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BriTANicK

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BriTANicK in their 2012 short, "The Coach". Brian McElhaney is in bed; Nick Kocher is standing.

BriTANicK (/braɪˈtænɪk/) is an internet sketch comedy duo from Atlanta, Georgia, that consists of Brian McElhaney and Nick Kocher. McElhaney graduated from the Atlanta International School and Kocher graduated from The Paideia School. They attended New York University together. The duo's videos have been featured on internet video sites including YouTube, CollegeHumor, Cracked, Break, and FunnyOrDie. BriTANicK was nominated by the ECNY Awards as Best Sketch Comedy Group in New York in 2008 and by Comedy Central's inaugural Comedy Awards for best web video.[1] In 2012, BriTANicK appeared in Joss Whedon's adaptation of Much Ado About Nothing.[2]

History

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Both members of the duo started performing and creating videos while they were students at New York University. They started officially performing as BriTANicK in 2008, when they opened for Robin Williams at the SF Sketchfest. Since then, they have continued to create internet sketches, as well as performing around the country.[original research?] They have performed three shows at the Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre in New York: "Begging for Approval", "The Infinity Prison", and their current monthly live show "The Monthly Mankerthon". Kocher and McElhaney perform sketch regularly at UCB as well as stand-up and improv comedy around New York City.[citation needed] A pilot for a BriTANicK TV show was ordered by Comedy Central in 2014. The pilot, which was ultimately never sold, was written by and starred the duo alongside Natalie Palamides, Maya Erskine, and Jessy Hodges.[3][4][5]

In 2016, Kocher and McElhaney were hired as writers by NBC's Saturday Night Live.[6]

Internet sketches

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BriTANicK were one of the sketch comedy groups only on Cracked.com and CollegeHumor both, featured regularly.[citation needed]. Their sketch "Pillow Talk" features Private Practice's Chris Lowell. They have also been featured as "Kings of DotComedy" on G4's Attack of the Show!.[7]

In the spring of 2020, the duo directed three episodes of Making Fun with Akilah and Milana for Comedy Central digital.[8]

Reviews, awards and festivals

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BriTANicK has been reviewed in the Charleston City Paper and Time Out Chicago, and was named a Time Out New York "Don't Miss" critic's pick in 2009.[citation needed]

The duo has performed in SF Sketchfest, NYC Sketchfest, Chicago Sketchfest, and Piccolo Spoleto in Spoleto Festival USA. In 2008 they won the Seattle Sketchfest Video Contest and NY Comedy Festival's "Web Video Cram-Off". Their sketch, "Academy Award Winning Movie", resulted in coverage on the websites of the Huffington Post and Time magazine as well as praise from Roger Ebert, Joss Whedon, Stephen Fry, and Ashton Kutcher. They were nominated for The Comedy Awards' "Best Viral Original" and the ECNY Awards' "Best Comedic Video".[citation needed]

In 2022 and 2024 they performed at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. In 2024 they directed Demi Adejuyigbe's performance at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe.[9]

Personal life

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Kocher is married to Scottish actress Karen Gillan and is expecting his first child with her.[10]

Filmography

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References

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  1. ^ "[Nominees for] Best sketch comedy group". Nominees for the 2008 ECNY Awards. The Comic's Comic. 5 February 2009. Retrieved 26 May 2021.
  2. ^ "Much Ado About Nothing premieres this weekend! Come to one of our Q&A's!". BriTANicK.com. Archived from the original on February 22, 2014. Retrieved June 20, 2013.
  3. ^ Goldberg, Lesley (4 June 2014). "Comedy Central Adapting Web Sensation 'BriTANick' (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 10 December 2024.
  4. ^ McElhaney, Brian; Kocher, Nick. "Cash Grab Episode 16 - Natalie Palamides and her many bees". YouTube. Retrieved 10 December 2024.
  5. ^ McElhaney, Brian. "My mom just sent me this— On set of the BriTANicK pilot from a little over a decade ago. 🥹 Unaired pilots shouldn't have this stacked a cast. Also Grant and Ben are in this picture". Instagram. Retrieved 10 December 2024.
  6. ^ Wright, Megh (September 14, 2016). "'SNL' Hires Seven New Writers for Season 42". Splitsider.com. Archived from the original on August 13, 2017. Retrieved August 13, 2017.
  7. ^ "BriTaNick, a Sketch Duo". G4tv.com. G4. Archived from the original on August 13, 2017. Retrieved October 29, 2009.
  8. ^ Kelly-Clyne, Luke (2020-04-10). "You've never seen patty-cake played like this". Vulture. Retrieved 2020-11-30.
  9. ^ "Demi Adejuyigbe is Going to do One (1) Backflip".
  10. ^ "Karen Gillan Reveals She Secretly Married Partner Nick Kocher Last Year in Scotland".
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