Conner brings gift of laughter to cold, gray world of Appleton comedy

WaterTok, Disney Adults, Alpha Males, and Goat Story; what do all four of these things have in common? Niche topics that found themselves as the center of Kurtis Conner’s commentary on YouTube. From a Vine star to now renowned YouTuber (alongside fellow friends Danny Gonzalez and Drew Gooden), Conner has evolved into a new passion, and side job, for his 4.91 million subscribers: comedy. His relatable and witty humor proves South Park wrong -- Canadians can be hilarious. Recently, Conner brought his passion and talents to an alien territory he had never heard of before: Appleton, Wisconsin.

On April 11 to 13, Conner found himself center stage at the Skyline Comedy Club, located right along the Fox River in Appleton. Decorated with posters of famous comedians, adorned with disco balls hanging from the ceiling, and featuring small red tables facing towards the stage, the comedy club invites a welcoming and fun atmosphere to both new and returning customers. Fitting to its name, the wall behind the stage holds a mural of a city skyline, making the entire building feel elegant, but also as if it was located right inside a busy city -- creating a perfect place for famous comedians to leave their mark.

Opening the show, Conner brought out one of his many best friends, and also a common guest on his YouTube channel, Jacob Sharpe. His comedy style, just like Conner’s, is very witty and clever, constantly poking fun at relatable memories of his life, self deprecating jokes (especially regarding his bald head), but most importantly of all, he was able to take having brain cancer and turn those traumatic memories into jokes; a common coping mechanism for many. Some of his sets include him poking fun at the worst day of his life along the road to fighting cancer, using the classic bit about how the first guy who discovered milk was very strange, and most importantly of all, he joked about his bald head and how people compare him to Mr. Clean. His set was a perfect way to prepare for the night, and his sense of humor was spot-on. 

Conner’s set followed closely to his best friend’s in both content and styles. They both joked about milk, with Sharpe pro milk and Conner against it (complaining there are way too many kinds of milk and how bizarre it would be for Canada’s bagged milk to feature missing children pictures as America once had). Conner also brought up his research of Wisconsin as it was his first time in the state, joking how Harry Houdini’s greatest escape was leaving Wisconsin, a joke that made the audience roar with laughter. Along with those silly bits, he continued the same style as Sharpe’s, remembering relatable childhood memories (the time he lied to a kid on his street named Eric, who he swore would have worn those silly propeller hats), as well as joking about his style and how a random DM on Instagram called him the “final boss of lesbians,” to which he went on, questioning what were the other bosses for lesbians. Even when Conner was testing new material and constantly forgetting the jokes he wrote in his notebook, slowly walking backwards to check what he wrote down or even mumbling little comments claiming he couldn’t read what he wrote, he still brought the audience to tears from laughing too hard. 

Conner’s comedy perfectly translates from onscreen to onstage. From coming up with stupid but funny jokes on the spot, to laughing at any comment or joke he made, or even being completely aware that a joke was stupid, he knows how to bring the stage presence and keep the audience entertained for two and a half hours. The Canadian also shows no fear to interact with the audience, asking questions, or even listening to stories (such as lies people told just to come to his show). Both the environment and also his personality could easily make an audience member feel like they were talking to an old friend, catching up and sharing some stories. Conner is very personable, and this is very much present in his stage presence. 

On a cold, rainy, Thursday night, Conner brought warmth in the form of his positive energy and hilarious routine. His passion for comedy shines bright on the stage, as he is quick with a joke and full of energy. While his show was 18+ (mainly due to the bar located in the comedy club but also the amount of profanities he used), his style can very much resonate with almost all ages, creating just a perfect weekend event to attend with friends. With an audience packed full of loyal citizens of Kurtistown, they followed the first and only rule: being nice to all, which then created such a safe and supportive atmosphere where one can easily forget about the pains of daily life and simply laugh.

By Ruby Pluchinsky

Published April 29 2024

Oshkosh West Index Volume 120 Issue VI