Today we’d like to introduce you to Aaron Ross.
So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
Growing up, my parents were cool enough to let me stay up late and watch the Tonight Show with Johnny Carson, Late Show with David Letterman, and Late-Night with Conan O’Brien. These men and the late-night talk show format left a lasting impression, so much so that after gaining improv, sketch comedy, and theater training, I found myself most drawn to presenting the comedic buffet that is late-night: equal helpings of monologue jokes, interviews, game show segments, and wild character pieces.
I didn’t want to leave my chances of being a late-night host up to fate, hoping I’d win the comedic lottery and have a network ask me to host my own show. So, at the young/ambitious age of 25, I decided to create and tour my own bizarro late-night talk show, played in character like my other idols Sasha Baron Cohen + Stephen Colbert, called The Ed Forman Show.
Forman, a boozy-polyester clad lounge act, that is akin to an America Austin Powers, helmed my program till 2014 when I decided to drop the pseudonym, bad wig, and accent to host as myself. WHO’S the ROSS? – the current moniker for my show – relocated to Ross Angeles in 2018, and now runs weekly at El Cid in Silverlake, where we just completed our 760 performance.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
Aside from the struggles of leading a comedy show in character, and then later finding my own voice as host, it is always a grand challenge to create a late-night talk show, with brand-new content and guests, each and every week.
But amidst guest cancellations, prop malfunctions, and plenty of hecklers, comes much of the brilliance for a show in this format, because the spontaneous moments that no one expects, that frequently are generated out of failure, garner the biggest laughs.
So let’s switch gears a bit and go into the WHO’S the ROSS? story. Tell us more about the business.
WHO’S the ROSS? is a weekly late-night talk show that performs every Tuesday night at El Cid in Silverlake. The program has logged 760 performances in 11 years.
Imagine Conan with cocktails, as if it was filtered through a Japanese game show! Wild, spontaneous moments abound, whether it’s riffing with our celebrity guests or when audience members join us live on stage to take part in crazy contests. The program makes sure to incorporate the audience at every step, as they’re not just watching the show, they’re apart of the show, influencing its every move.
Host with the most, comedy boss Aaron Ross, is a ringleader of many big tops, from talk show to sexy circus, to cabaret, to rock & roll kids shows, he’s done it all. And WTR is more than just Ross’s comedic quips & bottomless energy, as it features a 3-piece house-band (Scottie & the Two Hotties), resident soulstress (Cheyenne Jolene), co-host (Dax Jordan), and an entire production staff that help make the show an epic experience!
Has luck played a meaningful role in your life and business?
Luck is manifested by how often you roll the dice…
Pricing:
- $5-10 tickets every Tuesday night at El Cid
Contact Info:
- Address: LA AirBnB/Dog-Sitting
- Website: https://whostheross.com
- Phone: 5037505363
- Email: whostheross@gmail.com
- Instagram: instagram.com/whostheross
- Facebook: facebook.com/whostheross
- Twitter: twitter.com/whostherossboss
Image Credit:
Jesse Koester @jjkoester on IG
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