YouTube Comedy Group Smosh Sets First Live Tour (EXCLUSIVE)

Todd Spangler

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The Smosh crew will hit the road in their first-ever live tour early next year.

“Smosh: Try Not to Laugh” will hit five cities in February 2020, featuring four members of the long-running YouTube comedy troupe performing in the 90-minute shows: co-founder Ian Hecox alongside Courtney Miller, Damien Haas, and Shayne Topp.

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Hecox told Variety Smosh has long wanted to do a live tour but that wasn’t a priority for its previous owner — Defy Media, which abruptly shut down a year ago and laid off virtually all employees. Earlier this year, Smosh was acquired by Mythical Entertainment, the media company formed by popular YouTubers Rhett & Link.

“With Mythical Entertainment we have a lot more control of our brand,” Hecox said.

The “Try Not to Laugh” variety show will feature bits like Ian and Damien rating local foods, Courtney making fun of Shayne’s dating history, the group debuting a new Smosh song — and a grand finale in which some audience members will be invited up on stage and the Smoshers will attempt to make them bust a gut. “We’ll pick a couple attendees and bring them on stage, sitting on the hot seat to endure the crazy antics,” Hecox said.

The limited-engagement tour was organized by UTA, which reps Smosh. Hecox said it’s a test run: “If people respond, we’ll come back with something even bigger.”

Tickets will be priced between $35 and $55 depending on venue. There also will be a VIP package for the price of a ticket plus $100, which includes a meet-and-greet with the cast and other goodies. Tickets will be available to purchase at smosh.com/tour.

The 2020 “Smosh: Try Not to Laugh” tour dates, cities and venues are:

  • Feb. 3: Seattle — Neptune Theatre

  • Feb. 4: Portland, Ore. — Revolution Hall

  • Feb. 5: Sacramento, Calif. — Crest Theatre

  • Feb. 7: San Diego — House of Blues

  • Feb. 9: Phoenix — Stand Up Live

The “Try Not to Laugh” tour will play in midsize venues with 500-800 seats to “keep it reasonable for our first outing,” Hecox said.

Smosh, which bills itself as the internet’s largest sketch-comedy brand with over 25 million subscribers on YouTube, was co-founded in 2005 by Hecox and Anthony Padilla (who left the group in 2017).

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