Huron grad makes a name in L.A. comedy scene

HURON — Huron graduate Brenton Biddlecombe will appear on Comedy Central's "Bill Burr Presents the Ringers." Biddlecombe's dream of becoming a stand-up comedian started when he was a student at Huron High School. "My dad raised me on comedy," Biddlecombe said. "He really enjoyed Rodney Dangerfield and George Carlin." It wasn't until he saw the documentary "The Comedians of Comedy," featuring comics like Patton Oswald and Zach Galifianakis, that he knew it was something he wanted to do. "It was a tour documentary of them performing at different clubs, and it looked like so much fun," Biddlecombe said. "My junior year, I started to jot down jokes that I thought would make a good routine." He didn't get a chance to test his skills until after he graduated in 2006. He took the stage for the first time at the age of 19 at an open mic night near Detroit. "It was terrifying. I was by far the youngest person there, and it's all a blur, but people laughed, and it felt good, so I decided I wanted to do it more," Biddlecombe said. "The rush you get from going on never goes away." Comedy career Biddlecombe continued performing stand up. He went on to win a comedy contest with the prize being a week of playing at the Comedy Store, Los Angeles's legendary comedy club. Some of the greatest stand-ups graced its stage, including Billy Crystal, Eddie Murphy, Richard Pryor, Robin Williams and more. Huron graduate Brenton Biddlecombe does standup comedy routine at the Laugh Factory. Provided photo During his week at the club, he met Bobby Lee, a comedian who has appeared in shows and movies. Lee encouraged him to stay in L.A. "I loved performing at the Comedy Store so much, and I met Bobby, who told me I needed to drop everything and move out here if I was serious about comedy," Biddlecombe said. In 2010, with one semester left until graduation, he dropped out of college and moved to L.A., where he continued to do stand-up at the Comedy Store. Biddlecombe eventually started to handle the Comedy Store's social media accounts and even got his name written on the club's wall. "Getting your name painted on the Comedy Store wall is one of the highest honors for stand-up comedians in L.A.," Biddlecombe said. His work caught the eye of Bill Burr, a renowned stand-up comedian, actor and creator of the Netflix show "F is for Family." He started to work with Burr by opening up for him at shows and cohosting "What's the Odds?" with Steve Rannazzisi on Burr's "All Things Comedy" podcast network. In the podcast, Biddlecombe and Rannazzisi ask guests to place bets on everything from sports to reality T.V. It's uploaded weekly on Wednesdays. Comedian Bill Burr. TNS Burr chose Biddlecombe to appear in the final episode for the first season of "Bill Burr Presents the Ringers." The program highlights up-and-coming stand-up comics. Biddlecombe appears in the episode airing at 11 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 14, on Comedy Central. Biddlecombe said the show appearance was the high point of his career so far, but he hopes it's just the beginning. He wants to one day write a movie and have an hour-long comedy special. "But at the end of the day, I perform every night," Biddlecombe said. "That's all I want to do." Comedy Style Biddlecombe describes his comedy style as observational and based around personal experiences. He lists Burr, Mitch Hedburg and George Carlin among his influences. He also respects anyone who has the guts to try comedy. "Pretty much anyone willing to go on stage and do what we do," Biddlecombe said. "Especially in this day in age when one joke taken the wrong way can end a career." Reach reporter Michael Harrington at michaelharrington@sanduskyregister.com, follow the Register at Facebook.com/SanduskyRegister