Shane Mauss brings ‘smart comedy’ to Des Moines

Kelley Simms
ksimms@dmreg.com
Stand-up comedian/podcast host Shane Mauss’ innovative “Stand Up Science” show comes to Des Moines on Friday.

Stand-up comedian/podcast host Shane Mauss’ innovative “Stand Up Science” show was created through his desire to explore bigger topics.

As podcasts are becoming more and more successful, Mauss felt like he was living two separate lives — a standup comedian at night and a science podcast host during the day. Deciding to combine these two different worlds gives Mauss an outlet to participate in more intellectual conversations.

“I got really interested in life sciences,” Mauss explained during a recent phone interview. “I started a podcast about five years ago called ‘Here We Are,’ where each week in my travels as a stand-up, I looked up professors at local universities and I interview them about their research and a lot of why we behave the way that we do.” 

Mauss will put these theories to the test when the comedian returns to the intimate Kum & Go Theater at the Des Moines Social Club (901 Cherry Street) on Friday night as the host of “Stand Up Science.” 

This will be Mauss’ third visit to Iowa’s capital city, which was one of his first stops when he began experimenting with his stand-up science show.  

“I'm trying to make (Des Moines) a regular stop,” Mauss admitted. “I'm much more conversational and an informative comic. And I kind of want to draw people in and have more of a storytelling and casual conversational vibe. The Social Club is fantastic for that.”

One of the unique highlights to Mauss’ show is the Q&A interactive discussion panel consisting of himself and local academic types.

“We ask the scientists questions and kind of rip on me and the other comics (about) what we learned from their talks and open it up to the audience for questions,” Mauss said. “It's (an) interactive way that lets the audience get involved and it's really spontaneous and improvised. It’s just really loose and fun and it’s a way of exploring some of the ideas in more depth and in an unpredictable way.”

Mauss has invited Drake University associate professor of marketing Natalie Ross Adkins, Iowa State University assistant professor of mathematics Rana Parshad and Des Moines stand-up comic Justin Bulver to join him on the Kum & Go Theater stage.

Mauss said his comedic material for his science stand-up shows is vastly different compared to his regular stand-up gigs.

“The stuff I do for stand-up science is a lot more cerebral,” he admitted. “It's a lot more informative and it’s a completely different kind of act than what I'd normally be doing in a regular old stand-up club. What's great about stand-up science is it's a great outlet for a much more elevated content and kind of really pushing the intellectual limits of what comedy can be.”

If you missed Mauss the last two times here, you might want to check him out this time around, as he explained that the show will be a unique experience.

“The show is half comedy and half science,” Mauss said. “It's a great way to learn and (have) some laughs along the way. I don't think that there's enough entertainment out there for smart people or people who want to take in more elevated content. That's what we're trying to provide with ‘Stand-up Science.’”

If you go

What: Stand Up Science

When: Friday, June 28 at 7:30 p.m.

Where: Kum & Go Theater, 901 Cherry Street, Des Moines

Ticket information: $20 adv., $25 day of show