Biography of Brad Stine

Brad Stine enjoys shattering pre-conceptions. In modern stand-up comedy, cultural signifiers abound. Call a comic aggressive and confrontational, and it usually means coarse language and crude subject matter. Call a comic cerebral, and it usually means a liberal who makes reference to politicians and pop-culture figures. Call a comic clean, and it usually means someone mild-mannered, polite, and exceedingly safe.

Brad Stine bulldozes those stereotypes with manic, wild-eyed, thought-provoking glee. He's as in-your face as any modern stand-up comedian, but he never utters a curse word. He's an educated, cerebral comic who is also a proud, patriotic conservative. “Modern comedy is full of acts who are pushing the envelope of society,” Stine says. “But those who use comedy for social commentary tend to be liberal. I represent something different, something I think is more in line with most of America .”

So, yes, he's clean and conservative. As shown on his new DVD Tolerate This! , he's a unique comic who proves that clean and cutting edge indeed can come in the same package—and at full speed. “I think there's humor in expressing our frustrations,” Stine says. “The observation of certain societal truths, when brought up in a comedic way, can help people see things more objectively. Comedy should be a way of expressing what you're about, and these are the things that are on my mind. Some people perform because they want to entertain. I want to bring a little more to the table and offer something creative and substantive.”

Stine's distinctive brand of comedy has brought him standing ovations across the country—as well as praise from the media. He's been seen on NBC “Nightly News,” CNN Paula Zahn Now , FOX News Hannity & Colmes Show , Tucker Carlson Show , MTV's Half Hour Comedy Hour , Showtime's Comedy Club Network and A&E's Caroline's Comedy Hour, Evening at the Improv and Comedy on the Road as well as a 10 page profile in the New Yorker Magazine.

A native of Indiana , he spent years in Los Angeles developing his career before moving his family to Nashville . He began his career blending comedy and magic, touring college auditoriums and comedy clubs, eventually evolving to where he wanted to concentrate on being a stand-up comic with a substantial message. Brad admits he also felt a compelling desire to prove himself to the Christian community. As he began to perform in churches, Brad felt his priorities shift and his burden for ministry change towards the church. “I perceived that something was happening to them that felt more important than what was happening to nonbelievers at my secular club gigs. The fact is, you're limited what you can really say of a spiritual nature in the clubs, but in the church, I was allowed to say hard things, and they listened and were influenced by it.”

In Stine's book, Being a Christian Without Being an Idiot: Ten Assumed Truths That Make Us Look Stupid , he challenges Christians to examine themselves before judging others. He also dares them to adopt a lifestyle that changes the negative perspectives the world has about Christianity. His second book, Rants from a Red State Comedian, hit shelves in March 2006. His last DVD, Conservative Unleashed, scanned #2 on Soundscan's Top Christian Video Sales.

Brad has always addressed the conservative movement in America . He says, “Conservatives have some representation on television, on radio and in books. But you don't hear it much in comedy. I think there's a gap there, and I'd like to provide some balance.”