Comedy: Jeremy Essig

By PF Wilson for CityBeat

Not only has Cincinnati produced dozens of homegrown stand-up comics, it has been the adopted hometown of several more. That list includes Greg Warren, Mike Lukas and Jeremy Essig. The latter came to the area to attend grad school at Miami University, but decided to drop out four days before the start of classes. Instead, he started doing stand-up at Joker’s in Dayton and Go Bananas in Montgomery. He tried graduate school again a few years ago.

“I was kind of at a crossroads and wasn’t sure what I wanted to do,” he explains. An offer to tour with comedian Brian Posehn pulled him out of grad school once again. “I wasn’t super familiar with having a job. Graduate school is fine, but what I was doing before was way better.”

Over the years, his style has evolved. “I started when I was 22. I didn’t feel comfortable in my own skin and I didn’t like a lot of the people around me. I just didn’t feel like I fit in. There was…a certain punk-ness to it. Now it’s kind of personal. I’m in a better headspace. Not to ruin anything, but I’m happier.”

INFO : $8-$12. Through Sunday, Jan. 6. Go Bananas Comedy Club, 8410 Market Place Lane, Montgomery. 513-984-9288, gobananascomedy.com .