Matt Conn has performed all over the country, including the World Famous Hollywood Comedy Store, Funny Business Shows, LaughFest, Brew HA-HA, Traverse City Comedy Festival, and Mark Ridley’s Comedy Castle, where he was a finalist in the Detroit to L.A. competition.
He’s been described as having a whimsical balance of witty observations combined with boyish charm. Matt’s clean and clever humor strikes a chord with audiences of all ages.
Matt Conn is a nationally touring comedian whose sharp wit and boyish charm have entertained audiences from coast to coast.
He’s graced iconic stages like the World Famous Hollywood Comedy Store, One Night Stan’s, LaughFest, Brew HA-HA, Traverse City Comedy Club, and Mark Ridley’s Comedy Castle.
Whether he’s lighting up a comedy club or headlining a corporate event, Matt brings a clean, clever style that connects with audiences of all ages.
Known for his whimsical blend of witty observations and relatable storytelling, Matt delivers laughs that linger long after the show.
Offstage, he’s the author of the fictional book Trade Show and the writer/director of the award-winning short film Personal Storage. You can find both—and more—on his website: MattConnComedy.com.
Matt caught up with K9 Magazine to talk about dogs, work, and life.
Tell us all about all the dogs you've loved in your life.
My childhood dog was named Sherrie Little Conn. We got her when I was two, and she was the perfect dog for my older sister and me.
She was a Bichon Frise and was sweet and would allow my sister and me to dress her up in clothes, hats, and sunglasses while sitting patiently and lovingly.
Sherrie passed at 15 when I was a Senior in high school. She had a happy, long life. After a few months of our house missing Sherrie around, my parents decided to get another Bichon. This one was named Choochie.
Choochie's parents were show dogs, from which she inherited her large size(at least for a Bichon) and her large personality.
Choochie was more spunky than the sweet Sherrie and was a fun addition to our family. My first dog with my own family came about 10 years after Choochie passed away.
Duke is my family's dog. Duke is a loveable goofball and also slightly emo. He is our Covid baby, and we can't imagine our family without him.
Our close friends also adopted his brother, so there is a bit of a family reunion when we get Duke and Teddy together. You can definitely tell that they're brothers.
You're obviously a huge dog lover. How long have dogs been a major part of your life, and how would you explain the importance of dogs to someone who hadn't ever experienced the joy of a canine/human relationship in their life?
Dogs are pure love, and they're funny too. Aside from the poop, there is no downside to having a dog.
They're a great companion, and at least for us, Duke, rounded out our family. As much as you take care of your dog, your dog is taking care of you.
What are your favorite things to do with your dog(s)?
I love taking Duke across the street in a fenced-in park and throwing the ball to him with my shoes off.
You have a really interesting career... What advice would you give to the many people who want to follow your path in career terms? What are the absolute best (and worst) things about your work?
Like in everything else, not quitting is 90% of being successful. Comedy is tough, and there are so many factors that will go into a successful show; each show is its own thing and rarely goes exactly how you think it will.
Write, perform, and honestly critique yourself, and you'll get better. The best part of a show is when someone comes up to me and tells me that they were having a miserable day until they came to the show and laughed.
The worst aspect of comedy is when there are disruptions during the show that cause me to lose their attention, even briefly. It's all magic!
Here are our quick-fire questions. Are you ready?
Which do you prefer and why?
Big dogs or little dogs?
Big dogs! I love watching my kids wrestle with Duke.
Calm, relaxed dogs or dogs who live at 100mph?
Calm dogs.
Dogs who do as they're asked most of the time, or dogs who do pretty much whatever they like whenever they like?
Dogs that do as they are asked, but will also occasionally do something goofy.
Dogs who love to walk by your side or dogs who like to race off and cover ten thousand yards in 3 seconds?
By my side.
Days off or days at work?
Days off!
The fastest route or the scenic route?
Scenic route. Life's the journey.
Nighttime or early morning?
Nighttime is comedy show time.
Describe the last time you laughed out loud because of something you saw a dog do.
Duke loves balloons. We'll blow them up for him, and he'll carry them around in his mouth by the knot. If you're looking straight at him, he looks like he just blew a giant bubble gum bubble.
What do you like to do in your downtime?
Playing euchre/card games with my kids.
Let us in on a secret that very few people know about you.
I'm an avid crocheter. I usually relax before bed by working on a scarf or a blanket.
What is your current favorite…?
TV show?
Mad Men.
Album?
I recently took my girls to Benson Boone, so I've been jamming that lately.
Film?
Old School.
Website?
Animal charity(s)?
Michigan Animal Adoption Network and Animal Care Network.
If you had to choose just one, what product or service would you say has most changed your life, do you think, and why?
My book, "Trade Show" (available on Amazon and Audible). I published my first book a couple of years back. The process took me way longer than it should, so sticking with it and finishing was something I was very proud of.
Tell us about some of the most memorable moments from your work.
Performing at all three rooms at The Comedy Store was definitely a highlight of mine.
I also take a lot of pride in the amount of charity opportunities that I'm able to be a part of, such as my show coming up on September 28th at Mark Ridley's Comedy Castle for the Animal Care Network and the Animal Adoption Network.
Finish the following sentence, "Dogs are..."...
Dogs are a gift.
And finally, this is always a tough question and often requires some serious thought… If dogs had the ability to speak, and you could ask your dog just one question and one question only, what would you ask them, and what do you think that they'd say?
Me: "Why do you always look me in the eyes when you poop?"
Duke: "Because it's funny."
This is an opportunity to talk about any causes, projects, business ventures, etc, that are important to you and you'd like us to tell our readers about.
I'm recording my first special this month (September) at McCurdy's in Sarasota, FL. Look for it on the platform, "Open Bar".
I also wrote and directed a pilot for a series called "Life's not Fair" that comes out later this year. Look for both on my website, Mattconncomedy.com.
Thanks, Matt!
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Shows:
Greeting Card Signature Bit
Kenosha Comedy Club
LaughFest Clean Comedy Set
Comedy Castle
Media Appearances:
Website:
Podcast:
Press Release for “Trade Show”:
