When you’re the owner of a venue known for non-stop laughter, every night you’re witness to historical material that will last the test of time.
Also, owners and venue staff are closer than ever to some of the biggest names that stand-up comedy has ever seen, and these are always to share their stories from the road to anyone who would love to listen.
Always willing to take advantage of his comedic surroundings, The Comedy Club is a weekly podcast hosted by Kansas City club owner Dustin Kaufman as he regularly sits down for an in-depth discussion with many of the biggest names currently working in stand-up comedy today.
Dustin Kaufman: Owner of The Comedy Club in Kansas City, Missouri; as a young comic, Kaufman started at Stanford’s in Westport in 2000, drinking for free before he was old enough. He would do anything just to be there, including seating the room, filling in the kitchen, and helping with promotional mailings. Kaufman honed his act, and he began traveling the comedy circuit, eventually relocating to Los Angeles in 2010. Kaufman worked at Flappers Comedy Club in their marketing department and was paid for stage time. Needing more money, he began working in their audio/video department and the kitchen at a sister club. Since stepping on the comedy stage, he’s been involved in every aspect of the industry. He opened The Comedy Club in 2019, and it instantly became one of the premier destinations for comedy in the Midwest.
This week, Kaufman sits down for a one-on-one interview with stand-up comedian and SNL alum Finesse Mitchell as they discuss a wide variety of topics, including comedic beginnings, the highs and lows of touring, and what makes this industry so funny.
Finesse Mitchell: Finesse Mitchell has been seen almost everywhere. He’s currently on Hulu’s History of the World Part II, playing the Rev. Jesse Jackson opposite of Wanda Sykes. He’s guest-hosted for The Wendy Williams talk show on Fox. He’s a guest judge on Netflix’s “Is It Cake?”, a favorite celeb guest on Pictionary, and Fox’s last Lego Masters Bricktacular holiday event.
Finesse has been a multi-faceted actor, author, and stand-up comedian with four one-hour comedy specials titled, “Snap Famous”, “One Man Monster”, “The Spirit Told Me To Tell You”, and 2023’s self-produced “Slightly Offensive” under his belt. Born and raised in Atlanta, Georgia, Finesse graduated from the University of Miami and is a distinguished member of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Incorporated. He is also a former student-athlete who was a walk-on for the National Champion Hurricanes football team where he played with Hurricane greats like Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, Warren Sapp, and Ray Lewis.
Finesse entered the comedy scene with appearances on BET’s Comic View and Comedy Central. In 2003, he joined the cast of Saturday Night Live where he played the memorable “Starrkeisha” and frequently appeared on “Weekend Update” with Seth Myers as Morgan Freeman, 50 Cent, and Bobby Brown. In addition to being an SNL Alum, Finesse’s previous television acting credits include NBC’s Kenan, Fox’s Outmatched, ABC’s Splitting Up Together, Showtime’s Roadies, Disney Channel’s A.N.T. Farm (China’s Dad), and TBS’s Tyler Perry’s Meet The Browns.
Mitchell has also appeared on daytime talk shows such as The Talk on CBS, The Drew Barrymore Show, The Real, Dish Nation, and NBC’s Today Show. During late-night, you might have seen him on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon, The Late Show with Seth Meyers, The Arsenio Hall Show, and Comic’s Unleashed just to name a few. You can also catch Finesse starring in movies like Mad Money, Who’s Your Caddy, The Comebacks, and Mad Families. In 2022, Mitchell starred in OWN’s holiday Christmas movie, “Great Holiday Bake War” with more feature film projects on the way.
Finesse currently resides in Los Angeles with his wife, Adris Debarge, and their two daughters, Elle and Eva Mitchell.
Checkout previous episodes of The Comedy Club w/ Dustin Kaufman featuring Finesse Mitchell, Shane Torres, Sam Jay, Ron Funches, and more HERE.
