Kevin Brennan (comedian)

Brennan was born in Chicago to an Irish Catholic family and has nine siblings.{{cite news |last=Hubbard |first=Ryan |date=December 28, 2006 |title=Kevin Brennan |url=https://www.chicagoreader.com/chicago/kevin-brennan/Content?oid=923941 |work=Chicago Reader |location=Chicago, Illinois, United States |access-date=April 20, 2020}} The family also lived in Philadelphia.

Brennan first started stand-up in Chicago in the 1980s at the suggestion of a coworker at a restaurant where he was working.{{cite news |last=Lisko |first=B.J. |date=April 17, 2018 |title=Going for broke: Comedian Kevin Brennan lets loose; Funny Stop shows set |url=https://www.cantonrep.com/entertainmentlife/20180417/going-for-broke-comedian-kevin-brennan-lets-loose-funny-stop-shows-set |work=The Repository |location=Canton, Ohio, United States |access-date=April 20, 2020 |archive-date=December 12, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181212093608/https://www.cantonrep.com/entertainmentlife/20180417/going-for-broke-comedian-kevin-brennan-lets-loose-funny-stop-shows-set |url-status=dead }}{{cite news |last=Gargan |first=Scott |date=December 28, 2010 |title=Comics ring in the new year with "2011 Comedy Countdown" at Foxwoods |url=https://www.ctpost.com/news/article/Comics-ring-in-the-new-year-with-2011-Comedy-925024.php |work=Connecticut Post |location=Bridgeport, Connecticut, United States |access-date=April 20, 2020}} He moved to New York City in 1987 to further pursue a career in stand up comedy.

Within two years of moving to New York City, Brennan was hosting open mics and other comedy shows at the Boston Comedy Club, a now defunct comedy club in New York City.{{cite news |author= |date=May 28, 1989 |title=City Lights Guide: Comedy/Magic |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/406581452/ |work=Daily News |location=New York City, New York, United States |page=19 |access-date=April 20, 2020 |via=Newspapers.com |url-access=subscription|quote=BOSTON COMEDY CLUB (82 West Third St., 477-0622):Kevin Brennan hosts "Comedy Showcase" tonight at 9...}}{{cite news |author= |date=June 11, 1989 |title=City Lights Guide: Comedy/Magic |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/406581452/ |work=Daily News |location=New York City, New York, United States |page=19 |access-date=April 20, 2020 |via=Newspapers.com |url-access=subscription|quote=BOSTON COMEDY CLUB (82 West Third St., 477-0622):Kevin Brennan hosts "Comedy Showcase" tonight at 9...}}{{cite news |author= |date=September 3, 1989 |title=City Lights Guide: Comedy/Magic |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/358227484/ |work=Daily News |location=New York City, New York, United States |page=19 |access-date=April 20, 2020 |via=Newspapers.com |url-access=subscription|quote=BOSTON COMEDY CLUB (82 W. 3RD ST., 477-0622): Jimmy Tingle performs in his one-man show tonight. Kevin Brennan hosts "Open Mike" Mon...}} By the early 1990s he was appearing on A&E's stand-up comedy series An Evening at the Improv and Caroline's Comedy Hour.{{cite news |author= |date=September 5, 1990 |title=TV listings: 11:00 p.m. A&E—Richard Dysert at the Improv. Comics: Kevin Brennan, Jeff Stillson and Joe Bolster. |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/163411018/ |work=The Journal News |location=White Plains, New York |page=C5 |access-date=April 20, 2020 |via=Newspapers.com |url-access=subscription}}{{cite news |author= |date=July 9, 1993 |title=TV listings: Caroline's Comedy Hour. Comics: Billy Martin; Henriette Mantel; Daniel Rosen; Bob Rubin; Kevin Brennan. Host: Richard Jeni. |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/285885428/ |work=Times Recorder |location=White Plains, New York |page=8-D |access-date=April 20, 2020 |via=Newspapers.com |url-access=subscription}}

In 1993, Brennan appeared on the entertainment competition show Star Search where he competed unsuccessfully against 19-year-old Dave Chappelle.{{cite web |url=https://www.refinery29.com/en-us/2014/03/65224/comedians-before-they-were-famous |title=Peep Your 9 Favorite Comedians Before They Were Famous |last=Barna |first=Daniel |date=March 27, 2014 |website=Refinery29 |publisher=Vice Media |access-date=April 20, 2020}}

Brennan first appeared as a guest on Late Night with Conan O'Brien in 1994 and went on to make multiple appearances on the show from 1995 to 2007.{{cite web |url=https://classic.teamcoco.com/late-night-with-conan-obrien/season-1/episode-147/kevin-brennan-stand-up-04-21-1994?playlist=x%3BeyJ0eXBlIjoidGFnIiwiaWQiOjEwODk1fQ |title=Video playlist of Kevin Brennan's Conan appearances |author= |website=TeamCoco.com |access-date=April 20, 2020 }}

In 1997, Brennan appeared in a small role in the film Half Baked, which was co-written by his brother Neal Brennan and Chappelle.{{cite news|title=A Comic Who Won't Hold Back; Nothing Is Out of Bounds For Dave Chappelle's Show|first=Lola|last=Ogunnaike|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2004/02/18/arts/a-comic-who-won-t-hold-back-nothing-is-out-of-bounds-for-dave-chappelle-s-show.html?pagewanted=3&src=pm|newspaper=New York Times|date=February 18, 2004|accessdate=April 20, 2012}}{{cite news |last=Alspector |first=Lisa |title=Kevin Brennan |url=https://www.chicagoreader.com/chicago/half-baked/Film?oid=46046500 |work=Chicago Reader |location=Chicago, Illinois, United States |access-date=April 20, 2020}} By this time Brennan was established in the New York comedy circuit and had appeared twice on Late Show with David Letterman.{{cite magazine |last=Hontz |first=Jenny |date=December 9, 1997 |title=NBC, U plan sitcom for Brennans |url=https://variety.com/1997/tv/news/nbc-u-plan-sitcom-for-brennans-1116679690/ |magazine=Variety |location=Los Angeles, California, United States |access-date=April 20, 2020}} That same year the Brennan brothers had a development deal with NBC and Universal for a sitcom based on their own experiences growing up in an Irish-Catholic family with 10 kids in Philadelphia.

Brennan was a writer for Saturday Night Live in 1999 and 2000 and also appeared on the show as a Weekend Update correspondent in two episodes of the show's 25th season while Colin Quinn held the anchor post.{{cite episode |title=Political Correspondent Kevin Brennan discusses candidates Al Gore and George Bush. |url=https://www.nbc.com/saturday-night-live/video/weekend-update-segment---super-tuesday-primaries/n11314 |series=Saturday Night Live |network=NBC |date=March 11, 2000 |season=25 |number=14|access-date=April 20, 2020}}{{cite episode |title=Correspondent Kevin Brennan gives his personal response to Cuban immigrant Elian Gonzalez. |url=https://www.nbc.com/saturday-night-live/video/weekend-update-segment---elian-gonzalez/n11344 |series=Saturday Night Live |network=NBC |date=May 6, 2000 |season=25 |number=18|access-date=April 20, 2020}} Quinn left Saturday Night Live in 2000 and Brennan was in contention for the anchor position but, after the job was given to Jimmy Fallon and Tina Fey, Brennan decided not to return as a writer for the following season.{{cite web |url=https://www.vulture.com/2011/10/the-lost-weekend-update-anchors.html |title=The Lost Weekend Update Anchors |last=Evans |first=Bradford |date=October 27, 2011 |website=Vulture.com |publisher=Vox Media |access-date=April 20, 2020}}

From 2003 to 2005 Brennan made multiple appearances on Last Call with Carson Daly.{{cite web |url=https://www.broadwayworld.com/las-vegas/article/Kevin-Brennan-Steve-Byrne-and-More-Are-Coming-to-the-Plaza-Hotel-Casino-20200129 |title=Kevin Brennan, Steve Byrne and More Are Coming to the Plaza Hotel & Casino |author= |date=January 29, 2020 |website=BroadwayWorld |access-date=April 20, 2020}}{{cite web |url=https://www.ranker.com/list/full-list-of-last-call-with-carson-daly-episodes/reference?page=21 |title=Full List of Last Call With Carson Daly Episodes |author= |website=Ranker |access-date=April 20, 2020}} Brennan was voted “Best Comedian” at the 2005 Aspen Comedy Festival, which led to his half-hour stand-up special on the HBO series One Night Stand that same year.{{cite magazine |author= |date=November 20, 2006 |title=Kevin Brennan at Helium Comedy Club |url=https://www.phillymag.com/news/2006/11/20/kevin-brennan-at-helium-comedy-club/ |magazine=Philadelphia |location=Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States |publisher=Metrocorp |access-date=April 20, 2020}} He was one of six comedians featured on the 2007 cross-Canada Just for Laughs comedy tour, which also featured Greg Behrendt, John Wing, Louis Ramey, Fiona O'Loughlin and Tom Papa.{{cite news |last=Fuller |first=Cam |date=November 7, 2007 |title=On tour, just for fun |url=https://www.pressreader.com/canada/saskatoon-starphoenix/20071106/281943128527850 |work=The StarPhoenix |location=Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada |via=PressReader |access-date=April 20, 2020}} He also performed at the Just For Laughs festival in Montreal in 2009.{{cite web |url=https://www.hahaha.com/en/funny-videos?kevin-brennan-stand-up-2009&videoid=PZLRlZgLwxE |title=Kevin Brennan Stand Up - 2009 |author= |website=Just For Laughs |access-date=April 20, 2020}} In 2011, Brennan wrote for the Comedy Central series Sports Show with Norm Macdonald.

{{Infobox podcast

| title = Misery Loves Company

| italic title = no

| image =

| image_size =

| alt =

| caption =

| hosting = Kevin Brennan

| genre = Comedy
Talk
Entertainment
Culture
Satire

| format = Audio & video

| creator = Kevin Brennan

| length = 90 – 240 min.

| language = {{lang|en|English}}

| production = Adam Hiniker{{cite web |url= https://soundbetter.com/profiles/53775-adam-hiniker |title= Adam Hiniker: Mixing Engineer |website= SoundBetter.com |publisher= |access-date= 27 December 2022 |quote=}} (2018-2024)

| num_episodes = 641 (Patreon)

(as of {{date|2023-09-25|MDY}})

| began = January 2016

| ended =

| provider = SoundBetter (2018-2024)

| website = {{URL|https://www.patreon.com/mlcpodcast/|Patreon (Premium audio and video, and livestream archives)}}

{{URL|https://www.youtube.com/@MLCPodcast/|YouTube (Video and livestreams)}}

}}

Brennan started the comedic podcast titled Misery Loves Company (MLC) in January 2016, and added fellow New York-based comedian Lenny Marcus as his co-host. Marcus quit the podcast after ten months following several on-air and off-air disagreements between the two comedians.

In 2017, Compound Media owner and former Opie and Anthony radio personality Anthony Cumia, a fan of Brennan's tirades against other comedians on Misery Loves Company (including Brennan's brother, Neal), brought Brennan to his Compound Media network, where Brennan hosted Burning Bridges with co-host Brian Mccarthy. Brennan and Mccarthy left Compound Media in 2019.

In 2018 he produced a live comedy show in New York City called White Guys Matter that was billed as "all white guys" and "no safe spaces" with the promise to "make comedy great again."{{cite news |last=Smith |first=Tracey Erin |date=April 17, 2018 |title=Why I attended a comedy show called White Guys Matter |url=https://nowtoronto.com/stage/comedy/why-i-saw-a-show-called-White-Guys-Matter-yuk-yuks/ |work=NOW |location=Toronto, Ontario, Canada |access-date=April 20, 2020}}{{cite magazine |last=Di Menna |first=Hillary |date=May 10, 2018 |title=Comedy is a reflection of our society. It's time for it to get with the times |url=https://this.org/2018/05/10/comedy-is-a-reflection-of-our-society-its-time-for-it-to-get-with-the-times/ |magazine=This Magazine |location=Toronto, Ontario, Canada |access-date=April 20, 2020}} Comedian Aaron Berg, who performed at the New York show, brought the show to Yuk Yuk's comedy club in Toronto, Canada that same year, causing several local comedians to take to social media to protest the show.{{cite news |last1=da Silva |first1=Michelle |last2=Jackson-Kelso |first2=Rhianna |date=April 11, 2018 |title=Toronto stand-ups call out White Guys Matter comedy show |url=https://nowtoronto.com/stage/comedy/toronto-stand-ups-call-out-white-guys-matter-comedy-show/ |work=NOW |location=Toronto, Ontario, Canada |access-date=April 20, 2020}}

Brennan played himself in an episode of Pete Holmes' HBO series Crashing that aired in 2019.{{cite web |url=https://theinterrobang.com/live-set-crashing-nyc-bo-burnham-talks-acclaimed-movie/ |title=Live From the Set of Crashing in NYC, Bo Burnham Talks About His Acclaimed Movie, and More |last=Gurian |first=Jeffrey |date=July 23, 2018 |website=The Interrobang |publisher=Orange Pop Media |access-date=April 20, 2020}} A roast of Kevin Brennan was held at The Stand comedy club in New York City that same year.{{cite web |url=https://thestandnyc.com/shows/show/721/20191001-900-pm-the-roast-of-kevin-brennan |title=The Roast of Kevin Brennan! |author= |website=TheStandNYC.com |access-date=April 20, 2020}} Roasters at the event included comedians Dan Soder, Jim Norton (in character as Chip Chipperson), Krystyna Hutchinson and Corinne Fischer of the Guys We Fucked podcast, Patty Rosborough, Chad Zumock and Mike Bocchetti.{{cite AV media |title=The Roast of Kevin Brennan |medium=Live recording |language=en |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_GA6Np49X1g |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211212/_GA6Np49X1g| archive-date=2021-12-12 |url-status=live|publisher=YouTube}}{{cbignore}}{{Third-party inline|date=March 2023}}

In October 2022, Brennan, along with fellow comedian Bob Levy, opened a comedy club called the Brennan & Levy's Comedy Loft in Vineland, New Jersey.{{cite news |author= Steve Trevelise |date= October 11, 2022 |title= SNL and Howard Stern Alumni Open Comedy Club in Vineland, NJ |url= https://nj1015.com/snl-and-howard-stern-alumni-open-comedy-club-in-vineland-nj/ |location= Trenton, New Jersey, United States |publisher= WKXW |access-date= December 18, 2022}}{{cite web | url= https://www.kayceerays.com/brennanlevycomedyloft | title= Brennan & Levy's Comedy Loft: Kaycee Ray's | website= kayceerays.com |access-date = December 18, 2022 }}

Brennan announced his retirement from comedy on March 10, 2025 during his Misery Loves Company podcast.

Brennan's delivery has been described as "laid-back" and "laconic". He is also known for insult comedy directed at members of the audience, and for jokes about racism, pedophilia and misogyny. As his podcast title Burning Bridges suggests, Brennan is also known for confrontational statements about other comedians and podcasters. Brennan drew public criticism for his remarks about the unexpected death of Friends actor Matthew Perry on social media, in late October 2023.{{cite news |url=https://nypost.com/2023/10/30/news/outrage-as-kevin-brennan-mocks-matthew-perrys-death/ |title=Ex-‘SNL’ writer Kevin Brennan mocks Matthew Perry’s death: ‘I do love it when junkies die’ |last=Koenig |first=Melissa |date=October 30, 2023 |access-date=October 30, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231030153958/https://nypost.com/2023/10/30/news/outrage-as-kevin-brennan-mocks-matthew-perrys-death/ |archive-date=October 30, 2023}}

In a 2017 interview with New York magazine, comedian Jim Gaffigan was quoted as saying: "I am a New York comedian in the vein of like Dave Attell and Kevin Brennan, where they're supposed to laugh at your jokes and not like you."{{cite web |url=https://www.vulture.com/2017/02/jim-gaffigan-netflix-cinco-good-one-news-anchor-joke.html |title=Jim Gaffigan On Writing a Joke About Attractive Cable News Anchors, and How He Stopped Using the Voice |last=Fox |first=Jesse David |date=February 17, 2017 |website=Vulture.com |publisher=New York |access-date=April 20, 2020}}

Brennan is married and resides in New Jersey. His youngest brother is Neal Brennan, comedian and co-creator of Chappelle's Show.

{{Reflist}}

• {{official website|http://www.kevinbrennan.com/}}
• {{IMDb name|id=0996057|name=Kevin Brennan}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Brennan, Kevin}}

Category:Living people

Category:20th-century American comedians

Category:20th-century American male writers

Category:21st-century American comedians

Category:21st-century American male writers

Category:American comedy writers

Category:American male comedians

Category:American male television writers

Category:American people of Irish descent

Category:American comedy podcasters

Category:American stand-up comedians

Category:American television writers

Category:Archbishop John Carroll High School alumni

Category:Comedians from Chicago

Category:Comedians from New Jersey

Category:Comedians from Pennsylvania

Category:Writers from Chicago

Category:Writers from New Jersey

Category:Year of birth missing (living people)