Corey O’Brien Takes His Very Gay Comedy Show To Red America: Here’s Why
The Funny Guy Going Where Others Fear
Who takes their “super gay” comedy show to the most conservative parts of America? Corey O’Brien does. This bold comic is on a mission that goes beyond jokes.
“After the election, I know a lot of people, especially in my community, felt like, What is next? I felt like the door was kicked open and the hate was even louder,” O’Brien shared with Forbes after his first stops in Tempe, Houston and Philadelphia.
His rise to fame started with spot-on celebrity acts on social media. Now his stand-up takes on politics, sexuality, and the wild state of modern America. The best part? He’s doing it in places where such talk often faces resistance.
Who is Corey O’Brien?
Growing up in a small Pennsylvania town, O’Brien used to hide from hate. Not anymore. At 33, with 12 years sober and in a happy relationship, he’s found his strength.
“I wanted to go into the places where normally I wouldn’t be celebrated or welcomed, and I wanted to take up space,” he explained in his Forbes interview. “Because I also know that queer people live in these conservative states and I want to show them, if I’m able to come there and be my authentic self, I hope you know you can as well.”
His dad, a staunch Republican, even joined him on stage during his Tempe show for a bit where O’Brien asks for a conservative volunteer. Talk about a plot twist!
When Life Gets Political
O’Brien never planned to mix comedy with politics until circumstances forced his hand.
“I never planned on getting political until people made my existence political. And people made my community a political thing,” he explains.
In one show, a conservative audience member took part and later thanked him. “He was there with his wife and it was not what he expected at all but he had a blast,” O’Brien shares with joy.
Fresh, Fearless Comedy
His shows stay current, pulling from headlines about everything from DEI and plane crashes to Nancy Pelosi, Matt Gaetz, and even Diddy.
“We all find these things that really hit home and we find a community in the room and for an hour and a half, we’re family,” he says. “We’re all just laughing, we’re letting everything go.”
“I don’t know if my hour and a half super gay show is going to change people’s minds, but I really want people to think,” O’Brien says.
Can comedy heal a divided nation? Probably not completely. But for one night, in cities across America’s red states, Corey O’Brien is proving that laughter might be the first step toward seeing each other as humans again.
And that’s worth the price of admission.
At DNA, we can’t help but admire his mix of fun and purpose. He’s not just telling jokes. He’s creating a space where people with different views can share laughs.
