Ten of Portland’s shiniest stand-up talents, with special guest Matt Braunger—coming March 27! by Wm. Steven Humphrey It’s no secret that Portland is a veritable hotbed of comedic talent. Thanks to local audiences who support comedy in all forms, the city’s stand-up scene has become one of the best in the nation. So not only are we blessed with a solid base of long-standing talent, comedy newcomers also have plenty of opportunities to build their skills in a welcoming, encouraging community.  And that’s why, since 2016, the Portland Mercury has been throwing the biggest, most laugh-filled comedy show of the year: The Undisputable Geniuses of Comedy! We want to show YOU the wide array of talented folks that make up Portland’s amazing comedy scene—from the cream of the crop, to the new-on-the-scene talent that we predict are going to make a big splash in years to come. And the 2026 crew of Geniuses (coming at you on Friday, March 27 at Revolution Hall) is one of our best lineups ever, featuring stand-up, drag artistry, wild stuff that defies description, and our very special guest headliner, the fabulous MATT BRAUNGER!  But trust me when I say, you better snap up those tickets quick at merctickets.com, because with a lineup this hot, this show WILL sell out! Now let’s meet your 2026 Mercury Undisputable Geniuses of Comedy…. YOUR HOSTS, ADAM PASI AND NARIKO OTT! We’re doubling up the fun in this year’s edition of Geniuses, with not one but TWO hilarious hosts. Former top winners of the annual “Portland’s Funniest Person” contest as well as prior Geniuses inductees, Pasi and Ott have a very long list of accomplishments, including being the current hosts of the fall-down funny monthly show Topic Thunder, in which comedians present brand-new material based on the latest news of the day. (If you like your news skewered and spit-roasted, this is the show for you!) Pasi and Ott will be giving you a taste of Topic Thunder at this year’s Geniuses, as well as showcasing their wild, unpredictable, and hilarious stand-up sets. SUPER SPECIAL GUEST HEADLINER, MATT BRAUNGER! We are as pleased as punch to welcome former Portlander and nationally beloved comedian Matt Braunger to this year’s Geniuses show. Born and raised here, Braunger cut his teeth on Portland stages before becoming a headliner (and soon after, a national treasure) in 2007. Since then he’s been named as one of Variety’s Top 10 Comics to Watch, and was a cast member of Fox’s MADtv while also making appearances on such popular shows as Agent Carter, Superstore, Bojack Horseman, Happy Endings, Conan, the Late Show with David Letterman—all while simultaneously touring and recording numerous comedy specials and albums. On stage, Braunger is an animated, master storyteller who also happens to be an expert at spotting those little, true absurdities of life that will make you cry with laughter, “Goddammit, Matt! You’re right again!” KATE MURPHY! No surprises here: We love Kate Murphy! You may remember her as the host of the Mercury's I, Anonymous Show, the HUMP! Film Festival, as well as co-hosting our local (and very evil) live game show, Two Evils. Along with being a recurring finalist in Portland's Funniest Person competition, she's been featured in far too many fests to include here, but… okay fine, here are just a few: the Hell Yes Fest, The NW Women’s Comedy Festival, as well as the Pacific Crest Comedy Fest. Murphy is adored by the comedy community and Portland audiences for her razor sharp, adorable, and hilariously bizarre observations on modern life. It bears repeating: We love Kate Murphy! (And you will too!)  GEOFF TATE! Getting his start in the Cincinnati comedy scene, Geoff Tate has been making a big name for himself both in Portland and nationally. Touring with Mike Birbiglia and Tom Segura, Tate is also well known on the festival circuit, performing at Bonnaroo, SF Sketchfest, SXSW, while also recording… [blinks, checks notes] more than a dozen comedy albums? And we’re just getting started, because Tate has also guested on some of the biggest podcasts, including WTF with Marc Maron, The Todd Glass Show, Doug Loves Movies, and lots more. As for his stand-up comedy, he’s been called “wildly funny, with a cunning sense of dry wit,” while having a “knack for mining his own personal history for big laughs,” and is “a Star Wars-loving, sometimes drug-taking, hilarious guy.” And who are we to disagree?  VIRGINIA JONES! A 20-year stand-up veteran, the experience really shows with Virginia Jones. Her comedy is whip-smart, dry as a bone, and she delivers devastating punchlines with an unforgettable glare. Placing second in the most recent Portland’s Funniest Person competition, she’s also worked with such comic luminaries as Maria Bamford, Jackie Kashian, Laurie Kilmartin, Kevin McDonald, and Eddie Pepitone—all of whom know a thing or two about the necessity of a great opener. Jones is a regular on the festival scene, having been invited to Bumbershoot, the Bridgetown Comedy Festival, Boston’s Women in Comedy fest, and has appeared at the SF Sketchfest a whopping four times. Plus, she’s not only appeared on Portlandia, and CNN’s History of Comedy, but she also somehow wound up on an “Australian tap dance commercial.” Color us SOLD. JULIAN GRAY! If you’re a lover of fun, entertaining stories that take a lot of hilarious twists and turns, you’ll flip ass over teakettle for Julian Gray, a comedian, writer, and self-proclaimed “pop-a-shot connoisseur” who's making his Geniuses debut this year. A regular at Helium Comedy Club, Gray has opened for a multitude of nationally touring comedians, and has been wowing audiences on the festival circuit, including the Limestone Comedy Festival, LA’s Bergamot Fest, and the Houston Riot Comedy Festival. But telling hilarious stories is where Gray really shines, whether it’s about eating 322 times at Olive Garden, the vagaries of sleep paralysis, or the inherent danger of pairing an original Four Loko with a Crunchwrap Supreme. (Maybe we’ll get him to demonstrate his pop-a-shot prowess.) JEWELS FIELD! A hot up-and-comer on the scene, Jewels Field was raised on a steady comedy diet of Mitch Hedberg and Adam Sandler (she’s seen Big Daddy approximately 1,000 times). As a result, Fields has an absolutely delightful (and confidently awkward) way of starting with an average observation and then immediately transporting it into an absurdist multiverse. For example, here’s the biography Field submitted for this article: “Jewels spent her early life in a school for exceptionally gifted children, starting at age 5. When her mother met with the school’s director  to discuss her admission, Jewels found pepper spray in her mom’s purse and promptly maced herself.” Sounds exceptional to us! MX. DAHLIA BELLE! Hilarious and as she puts it, “the best sort of mess,” we’re thrilled to welcome comedian Mx. Dahlia Belle to the Geniuses stage. Best known for her appearance on the popular Netflix special Hannah Gadsby’s Gender Agenda, Belle is known for being a comedic Swiss Army knife—simultaneously demonstrating sharpness, softness, vulnerability, hope, and (of course) a neverending stream of wicked wit. Her writing has been featured in Cosmopolitan, The Guardian, The Stranger, and Portland Mercury, and you may have witnessed her comedy prowess at the NW Black Comedy Festival, Upper Left Comedy Festival, SF Sketchfest, and the Here To Pee Tour. But perhaps one of her greatest honors was being included in Out magazine’s list of “11 Trans Comedians Funnier Than Dave Chappelle”—and when you see her in action, you’ll believe it!  And Drag Artistry from PEACHY SPRINGS! Fans of local bingo need no introduction to Peachy Springs, who has hands-down earned the title of Portland’s foul-mouthed “Queen of Bingo,” as well as being honored as the second place winner of Portland’s “Best Drag Queen.” Boasting a razor-sharp wit and a braying laugh, Springs will be bringing lots of surprises to the Geniuses stage—and while we don’t want to give anything away, you can count on a hilarious, filthy, and absolutely glamorous good time! What a lineup, amirite? So don’t be the fool that misses the 2026 edition of the UNDISPUTABLE GENIUSES OF COMEDY—Friday, March 27, 8 pm, at Revolution Hall! But hurry, hurry… since this show will almost certainly sell out, get those tickets lickity-split at merctickets.com. It’s guaranteed to be an undisputable evening of top-notch hilarity!  ...read more read less