Alumnus finds success as stand-up comedian

Comedian Sean Leary has come a long way from performing in open mic nights at Atwood Memorial Center.

Originally from Brookings, South Dakota, Leary enrolled at St. Cloud State University in 2007 to pursue a degree in mass communications. Driven by his love for comedy, he thought the logical next step was working in radio or television.

“I was always a class clown, extrovert, I talked a lot, (had the) gift of gab. And one day it just kind of hit me. I was 17 years old and I didn't really know what I wanted to do with my life,” he said. “I was funny in the backseat of a car with a bunch of people, and I was like, ‘How can I just do that?’ And so that's what kind of led me toward radio and TV.”

He worked at JCLD-FM 104.7 on the morning show and “started to build that muscle, kind of the humor aspect.” Before graduating from SCSU in 2011, he performed in the basement of Atwood. Next thing Leary knew, he was moving out to Los Angeles in 2012 and never looked back. He credits his time at St. Cloud State with getting him started on that journey.

“I studied mass comm. and did all the St. Cloud State shenanigans, loved the hockey games,” he said. “I was a work study in mass comm., so I got to meet everybody over there and just kind of build a nice foundation in St. Cloud before I got to L.A.”

Leary’s been a full-time comedian for nearly a decade now, touring around the country and having his talents showcased on television. He started a comedy club in his hometown, The Comedy Room at Wooden Legs Brewing Company, which hosts monthly shows. He also headlined clubs on Broadway in New York, was featured in “Laughs” on Fox and had a national sponsorship from Michelob Ultra.

“Basically anytime I've seen my work come to fruition or a big brand or a big entity takes a liking, that to me feels like about as good of a benchmark as I can get,” he said.

Next up for Leary is the national airing of his appearance on “Comics Unleashed” with Byron Allen, which will air on CBS and Paramount+ in November 2025. The show, which originally aired from 2006-2016, has been rebooted and hosts up to four comedians each episode. It has welcomed the likes of Cedric the Entertainer, Katt Williams, Daniel Tosh, Caroline Rhea and now Sean Leary.

“I was a big fan of the show and I watched it in real time while I was in college and in high school,” Leary said. “I kind of always was like, ‘Man, that would be a dream to be on that show.’”

Leary hosts Chips & Bits Comedy Golf Tournament every summer in Indiana, Minnesota and South Dakota. He will perform in the Netflix Comedy Festival in Los Angeles in May 2026, and almost always has more TV projects on the horizon. He also executive-produced his wife and fellow comedian Anna Simeri’s comedy special “9.5.”

Leary encouraged aspiring comedians to hit the ground running as hard as possible. Go to open mics, network and keep going.

“The worst you can be is not performing, which is already where you're at,” he said. “So I would say go to open mics and just try, and fall in love with it. And if you do; just go, don't stop.”

While comedians always hope their punchlines land, Leary said comedy is bigger than that.

“Honestly, I like the idea of making somebody's day better, whether they laughed or not — just the fact that they could feel good in a sea of bad. There are mental health issues in our country right now that are brutal. I see it traveling, I see it on social media, I see it in the work that I do,” he said. “People compare themselves, — ‘Look at my life, look at their life.’ And for that 45 minutes or an hour or 90 minutes, I just want to take them away from that and just feel good. Because I don't know if a lot of people are really feeling that good right now.

“So I think that's my big takeaway, is come sit down, let your worries go for a little bit and we'll just be together for this time and have some good vibes and good memories.”