Matt Braunger brings the Ding-Donger tour to Wilmington

Shannon Robinson | Lifestyles Editor

After cancelling the second half of his fall tour due to a sudden schedule boom, Matt Braunger finally made it to the Port City this past weekend to perform at Dead Crow Comedy on Feb. 19-20.

Braunger’s performance at Dead Crow in downtown Wilmington is part of his Ding-Donger tour, a stand-up comedy tour to support his most recent stand-up special, “Big, Dumb Animal.”

“I wish I had something exciting to tell you [about the time in between shows], like ‘I’m the new Superman!,” but it’s nothing like that. Just a lot of writing and a lot of gigging,” said Braunger.

Along with all of the writing and gigging, Braunger also took on a few acting roles. Braunger landed the role of Dr. Samberly in ABC’s newest Marvel series, “Agent Carter.” He also co-wrote and starred in the Comedy Central web series, “White Flight,” with Kevin Avery from HBO’s “Last Week Tonight.”

This six episode mini web series takes place in the year 2042 after whites have become the minority in America. The nation’s president and CEO decides to teleport the remaining white population to Canada, aka New America, but leaves behind one white person every 25 miles as emissaries. Braunger plays Gary, the show’s main character who wakes up to find he is the only white man left in Los Angeles.

“[White Flight] is a way to get people talking about race and about our differences,” said Braunger. “ These things should be bringing us together rather than tearing us apart.”

The web series comes about at a time when Hollywood faces criticism for their treatment of minority actors and actresses, in particular their treatment at award shows like the Oscars. Braunger hopes his series can bring people together and get them talking about the real issues, like race.

When Braunger wasn’t writing or filming for his new web series, he was working on new material for his stand-up shows, which audiences at Dead Crow got a taste of this past weekend. 

Braunger’s comedy is relatable and ‘laugh so hard your cheeks hurt’ funny. He tells stories of his childhood, relationships and the trials of living in LA in the summer. He is raw and honest, not exaggerating his stories but telling them with so much emotion that the crowd can’t help but feel they were there through the whole thing.

“I think he has a lot of talent,” said Wilmington native Ashley Benson. “I’ve never laughed so hard in my entire life. He could be the next big thing in comedy.”

Other fans agreed, but some found him likable for other reasons. “I liked how he stood around after the show and talked to people,” said Dylan Noble, a frequent patron of Dead Crow Comedy and a Wilmington native. “You don’t see many celebrities who do that.”

Anyone who missed Braunger’s shows this past weekend can catch his stand-up special on Netflix. His web series, “White Flight,” can be found online on Comedy Central or through Braunger’s social media.