If you haven’t heard the news, Clear Water Comedy is slowly taking over the nation.
I’m completely serious: Conan O’Brien mentioned Clear Water Comedy as well as The Plus on his show in mid-September!
This local stand-up group puts on a comedy show each Thursday night at The Plus in downtown Eau Claire. In addition, these same comedians host Open Mic on Tuesdays and Trivia on Wednesdays. While many of you may go to these shows and other events that Clear Water Comedy hosts, I think I’m speaking for us all when I ask: Just who are these people who managed to get CONAN O’BRIEN to mention them on TV?!
So, this is the first blog of a three-part series about the numerous members of Clear Water Comedy.
Eau Claire, meet Cullen Ryan and Christina Wolff—two of the original members of Clear Water Comedy—as well as one of the newer members of the group, Ryan Anderson.
Cullen Ryan
Q: Describe yourself in three words.
A: Goofy. Passionate. Caring.
Q: How did comedy start for you?
A: I officially started doing comedy when I was 30, but from a young age I loved making people laugh. I was a weird kid; when I was in fourth grade, I saw Allen King do a set on the Ed Sullivan Show, and I started reciting his jokes at school. The other kids didn’t get it. I did a lot of radio and theater in college, too, and I tried starting a comedy group with some of my friends, but it didn’t really go anywhere. When I got out of school, I kind of stopped doing comedy for a while. After my kids were born, though, I felt like I needed a creative outlet. Then one day, I saw a stand-up show by Paul F. Tompkins, and it completely changed my life: I bought his CD, and I listened to it at least four times a day. I eventually joined Acme Comedy in Minneapolis and did that for a while, and then I moved to Eau Claire in April of 2012—the same year that Open Mic started at The Plus. Since it was just starting out, there weren’t a lot of people who signed up for it, so I would do 10-minute sets every week.
Q: What’s your favorite thing about Clear Water Comedy?
A: The creative freedom we have. Benny [the owner of The Plus] doesn’t force us to book any comedians we don’t like; we only book comics we really think are funny.
Q: What qualities do other comedians have that you admire?
A: People who are better writers than I am. There are some people who can just tell a story and come up with the punch line later. That’s another thing: I really admire comedians who know how to punch in the right direction.
Q: What process do you use to develop your stand-up material?
A: It usually starts as one nugget or sentence, and then it builds off in other directions. It’s about staying present and really listening; I consider comedy to be an art form, and I think that the idea of staying present has made me a better person.
Q: What’s a weird fact about you?
A: I chopped off my big toe on my left foot when I was six years old. (Note: It was surgically reattached, but Cullen still doesn’t have feeling in that toe.)
Q: What is your go-to karaoke song?
A: Actually, I have three: Rocket Man by Elton John; And She Was by The Talking Heads; and First of the Gang to Die by Morrissey.
Christina Wolff
Q: Describe yourself in three words.
A: Poopy. Disheveled. Amiable.
Q: How did comedy start for you?
A: I started doing comedy in college. I had just transferred to the University of Delaware, and I made a goal to try new things while I was there. I decided to join the theater group, and while I was in it, I learned that there was going to be a stand-up competition. I thought it’d be fun to give it a try. I practiced A LOT for it, and I really enjoyed it. I ended up doing the competition every year. After school, I moved back to Eau Claire, and I started doing Open Mic at The Stone’s Throw. I did ACME Comedy for a while as well, and then I started doing Open Mic at The Plus.
Q: What’s your favorite thing about Clear Water Comedy?
A: The Clear part. Just kidding. My favorite thing about Clear Water Comedy has been building something together and cultivating a welcoming environment. Plus, I’ve been given amazing opportunities to perform with comedians who are incredible.
Q: What qualities do other comedians have that you admire?
A: Confidence and the ability to play off of the crowd. There are some comedians who have the ability to command the audience’s attention.
Q: What process do you use to develop your stand-up material?
A: If I get an idea, I write it down either on a sticky note or as a note on my phone. Then, I practice it on coworkers, Jordan [Christina’s fiancé who is also a member of Clear Water Comedy], or whoever will listen to me. I’ve also tried to come up with things while on stage at Open Mic. If it doesn’t make people laugh, I either retire it or I think about what I can do to improve it.
Q: What’s a weird fact about you?
A: I used to want to be an Olympic figure skater.
Q: What song would be played at your funeral and why?
A: I want people to console each other… with alcohol. So I guess I’d choose One Bourbon, One Scotch, One Beer.
Ryan Anderson
Q: Describe yourself in three words.
A: Goofy. Grounded. Grateful.
Q: How did comedy start for you?
A: I went to Open Mic and Comedy at The Plus every week for six months straight. I knew I wanted to do it, but I was trying to figure out a stage presence; I needed to feel out the room until it felt comfortable, and I needed to learn how I could relate to people. I told Cullen that I wanted to try it, and he told me to set a goal. He basically said, “Tell yourself that you’ll get on stage by ____ day.” July 28th 2015 was my first time doing Open Mic, and it went way better than I ever could’ve asked. I was in a really bad place in my life, and comedy helped a lot.
Q: What’s your favorite thing about Clear Water Comedy?
A: How open and inviting everyone was; they appreciate you for trying to better the comedy scene.
Q: What qualities do other comedians have that you admire?
A: The ability to command the attention of everybody. There are comedians in the group who have people in the audience hanging on every word. Also, there are some people who can just run with it—they can get off topic and still make it work. That’s super cool.
Q: What process do you use to develop your stand-up material?
A: I write a lot about situations that happen to me. I try to get people to relate to me, so I ask myself, “How can I make this funny and relatable?”
Q: What’s a weird fact about you?
A: I have a cat named Ron Swanson… he’s a thick cat.
Q: Which Super Mario power-up best represents you?
A: Eating the flower and spitting the fire.
Upcoming Shows:
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Ahmed Bharoocha – 9pm on Thursday, October 6th at The Plus ($5 cover)
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Mary Mack – 7pm on Saturday, October 8th at The Plus ($10 cover)
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Raghav Mehta and Jason Webb – 9pm on Thursday, October 13th at The Plus ($5 cover)
Do you have a favorite comedian in Eau Claire; if so, who is it?
Let us know in the comments section, and make sure you read the next Comedy blog to see which members of Clear Water Comedy we interview next!