Bare Knuckle Comedy / Punch Drunk Comedy
Promotional photo, 2015. L-R: Annina Christiansen, Christian Lawrence, Asia Thomas, Panagiotis Papavlasopoulos & Analicia Kocher
Bare Knuckle Comedy (formerly Punch Drunk Comedy) was a unique blending of comedic styles: a three-act comedic narrative & a comedy variety show (think “It’s Always Sunny” meets “Comedy Central Presents”). The narrative framed the variety show, starred the hosts and followed their misadventures. The show regularly brought in traveling comics from across the United States. Bare Knuckle Comedy ran from 2009-2019, and was Saint Louis’s longest-running independent comedy show.
The show was started by Christian Lawrence and Kevin White. After Kevin left St. Louis, Christian cycled through multiple co-hosts and regular cast members.
Press For Bare Knuckle Comedy
The Post-Dispatch’s covering of Bare Knuckle Comedy’s last show
- Kevin C. Johnson, Saint Louis Post-Dispatch, July 2019
"The best comedy show in St. Louis"
– Marlena Rodriguez, Staff Writer, The Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt
- Steve Gadlin, "Steve Gadlin’s Star Makers" / festival judge, Snubfest, June 2016
"Bare Knuckle Comedy... kick-started the alt comedy scene" in St. Louis
- Riverfront Times, May 2015
- Riverfront Times, July 2012
"...a stop for touring indie comics from across the country”
- Alive Magazine, March 2013
– Riverfront Times February 2014
“...Check out Bare Knuckle Comedy… I’ve got some friends involved in that.”
- Rick Horton, KMOX, August 11th 2014, live Cardinals broadcast