Q5: Cover of the Leavenworth Times

Q5: Comedian earns recording contract

AJ Finney

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Q5: Finney

AJ Finney is a former Leavenworth resident now a nationally-decorated comedian. Finney is beginning a five-day tour stop tonight at Stanfords Comedy Club at The Legends at Village West. He has shows tonight, Thursday and Sunday and two shows on Friday and Saturday nights. Call 913-400-7500 for ticket information.

1. You have just earned a recording contract to make a comedy album with Uproar Entertainment. Tell us about your career and how you gotten to this point with record deal?
I have been doing Stand-Up now for about seven years. In 2007 I was a finalist in HBO's Lucky 21 Competition, and landed a spot at The Las Vegas Comedy Festival. I was the producer of the Max and Tanna Morning Show on 99.7 KY until 2008. In 2010 I landed an audition for Last Comic Standing, also a spot at The World Series Of Comedy In Las Vegas, The Iowa Comedy Festival, Trial By Laughter, and The Seattle International Comedy Competion. I met David from Uproar at the World Series of Comedy, and he had shown interest in recording me. After I made it to semifinals in Seattle, the offer was made!

2. You negotiated to have the album recorded live at performances this week at Stanford Comedy Club in Kansas City. Why was that important to you have it recorded in Kansas City.
I felt it would be a better representation of me as a artist to preform near the place I was created. Kansas City is were I started doing stand-up, and Leavenworth is were I was born, and luckily for me, Stanford's Comedy Club is sandwiched between the two.

3. You were born at Saint John's Hospital and graduated from Pleasant Ridge High School and live in Leavenworth or Lansing until age of 22. What do you remember about your time in the Leavenworth community?
Family, good friends, 1920 Vilas, The Town Pub, Pullmans Restaraunt, lots of partys that I'm lucky to remember, a primer gray 1980 Camaro, my first job at High Noon Saloon, Mike’s Records and Tapes (Yes I remember when it was records), skateboarding at David Brewer Park, the St. Patrick's Day Parade, Landing 4 Theater, The Kiddy Land Dinosaur, AJ Finney & Son's Construction, the Leavenworth Community Center, the Jackson Apartments, Homer’s Drive In, Food-4-Less at 3 in the morning, and asking a stranger at Cody park after a long night if they "knew who I was."

4 Were there signs during your younger years here in this community that you were going to be a comedian? I mean, were you the class clown or always known as a funny guy?
Oh yeah! I was a handful! In constant need of attention, and always looking for laughs. I also come from a family of long winded storytellers.

5 Your star is on the rise. What kinds of projects are in store for you in the future and how can hometown fans here follow your career?
I will be particapating in the 2011 San Fransico International Comedy Competition, The 2012 Laughing Skull Comedy Festival in Atlanta, and planing for a Comedy Central appearance in early 2012. I can be heard most every Tuesday from 2 -7 on Black Sky Radio. (www.blackskyradio.com) And you can always check out my website at (www.ajfinney.com.

— Dale Brendel

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