Funnyman Keeps Comedy Coming for Worthy Cause

For  native Brian Hicks, laughter is the best form of compensation. 

A standup comedian who now lives in Mokena, he recently took second place in the World Series of Comedy in St. Charles, narrowly missing a chance to travel to Las Vegas to perform.

“I would have loved to have won, but here's what I can say—I had two really good rounds in the first two rounds, but the finals, the gentleman who won had a really good round," he said. "... I was disappointed I didn't win, but he deserved to win.”

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The minor setback hasn't stopped Hicks from doing what he loves—making people laugh. He performed four shows this past weekend at Riddles Comedy Club in Alsip, and on Friday, June 29, he'll take center stage at CD & ME for Stand Up for MS, a multiple sclerosis benefit.

“They're really close to home, so I get a lot of local support,” Hicks said of his area shows. “Any time I get an opportunity to do this, I love to do it. I'm thankful to be able to do it, to be able to give back. It's win-win for everyone.”

Hicks' comedy career started out rather unexpectedly during his time as a doorman at Riddles Comedy Club in Orland Park in the early 2000s.

“We'd have employee meetings and before meetings, I'd screw around on the mic and people told me to do [standup],” Hicks said. “So I did, not knowing what I was getting myself into.”

It took about six months for him to work up the courage to perform in front of an audience, but when he did, he put it all on the line, skipping the open mic and going straight to a set. 

“I kind of jumped in with both feet, and I've been doing it ever since,” he said.

Hicks aims to keep his routines as clean as possible and the audience involved in his act. He said that while working in dirtier jokes might make his act easier to write, a clean set caters to a wider array of people.

“I've been doing it eight or nine years, so people know I've got kind of a clean act," he said. " … I have fun, and if I'm having fun, then the audience is probably having fun, which is what I want.”

Go to Hicks's website for more information about his comedic endeavors.

When: 8 p.m. Friday, June 29 
Where: 
Cost: $20

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