PLEASANT GROVE — Ryan Hamilton could be the next Jerry Seinfeld, Or the next Jim Carrey. Or, perhaps, the next big-time stand-up comic known for keeping it clean.
"He has a very similar style to Seinfeld except he's a little more quirky," said John Scheser, the owner of Johnny B's Comedy Club in Provo, where Hamilton has performed several times.
"One advantage he has is he's naturally very clean. He just comes in and does his thing. I think he really appeals to the young, collegiate crowd," Scheser said.
The 28-year-old Hamilton has already won three national contests for comedians — the Las Vegas Comedy Festival Mainstream Competition in 2003 and 2004 —and is working his way across the country as this year's Sierra Mist "America's Next Great Comic."
As part of his winnings, he gets to perform for 23 weeks in improv-comedy clubs across America. He will also star in a 30-second national radio spot for the Pepsi Corp.
"It gives me the opportunity to work and hone my act," Hamilton said.
The native Idahoan, who lives in Pleasant Grove when he's not on the road, graduated from Brigham Young University with a degree in public relations. Before that, he earned an associate degree from BYU-Idaho in broadcast journalism and worked in Salt Lake for an advertising agency.
Hamilton never really aimed at a career as a comedian, but he's been making a living at it for the past 18 months.
"I love it. I think people who know me really well have thought I was a little bit funny," Hamilton said. "But people who knew me in high school are probably pretty shocked because I'm a pretty shy person. I don't know why I'm wired so that stand-up doesn't scare me. I'm more comfortable in front of a crowd that in a one-on-one situation.
"It's a release for me. I really enjoy the art of the joke."
Hamilton says he can perform his "completely clean" material in front of an LDS ward or a rowdy audience in Los Angeles. Upcoming performances include a show at Wise Guys May 28-29.
He also has recently released a DVD of some of his material, "Where's the Thunder?"
"I try to create an act that's universal. It can be used anywhere. It's a lot about me and my point of view. I make fun of myself," Hamilton said.
Ultimately, Hamilton wants to end up in movies or on the stage as a comic actor.
While he'd also like to do comedic writing, his first love is working an audience live from behind a microphone.
"I don't think I'll ever not do stand-up," he said.
E-mail: haddoc@desnews.com