# Adam Quesnell

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{{short description|American stand-up comedian}}
{{Infobox person
| name   = Adam Quesnell
| image =  
| alt   = 
| caption  =
| birth_name = Adam Ross Quesnell<ref name=Advocate2005>{{cite news |last= |first= |date=2005-12-08 |title=Student plays honored |url= https://red.mnstate.edu/advocate/98 |work= The Advocate |location=[Moorhead, Minnesota](/source/Moorhead%2C_Minnesota) |volume=35 |number=15|page=6 |access-date= 2021-07-22 }}</ref><ref name=Advocate2006>{{cite news |last= Meehlhause |first=Kellie |date=2006-02-16 |title='Parachutes' wins at festival |url=https://www.yumpu.com/en/document/view/11008337/february-16-2006-vol-35-no-21-minnesota-state-university- |work= The Advocate |location=[Moorhead, Minnesota](/source/Moorhead%2C_Minnesota) |access-date= 2021-07-22 |volume=35 |number=21| page = 9}}</ref>
| birth_date = {{birth based on age as of date|29|2011|12|06}}<ref name=DLT2011>{{cite news |last= Benshoof |first= Sam |date=2011-12-06 |title=The beard is back: Locally and in pop culture, facial hair becoming fashionable |url= https://www.dl-online.com/news/565369-beard-back-locally-and-pop-culture-facial-hair-becoming-fashionable |work=Detroit Lakes Tribune |location=[Detroit Lakes, Minnesota](/source/Detroit_Lakes%2C_Minnesota) |access-date= 2021-07-22 }}</ref>
| birth_place = [Thief River Falls, Minnesota](/source/Thief_River_Falls%2C_Minnesota)
| pronunciation      = quen-NELL
| alma_mater   =  [Minnesota State University Moorhead](/source/Minnesota_State_University_Moorhead)
| occupation = Stand-up comedian
| known_for =
| years_active = 2009-present
| website    =
}}
'''Adam Quesnell''' is an American [stand-up comedian](/source/stand-up_comedian) and screenwriter from [Fargo, North Dakota](/source/Fargo%2C_North_Dakota) now living in [Los Angeles](/source/Los_Angeles).

Quesnell has released two comedy albums on [Stand Up! Records](/source/Stand_Up!_Records), 2014's ''Can We Afford This Much Despair?'' and 2018's ''Despair 2: Social Justice Warlord'', as well as the 2018 single ''Egghead''.

==Early life==
Quesnell was born in [Thief River Falls, Minnesota](/source/Thief_River_Falls%2C_Minnesota), where he graduated from Lincoln High School.<ref name=NorthernWatch2003>{{cite news |last= |first= |date=2003-01-25 |title=Moorhead State announces Dean's List students |url=https://archive.org/details/Northern_Watch_Thief_River_Falls_MN_-_2003-01_-_2003-12/page/n1/mode/2up |work=NorthernWatch |location=[Thief River Falls, Minnesota](/source/Thief_River_Falls%2C_Minnesota) |access-date= 2021-07-22 }}</ref><ref name=TRFTimes2019>{{cite news |last= |first= |date=2019-04-10 |title=Turning Back the Times: 100 years ago, heavy snow in April delays seeding operations |url=https://trftimes.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/041019.pdf |work=[Thief River Falls Times](/source/Thief_River_Falls_Times) |location=[Thief River Falls, Minnesota](/source/Thief_River_Falls%2C_Minnesota) |access-date= 2021-07-22 }}</ref> His father, Curt Quesnell, was a broadcaster on Thief River Falls radio stations [KKAQ-AM](/source/KKAQ) and [KKDQ-FM](/source/KKDQ), where he hosted the longtime show ''North Country Outdoors Radio'', and a fishing guide on [Lake of the Woods](/source/Lake_of_the_Woods).<ref name=GFH2017>{{cite news |last=Dokken |first=Brad |date=2017-09-24 |title=From on the air to on the water |url=https://www.grandforksherald.com/sports/1047977-From-on-the-air-to-on-the-water |work=[Grand Forks Herald](/source/Grand_Forks_Herald) |location=[Grand Forks, North Dakota](/source/Grand_Forks%2C_North_Dakota) |access-date= 2021-07-22 }}</ref><ref name=BIR2019/>

He earned an [MFA](/source/Master_of_Fine_Arts) in scriptwriting in 2007 from [Minnesota State University Moorhead](/source/Minnesota_State_University_Moorhead).<ref name=Advocate2005/><ref name=Advocate2006/><ref name=BIR2019/>

==Career==
===Stand-up comedy===
''Chicago Now'' called Quesnell's comedy "soul-lifting" in spite of his often dark subject matter.<ref name=ChicagoNow2016/> The [Minnesota Daily](/source/Minnesota_Daily) described it as "dark but digestible", noting that his humor often deals with social anxiety.<ref name=MNDaily2016>{{cite news |last= Macalus |first= Austen |date= February 2, 2016 |title= Starting the year off right at home |url= https://mndaily.com/203592/arts-entertainment/comedy/starting-year-right-home/ |work=[Minnesota Daily](/source/Minnesota_Daily) |location=[Minneapolis](/source/Minneapolis) |access-date= 2021-07-22 }}</ref> ''Fargo Monthly'' called him "goofy and dark."<ref name=Fargo2012>{{cite magazine |last1=Jason |first1=Andrew |last2=Kuller |first2=Kelsey |date=December 2012 |title=Stand up for comedy in Fargo-Moorhead |url= https://issuu.com/fmspotlight/docs/fargomonthlydecember2012/36 |magazine=Fargo Monthly |location=[Fargo, North Dakota](/source/Fargo%2C_North_Dakota) |pages=34–46 |publisher= |access-date=  2021-07-22}}</ref> The Fargo newspaper [High Plains Reader](/source/High_Plains_Reader) called his comedy "razor sharp, perfectly timed, both nuanced and broad".<ref name=HPR2020/>

Quesnell began performing stand-up in [Fargo, North Dakota](/source/Fargo%2C_North_Dakota) in 2009.<ref name=Forum2011>{{cite news |last= |first= |date=2011-09-21 |title= Fargo comic Quesnell to record stand-up set |url= https://www.inforum.com/entertainment/2999022-fargo-comic-quesnell-record-stand-set |work=[The Forum of Fargo-Moorhead](/source/The_Forum_of_Fargo-Moorhead) |location=[Fargo, North Dakota](/source/Fargo%2C_North_Dakota) |access-date= 2021-07-22 }}</ref>  As his career progressed, Quesnell moved from Fargo to the larger city of [Minneapolis](/source/Minneapolis) and eventually to [Los Angeles](/source/Los_Angeles), where he now lives and works as a screenwriter.<ref name=HPR2020>{{cite news |last=Gruber |first=Kris |date=2020-02-26 |title=Comedian in the Cellar: The Return of Adam Quesnell |url= https://hpr1.com/index.php/arts-entertainment/humor/comedian-in-the-cellarthe-return-of-adam-quesnell/ |work=[High Plains Reader](/source/High_Plains_Reader) |location=[Fargo, North Dakota](/source/Fargo%2C_North_Dakota) |access-date= 2021-07-22 }}</ref><ref name=HPR2018>{{cite news |last= |first= |date=2018-09-05 |title= California Calls to Quesnell |url= https://hpr1.com/index.php/arts-entertainment/humor/california-calls-to-quesnell |work=[High Plains Reader](/source/High_Plains_Reader) |location=[Fargo, North Dakota](/source/Fargo%2C_North_Dakota) |access-date= 2021-07-22 }}</ref>

His first performance was as the opening act for [Todd Barry](/source/Todd_Barry).<ref name=HPR2015a>{{cite news |last= Rice |first= Jay |date=2015-03-04|title=Major Milestones for Local Comics Adam Quesnell and JD Provorse |url= https://hpr1.com/index.php/arts-entertainment/theatre/major-milestones-for-local-comics-adam-quesnell-and-jd-provorse |work=[High Plains Reader](/source/High_Plains_Reader) |location=[Fargo, North Dakota](/source/Fargo%2C_North_Dakota) |access-date= 2021-07-22 }}</ref><ref name=BIR2019/> He has also performed with [Maria Bamford](/source/Maria_Bamford) and [Kyle Kinane](/source/Kyle_Kinane).<ref name=ChicagoNow2016>{{cite news |last=Ring |first=Teme |date= March 16, 2016 |title= A conversation with Adam Quesnell: Despair is the funniest demon |url= https://www.chicagonow.com/comedians-defying-gravity/2016/03/a-conversation-with-adam-quesnell-despair-is-the-funniest-demon/ |work=[ChicagoNow](/source/ChicagoNow) |location=[Chicago](/source/Chicago) |access-date= 2021-07-22 }}</ref> Quesnell quickly became an organizer as well, producing shows and promoting open mics in the Fargo-Moorhead area.<ref name=Advocate2011>{{cite news |last= |first= |date=2011-02-24 |title=Open mic comedy gains popularity |url= https://red.mnstate.edu/advocate/251 |work= The Advocate |location=[Moorhead, Minnesota](/source/Moorhead%2C_Minnesota) |volume=40 |number=20|page=3 |access-date= 2021-07-22 }}</ref> The [High Plains Reader](/source/High_Plains_Reader) newspaper credited him with "planting the seed for the burgeoning comedy scene in Fargo."<ref name=HPR2015b>{{cite news |last= Showalter |first= John |date=2015-09-24 |title= Ha Ha's, Hellos and Goodbyes |url= https://hpr1.com/index.php/feature/culture/ha-has-hellos-and-goodbyes |work=[High Plains Reader](/source/High_Plains_Reader) |location=[Fargo, North Dakota](/source/Fargo%2C_North_Dakota) |access-date= 2021-07-22 }}</ref> He was named Fargo's No. 2 comedian in a 2015 poll by the [High Plains Reader](/source/High_Plains_Reader).<ref name=HPR2015>{{cite news |last= |first= |date=2015-06-10 |title=Best of the Best 2015: The Results |url= https://hpr1.com/index.php/feature/culture/best-of-the-best-the-2015-results |work=[High Plains Reader](/source/High_Plains_Reader) |location=[Fargo, North Dakota](/source/Fargo%2C_North_Dakota) |access-date= 2021-07-22 }}</ref>

He has performed at the 10,000 Laughs Comedy Festival,<ref name=VultureFests2018>{{cite news |last= Lobell |first= Kylie Ora |date=2018-08-16 |title= A Comprehensive Guide to Comedy Festivals in the U.S. and Around the Globe |url= https://www.vulture.com/2018/08/a-guide-to-comedy-festivals-in-the-u-s-and-around-the-globe.html |work=[Vulture](/source/New_York_(magazine)) |location=[New York City](/source/New_York_City) |access-date= 2021-07-22 }}</ref> [SF Sketchfest](/source/SF_Sketchfest), San Francisco Comedy Festival,<ref name="BWW2019">{{cite web |url= https://www.broadwayworld.com/bwwtv/article/Lineup-Announced-for-the-18th-Annual-San-Francisco-Comedy-Festival-20181119 |title= Lineup Announced for the 18th Annual San Francisco Comedy Festival |last=Milligan |first= Kaitlin |date=2018-11-19 |website=[BroadwayWorld](/source/BroadwayWorld) |publisher= |access-date=2021-11-11}}</ref> Akumal Comedy Festival, New Orleans' Hell Yes Fest, and the Chicago Comedy Exposition.<ref name=DirtyVegan2018/>

===Screenwriting===
His one-hour science fiction pilot ''The Insomniacs'' was produced as an audio drama in 2020 for Alison Mauldin's screenwriting podcast ''The Scriptcast''.<ref name="Scriptcast2020a"/><ref name="Scriptcast2020b"/>

In 2006, his short play ''Parachutes'' won the Midwest regional award at the Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival; another play, ''Labyrinth'', was also nominated.<ref name=Advocate2006/>

===Albums===
Quesnell has released two comedy albums on [Stand Up! Records](/source/Stand_Up!_Records), 2014's ''Can We Afford This Much Despair?'' and 2018's ''Despair 2: Social Justice Warlord'', as well as the 2018 single ''Egghead''.<ref name = AMDespair1>{{AllMusic |class= |id=can-we-afford-this-much-despair-mw0002705840 |tab= |title=Can We Afford This Much Despair? |last= |first= |author= |access-date= 2021-08-04}}</ref><ref name=DiscogsQuesnell>{{cite web |url=https://www.discogs.com/artist/6508840-Adam-Quesnell |title=Adam Quesnell |last= |first= |date= |website=[Discogs](/source/Discogs) |publisher= |access-date= 2021-08-27}}</ref> Quesnell's debut was recorded at Minneapolis' [CONvergence](/source/CONvergence) sci-fi convention in 2013.<ref name=ChicagoNow2016/><ref name=HPR2017>{{cite news |last=Showalter |first=John |date=2017-12-08 |title=Laughter Amid Despair |url= https://hpr1.com/index.php/feature/culture/laughter-amid-despair |work=[High Plains Reader](/source/High_Plains_Reader) |location=[Fargo, North Dakota](/source/Fargo%2C_North_Dakota) |access-date= 2021-07-22 }}</ref> It reached No. 13 on the iTunes comedy chart.<ref name="HPR2017" /><ref name=ChicagoNow2016/> Followup album ''Despair 2'' was recorded at the Red Raven cafe in Fargo.<ref name=HPR2017/>

An avid toy collector, Quesnell and Stand Up! producer [Dan Schlissel](/source/Dan_Schlissel) made a collectible figure of the "Despair" monster on the cover of his first album, which Quesnell called "a sad devil version of myself".<ref name=HPR2017/><ref name=GFTW268/>

Richard Lanoie of The Serious Comedy Site called ''Can We Afford This Much Despair?'' "particularly smart" and said "I look forward to more of" Quesnell.<ref name="SCS2018despair1">{{cite web |url= https://theseriouscomedysite.com/comedy-cd-or-download/adam-quesnell-can-we-afford-this-much-despair/ |title= Adam Quesnell – Can We Afford This Much Despair? |author= Richard Lanoie |date= April 9, 2018 |website=The Serious Comedy Site |access-date=2020-05-07}}</ref> Writing about ''Despair 2'', Lanoie praised Quesnell's ability to segue between "a smartly veiled comment on racism in the U.S." and a "silly bit on the difference between a baby ghost and a ghost baby." Although he felt Quesnell's [Donald Trump](/source/Donald_Trump) commentary was "banal," he further praised Quesnell's ability to disguise the sharpness of his satire inside "seeming superficiality."<ref name="SCS2018despair2">{{cite web |url= https://theseriouscomedysite.com/comedy-cd-or-download/despair-ii-social-justice-warlord-adam-quesnell/ |title= Despair II: Social Justice Warlord – Adam Quesnell |author= Richard Lanoie |date= October 12, 2018 |website=The Serious Comedy Site |access-date=2020-05-07}}</ref> Catherine Gill of website The Dirty Vegan called Quesnell's comedy  "relatable and socially aware" and found his penchant for self-deprecation  "hilarious and refreshing."<ref name=DirtyVegan2018>{{cite web |url= https://www.thedirtyvegan.com/single-post/2018/09/18/Adam-Quesnells-Despair-II-Social-Justice-Warlord-A-Comedy-Review |title= Adam Quesnell's "Despair II: Social Justice Warlord": A Comedy Review |last=Gill |first=Catherine |date=2018-09-18 |website= |publisher= |access-date= 2021-07-22}}</ref> Joe Christianson of the comedy podcast ''Joke Quest 200'' called his albums "magnificent."<ref name=JokeQuest2002021/><ref name=JokeQuest2002020/> Johnny Taylor of comedy website Now Hear This called ''Social Justice Warlord'' one of his favorite comedy albums of 2018 and said, "Quesnell delivers a smart, edgy, and current hour of stand-up comedy that will appeal to a larger portion of people than his reputation as a 'nerd' comic suggests."<ref name=NHT2018/>

==Personal life==
"[Quesnell](/source/Quesnel_(disambiguation))", a surname of French origin, is pronounced with a silent S.<ref name="Scriptcast2020a"/><ref name="Scriptcast2020b"/><ref name=GFTW268/><ref name=Magnotronic2015/>

==Discography==
{{Album ratings
|title=''Despair II: Social Justice Warlord''
| rev1 = Now Hear This
| rev1Score = {{rating|4.5|5}}<ref name=NHT2018>{{cite web |url=https://www.nowhearthismusic.net/single-post/2018/09/17/now-hear-this-despair-ii-social-justice-warlord-adam-quesnell |title= Now Hear This: Despair II: Social Justice Warlord - Adam Quesnell |last= Taylor |first=Johnny |date=2018-09-17 |website= Now Hear This |publisher= |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20201129162531/https://www.nowhearthismusic.net/single-post/2018/09/17/now-hear-this-despair-ii-social-justice-warlord-adam-quesnell |archive-date=2020-11-29 |access-date= 2021-07-22}}</ref>
}}
*Adam Quesnell, ''Can We Afford This Much Despair?'' ([Stand Up! Records](/source/Stand_Up!_Records), 2014)
*Adam Quesnell, ''Despair 2: Social Justice Warlord'' ([Stand Up! Records](/source/Stand_Up!_Records), 2018)
*Adam Quesnell, ''Egghead'' ([Stand Up! Records](/source/Stand_Up!_Records), 2018)

==Podcast appearances==
*''Magnotronic'', Episode 401: Adam Quesnell (Sept. 1, 2015) <ref name=Magnotronic2015>{{cite podcast |url= http://magnotronic.com/2015/09/01/episode-401-adam-quesnell/ |title= Episode 401: Adam Quesnell |website=Magnotronic |publisher= |host= Maggie Faris |date=2015-09-01 |time= |archive-date=2017-04-06 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20170406054225/http://magnotronic.com/2015/09/01/episode-401-adam-quesnell/ |access-date= 2021-07-22 }}</ref>
*''Big Money Movie Ideas'', Episode 9: Skinprint (August 28, 2018)<ref name=BMMI09>{{cite podcast |url= https://ghostpartyparty.com/2018/08/28/bmmi-guest-ep-09-skinprint-with-special-guest-adam-quesnell/ |title= BMMI Guest Ep 09: Skinprint (With Special Guest Adam Quesnell!) |website=Big Money Movie Ideas |publisher= |host=Andrew Santoro, Kelsey Henry |date= August 28, 2018 |time= |access-date= 2021-07-22 }}</ref>
*''Bleak In Review'', Episode 203: Vice President Angry-Boner (Sept. 27, 2019)<ref name=BIR2019>{{cite podcast |url= https://anchor.fm/kevin-anderson47/episodes/203-Vice-President-Angry-Boner-w-Joe-Kaye--Adam-Quesnell---Tianna-Donyes-efo7qg |title= 203: Vice President Angry-Boner (w/ Joe Kaye, Adam Quesnell, & Tianna Donyes) |website=Bleak In Review |publisher= Unpops Podcast Network |host= Kevin Anderson |date=2019-09-27 |time= |access-date= 2021-07-22 }}</ref>
*''The Goods from the Woods'', Episode 268: Toy Collecting with Adam Quesnell (Oct. 16, 2019)<ref name=GFTW268>{{cite podcast |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L66WgwpfE2U&list=PLhpX1kMXMaGGAF_t-6pXRXdTW9zz9LBnz&index=26 |title= Episode 268: Toy Collecting with Adam Quesnell |website= The Goods from the Woods |publisher= |host=Rivers Langley, Pat Reilly, Mr. Goodnight |date=2019-10-16 |time= |access-date= 2021-08-25 }}</ref>
*''Joke Quest 200'', "Adam Quesnell" (Sept. 28, 2020)<ref name=JokeQuest2002020>{{cite podcast |url= https://podbay.fm/p/joke-quest-200/e/1601290800 |title= Adam Quesnell |website=Joke Quest 200 |publisher= |host=Joe Christianson |date=2020-09-28 |time= |access-date= 2021-07-22 }}</ref>
*''The Scriptcast'', "Episode 2: ''The Insomniacs''" (October 29, 2020)<ref name="Scriptcast2020a">{{cite podcast |url=https://www.thescriptcast.com/episodes/episode-2-the-insomniacs |title=Episode 2: ''The Insomniacs'' |website=The Scriptcast |publisher= |host=Alison Mauldin |date=2020-10-29 |time= |access-date= 2021-07-22 }}</ref>
*''The Scriptcast'', "Scriptcast Conversations - The Insomniacs" (November 18, 2020)<ref name="Scriptcast2020b">{{cite podcast |url=https://www.thescriptcast.com/episodes/scriptcast-conversations-the-insomniacs |title=Scriptcast Conversations: ''The Insomniacs'' |website=The Scriptcast |publisher= |host=Alison Mauldin |date=2020-11-18 |time= |access-date= 2021-07-22 }}</ref>
*''Joke Quest 200'', "Adam Quesnell and Dan Bublitz" (April 27, 2021)<ref name=JokeQuest2002021>{{cite podcast |url= https://jokequest200.libsyn.com/dan-bublitz-adam-quesnell |title= Adam Quesnell and Dan Bublitz |website=Joke Quest 200 |publisher= |host=Joe Christianson |date=2021-04-27 |time= |access-date= 2021-08-24 }}</ref>
*''The Goods from the Woods'', Patreon Episode 5: ''Super Mario Bros.'' with Adam Quesnell (August 4, 2021)<ref name=GFTW>{{cite podcast |url= https://poddtoppen.se/podcast/703046562/the-goods-from-the-woods/teaser-patreon-episode-5-super-mario-bros-with-adam-quesnell |title= Patreon Episode #5 - "Super Mario Bros." with Adam Quesnell |website= The Goods from the Woods |publisher= |host=Rivers Langley, Pat Reilly, Mr. Goodnight |date=2021-08-04 |time= |access-date= 2021-07-22 }}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*{{Twitter|AdamQuesnell}}
*[https://standuprecords.com/collections/adam-quesnell Adam Quesnell at Stand Up! Records website]
* {{IMDb name|id=4231895|name= Adam Quesnell}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Quesnell, Adam}}
Category:American stand-up comedians
Category:Living people
Category:Comedians from North Dakota
Category:Comedians from Minnesota
Category:People from Fargo, North Dakota
Category:People from Thief River Falls, Minnesota
Category:American male comedians
Category:21st-century American comedians
Category:Stand Up! Records artists
Category:Year of birth missing (living people)

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Adam Quesnell](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adam_Quesnell) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adam_Quesnell?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.