Lou Moon is an American comedian from Phoenix, Arizona. He has headlined across the United States, and released his debut album Lou on Stand Up! Records in 2024.
He is on the autism spectrum, and his comedy often deals with this and other issues such as his disability and anxiety.[2][3][4]
Early life
Moon was born in McMinnville, Oregon. As a child, his family moved to Kirkland, Washington, then to Gilbert, Arizona, near Phoenix, where he grew up.[5][6] Due to his autism, he did not speak until age four, but read prolifically; one of his first words was "palaeontologist."[7][8] He first became interested in comedy at age 12, when he discovered Brian Regan and Jim Gaffigan.[6]
Before becoming a comedian, Moon studied zoology in college, with a specialization in taxonomy. He also performed as guitarist and bassist in several Phoenix-area punk bands,[1] and wrote an unpublished novel inspired by Kurt Vonnegut about a murder at a Mars colony.[5][9] He played trombone in his high school jazz band.[7]
Moon has performed at comedy clubs across the United States.[4][7][3] He is a frequent headliner in Phoenix,[10][11][12] and has hosted monthly comedy shows such as Punk is Dead But Comedy Isn't,[6] Island Time, a show combining stand-up comedy and punk music,[13] and the Lawn Gnome's Pink Slip Open Mic.[14][15]
Moon has also performed at comedy festivals including the Altercation Comedy Festival in Austin, Texas,[7] Big Pine Comedy Festival,[9] and Bird City Comedy Festival.[16]
His influences include Steve Martin, Andy Kaufman, Conan O'Brien, and particularly Eugene Mirman. He was buoyed as a starting comic when Mirman, after meeting Moon backstage when Mirman was on tour in Phoenix, made a point of stopping in to see Moon's set at another club.[6]
He is one of five Arizona comedians featured in the 2023 documentary Zen Comedy, filmed at the Reiki Academy in Phoenix.[17][18][3]
His debut album Lou was released in 2024. It was recorded at Phoenix punk-rock club Rebel Lounge. The album title and cover art for Lou both homage the Joni Mitchell album Blue, one of Moon's favorite records.[3]Lou reached No. 1 on the Amazon comedy chart and No. 4 on the iTunes comedy chart.[19]
Moon has hosted or co-hosted several podcasts, including Ghost Boys with Tristan Bowling, in which comedians tell ghost stories,[20] and The Best Animal Review Podcast with Phoenix comic Zack Lyman, in which they rank animals such as octopus and pronghorn on a five-star scale.[21]
Personal life
Moon is bisexual.[5][4] He is disabled and walks with a cane.[22]