Photo by Mandee Johnson
Speaking truth to power, challenging long-held beliefs, and getting people to stop punching each other in the face–maybe comedy is the new punk rock. Kurt Braunohler takes those ideas to heart in his comedy by injecting a hefty dose of absurdism into everyday life. For his new Comedy Central show, Roustabout, Braunohler jet-skied down the Mississippi River from Chicago to New Orleans to raise money for Heifer International. The very definition of absurdism might be the sight of a man cruising America’s industrial waterways on a boat intended for “divorced dads to seem cool to their kids.”
Braunohler is also a deeply knowledgeable music fan, which is why we invited him to play guest DJ for us. He grew up loving punk rock, and now he’s releasing comedy albums on one of punk’s biggest flagship labels, Kill Rock Stars. Follow him on Twitter, check out his podcast, and catch his guest DJ set Saturday at 6 p.m. or anytime in the player below.
–Art Levy
Kurt’s setlist
1. Unwound – “Dragnalus”
2. Furry Things – “Introism”
3. Dramarama – “Anything, Anything”
4. Far East Movement – “Like A G6”
5. The Unicorns – “Jellybones”
6. Slint – “Breadcrumb Trail”
7. The Gaslight Anthem – “The ’59 Sound”
8. Parts & Labor – “Hurricane”
9. The Hold Steady – “Slapped Actress”
10. They Might Be Giants – “Ana Ng”
