ASpecialThing Records is a stand-up comedy record label started by Matt Belknap and Ryan McManemin. Belknap was the creator of aspecialthing.com, an internet

message board An Internet forum, or message board, is an online discussion site where people can hold conversations in the form of posted messages. They differ from chat rooms in that messages are often longer than one line of text, and are at least temporar ...

especially popular with West Coast comedy fans. McManemin was an executive at Sony/MGM and longtime member of the message board. Using the site as a launching pad, in late 2006 they announced to the web community that they would be starting their own record label, ASpecialThing Records. In February of the following year, comedian

Jen Kirkman Jennifer Ann Kirkman (born August 28, 1974) is an American stand-up comedian and screenwriter, podcaster, and actress. She is known for her regular appearances as a round-table panelist on '' Chelsea Lately'' for 70 episodes from 2008 to 2014. ...

's ''Self Help'' was the first album released on the new label.

Podcasts

In addition to making comedy albums, Belknap and McManemin are active podcast producers. Belknap produces and co-hosts

Never Not Funny ''Never Not Funny'' is a podcast hosted by American comedian Jimmy Pardo, since spring 2006, currently releasing two episodes a week. He and producer/co-host Matt Belknap have appeared in every episode. Comedian Mike Schmidt appeared as co-host ...

, the

Jimmy Pardo James Ronald Pardo, Jr. (born July 28, 1966) is an American stand-up comedian, actor, and host of the long-running comedy podcast ''Never Not Funny''. From the show's inception until mid-2015, he performed as the Conan O'Brien program ''Conans ...

Podcast, and with McManemin produces

Doug Benson Douglas Steven Benson (born July 2, 1962) is an American comedian, marijuana rights advocate, television host and actor, best known for hosting the podcasts and TV series ''Doug Loves Movies'' (2006-present), '' The Benson Interruption'' (2010-2 ...

's ''

Doug Loves Movies Douglas Steven Benson (born July 2, 1962) is an American comedian, marijuana rights advocate, television host and actor, best known for hosting the podcasts and TV series ''Doug Loves Movies'' (2006-present), '' The Benson Interruption'' (2010-2 ...

'' and

Greg Proops Gregory Everett "Greg" Proops (born October 3, 1959) is an American actor, stand-up comedian and television host. He is widely known for his guest appearances on the U.K. and U.S. versions of '' Whose Line Is It Anyway?''. He has also voiced th ...

The Smartest Man in the World ''The'' () is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things that are already or about to be mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in ...

, among other shows.

Awards

In 2017 ASpecialThing won the 2017 Grammy Award for Best Comedy Album and both McManemin and Belknap received award statues. They also received certificates that stated that they were not to melt down their statues nor charge admission to see them.

Releases

- ''Self Help'' *

Jonah Ray Jonah Ray Rodrigues (born August 3, 1982) is an American actor, comedian and writer from Los Angeles. He stars as Jonah Heston, the most recent primary host of ''Mystery Science Theater 3000''. He is a former host of '' The Nerdist Podcast'' an ...

- ''This Is Crazy Mixed Up Plumbing'' (7") *''

: Volume One'' * Paul F. Tompkins - ''Impersonal'' *

Scott Aukerman Scott David Aukerman (born July 2, 1970) is an American writer, actor, comedian, television personality, director, producer, and podcast host. Starting as a writer and performer in the later seasons of the sketch series '' Mr. Show'', Aukerman is ...

- ''Scott Aukerman's Koo Koo Roo's Greatest Hits'' *

The Sklar Brothers Farrell Randal "Randy" Sklar and Jason Nathan Sklar (born January 12, 1972), professionally known as the Sklar Brothers, are American identical twin brother comedians and actors best known for hosting the show '' Cheap Seats'', which aired for ...

- ''Sklar Maps'' *

- ''Professional Humoredian'' *

Andrew Daly Andrew J. Daly (born April 15, 1971) is an American actor, comedian and writer. He starred as Forrest MacNeil on the Comedy Central series ''Review'', and had a supporting role in the HBO comedy series ''Eastbound & Down'' as Terrence Cutler. He ...

- ''Nine Sweaters'' * R.O. Manse - ''R.O. Magic: The Best of R.O. Manse'' *

- ''Never Not Christmas'' *

Comedy By The Numbers© Comedy is a genre of fiction that consists of discourses or works intended to be humorous or amusing by inducing laughter, especially in theatre, film, stand-up comedy, television, radio, books, or any other entertainment medium. The term origin ...

- ''Book-On-Tape CD!'' *

- ''Elsewhere'' * Paul F. Tompkins - ''Freak Wharf'' * Comedy Death-Ray - ''Xmas CD 2009'' *

Kyle Kinane Kyle Christian Kinane (born December 23, 1976) is an American stand-up comedian, actor and voice actor from Addison, Illinois. Career Kinane's first television appearance was on '' The Nanny'' playing "Young Roger Clinton". His debut album '' ...

- ''Death of the Party'' *

Wayne Federman Wayne Federman (born June 22, 1959) is an Emmy Award winning American comedian, actor, author, writer, comedy historian, producer, and musician. He is noted for numerous stand-up comedy appearances in clubs, theaters, and on television; his book ...

- ''The Chronicles of Federman'' (three volumes) *

- ''Proops Digs In!'' (EP) *John Roy - "Alexander Hamilton" *

Dan Telfer Dan or DAN may refer to: People * Dan (name), including a list of people with the name ** Dan (king), several kings of Denmark * Dan people, an ethnic group located in West Africa **Dan language, a Mande language spoken primarily in Côte d'Ivoi ...

- ''Fossil Record'' (EP) * Paul F. Tompkins - ''Sir, You Have Fooled Me Twice'' (EP) * Comedy Death-Ray - ''Xmas CD 2010'' *

Dave Hill David John Hill (born 4 April 1946) is an English rock musician. He is the lead guitarist, a backing vocalist and the sole continuous member in the English band Slade. Hill is known for his flamboyant stage clothes and hairstyle. Early life B ...

- ''Let Me Turn You On'' * Paul F. Tompkins - ''You Should Have Told Me'' (DVD) *

- ''Hail to the Freaks'' *

Baron Vaughn Baron Vaughn (born December 18, 1980) is an American comedian and actor, known for his portrayal of Nwabudike "Bud" Bergstein on the Netflix television series ''Grace and Frankie'' and Tom Servo on the 2017 revival of ''Mystery Science Theater 30 ...

- ''Raised By Cable'' * Jay Larson - ''Self-Diagnosed'' *''

WTF with Marc Maron ''WTF with Marc Maron'' is a weekly podcast and radio show hosted by stand-up comedian Marc Maron. The show was launched in September 2009. The show is produced by Maron's former Air America co-worker Brendan McDonald. Background The show's t ...

'': ''The First 100 Episodes'' *

- ''Hello, Mr. Magic Plane Person, Hello'' (10") *

- ''Tendrils of Ruin'' * Jim Hamilton - ''Poems About the Ocean'' * Michelle Biloon - ''You Can Be an Asshole'' *

Brent Weinbach Brent Weinbach is an American stand-up comedian, actor, director, and pianist based in Los Angeles, California. He is known for his experimental style and abstract, deadpan delivery. He is a graduate of the University of California, Berkeley an ...

- ''Mostly Live'' *

Nate Bargatze Nathanael Lee "Nate" Bargatze (born March 25, 1979) is an American comedian. Early life Nathanael Bargatze was born in Nashville, Tennessee, on March 25, 1979, the son of Carole and Stephen Bargatze. His father is of Italian descent and is a fo ...

- ''Yelled At By a Clown'' *

- ''Sprezzatura'' *Mike Schmidt - ''The Big Angry'' *

Bob Odenkirk Robert John Odenkirk (; born October 22, 1962) is an American actor, comedian and filmmaker best known for his role as Saul Goodman on ''Breaking Bad'' (2008–2013) and its spin-off ''Better Call Saul'' (2015–2022). For the latter, he has re ...

and Brandon Wardell - ''

Amateur Hour An open mic or open mike (shortened from "open microphone") is a live show at a venue such as a coffeehouse, nightclub, comedy club, strip club, or pub, usually taking place at night, in which audience members may perform on stage whether ...

'' * Megan Koester - ''Tertium Non Datur''

References

AST Records homepageAST RadioJimmy Pardo's Podcast "Never Not Funny"
{{Authority control American record labels Comedy record labels 2006 establishments in the United States 2000s in comedy 2010s in comedy