Biography
Jamie has been seen on The Conan O’brien show, Countdown with Keith Olbermann, Showtimes The Green Room, CNN’s The Joy Behar Show, The Paramount Comedy Channel in the UK, The BBC, The Comedy Channel in Australia, HBO Canada, and Showtime Comedy in the Middle East.
He Co-Hosts Citizen Radio which has been praised by Janeane Garofalo, Noam Chomsky, Robin Williams and him and his co-host were named by The Nation Magazine as top “media heroes” . Most importantly Glenn Beck has called him a “doofus” and “goofball”.
Jamie was invited to The Montreal Comedy Festival, in 2007 and 2008 and brought his one man show there in 2010 after debuting it at the Upright Citizens Brigade Theater. He was a Timeout Chicago, Sydney, New York and London’s Critics Pick. He has played the concert hall of the Sydney Opera House. Before that he lived out of his car and dropped out of high school. Take that life!
Citizen Radio
He co-hosts Citizen Radio with Allison Kilkenny (The Nation and Huffington Post), which is dedicated to covering the stories that the mainstream, corporate media ignores. He has had the privilege of interviewing such distinct intellectuals as Rachel Maddow, Bad Religion, Noam Chomsky, Howard Zinn, Matt Taibbi, Jeremy Scahill, Rise Against, Robin Williams, Janeane Garofalo, Moby, Sarah Silverman, Naomi Klein, Amy Goodman, Regina Spektor and more. He has also been the recipient of batshit crazy threatening letters by the hate group God Hates Fags. Good stuff. wearecitizenradio.com
Quotes
“Watching Jamie reminds me of why I got into comedy. It is like watching a combination of George Carlin and Bill Hicks”
- Janeane Garofalo
“Jamie Kilstein is amazing and I will be spreading the word . He has the spark that energized my conscience. We need more comedians kicking it hard the way he does every night”
- Robin Williams
“Hilarious and scathing” - Rolling Stone Magazine
“”Jamie Kilstein is a doofus.” Glenn Beck
“There are few truly insightful, passionate and hysterically funny political comedians around, and even fewer coming out of the States. New Yorker Jamie Kilstein is a shining light probing into the murkier corners of the religious right and corrupt politics of his homeland. Funny and penetrating, he’s taken Bill Hicks’ baton and run with it.”
- Time out London
“Jamie Kilstein and Allison Kilkenny have created an important political radio show that balances humor and unreported news. At a time when media conglomerates dominate the airwaves, independent media
like Citizen Radio is vital to national discourse.”
- Noam Chomsky
“Comedy and music have always been instrumental in distilling the essence of political debate and social issues. In a time where artists and comedians too often shy away from that legacy, Citizen Radio is a rare gem of reason and thought-provoking dialogue. Jamie and Allison are intelligent and unapologetic agitators in a world that needs some shaking up, and I, for one, am grateful for that” – Tim McIlrath, Rise Against, lead singer
“Jamie Kilstein is one of the funniest and smartest humans on the planet: his rocket-powered wit leaves you gasping – for more: sheer brilliance.”
- World famous Philosopher and Professor A.C Grayling (Suck on it high school.)
“Jamie Kilstein is at once irresistibly endearing and wonderfully audacious. Watching his work is like going to cuddle a puppy and having it hump your leg. But funnier.”
- Tim Minchin
“If you liked Bill Hicks… If you think comedy should be about something more than just froth and banter… If you want to hear someone standing-up for freedom of speech and smacking religious bigotry and political stupidity squarely in the face… then this hugely talented American is the guy for you.”
- Time Out Critics’ Choice
“Jamie’s unique style of stand up is artfully thoughtfully and powerfully funny. His balls are so big that must be where he keeps all the funny!”
- Paul Provenza (Creator and Director of The Aristocrats)
“Kilstein, is to me eerily reminiscent of Bill Hicks and not in the sense of an astute impersonation but as if we are witness to some sort of Second Coming. Eloquent intelligence, razor-sharp wit and unconventionally convincing arguments. Kilstein is a special talent and one that I feel privileged for having seen at this early stage of his career.”
- Broadway Baby (5 stars)
“This is beautifully, intelligently crafted stuff. Kilstein is possibly the most impressive writer/performer, I have seen – his set is so well written it could have a life apart from him and still be brilliant. Performed by him gives it an added oomph, but I have not been so aware of the writing quality of a comedy set this year.”
- Kate Copstick, The Scotsman (4 stars)
“In this brisk, fluid hour he’s sharp, sarcastic and engaging, fearless in niggling his targets and knows how to write a joke to back up his incredulous indignation…as funny as it is audacious.”
- Chortle (4 stars)
“Kilstein’s savage intelligence and razor-sharp wit will make you think as much as laugh…Damned funny. Working in the same sort of education-by-comedy mould of the likes of Bill Hicks and David Cross”
- Andrew P Street, Time Out Sydney (5 stars)
“Jamie Kilstein kills. His show is the kind you walk away from feeling a sense of euphoria.Kilstein dissects the racism, sexism and homophobia prevalent in today’s society with unrelenting ease, somehow still providing a laugh a minute. My festival favourite so far. Impeccably crafted, his show ends on an impassioned note earning him mad applause that didn’t stop once he’d left the room. Engaging, insightful and nothing short of brilliant.”
- The Pun, Melbourne
“Not many have the power to mingle didactism and socio-political awareness with killer jokes and the word ‘fuck’, but comedic preacher-man Jamie Kilstein is one of the chosen few. He’s like a Bill Hicks that you wouldn’t mind taking home to meet your mum… and he could probably teach your conservative stick-in-the-mud dad a thing or two about the world, as well.”
- Drum Media Sydney
“Sharp, unafraid and eloquent”
- Sydney Morning Herald ‘Hot Pick’
“Searingly funny, highly intelligent and courageously irreverent”
- The Daily Telegraph
