After nearly two years away, a comedy show built around life’s most awkward moments is making its way back to Brooklyn. This time, the audience will have a chance to share some embarrassing stories of their own.
“Bad Trip,” a storytelling comedy show created by comedians Joey Rinaldi and Sam Wolff, will return Nov. 12 at Bushwick’s Secret Pour, bringing together comics and audience members for a night of personal stories, candid conversations and trivia.
The show, which ran from 2021 to 2024, developed a following across Brooklyn with residencies at venues including Tiny Cupboard, East Lover, Hart Bar and Bushwick Public House. It has expanded to more than 20 venues across the city and beyond, with stops in Jersey City, California, Connecticut, Philadelphia and Boston.
Rinaldi said the idea of “Bad Trip” came from his own experience as a comedian who often incorporates storytelling into his sets. Traditional stand-up sets, he explained, don’t always leave enough for longer stories, while some storytelling shows emphasize finding a moral or larger meaning in the experience.
“I thought, ‘Wait, there are a ton of stories out there that have no moral, no meaning, no message — that are just absurd, ridiculous, embarrassing,’” he said. “And I know there’s a market for it, and people enjoy hearing those stories.”
From embarrassing confessions to audience Q&As, “Bad Trip” puts personal storytelling at the center of its comedy format. Photo courtesy of Joey Rinaldi
Rinaldi initially launched an open mic dedicated to those kinds of stories just before the COVID-19 pandemic forced venues to close. The concept continued online through Zoom and Twitch before moving to in-person shows in 2021, when Rinaldi teamed up with Wolff, a longtime friend and musician familiar with Brooklyn’s live-event scene.
The show’s format is designed to make the audience part of the experience rather than just watching from the sidelines. After a comedian shares a story, Rinaldi and Wolff join the performer onstage for a question-and-answer session with the audience.
“How many times are you at a comedy show where you feel like you have burning questions that are not getting answered?” Rinaldi said. “We’re the one show where you can actually get your question answered in real time as soon as the story’s done.”
Cringe-worthy stories take center stage when “Bad Trip” returns to Brooklyn this November.Photo courtesy of Joey Rinaldi
He recalled one performance where a comedian told a story about someone repeatedly stealing food from a communal kitchen in his college dorm. The comedian planted a spy camera to catch the culprit, and eventually confronted the person responsible.
After the story, the audience asked questions ranging from which stolen food was the most upsetting to whether secretly filming someone crossed an ethical line.
That exchange captured what Rinaldi said makes “Bad Trip” different from a traditional comedy show: audience members can dig into the details of a story rather than simply laughing and moving on to the next act.
The mix of comedy and audience participation, Rinaldi said, helped the show find an audience in Brooklyn, where he sees an appetite for alternative entertainment and experiences that don’t follow a traditional format.
“I feel like our show being audience-engaging, not having the moral of the story type thing, just being, ‘This is the most embarrassing thing that ever happened to me,’ or, ‘This is the most cringey thing that’s ever happened to me,’ being the theme rather than some higher-ground moral story, I think resonates with a lot of people in Brooklyn,” he said.
The upcoming “Bad Trip”show will introduce a new way for audience members to get involved. Before the performances begin, attendees will receive slips of paper on which they can anonymously write a brief account of their most embarrassing or cringeworthy experiences. The host will read selected submissions aloud, and anyone comfortable sharing more may be invited to answer questions from the stage.
“Bad Trip” will also feature a revamped trivia round. Previously, trivia questions based on each comedian’s story appeared throughout the event. This time, the questions will be saved for a larger finale, giving attendees a chance to test their memories and win prizes.
After putting “Bad Trip” on hold at the end of 2024 as Rinaldi pursued comedy opportunities on the road and Wolff’s band took on more touring, he and Wolff decided to bring the show back now that they have more time in New York.
The return will take place in the Zelda Room, an intimate space inside Secret Pour that Rinaldi said suits the show’s personal stories and interactive format.
After years of performances around Brooklyn and beyond, “Bad Trip” is returning for a special show at Secret Pour. Photo courtesy of Joey Rinaldi
For newcomers who might feel uncomfortable hearing — or sharing — embarrassing experiences, Rinaldi said the show is meant to offer reassurance through laughter. Everyone has moments they replay in their heads long after they happen, he said, and hearing other people’s stories can help put those memories in perspective.
“I feel like ‘Bad Trip is almost like a big hug to anyone who comes to this show to be like, ‘Hey, you think your life is weird? You’re not as embarrassing as these comedians,’” Rinaldi said.
Beyond the laughs, he hopes attendees leave with stories of their own to tell friends the next time they get together.
“Bad Trip” will take place at 9 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 12, at Secret Pour in Brooklyn. The 90-minute show costs $9, and tickets are available at Secret Pour’s ticketing page. Brooklyn Paper readers can use the promo code “3trip” for $3 off admission.