The Bro Show Is Anything but Stereotypical

Think of Courtney Wahlstrom and Dana Whissen as your bros.

The Bro Show, the all-woman stand-up show the comedians co-produce, has been going strong in Phoenix since 2017. They're back at it this Sunday, October 6, at Stand Up Live.

Wahlstrom and Whissen poke fun at some of society's most beloved (and be-hated) male stereotypes by performing their set as C-Dog and Angus, two bros who met at an open mic a couple of years earlier and are now in no-homo love. It's grown into something bigger than the duo could have imagined.

“The first show was a little rough because we had the wrong date on the flyer, so the only people there were the ones performing,” says Whissen. "There we were at 11 p.m. with no air conditioning in this little venue. But we did the show [weekly] until the point where people had no room to sit. They were standing way in the back just to get a glimpse. And that's when we really knew we had something."

Other comedians now grace the stage to play characters like the hipster feminist barista, fraternity bro ex-boyfriend, and the creepy old dude who loves to tell dirty jokes.

But being a female in comedy has its implications, for better or worse.

"I’m so tired of these women comedians talking about their vaginas," jokes Wahlstrom. "Every comic online is compared to Amy Schumer. I have material about sex and relationships, but that's not all of my material. Or men are like, 'Well, she does talk about sex on stage. She must want me to fuck her!' That’s why the show is so fun because we can take something serious that does cause pain and make it funny."

"Some people see [the show] as this big political statement," Whissen says. "Maybe it is, maybe it isn’t. But it’s a fun time."

But bros need not fear. The show is for everyone if you approach it with an open mind.

"After one of our shows, a guy came up and told me, 'I wasn’t sure if I’d like it at first because it seems like you guys might just hate men. But the way that it’s done, I know guys like that in real life,'” says Wahlstrom.

The Bro Show is scheduled for Sunday, October 6, at Stand Up Live. Tickets are $10 via the venue's website.