Monday
Nicole Pence
Nicole Pence is an Emmy-nominated journalist living in Central Indiana.
Pence joined FOX59 in 2014 to help launch a brand new newscast, “FOX59 NewsPoint at 11PM.” NewsPoint will debut in the summer.
Most recently, the NATAS Lower Great Lakes chapter nominated Pence for an Emmy award for her work as a broadcast anchor in April of 2014.
Before coming to FOX59, Pence solo anchored Indianapolis’ number-one rated weekend morning program, Weekend Sunrise on WTHR. Pence helped to increase ratings nearly twenty percent year to year. Pence left WTHR in November of 2013.
Previously, Pence was nominated for a 2010 regional Emmy Award for her work at WLEX-TV in Lexington, Kentucky as the main morning co-anchor. Pence also received second-place honors as “Best News Anchor” in the 2011 Kentucky Associated Press Awards.
Prior to working at LEX-18, Pence reported for Indiana’s NewsCenter (NBC/ABC/CW) in Fort Wayne, Indiana.
A midwestern girl, Pence grew up in Columbus, Indiana. She graduated Cum Laude from DePauw University in Greencastle, Indiana with a double major in Communication Arts & Sciences and Spanish and a minor in Political Science. She also earned her Master’s of Public Affairs (MPA) from Indiana University-Purdue University at the School of Public and Environmental Affairs Indianapolis with high honors.
In her spare time, Pence loves to travel. She lived with a family in Segovia, Spain, studied cooking in Italy, climbed the Great Wall in Beijing, China, crawled through the Pyramids in Cairo, Egypt, and tangoed in Argentina!
Pence is involved with several Central Indiana organizations, including Make-A-Wish, Pacers Cares, and the DePauw University Alumni Association. Follow her on twitter.
Tuesday
Costaki Economopoulos
Costaki Economopoulos is a comedian, true, but he’s also a football fan. Those two factors alone make him the perfect candidate to give us a comedic look back at the NFL each week with his new feature that’s also been picked up by The Huffington Post and Bleacher Report. With his Greek heritage, it’s not surprising that he’s been described as a “joke philosopher,” and we’re sure he’s not the only one saying that. Costaki is also a talented joke writer who’s punchlines have been heard on “The Tonight Show,” Showtime, BET, and MTV. Follow Costaki on facebook and twitter. Visit his website here.
Tim Bedore
For longer than we can remember comedian Tim Bedore has been calling in or stopping by to deliver an editorial in which he talks about whatever happens to be on his mind. These musings can range from his relationship with his daughter, to hot topics in the news, and even updates on how the animal kingdom is waging war on mankind. From the Animal Conspiracy to his daughter Claire, Tim takes us inside his mind, and with the help of a few sound effects, puts together one of our favorite features. Follow Tim on Facebook. Visit his website here.
Mat Alano-Martin
Mat Alano-Martin comes to comedy from the world of rock and roll, where he spent 10 years touring North America as an Americana singer-songwriter, opening for a who’s who of indie rockers and roots revivalists and occasionally headlining his own smaller, less well attended shows. With a comedic style that bridges the alternative sensibilities of his indie-rock background with the more mainstream views of his rural and blue collar youth, Alano-Martin has appeared at comedy clubs, punk rock dives, redneck roadhouses, casinos, colleges, living rooms and everywhere in between. Follow him on twitter. Visit his website here.
Wednesday:
Ben Moore
Ben Moore is quickly becoming a major factor in the midwest comedy scene, cutting his teeth at top rooms all across the nation. Ben is the reigning “Funniest Person in Lexington.” His expanding credits also include TBS, Atlanta’s prestigous Laughing Skull Festival and finalist in 2011 Funniest Person in Cincinnati contest. He’s also got a new iTunes album out, “ Never Coming Back.” Follow Ben on Facebook and twitter.
Thursday
Dwight Slade
Part man, part ageless boy; comedian Dwight Slade has the privilege of being a comedy legend in American stand up. The winner of this year’s Boston Comedy Festival, Slade combines an intelligent, raging voice of justice with the snickering attitude of a high school prankster. He gives the impression of a man on a journey. Who enjoys nothing more than making fun of everything along the way. Born in Seattle, Dwight moved often in his early years, living in San Mateo, California; Wilton, Connecticut; Marietta, Georgia and Houston, Texas.
It was while in middle school in Houston that Dwight became friends with Bill Hicks, an intense young man with a secret dream of becoming a stand-up comedian. The two quickly developed a partnership that has lasted a lifetime. The two became enamored by comedians on The Tonight Show and began writing jokes to try out on friends. At age 14 they were sneaking of their parent’s suburban homes and riding their bikes to auditions and open mikes.
Throughout his high school and college years, Dwight continued to focus on stand-up. At 18, Slade finished 3rd in the Euphoria Comedy Contest, and full of ambition, moved to Hollywood. He became one of the youngest performers to ever perform at the famous Comedy Store.
In the 1980’s, the comedy boom was underway and Dwight found he could garner more precious stage time in Portland, Oregon than in Los Angeles. “Why should I live in Los Angeles when I can be just as miserable and unknown in Portland?” Slade soon established himself as the premier stand-up in the Northwest opening concerts for Jay Leno, Jerry Seinfeld, Jeff Beck and Dave Chappelle.
Now married with children, the young family faced an interesting dilemma: how do you travel on the road as a working comedian and stay together as a family? The solution took the form of a 36 foot fifth wheel travel trailer that the young family toured and lived in for four years while Dwight headlined comedy clubs across the US and Canada. “My second child was born in the RV,” says Slade, “We were pulled over at the time.” Slade decided to hang up the nomadic lifestyle and settle down in Portland. It proved to be a good decision.
While grounded in Portland, Slade was able to explore more personal aspects to his stand up comedy. Putting together the critically praised, one man political primer, “Do People Really Think Like That?” Dwight was not only funny, but also thought provoking. The San Antonio Express wrote, “Slade restores one’s faith in comedy as the great equalizer. At his cerebral best he becomes the voice of the little man looking for a little justice – and just maybe a little pay back – for life’s daily mundane humiliations.”
The 90’s found Dwight moving into new arenas of creativity. Radio station KXL-AM billed him as “The Northwest’s Most Dangerous Mind” as he became a noted talk radio personality who used humor instead of rage to engage listeners. He released two comedy CD’s on Humor Ink recordings, “Weird State,” and “Shut-up.”
Slade’s feature film debut came in 2000 in the movie “Inconceivable,” which enjoyed a run on Showtime and Lifetime. Slade also co-starred in the gritty family drama, “My Way Home” which won the Platinum Award at the 2001 Houston International Film Festival. Since then, Slade has made appearances in three feature films including the soon to be released James Westby film, “Rid Of Me.”
In 2002, Slade became the first stand-up to make appearances at the three major North American Comedy Festivals: Aspen, Chicago and Montreal. On the heels of his performances, Slade signed a development deal with Warner Brothers Television. Slade was chosen to appear on HBO’s “Best of the US Comedy Arts Festival” and made an appearance on Comedy Central’s Premium Blend.
Slade’s stand-up has gained international stature after earning a five star review from Scotland’s Minister of Culture at the prestigious Edinburgh Fringe Festival and appearances at the Montreal Just For Laughs Festival. He followed this with a tour in Afghanistan performing for US Troops, a tour of Israel. After a stellar performance at the 2008 Comedy Festival in Las Vegas, Slade was chosen to appear on a Tonight Show feature.
Slade’s Hi-Def Comedy Special, “Right & Raunch” is now available on DVD.
Dwight is a single father with two children. Visit his website here.
Friday
Greg Hahn
A favorite on the nationally syndicated Bob and Tom Radio Show. He has appeared on Late Night with Conan Obrien,Comedy Central, CBS, ABC, FOX, MTV and CMT.
Greg Hahn has parlayed his absurdly energetic, all out style of physical humor, one liners and crowd work, into a performance of immediate pandemonium and fun! His crazy, likeable stylings have led to numerous television, club, corporate and now theater appearances throughout the country.
Developmentally arrested, Greg was raised in South Florida where in high school he amused the Catholic nuns by poking holes in his pockets enabling pens and pencils to shoot out of his pant leg.
As a college basketball player his tendency for half court shots got him benched.
As a Captain in the Marines Corps, Greg kept his men highly motivated and could not overemphasize that camouflage is continuous.
While a buyer for Lockheed Corporation, he thought “Why make $200 a day, when I can be a comedian and make that in a week!”
After several serious jobs where he refused to be serious, Greg turned pro as a stand up comedian and landed the absurd gig as emcee for a lumberjack show at Six Flags Great America. This show supplied him with a microphone, four huge audiences a day, drunk ax swinging lumberjacks, and a log rolling dog.
Soon afterwards, he worked as stuntman in the Wild Wild Wild West Stunt Show at Universal Studios. “For $20 an hour, I’d run out, fall down a few times and get hit in the head with a stick”.
He continually honed his unique style of comedy and headed to New York City.
While in New York, Greg developed into a touring headliner and costarred in the independent film Tomorrow Night which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival. Then, after successful shows at the Montreal and Chicago Comedy Festivals, Greg enjoyed hit television appearances on Late Night with Conan O’Brien (NBC), Premium Blend (Comedy Central), Make Me Laugh (5 episodes, Comedy Central), Louis CK’s Pulp Comics (Comedy Central), 30 Seconds to Fame (Fox), Cedric the Entertainer Presents (Fox) and Star Search (CBS).
When appearing on Star Search, Greg was spotted by Tom Griswold of the nationally syndicated Bob & Tom Radio Show. Greg has since established himself as a favorite guest on the show and starred on the Bob @ Tom Comedy Central Special. He also headlines the Friends of The Bob @ Tom Theater Tour, which included a stop at the Las Vegas Comedy Festival.
A return appearance to the Montreal Comedy Festival along with the Halifax Comedy Festival and appearances on Country Music Television’s “Comedy Stage”, “Comics Unleashed with Byron Allen” and being tasered on “TOSH.O” (Comedy Central) have also added to Greg’s popularity across the country.
Continuing to advance his career in film and television, Greg now lives in Los Angeles where in between shows, he goes ballistic on the drums, destroys his pathetic fellow comics in ping pong, and flies indoor helicopters into his ceiling fan. Visit his website here. Follow him on twitter here.
Chad Daniels
If someone were to tell you they were performing as a comedy club MC six times a week and having to host karaoke after each show in the dead of winter 60 miles from the Canadian border while living in a 6×8 motel room next to a French fry factory, you might think they had it all. Chad Daniels on the other hand felt he needed something more in his life. Good thing he did too, because since then he’s performed as a finalist in Comedy Central’s “Laugh Riots” competition, appeared on “The Late Late Show with Craig Kilborn,” and Comedy Central Presents and released two comedy albums including his newest one, Busy Being Awesome. Follow Chad on facebook and twitter. Visit his website here.
Dan St. Paul
If you’ve heard his piece The First Baseball Game, you’ve probably guessed that comedian Dan St. Paul is a huge baseball fan. But outside the ballpark, he’s also a suburban husband and father who has to deal with the same daily frustrations as everyone else. The only difference being that while others just complain about their problems, Dan uses his as fodder for stand-up comedy. Dan St. Paul is a member of the Stand-Up Dads comedy tour, and has been featured on a number of BOB & TOM All-Star shows. Follow Dan on twitter. Visit his website here.
Michael Malone
Comedian Michael Malone is a larger than life performer who delivers heavy-hitting punchlines with the weight of a veteran and the heat reserved only for the country’s hottest up and coming comics.
Known best for his top-10 selling comedy album debut on iTunes, Malone is a force to reckon with in the comedy world. His blistering humor and irreverent views on life, love and personal tragedy have earned him recognitions like Campus Activities Magazine’s Top Comedy Performer of 2013, “Hot Comic to Watch in 2013,” and winner of the prestigious 33rd Annual Seattle International Comedy Competition in 2012.
2015 doesn’t show signs of slowing down. His newest comedy album, “Thirty One,” is set to release nationally in February with Uproar Records. The new material explores aging, life and death, and the idiotic ways we deal with both. Recorded at the Joke Joint in St. Paul, Minnesota, Malone is dedicating the “Thirty One” album to his late stepfather Wayne. Fans can also catch Malone in three feature films and a documentary film that will be announced soon!
Malone’s been featured on the Bob and Tom Radio and TV, made appearances on WGN TV, National Lampoon’s Operation Comedy Tour, NBC TV, XM Sirius Satellite radio and the CW. He also has two top-ten selling comedy albums on iTunes. Check out www.MaloneComedy.com for videos, tour dates, and tons of exclusive content. Visit his website here. Follow him on twitter.
TJ Miller
After being listed as one of Entertainment Weekly’s “Next Big Things” and one of Variety’s “Top Ten Comics to Watch in 2008,” T.J. Miller (AKA Todd Gay Butt Filler) hasn’t disappointed. He’s starred in J. J. Abrams film Cloverfield, the comedies She’s Out of My League, Our Idiot Brother, and Get Him to The Greek. He also starred in the underrated ABC sitcom “Carpoolers.” When not acting, Miller continues to perform standup comedy, and is currently touring the country. TJ will star in the new HBO show Sillicon Valley. Follow TJ on twitter. But TJ Miller does not have a website.