Valerie Lopez
Ryan Cownie, once part of the great Nebraskan comedy diaspora of the early 21st century, moved to Austin with friend and fellow comedian, Cody Hustak. They gave themselves a five year time frame. By the time their deadline hit, each had conquered the city in their own ways. Then they packed their things, except Cownie’s special journal, and headed to L.A.
When asked by Valerie Lopez why he chose L.A. over New York, Cownie explained that if a comedian wants to grow their career with the sole focus on stand up, then New York is a good place to go, but, if it’s comedy in general (acting, writing, rapping, etc.) L.A. is the better of the two.
As fan of Ryan Cownie, I know he’s not just about stand up. Like many other of our interviewees on Comedy Wham, Cownie sees comedy in a broader scope. Yes, his stand up is solid, his writing skills solid, and he’s comfortable in front of a camera. Just ask Dustin Svehlak of Voltaic Video.
As Cownie chats with Valerie and Lara, he breaks down his comedy career, talks about a notebook, his friendship with Cody Hustak, Mt. Dew, and breaking in to the L.A. comedy scene.
You’re probably asking yourself, if Ryan Cownie moved to L.A. why is Comedy Wham writing about him? It’s because he’s back in Austin for a few days, and he’s recording his first album at The Velv Comedy Lounge. And you’ll never guess who’s running audio (Who other than Svehlak, would anyone trust with their audio, honestly). It’s this weekend and you need to go see this dude. It’s not often Cownie graces the little blue island in a sea of red with his presence. Seriously, there’s no telling when he’ll return. Get your keisters to the Velv or you’ll be waking up in a cold sweat after a bout of night terrors because you didn’t.