{{short description|American stand-up comedian}} {{Infobox person | name = Ryan Cownie | image = | alt = | caption = | birth_name = Ryan Patrick Cownie | birth_date = {{birth based on age as of date|25|2013|12|17}}<ref name=Austinot2013>{{cite web |url= https://austinot.com/austin-comedy-showcases |title= 3 Austin Comedy Showcases You Can't Miss |last=Thomas |first=David |date=2013-12-17 |website=The Austinot |access-date=2020-10-19}}</ref> | birth_place = Sioux City, Iowa | death_date = | death_place = | alma_mater =Lincoln Southwest High School | occupation = Stand-up comedian | years_active = 2007-present | website = }} '''Ryan Patrick Cownie''' is an American stand-up comedian originally from Lincoln, Nebraska.<ref name=LincolnJS2007>{{cite news |date=2007-06-10 |title=Southwest High grads announced |url=https://journalstar.com/news/local/southwest-high-grads-announced/article_7d112922-b834-5e47-be0e-d833d6b0ecf3.html |work=Lincoln Journal Star |location=Lincoln, Nebraska |access-date=2020-10-20 }}</ref><ref name=ComedyWham2017>{{cite podcast |url= https://comedywham.com/interviews/ryan-cownie-gets-raw |title=Comedy Wham Presents: Ryan Cownie Gets Raw |website=Comedy Wham Presents |publisher=Comedy Wham |host=Valerie Lopez |date=2017-10-06 |access-date=2020-10-19 }}</ref> His album ''I Can't Die'', which includes a theme song by Riverboat Gamblers' Mike Wiebe, was released by Dan Schlissel's Stand Up! Records in 2019.<ref name="imdbWiebe">{{IMDb name|id=1049295|name= Mike Wiebe}}</ref><ref name=DiscogsWiebe>{{cite web |url=https://www.discogs.com/Mike-Wiebe-I-Cant-Die/release/14881523 |title=Mike Wiebe – I Can't Die |author=<!--Not stated--> |website=Discogs |access-date=2020-11-08}}</ref> Comedy site Laughspin called him "a future superstar."<ref name=Laughspin2019>{{cite web |url=https://laughspin.com/ryan-cownie-debut-comedy-album/ |title= Ryan Cownie a future superstar in debut comedy album |last= Martinez |first= Nicholas C. |date= March 19, 2019 |website=Laughspin |publisher= |access-date=2021-06-01 |url-status=usurped |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20190331103224/https://laughspin.com/ryan-cownie-debut-comedy-album/ |archive-date=2019-03-31}}</ref>
==Early life== Cownie was born in Sioux City, Iowa and grew up in Lincoln, Nebraska.<ref name=KAMX/>{{deadlink|date=October 2025}} He is a 2007 graduate of Lincoln Southwest High School.<ref name=LincolnJS2007/> His comedic influences include the movies ''The Jerk'' and ''The Wedding Singer''. He began performing at age 17. He moved to nearby, larger Omaha soon after graduating and worked as a waiter in a comedy club.<ref name=ComedyWham2017/><ref name=DailyNeb2008>{{cite news |last= Young |first= Molly |date=2008-02-03 |title= Comedy night caters to diverse crowd |url= http://www.dailynebraskan.com/comedy-night-caters-to-diverse-crowd/article_058188db-0678-586a-ba8f-84d163630dcd.html |work=The Daily Nebraskan |location=Lincoln, Nebraska |access-date=2020-10-19 }}</ref><ref name=Fremont2008a>{{cite news |last= Bowen |first= Don |date=2008-02-08 |title= There really is nothing like laughter |url= https://fremonttribune.com/opinion/columnists/there-really-is-nothing-like-laughter/article_3fdda2b9-08d4-5e79-ba23-8ff49fc22934.html |work=Fremont Tribune |location=Fremont, Nebraska |access-date=2020-10-19 }}</ref><ref name=Fremont2008b>{{cite news |last= Bowen |first= Don |date=2008-07-02 |title= Kuddes finds a career in comedy |url= https://fremonttribune.com/news/local/kuddes-finds-a-career-in-comedy/article_9b2e4582-df09-51ef-9c6f-151f4c67517a.html |work=Fremont Tribune |location=Fremont, Nebraska |access-date=2020-10-19 }}</ref>
==Career== Cownie's comedy often riffs on pop culture, including a long-running gag in which he pretends his comedy has been sponsored by Mountain Dew and other corporate products.<ref name=AusChron2015>{{cite news |last=Faires |first=Robert |date=2015-05-22 |title=Joke 'Stache: Danny Palumbo wins Funniest Person in Austin 2015, advances equal rights for facial hair |url=https://www.austinchronicle.com/arts/2015-05-22/joke-stache/ |work=Austin Chronicle|location=Austin, Texas |access-date=2020-11-05 }}</ref><ref name=ComedyWham2017/>
Cownie moved to the larger city of Austin, Texas in 2010 to establish his career in comedy, along with fellow Nebraska comic Cody Hustak.<ref name=AusChron2013>{{cite news |last=Brenner |first=Wayne Alan |date=2013-11-04 |title= Ryan Cownie Has Up and Taken Over Avalanche Comedy |url= https://www.austinchronicle.com/daily/arts/2013-11-04/ryan-cownie-has-up-and-taken-over-avalanche-comedy/ |work=Austin Chronicle |location=Austin, Texas |access-date=2020-10-19 }}</ref> The two would later take first and second place respectively in the prestigious annual Cap City Funniest Person in Austin contest in 2014.<ref name=Moontower2014>{{cite web |url=https://www.comedymoontower.com/cody-hustak-is-the-funniest-person-in-austin/ |title=Cody Hustak is the Funniest Person in Austin! |last=Merriman |first=John |date=May 23, 2014 |website=Moontower Comedy News |access-date=2020-10-19}}</ref> Cownie quickly became an integral part of the Austin comic scene, hosting the Avalanche Comedy showcase from 2013 to 2015.<ref name=AusChron2013/> Avalanche was praised for its "laid-back vibe" by ''The Austinot'' website.<ref name=Austinot2013/> Cownie is also a musician and rapper.<ref name=ComedyWham2017/> With Dustin Svehlak, Cownie co-wrote and directed ''Cownie'', a 2013 mockumentary that ''Moontower Comedy News'' called "funny and dry."<ref name=Moontower2013>{{cite news |last= Merriman |first= John |date= October 24, 2013 |title= Screening Room: Batman, Superman, Silverman & Cownie |url= https://www.comedymoontower.com/screening-room-batman-superman-silverman-cownie/ |work= Moontower Comedy News |location=Austin, Texas |access-date=2020-10-19 }}</ref>
Cownie moved again to Los Angeles in 2015 to further his comedy career.<ref name=ComedyWham2017/><ref name=AusChron2017>{{cite news |last=Brenner |first=Wayne Alan |date=2017-10-05 |title= Five Arty Things to Do |url= https://www.austinchronicle.com/daily/arts/2017-10-05/five-arty-things-to-do-this-weekend-oct-5-8/ |work= Austin Chronicle |location=Austin, Texas |access-date=2020-10-19 }}</ref>
Cownie's debut album ''I Can't Die'' was released in 2019. Riverboat Gamblers frontman Mike Wiebe recorded a theme song for the album, also titled "I Can't Die."<ref name="imdbWiebe"/><ref name=DiscogsWiebe/> Nicholas C. Martinez of comedy site Laughspin gave it an approving review, calling Cownie "a future superstar."<ref name=Laughspin2019/>
In 2019, Cownie starred in the video for "Fashion Forward", a song by Wiebe's side project Drakulas.<ref name=BrooklynVegan2019>{{cite web |url= https://www.brooklynvegan.com/watch-drakulas-video-for-fashion-forward-off-upcoming-album/ |title= Watch Drakulas' video for "Fashion Forward" off upcoming album |last=Sacher |first=Andrew |date= October 31, 2019 |website=Brooklyn Vegan |access-date=2020-10-19}}</ref>
Cownie appeared in the 2020 series ''Munchie Run'' on the Social Club TV streaming network.<ref name=Milwaukee2020>{{cite news |last=Maas |first=Tyler |date=2020-07-22 |title=Franklin native takes baked comedians to fast food drive-thrus in 'Munchie Run' |url=https://milwaukeerecord.com/comedy/franklin-native-takes-baked-comedians-to-fast-food-drive-thrus-in-munchie-run/ |work=Milwaukee Record |location=Milwaukee, Wisconsin |access-date=2020-10-19 }}</ref><ref name=MunchieRun8>{{Cite episode |title=Ryan Cownie at Jack in the Box |url=https://www.thesocialclub.tv/shows/munchie-run/season/1/episode/8 |access-date=2020-10-20 |series=Munchie Run |network=Social Club TV |season=1 |number=8 }}</ref>
==Personal life== Cownie was vegan.<ref name=MunchieRun8/>
==Discography== *''I Can't Die'' (Stand Up! Records, 2019)
==Podcast appearances== <li>''Heavy Friending'', "How I Met Comedian Ryan Cownie's Mother" (August 26, 2019)<ref name=HeavyFriending2019>{{cite podcast |url= https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/heavy-friending/e/63468653 |title= How I Met Comedian Ryan Cownie's Mother |website= Heavy Friending |host=Joe Barlow, Laura Lee Bishop |date=August 26, 2019 |access-date=2020-10-19 }}</ref> <li>''Comedy Wham Presents'', "Ryan Cownie Gets Raw" (October 6, 2017)<ref name=ComedyWham2017/> <li>''Booker, Alex & Sara'', "Jay Whitecotton, Ryan Cownie & Bob Khosravi" (April 22, 2015)<ref name=KAMX>{{cite podcast |url= https://mix947.radio.com/media/audio-channel/jay-whitecotton-ryan-cownie-bob-khosravi |title= Jay Whitecotton, Ryan Cownie & Bob Khosravi |website= Booker, Alex & Sara |publisher=KAMX |host=Brad Booker, Alex Franco, Sara Osburn |date=2015-04-22 |access-date=2020-10-19 }}</ref> <li>''Austin Sessions'', Episode 48: Ryan Cownie (March 25, 2014)<ref name=AustinSessions2014>{{cite podcast |url= http://www.austinsessions.com/podcast/ryancownie |title=Ryan Cownie |website=Austin Sessions |host=Mark Shapiro |date=March 25, 2014 |access-date=2020-10-19 }}</ref> <li>''Death Is Imminent'', "''Constantine'', Poop, and Harry Potter, with Ryan Cownie" (August 16, 2018)<ref name=Death2018>{{cite podcast |url= https://podtail.com/en/podcast/death-is-imminent/666-constantine-poop-and-harry-potter-666-with-rya/ |title= 666 constantine, poop, and harry potter 666 with ryan cownie |website=Death Is Imminent |date=August 16, 2018 |access-date=2020-10-19 }}</ref>
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== *{{Twitter|RyanCownie}} *[https://standuprecords.com/collections/ryan-cownie Ryan Cownie at Stand Up! Records website] * {{IMDb name|id=5597760|name= Ryan Cownie}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Cownie, Ryan}} Category:American male comedians Category:American stand-up comedians Category:People from Sioux City, Iowa Category:People from Lincoln, Nebraska Category:Comedians from Austin, Texas Category:Comedians from Los Angeles Category:21st-century American comedians Category:Stand Up! Records artists Category:1980s births Category:Living people Category:Comedians from Iowa Category:Comedians from Nebraska