Tight Pants Comedy
Kyle Wayne and John Bennett joined forces to establish Tight Pants Comedy, an independent comedy collective focused on bringing comedy shows featuring top talent, to their favorite venues in NYC. Tight Pants produces a monthly showcase show, along with a monthly competition show—both at St. Marks Comedy Club. Tight Pants has produced over 70 shows, at various clubs and venues across the city. The name “Tight Pants” plays on the fact that Kyle and John are both millennials who enjoy skinny jeans, despite the fact that Gen Z has proclaimed them “uncool”. Although Kyle and John are themselves millennials, Tight Pants is a true cross-section of the New York Comedy Scene, and often includes performers and audience members of all ages. In 2024, Tight Pants launched the Tight Pants Tight Five Comedy Competition—a four month-long contest do determine “Who has the best tight five in NYC?”. With over 150+ comedians participating, the competition officially became New York’s largest standup comedy contest. In November 2024, Tight Pants was featured in New York Comedy Festival, and set the St. Marks Comedy Club attendance record at their sold out all-headliner show.
Meet the Producers
Kyle Wayne
COMEDIAN, PRODUCER, CO-FOUNDER OF TIGHT PANTS COMEDY
Kyle is a Brooklyn-based comic originally from Iowa, who moved to New York in 2016. Kyle performs regularly at clubs around New York City, and has also done shows in Los Angeles, and his hometown of Des Moines. Kyle’s sets typically involve sizable portions of crowd work and written material, drawing from his experience working public health, dating history, family, and current events.
John Bennett
COMEDIAN, PRODUCER, CO-FOUNDER OF TIGHT PANTS COMEDY
John is an attorney-turned-comedian who resides in Manhattan. Originally from Connecticut, John often makes himself the butt of his own jokes, playing up Connecticut stereotypes that may or may not be true. John’s high-energy stage presence and extended story-style jokes have made him a favorite amongst crowds in the tristate area, and a regular at several New York City clubs.
2024 New York Comedy Festival
Tight Pants Tight Five Competition
Having become frustrated with comedy competitions and festivals overcharging comics to apply, while turning away a majority of their applicants, Kyle and John decided to launch a competition of their own. This competition would only be $5 to enter, and would give every comic who enters the opportunity to perform in a unique outdoor space, in front of a packed audience. What came to fruition was New York’s largest standup comedy competition: 150+ comedians performing on twelve shows at three different venues. Unlike many other comedy competitions, the competitors received live feedback from a panel of judges immediately following their performance, and each qualifying show crowned two winners to advance to the finals: one by audience vote, and one by judge’s score. The two final competition winners received a cash prize, spots on Tight Pants shows, and a pair of custom gold pants.
