Comedians bring their dysfunctional friendship to Phoenix

Comedians Aaron Branch and Herman Wrice are shaping the next era of Black comedy with humor that disarms, challenges and connects. As they bring their “Dysfunctional Friends Tour” to Desert Ridge Improv on Sunday, July 20, get ready for sharp cultural takes, new material and the same banter that made them breakout stars on “The Kevin Langue Show.”

For Wrice, comedy was a staple of his upbringing and what brought his family together. “I don’t even think I’m the funniest one in my family,” he admits. “I’m just the one who got on stage.”

His first comedic inspiration was a young Dave Chappelle in "Robin Hood: Men in Tights."

“He wasn’t even the lead — but I saw that, and ever since then I’ve been a fan of his goofiness and who he was as a person," Wrice says. "Then, when I got to know his comedy, it was smart, clever, intelligent, funny and I fell in love with that.”

Branch had a slightly rockier start.

“I always just had the instinct that I was just really funny, but I think that it was everybody in my life telling me that I wasn't. The first open mic night that I ever went to, my grandma said, ‘I’m not going.'” I asked why and she replied, ‘Because you’re not funny,'" Branch says, laughing. “But I just kept going and here we are now … on a national tour … and now she’s a thousand percent supportive.”

When discussing what skills have affected their standup the most, the pair shared some interesting inspirations.

Wrice, who played Division 1 Basketball for the St. Francis Brooklyn Terriers, credits the sport for giving him the structure to prepare for shows.

“I used to go out on stage and worry about the audience — who was going to be there, what type of people would be there — but I can’t control any of that. With basketball, not everything goes your way. A lot of things are out of your control, so you focus on what you can control, and you show up and do your job. I pulled that structure over to comedy and that allows me to be able to go out there, have fun and deliver the jokes.”

Branch, who was most recently seen on screen as a main character in Netflix’s "Unstable" alongside Rob Lowe and John Owen Lowe, shares that his acting skills didn’t translate to standup and instead says he relates comedy to sports, particularly tennis, even though he’s never actually played.

“I think Herm hit the nail right on the head: Sports, like tennis specifically, I think is so much like standup. That's why I kind of started to get really into those tennis documentaries on Netflix. That’s the intensity and the focus that you have to have to do this. And in tennis, you're also by yourself.”

The Dysfunctional Friends Tour will be a mix of new material, revamped bits and the unpredictable back-and-forth banter that’s made the duo fan favorites on the YouTube sketch series "The Kevin Langue Show," which Branch credits as launching their collective reach to new audiences: “It’s one thing to be on Netflix or in films, but Kevin Langue gave us a direct connection to the audience we wanted. It gave us a platform.”

Wrice adds, “Think of 'The Kevin Langue Show' as Platform 9 3/4. It’s been our express train.”

As for what Phoenix audiences can expect, Branch teases, “We’re literally developing the show as we go. It’s raw, it’s fun and we end each set with a little duo standup, which is my favorite part.”

With streaming platforms expanding access and exposure, both comedians say they’re aware of the cultural impact of their work, especially as Black men. Their comedy doesn’t shy away from difficult topics, but instead presents them in a way that disarms through humor.

“That’s exactly what comedy’s supposed to do,” Wrice says. “Make it easier to laugh at what’s hard.”

Branch adds, “We’re coming out of an era where guys like Dave Chappelle, Chris Rock and Bernie Mac were everywhere. Now it’s time for a new wave, and I’m honored to be part of that.”

So what are they most excited about doing in Phoenix?

“Honestly? I want to find pancakes,” Wrice says. “And Black people. Those are my two missions.”

"Dysfunctional Friends Tour": With Aaron Branch and Herman Wrice. 7 p.m. Sunday, July 20. Desert Ridge Improv, 21001 N. Tatum Blvd. Cost is $27.90.