Chad Daniels
Chad Daniels is an American comedian from Fergus Falls, Minnesota.[2][3] His albums have reached the top 10 on the Billboard comedy charts three times: No. 2 for 2017's Footprints On The Moon, No. 6 for 2019's Dad Chaniels, and No. 7 for 2014's Natural Selection.[4] As of 2019, his albums have been streamed more than 700 million times.[5] Footprints on the Moon also reached No. 1 on the iTunes comedy chart.[6]
Chad Daniels | |
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Born | Fergus Falls, Minnesota | March 2, 1975
Medium | Stand-up[1] |
Nationality | American |
Years active | 1998–present |
Website | chaddaniels |
In 2020, Vulture.com called him "one of the great unsung American comedians right now, who has some of the best stuff about being a dad out there."[7]
Early life
Daniels was born March 2, 1975 in Fergus Falls, Minnesota.[8][9] He graduated from Fergus Falls High School (now named Kennedy Secondary School) in 1993.[10][11]
Career
Stand-up comedy
Daniels' comedy is known for what Allmusic critic Mark Deming described as a "skewed, often dark view" on domestic family life.[8][12]
He started performing standup at an open mic night at ACME Comedy Company in Minneapolis in 1998. His performance earned him a job as house emcee at Grand Forks, North Dakota comedy club Westward Ho, hosting six shows a week in 1988-1999.[8][13][14]
In 2003, Daniels was a finalist in Comedy Central’s Laugh Riots competition.[15]
In 2009, he was named Artist of the Year in comedy by Minneapolis alt-weekly City Pages, which said "Plenty of comics have jokes about marriage and children, but few speak about the experience with such uncompromising honesty."[16][17]
He has toured extensively in the U.S. and across the world.[5] In 2012, he won the $10,000 grand prize at the Gilda's LaughFest competition in Grand Rapids, Michigan.[18][19][20][8] He also performed at the Just for Laughs Festival in Montreal in 2004 and 2012,[15] Limestone Comedy Festival, Akumal Comedy Festival,[21] World Comedy Festival,[11] and the Aspen Comedy Festival, where he won the Comic's Comic award.[17][8][22]
He hosts a weekly podcast, Middle of Somewhere, with fellow comedian Cy Amundson.[23][24]
Television and film
Daniels' 2008 Comedy Central Presents half-hour special was named fifth-best all-time special by viewers in the network's 2010 Stand-Up Showdown.[25][9][26][27] He has also starred in two hour-long specials, 2012's As Is and 2019's Dad Chaniels.[28][9]
He is featured in J. Elvis Weinstein's documentary I Need You To Kill.[29][30]
He has also appeared on The Tonight Show with Conan O’Brien (one of only 13 comics to appear on that version of the show), O’Brien’s TBS talk show Conan,[20][31] The Late Late Show with both Craig Kilborn and Craig Ferguson,[15][9] Live at Gotham, The Bob and Tom Show, and Laugh Riots.[14][25]
Albums
Daniels has released seven albums: three with Stand Up! Records, three with 800 Pound Gorilla Records, and his self-produced debut.
Richard Lanoie of The Serious Comedy Site called Daniels "a smart, funny, surprising stand-up whose comedy will stand the test of time."[32] He and Brett Watson both named You’re The Best in the website's top 10 comedy albums of 2012; Lanoie called it "a superb, brilliant, smart, very funny, original album."[33][34][35] Lanoie called 2014's Natural Selection "funny and original".[36] Reviewing Natural Selection, Chris Spector of Midwest Record said "Daniels keeps the laughs coming (in) rapid-fire fashion without any misses."[37] Jake Austen of Roctober magazine, reviewing his early albums, was impressed that Daniel could deliver "domesticated, regular-guy" humor about families and airline food "yet manages not to lose his edge."[38]
Personal life
Daniels is divorced, and has a son named Isaac and daughter named Olivia.[30][11][39][5]
Discography
- Two Minutes for Stale Hacking (self-released)
- Busy Being Awesome (Stand Up! Records, 2009)
- You're the Best (Stand Up! Records, 2012)
- Natural Selection (Stand Up! Records, 2014)
- Footprints on the Moon (800 Pound Gorilla Records, 2017)
- Dad Chaniels (800 Pound Gorilla Records, 2019)
- Twelfth Night (800 Pound Gorilla Records, 2021)[8][20]
Filmography
Film
- As Is (2012)[28]
- I Need You To Kill (2017)
- Dad Chaniels (2019)
Television
- Live at Gotham (2006)
- Comedy Central Presents (2008)
- The Tonight Show with Conan O'Brien (2009)
- The Late Late Show with Craig Kilborn (2010)
- The Bob and Tom Show (2010)
- Conan (2012, 2014, 2018)
- The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson (2012)
References
- Gadino, Dylan P. (2012-06-13). "Comedian Chad Daniels' new stand-up special to premiere exclusively on Laughspin". LaughSpin. Archived from the original on 7 November 2012. Retrieved 6 July 2013.
- "Stand up comedy review: Chad Daniels". Bits and Segways. Archived from the original on 2 April 2013. Retrieved 12 September 2013.
- Birmingham, Steve (2012-06-25). "Chad Daniels' Free One Hour Special: "As Is"". Moontower Comedy. Retrieved 6 July 2013.
- "Chad Daniels". Billboard. Retrieved 2021-10-18.
- Strait, Patrick (March 7, 2019). "Chad Daniels talks about his new hip and the smell of comedy history". The Growler. Minneapolis. Retrieved 2021-10-18.
- Strait, Patrick (December 21, 2017). "The year in comedy: 2017's new faces, new venues, and Chappelle". City Pages. Minneapolis-St. Paul.
- Fox, Jesse David; VanArendonk, Kathryn (2020-03-25). "79 Comedians to Check Out Based on Ones You Already Like". Vulture.com. New York City. Retrieved 2021-10-18.
- Deming, Mark. Chad Daniels at AllMusic. Retrieved 2021-10-18.
- "Chad Daniels New Hour Special "Dad Chaniels" Exclusive World Premiere Trailer!". The Interrobang. March 22, 2019. Retrieved 2021-10-18.
- Tellers, Josh (2015-03-26). "'Listen to my stupidity': FF native Chad Daniels continues tour in region". Fergus Falls Daily Journal. Fergus Falls, Minnesota. Retrieved 2021-10-18.
- Hintgen, Tom (2009-12-05). "Fergus comedian hits the big time". Fergus Falls Daily Journal. Fergus Falls, Minnesota. Retrieved 2021-10-18.
- Franich, Erica (March 26, 2010). "Laugh and bear it with comedian Chad Daniels". Fairbanks Daily News-Miner. Fairbanks, Alaska.
- Tobin, Paulette (March 26, 2009). "Daniels balances his rough and abrasive side with the 'guy next door'". Grand Forks Herald. Grand Forks, North Dakota. p. D2.
- Parlin, Geri (October 14, 2008). "Sad-looking Comic Really a Load of Laughs". La Crosse Tribune. La Crosse, Wisconsin. p. 1.
- "Comedy corner". El Paso Times. El Paso, Texas. April 11, 2008.
- Miller, Bryan (December 23, 2009). "Aby Wolf, K'naan, and P.O.S. top Artists of the Year '09". City Pages. Minneapolis-St. Paul.
- "Comedian Chad Daniels to Perform at NDSU". Fargo Examiner. Fargo, North Dakota. November 3, 2011.
- Misiano, Lou. "Chad Daniels' 'You're the Best'". America's Comedy. Retrieved 12 September 2013.
- Kaczmarczyk, Jeffrey (2012-11-27). "Gilda's LaughFest unveils 10 comedians vying for $10,000 in next LaughFest Stand Up Comedy Competition". Booth Newspapers. Retrieved 12 September 2013.
- "Chad Daniels - Comic's online special gets boost from 'Conan' appearance". Dayton Daily News. Dayton, Ohio. August 3, 2012. p. AC18.
- Meehan, Ryan (2014-05-19). "5 Questions with Chad Daniels". First Order Historians. Retrieved 2021-10-18.
- Wilson, P.F. (October 19, 2015). "Ride or die Minnesota: Why Chad Daniels prefers Fergus Falls over Los Angeles". City Pages. Minneapolis-St. Paul.
- "Middle of Somewhere". Middle of Somewhere. Retrieved 2021-10-18.
- Lamb, John (2021-02-04). "Grounded by COVID, Minnesota stand-up gets puppy, hangs out at lake cabin and enjoys life at home with kids". West Fargo News. Fargo, North Dakota. Retrieved 2021-10-18.
- "Comedian Chad Daniels to perform at Muddy Rivers". Grand Forks Herald. Grand Forks, North Dakota. September 16, 2011. p. C2.
- Miller, Bryan (February 10, 2010). "A-List: Chad Daniels". City Pages. Minneapolis-St. Paul.
- Wilson, P.F. (February 29, 2012). "A-List: Chad Daniels". City Pages. Minneapolis-St. Paul.
- Merriman, John. "CHAD DANIELS' FREE ONE HOUR SPECIAL: "AS IS"". Moontower Comedy. Retrieved 12 September 2013.
- Chad Daniels at IMDb
- Strait, Patrick (November 21, 2017). "Chad Daniels is thankful to be playing his biggest MN venue yet this Thanksgiving weekend". City Pages. Minneapolis-St. Paul.
- Greenough, Jason (December 4, 2018). "After walking on the moon, Chad Daniels finally visits Boston". Vanyaland. Boston, Massachusetts. Retrieved 2021-10-18.
- Lanoie, Richard (April 9, 2018). "Chad Daniels – Busy Being Awesome". The Serious Comedy Site. Retrieved 2021-10-18.
- Lanoie, Richard (April 9, 2018). "Chad Daniels – You're The Best – Richard s review". The Serious Comedy Site. Retrieved 2021-10-18.
- Watson, Brett (April 9, 2018). "Chad Daniels – You're The Best". The Serious Comedy Site. Retrieved 2021-10-18.
- "2012 Top 10 Stand-up Comedy MP3 albums and CD". The Serious Comedy Site. April 9, 2018. Retrieved 2021-10-18.
- Lanoie, Richard (April 9, 2018). "Chad Daniels – Natural Selection". The Serious Comedy Site. Retrieved 2021-10-18.
- Spector, Chris (2014-03-31). "CHAD DANIELS/Natural Selection". Midwest Record. Retrieved 2021-10-18.
- Austen, Jake (August 2013). "The Stand Up! Records Listener's Guide". Roctober. Chicago.
- Wilson, P.F. (January 7, 2020). "Minnesotan Comic Chad Daniels to Perform at Go Bananas Comedy Club". CityBeat. Cincinnati, Ohio.