Brilliant stand-up comedian Ryan Hamilton is coming to St. Louis Jan. 24-26 at Helium Comedy Club, just 10 minutes from campus. As a native rural Idahoan, Hamilton gained fame on the New York comedy scene and has won the hearts of many. Armed with his endearing and wide, toothy grin, Hamilton took to Netflix’s stage in 2017 with the premiere of his special, “Happy Face,” an appropriate title, indeed. Bits in the special ranged from crash-landing hot air balloons to the shocking “new normal” of the post-Trump election. His tour now features almost all new content and undoubtedly more laughs, if that’s even possible.

Hamilton was named one of the Rolling Stone’s “Five Comics to Watch”, appeared on “Inside Amy Schumer”, performed on “Conan” and is far past being “on the rise.” In anticipation to his upcoming trip to St. Louis, Student Life had the opportunity to catch him for an interview and pick his comedic brain.

Hamilton is known as a “clean comedian,” meaning he doesn’t curse, a rarity in the comedic world. His content is still relevant, tantalizing and stomach-stitching good, but there’s no vulgarity to it. It’s a noteworthy attribute of his comedy and almost makes it more endearing. It fits his appearance as well. In “Happy Face,” he notes that he has the look of someone who could’ve sold ice cream in the ’50s.

To speak to why he keeps it clean, Hamilton said, “Comedy is just about being authentic and who you are. It’s almost like it chooses you rather than you choosing it. So, you just have to go where you are comfortable, to what you’re drawn to, and what seems to be natural. And that [being clean] is where I fit…The great comics that I’ve looked at, and have always been my favorites, have been in that clean world. I think there can be great comedy across the spectrum, it can be original and interesting, but for me that tone has always been where I have fallen…My style has changed over the years but that aspect has always been there from the beginning.”

A chunk of time in Hamilton’s special is devoted talking about being someone who has never drank but still goes out with his friends. He describes the fear everyone in the room gets when they realize he’s the only one that will remember the night.

If faced with an uncomfortable situation that feels pressuring, Ryan said, “…When I’ve ever been in a situation like that, [a pressuring situation,] it’s mostly me creating a situation in my own head. As soon as I made up my mind [not to drink], people respected that. Even if outwardly they may not, they respect anyone that has resolve to do what they want to do.”

Hamilton quipped, “I always think it’s funny that obviously this is poison that I’m putting into to my body, you know. So, who is really the dummy here?” A stunning line to say to the next person that asks you to chug a beer.

To aspiring comedians at Washington University, he says, “…The only way to really do comedy, if you want to be a comedian, is to get on the stage. There’s not that much else you can do, other than the act of doing it…The other thing is to just be yourself and don’t compare yourself to anyone. Understand that everyone has their own path and everyone’s path is going to be unique…you only need to compare yourself to your own potential.”

Join him in St. Louis this weekend in a city he “feels a kinship to.” Have your heart warmed, and walk out with a “happy face” created by the man with the happiest one.