Joe Stapleton is Going from Hosting Sit Down Poker to Stand Up Comedy

What’s In The Comedy Store?

Joe Stapleton has an impressive poker resume for someone who self-identifies as having no interest in playing poker professionally. But there’s gotta be a reason he’s one of the most consistent presenters in TV poker. Some of that might be that he can be funny.

Funny enough to carry a full stand-up show? Well, on May 12th we’ll find out, cus he’s restocking the shelves that night at Los Angeles’ prestigious The Comedy Store. 

How exactly Joe became a staple of the poker circuit with just $0.00 in tournament wins to his name has much to do with big hitters like D-Negs and Barry Greenstein vouching for him in the early days of his career.

His blogs caught eyes then and landing him commentating roles in PokerStars Big Game and  more recently Poker Night Live, where he hosts and occasionally sits down to play.

Breaking the Routine

Will his schtick stand up on the stage of The Comedy Store though? This is where Bill Hick and Eddie Murphy made their names, along with almost anyone in Comedy who came up on the US scene during the 20th Century. Point is, it’s a big deal in comedy circles.

“There’s definitely added pressure whenever there’s a packed house, between ticket price and a two-drink minimum, have spent at least $50 on the night,” he pointed out in a recent interview. “There is definitely an added thrill and nausea that comes with playing The Comedy Store, yes.”

Given that he’s not a poker pro himself, you can see why he wants to keep branching out. It certainly sounds like he’s not touching on poker in the routine particularly. So there’s still room for someone out there to fill the niche of poker comedian that Doug Polk has been trying to fill since day one.

So if not poker, what will he be talking about?

“Sex, dating, cell phones, the English language, drinking, masturbating, and Shakespeare", he said, adding, “Okay, that last one is a lie.” 

Shame apart from the cell phones, Shakespeare has probably got a handy dick joke for him to steal on most of the other topics.