By Joshua Lyford

Ryan Staples is a twenty-five year old writer and stand-up comedian from Worcester. He is also the smiling face behind the regular stand-up event ‘Two Hour Mic Check’ at Beatnik’s.

Staples went to school at Burncoat High. He says that he got into comedy by way of finding a fun way “…to pass the time at night. We would hang around, riding our bikes. Then we would head inside and just watch old stand-up and ‘Saturday Night Live.'” He was initially influenced by the more slapstick comedy of that era, particularly the more exuberant characters brought to life by Mike Myers, Adam Sandler, Chris Farley, and Dana Carvey. He would later come to admire those whom he describes as “…real masters of the craft,” such as Louis CK, Patton Oswalt, Jerry Seinfeld, George Carlin and Richard Pryor.

Staples went on to become an electronics tech in the Navy. He would eventually write two books ~ the novel The Angel with the Crayons and the novella Hi Jim. Staples also produced his own live comedy album, which clocked in at just under an hour, aptly named “F**k You Ryan Staples, you tried to do an hour and you only did 54 minutes.”
The Two-Hour Mic Check night of stand-up runs every third Thursday of each month. Staples says that the event was inspired by his desire to “…let people know that there are great comics coming out of Worcester and the area.” It is a way for local and broad-area talent to network, which, Staples says, is a “…huge part of being a comedian. Comedy is incestuous and you are always performing with other comedians and becoming friends with them.”

The event began last October and has been gaining momentum with each passing month. Staples chooses the performers by gut and friendship, always bringing on his favorite guys from all over New England ~ like Matt Kona, Will Noonan, Dave McDonough, Alingon Mitra, Erick Levi, Matt Aromando and his area stand-up brethren, Sean Connolly and Dan Smith. Staples shares that the community is “…super tight-knit, everyone is looking out for each other.”

The Two Hour Mic Check starts promptly at eight and is always free. Make sure to get there early as shows are stretched to standing room only each month. So head to Beatnik’s on Park Ave on the third Thursday of every month and support Worcester comedy.

Photo credit: Danielle Sandini