Baltimore is a great place when you need a good laugh, home to comedy veterans such as Stavros Halkias and Vontee but also emerging talent on social media.
The Banner is highlighting three local comedians who have the ability to make you cry of laughter at any moment. The trio embody the city through their sense of humor, whether they are making light of serious topics or parodying everyday occurrences that locals may find familiar.
Warning: Videos below contain profane language.
Manny ThaGod
The first comedian, who goes by the name Manny ThaGod, started doing stand-up comedy in the late 2010s, but shifted during the coronavirus pandemic to focus on developing hilarious content for social media when he could no longer perform in front of live crowds. Influenced by Dave Chappelle, the 27-year old began incorporating everyday events into his comedy, like when your barber finds out you got your haircut by somebody else.
One of his most recent skits is a departure from his usual material to embrace one of his passions: Harry Potter. “I’ve finally decided to open up that side of me,” he said. “A lot of people just think I be doing street stuff, but I’m really a nerd so being able to bring out a character that’s relatable to the movie and book series makes that my favorite skit of all-time.”
Girl He Funny
Reggie Travers, commonly known as Girl He Funny, has it. When he was younger, he often found himself as the butt of jokes due to his lack of height, so he decided that he wanted to take matters into his own hands. “I always wanted to be the one to tell jokes on people instead of being the one to get joked on,” he previously told The Banner. Travers normally makes fun of other people, whether he’s insulting a member in the audience during one of his stand-ups or somebody’s fashion sense on Instagram for one of his 543,000 followers.
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The frequently viral 20-year-old comic recently shared the stage at La Familia Soundstage with other popular comedians, Vontee, K-rock and Smirf for a stand-up comedy show. Girl He Funny also streams on Twitch, where his past guests include Manny.
Craig the Entertainer
“There’s something funny in everything,” according to a local comedian, who goes by Craig the Entertainer. He seeks laughter on otherwise serious topics, like joking that the Baltimore Police Department cares more about taking down dirt bike riders than solving killings or making fun of people with gambling addictions betting on gender reveals.
“The most relatable content will always be the best,” the 20-year-old comedian said, “because people will understand it and if it’s not relatable, it has to have a message that’s clear enough for the viewer to still understand it.”
