Swimming with Sharks Meets the Russians
Episode 2: Russian Lady | Released: 2/6/24
Swimming with Sharks returns for another nearly three-hour night of live stand-up comedy, audience interaction and unpredictable chaos from Shark’s Comedy Club in Deep Ellum, Dallas, Texas.
Hosted by Dallas comedian Noah “Shark” Robertson with co-host Greasy Gordo, the show brings comedians onto the stage for short stand-up sets while giving the hosts permission to interrupt, interact and occasionally make the audience part of the show.
This time, some unsuspecting audience members from Russia become recurring characters throughout the night.
When the Audience Becomes Part of the Show
One of the things that separates Swimming with Sharks from a traditional comedy open mic is that nobody in the room is completely safe from becoming part of the show.
That becomes especially apparent in this episode when a group of Russian audience members catches the hosts’ attention. What begins as crowd work turns into a running bit that keeps resurfacing throughout the night as Noah, Greasy Gordo and the comedians continue interacting with them.
The Russian guests stick around for nearly the entire show, eventually becoming such a recognizable part of the episode that Noah repeatedly checks in with them between comedians.
It’s the kind of spontaneous interaction that can only happen during a live show, and ultimately gives the episode its name: Russian Lady.
The Briefcase of Destiny
The Briefcase of Destiny also returns.
Comedians willing to take the challenge can reach inside the briefcase and draw a random subject that they have to attempt to make funny on the spot. Topics pulled during this episode include everything from drugs and old people to increasingly strange prompts as the night progresses.
It adds an improvisational element to the show, forcing comedians outside their prepared material and creating moments that neither the performer nor the hosts can predict.
Roast Battles Start Brewing
Another major theme emerges as the night progresses: roast battles.
Comedians begin challenging one another, talking trash and attempting impromptu roasts from the stage. Chandler Godby gets called into the action, Steady Eddie Trevino joins the chaos, and discussion turns toward future roast battles at Shark’s Comedy Club.
Nick Flint also appears later in the show after recently winning a roast battle.
The result starts to resemble a combination of stand-up showcase, open mic, roast show and late-night comedy podcast all happening at the same time.
Nearly Three Hours of Dallas Stand-Up Comedy
The episode features a huge cross-section of comedians taking the stage throughout the night.
Performers and appearances include Josh Thorp, Nina Rosen, Miles Francis, Rudy Ventura, Matthew Parsons, Matt Malone, Melissa Riggs, Ruth Banks, Corey Smith, Eileen Hopkins, Earl Browning, Tyler Varela, Big A, Eric Lopez, Luis Dominguez, Chandler Godby, Steady Eddie Trevino, Justin Martin, Nick Flint, Zoe Dune, Travis Clay and many more.
From stand-up sets and spontaneous crowd work to the Briefcase of Destiny and comics challenging each other to roast battles, Russian Lady captures the unpredictable format that Swimming with Sharks was developing into during its early live podcast episodes.
Swimming with Sharks is inspired by Conan O’Brien, Kill Tony, Legion of Skanks, The Eric Andre Show, Saturday Night Live, Showtime at the Apollo and many more!
Watch the full episode above or listen to Swimming with Sharks on your preferred podcast platform.
Find the Swimming with Sharks Podcast here: https://creators.spotify.com/pod/profile/swimmingwithsharks/
Swimming With Sharks Entertainment 