The internet hosting slot on a comedy present is a critical job for any stand-up. They arrive early to heat up the gang and keep till the bitter finish even when no person is left to look at them. A number can also be chargeable for introducing each comedian onstage, mentioning their credit and never butchering their identify — all whereas hoping they really make it on time for his or her spot.
Given the duty, few comics can efficiently hold a present operating and nonetheless handle to steal it on the similar time. However for Chris Powell, a.okay.a. Comic CP, it’s the spot on the lineup the place he shines as one of many funniest hosts to carry a mic in L.A.
On a latest evening on the Hollywood Improv for the month-to-month present Scorching Mic, offered by Kevin Hart’s LOL Radio, the late-night viewers piles into the dimly lighted principal room at 9:30 the place CP wakes them up along with his punchy, Detroit-bred supply that cuts via murmurs and facet chatter with a voice like a gas-powered chain noticed. He stirs up the room with an animated flurry of brief bits, crowd work and googly-eyed characters he makes up on the spot. With braids dangling underneath the perimeters of a Detroit Tigers ballcap, the comic opens with a joke about bestowing additional nickel luggage of crack to a drug-addicted uncle again house in Motor Metropolis — his means of exhibiting his household that he’s movin’ on up on the earth. It’s the primary hit to get the gang hooked for the remainder of the present.
As the gang is laughing, they’re in all probability not even interested by the numerous others within the satellite tv for pc radio viewers who will likely be cracking up later when the dwell recording of Scorching Mic will get its month-to-month broadcast on Sirius XM‘s Channel 96.
“I believe I’ve a novel fashion of creativity in order that after I host a present it’s like a fingerprint on the present,” CP stated. “I’m by no means internet hosting it the identical means so Scorching Mic being dwell throughout 131 nations each month places the stress on me to at all times deliver new, recent materials to the desk and generally the fabric shouldn’t be even actually essentially able to be put out, however it’s additionally enjoyable for the viewers to see a comic courageous sufficient to create on the spot in a means that makes them really feel included within the course of.”
His talent of improvising jokes on the fly has additionally crossed into performing, writing and producing on latest TV exhibits like FX’s “Easy methods to Die Alone” and BET sketch present “The Hospital,” created by fellow comedian KevOnStage. Final June, his debut particular “Sunday After Six” debuted on the streaming platform Veeps with two extra specials on the way in which and CP lately made Vulture’s listing of 25 comics to look at in 2025. For the seasoned stand-up and father of two, it’s all been constructing towards his profession objectives of doing it as large as comedians like Hart, Katt Williams and Dave Chappelle.
Powell aspires to comply with Kevin Hart’s path, saying he needs to “take it to the following degree when Kevin Hart is able to go the torch.”
(Bryan Proctor)
“Lots of people wish to come proper out [in comedy] and be on the high of the sport, however I really feel I’ve the kind of expertise the place I can afford to be selective, be affected person and be able to take my spot on the high when it’s time,” he stated.
Earlier than getting his begin in his native Detroit, CP’s first brush with comedy internet hosting got here because the chapter president of Kappa Alpha Psi fraternity at Michigan State College the place he would host packed pupil occasions on campus, usually encompassing greater than 1,000 individuals. Profitable them over with humor helped him with “honing my bravery on stage.”
“You’ll be able to’t be shy on this enterprise; shyness is part of being humble and with the intention to get that out of your system it’s a must to work on it,” he stated. “The best way you’re employed on it’s placing your self on the market for criticism, for ridicule and studying easy methods to restrict the dangerous experiences by being good.”
Like most comics with out many comedy golf equipment to carry out in, CP lower his tooth doing spots and open mics at native bars. The model of comedy constructed on quick-hitting punchlines that may get a buzzed crowd warmed up in seconds is a mode CP says is epitomized by fellow Detroit comedians like Tony Roberts.
“We mainly carried out at bars and there weren’t plenty of comedy audiences; it was simply the alcoholics who had been there for that evening, that’s their bar,” he stated. “The distinction between an viewers that wishes to listen to comedy and an viewers that doesn’t actually care about it’s that it’s more durable to make the latter giggle. So when you begin to make the individuals who don’t actually care about it giggle, it turns into means simpler to make somebody giggle who truly needs to hear and comply with your bits.”
His power during the last decade or so in L.A. has change into a staple at long-running native exhibits like Crack ‘Em Up Thursdays on the Comedy Retailer and Chocolate Sundaes on the Chortle Manufacturing unit. It additionally earned him the latitude of longer stage time that he wanted to behave out his extra elaborate bits. One features a story about visiting his mentally in poor health cousin at a psych ward that constantly unfolds right into a full one-man comedy sketch with plot twists, a full solid of characters and pockets of laughter erupting all through.
“Your jokes are like your wardrobe, as soon as you purchase a shirt that’s your shirt, you personal that shirt till you mainly do away with it. Generally you may be a bit of too large for that shirt, it doesn’t match proper, it is advisable to work out — that’s how jokes are,” the comic stated. CP first wrote the story about his cousin 12 years in the past however says he’s solely lately began performing it on stage. ”A few of these jokes I’m telling now I’ve wished to inform this manner because the starting of my profession. I simply knew I couldn’t inform it the best means.”
An enormous a part of why the comedian — who’s change into a headliner on nationwide excursions whereas writing, producing and performing on TV — is worked up about Scorching Mic is the possibility to spice up the sign of different L.A. comics on the rise.
“The Scorching Mic present is dope as a result of while you do a present you’re searching for an viewers so plenty of instances at these golf equipment you’re performing in entrance of 30, 40, perhaps 100 individuals. On our present it’s nationwide however it’s additionally a bunch of different nations included [that it broadcasts to] as properly so your viewers is so broad and also you get a possibility to select up plenty of new followers alongside the way in which,” he stated.
Moving into Hart’s orbit has been a serious bucket-list second because the present began in July 2024, CP stated. Among the many largest classes he’s discovered from the comedy star is to have a working information of latest expertise, irrespective of how large you get.
“While you meet Kev and he is aware of who you’re and he’s acquainted with your work and understands your potential as a result of he’s been there as somebody with potential earlier than it was realized — it’s truly simpler to speak to somebody like that and relate to them than individuals would suppose,” the comic stated. “He doesn’t have to hate on anyone, it’s simply purely like, ‘I’m pleased with individuals such as you in your place, right here’s what I can do to assist.’”
The power to host younger comedians whereas sustaining an enormous fanbase and operating a number of ventures is one thing CP says he aspires to do.
“I wish to be the comic who takes it to the following degree when Kevin Hart is able to go the torch,” CP stated. “Too many comedians are afraid to say that or let that be the purpose. We’ve got to be trustworthy about what we’re making an attempt to do. When you simply wish to be a comic to get a pair {dollars} and get some consideration that’s one factor, however I see it as a factor the place the sky is the restrict.”
The comic stated the mentality to achieve the highest needs to be earned by staying grounded, getting on stage irrespective of the gig and staying able to seize the mic, whether or not it’s as a number or a headliner.
“I do the identical present whether or not it’s two individuals or 2,000 individuals,” he stated. “I would like the reps, I have to know that I can do that it doesn’t matter what. Just like somebody who’s freestyle rapping — when you don’t use that muscle you’re gonna lose it.”
Comic CP performs at 9:30 p.m. Tuesday on Scorching Mic on the Hollywood Improv together with Jackie Fabulous, Rell Battle, Ali Macofsky, J Cann.
