Matt Braunger thinks you should go see Matt Braunger at the Aladdin Theater on March 1st.
“Why? Because you're going to see a hilarious stand-up,” Braunger says in his elevator pitch, “someone who's been doing it 20-plus years, is constantly evolving, and is a son of the soil who has worked altruistically, but also incredibly selfishly. I am basically a vessel, allowing you to sit, turn off your anxiety, and just laugh your butts, dicks, and heads off for a solid hour.”
It’s a solid argument, but if that’s not enough of a sales pitch, don’t worry, he has more: “I got Cameron Peloso opening for me, who is just incredible, and DJ Hasselhoff is spinning, and there will be beverages,” he says. But wait… there’s even more: “And I'm going to partner with Habitat for Humanity of Portland to raise money to help somebody with their house.” So yeah… if you don’t go see him perform an hour of comedy, you basically don’t like affordable housing for those in need. It’s a compelling reason for enduring the veritable bloodsport of trying to park near the Aladdin Theater on a weekend.
Braunger grew up in Portland, but currently resides in L.A. “I never wanted to ruin Portland for myself by living there,” he explains. However, he is enough of a local to know that he loves performing at the Aladdin. “It is probably my favorite place to do a headline show,” he says.
He’s also enough of a local to have “a big rant about how Saturday Market has too many bad watercolors of dragons and lizards” in his repertoire and to know that his parents will be in the audience listening to him riff about their precious grandchild. (“I'm going to get a critique from Jane,” he says of his mom.) Not that his set is all about his kid. “It's kind of a collection of stories,” he says. “Just pointing out things I personally find hilarious… everything from how I don't think males of my generation microdose very well, to sharing some of the quote/unquote terrible jobs I used to have.”
Braunger seems to realize this is not the greatest sales pitch. “Okay, fine, there's not a monster hook,” he says, laughing. “I'm not someone who was just released from a hostage situation or saved someone from a burning building.” Luckily he has a better take: “However, if you laugh, it extends your life,” he says. “That's scientifically proven.”
So not only is he up there on stage saving lives, but thanks to the charity angle, he’s also making life better for others. For Braunger, though, donating to Habitat for Humanity isn’t just part of a bit or even a creative way to encourage ticket sales.
“Speaking for myself, it's really easy to feel helpless with everything that's going on,” he says. “I feel like it's kind of an all-hands-on-deck situation, like, you really have to do at least a little something.”
However, acts of service aren’t the only way to fight back against *gestures broadly* all of the dark stuff happening in these dark times. “We should be having a lot of fun, as well as finding absolute joy in our lives and having a good time,” Braunger says. “I'm not going to call anybody out, but I think their whole thing is to make us feel like we're spinning out and have no control in our lives. Anxiety is definitely being monetized these days.”
For Braunger, though, comedy is a great way to cope with the atrocities of the modern world.
“For the last few years, people seem to think ‘if I enjoy my life, that’s somehow bad for people who aren’t’, but there are plenty of ways to help people out. But you, alone, spiraling into depression? That doesn't help a human being on Earth, you know?” he says.
“I think comedy, and to a greater degree live performance, is the one thing that is un-cooptable,” Braunger says. “Stand-up comedy is very silly and, in a sense, non-essential. But to me, that’s kind of what makes it essential. When I see someone who has a really fascinating viewpoint, and I get to see the world through their eyes —their highs, lows, joys, excitements, mini traumas, big traumas—and then get to laugh at the whole thing? It gives you one of those moments… like when you're looking at a sunset. And you go, ‘you know what? Life is pretty goddamn great.’ That's what I get from a really good stand-up set, whether I’m watching or doing it.”
Okay, that’s almost worth driving to the Aladdin on a Saturday night.
Aladdin Theater, 3017 SE Milwaukie, Sat March 1, 8 pm, $26.02, tickets here, all ages
