st! Gotta go fast!
Rules: https://bit.ly/2EnXQWR
Form: https://bit.ly/2QXsAVi
The Game Audio Network Guild was formed in 2002 by driven industry professionals with a vision to assist those in the game audio industry to share, continually improve, and evolve their craft, and to inform both the overall game industry and enthusiasts about not only excellence in that craft but fair treatment of professionals.”
The great return of the Wheel of Death!
“SUPER ART FIGHT IS THE GREATEST LIVE ART COMPETITION IN THE KNOWN UNIVERSE.
Created in 2008 in Baltimore, Maryland by artists Jamie Noguchi and Nick DiFabbio, SAF has grown over the past decade into an absolutely can’t miss live event, mixing elements of pro-wrestling styled storytelling and character work, live art, and improvised humor.
To date, Super Art Fight has produced hundreds of live events, including shows across the United States and into Canada; appearances at such big conventions as Otakon, Anime Expo, MAGFest, and Awesome Con; features in the pages of The Washington Post, The Baltimore Sun, and Wired; and regular engagements at such legendary rock-and-roll venues as Baltimore’s Ottobar and Washington DC’s The Black Cat.
Want to see artists collide in one-on-one or tag-team action? Can they stand tall against the ridiculous topics from the crowd-sourced Wheel of Death? Are you ready to cheer your favorites on to victory?
There’s only one way to get started...
3-2-1...ART FIGHT!”
Listening party! Listening party!
“Dwelling of Duels is a monthly VGM cover competition. Competitors submit redone versions of game music and the entries are voted upon by the community.”
They’re back with Killer Queen the Field Game in the Arena! Along with your favorite Killer Queen and Black Emperor arcade tournaments too.
“BumbleBear makes games for smart people to play together in public spaces. Our “platform”, the New Arcade, is a blend of digital and physical worlds through arcade cabinets, installations, and VR. We’re based in Brooklyn, NY.”
The Video Game Improv returns!
“These Guy Are Sick is an improv comedy troupe initially formed from the discarded parts of Virtual Fools, PBC Productions and X-strike Studios. This katamari of comedy has continued to pick up new members and roll over MAGFest crowds for the past (checks notes) TEN years.”
Learn how to juggle in the Arena. It’s a great time!
“Started by two brothers and Magfest Veterans as a way to pass time in the hallways at Magfests, The Amazing Rains Circus has grown into a collective of performing arts with age and skill ranges from professional to novice.”