Studies have suggested that comedy is one of the most powerful categories for short-form content, since creators can easily fit a setup, turn, and punchline into a one-minute runtime. To promote some of the funnypeople who have achieved widespread recognition for their vertical videos, Instagram gave them their own stand-up show in New York. The location of the performance, Caroline’s, is a well-known venue in Midtown Manhattan. For one night, that space was transformed into the Instagram Reels Comedy Club, where several stand-ups delivered IRL versions of bits that originated on Reels. Comedy duo Alex and Pablo of the @durafest2 account recorded some of the highlights for their followers. There was a candy cart, a custom playbill, a cookie with Harry Styles’ face on it, and a guest host: Punkie Johnson, who has been a Saturday Night Live cast member for three seasons. Beyond Alex and Pablo, other acts at the Instagram Reels Comedy Club included @jayo, @nicktrawick13, @bigfoot_bae, @tessplease, and @mayainthemoment. These creators have blended effects, memes, and fictional identities to create a unique style of comedy that is best consumed via short-form formats like Reels, TikToks, and Shorts. Compared with other acts who have performed at Caroline’s, such as John Mulaney and Tracy Morgan
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The performers at the 'Instagram Reels Comedy Club' weren't your typical stand-up acts
