Brian Posehn is a giant. Not just physically, though he stands well over 6 feet tall, but in the overlapping worlds of comedy and nerdery. He's been on groundbreaking shows like Mr. Show and The Sarah Silverman Program, not-as-groundbreaking shows like Just Shoot Me, and a slew of movies, usually playing big guys with a predilection for comics, metal and marijuana – not a stretch from his real-life persona by any means.
Starting in 2012, Posehn and his friends started recording their Dungeons and Dragons sessions, resulting in the highly popular podcast "Nerd Poker." One of the co-hosts is Gerry Duggan, with whom Posehn writes one of Marvel Comics' most beloved characters every month in Deadpool.
Since 2004, when he featured on the first Comedians of Comedy tour alongside Patton Oswalt, Zach Galifianakis and Maria Bamford, Posehn has been considered a figurehead of the "alternative" comedy scene. Making his mark by unabashedly talking about the things he loves, no matter how unpopular they might be, Posehn has found a strong following among those who share his interests and identify with his bits about how the Star Wars franchise has broken his heart, which type of metal is best (black, duh) or how to get strangers to give you weed (tip: Be a comic who talks about weed). But you don't necessarily have to be into those things to enjoy his sets. Posehn's comedy branches out to include stories about marriage and raising children, though absolutely without the sentimentality usually associated with such topics.
Jaron Millan, who hosts the Orlando Is Tight comedy showcase at Backbooth every month, hosts Thursday's show. Opening is Larry Fulford, a local comic who also tours as a drummer with Knoxville, Tennessee, country artist Matt Woods. When asked how he feels about opening for a luminary like Posehn, Fulford replies, "I'm super stoked and a little nervous. I've been a Posehn fan for a long time, so to get to open for him at a rock & roll club is sort of like a dream come true. The nervous part comes from not doing comedy for like five months this year when I was out with Woods. But I'll drink through the nerves and it should be fine. Right? Please tell me everything will be OK."
