Comedy Central Presents: Kristen Schaal

The following is part of a series that profiles episodes of Comedy Central Presents, a collection of stand-up comedy available for instant viewing.


If you’re anything like me, first of all, congratulations. Second of all, you were surprised to imagine Kristen Schaal as a stand-up comedian. Schaal is actress, perhaps best known as Mel in HBO’s Flight of the Conchords or from her work as a Daily Show correspondent. She’s also appeared in Mad Men, Modern Family, and a few feature films. That said, her Comedy Central Presents episode is solid, more so if you are familiar with her more recent work. Her episode watches more like a one-woman show than a stand-up routine.


Schaal’s episode essentially puts her on stage for 21 minutes, and she puts forth a strong comedic offering. Technically titled ‘Anne Boelyn on Fire’, her show has some brilliant comedic moments that ebb and flow with her performance. She refrains from the rapid-fire jokes that mark more traditional comedians, but her performance displays tremendous command of tension/release, an important comedic factor. It’s definitely worth 20 minutes, if you’ve got ‘em, particularly if you like Schaal’s other work. If nothing else, you can check it out if you want something funny, fresh, and a little off-beat.