Ep 5. Casey James Salengo

Casey James Salengo steps onto the stage for the fifth episode of season 6 of The Half Hour. Salengo is a comedian from New York City who has been performing stand-up for ten years. He's a familiar face in NYC's comedy scene, and has performed at numerous festivals, including the Brooklyn Comedy Festival, Upright Citizens Brigade's Del Close Marathon, and the New York Comedy Festival.

Salengo's opening joke sets the tone for his set: "I look like a neck tattoo that somehow became sentient." He then goes on to discuss his wild physical appearance, which includes tattoos, piercings, and a hairdo that he describes as "if a troll doll screwed a cactus."

Salengo's material is raunchy, ribald, and delightfully off-kilter. He shares stories about his struggling musician brother, who recently got kicked out of the band he started. "He got fired from his own band!" Salengo exclaims. He also talks about setting aside his dreams of being a famous musician himself. "I realized I'm not like those other artists," he jokes. "I don't have the talent, the drive, or the humility."

One of Salengo's strengths is his ability to find humor in dark or taboo topics. He talks about his struggles with depression, admitting that "the hardest part is telling people." But he finds a way to turn his depression into something funny, recounting an experience he had with a therapist who told Salengo he needed to "stop avoiding his feelings." "Lady, I avoid my feelings every single day," Salengo retorts. "I'm an American man. It's what we do."

Another highlight of Salengo's set is his sharp observations about gender and sexuality. He describes himself as "cisgender, straight-ish, and polyamorous," and proceeds to poke fun at the rigid gender norms that dominate society. "When a man wears a skirt, he's considered an innovator," Salengo says. "When a woman wears cargo shorts, she's considered a lesbian."

Salengo also talks about the difficulties of dating in the modern world, including the pitfalls of online dating and the bizarre expectations of hookup culture. He's unapologetically honest about his own experiences, including the time he accidentally sent a risqué text to the wrong person. "If I could go back in time and stop myself from sending that text, I wouldn't," Salengo jokes. "Because ultimately, it was hilarious."

Overall, Casey James Salengo's half-hour set is a hilarious romp through his weird and wonderful brain. He's a comedian who's not afraid to be himself, and he's all the more funny for it.