Rising comedian Paul Elia has set a Christmas Eve premiere date for his debut special, Detroit Player, the first ever shot at the Detroit House of Comedy, which came together over the course of three October tapings. Directed by Elia’s longtime friend Dan Ringey, with whom he previously collaborated on the indie crime thriller Dirty, the special will be available for a month on Mint Comedy.
Elia came to shoot his special after spending years performing stand-up in many unlikely (and awkward) scenarios, in order to pay his rent. He performed in a Dubai mall (and almost got arrested). Soon after, he performed at a private event for Saudi royalty (again, almost getting detained). With Detroit Player, he explores authenticity, censorship and what it means to “hustle” (while avoiding arrests abroad).
