Innerloop @ Focus: An Interview with Shane Allen
Written by Tommy Delp
The Innerloop Blog, which bills itself as ‘Rochester, NY’s #1 Fake News Source,’ has been slinging satire since 2016. Whether it’s a feature on exploding hotdogs or one of many articles poking fun at the town of Greece, you can always expect something fresh, local, and funny as hell.
Ahead of the Innerloop Comedy Takeover, coming to The Focus Theater on Friday, August 29, we sat down with CEO Shane Allen.
“Yeah, I’m the CEO of The Innerloop Blog,” Allen said. “We make no money though, so it’s in title only.”
Born and raised in Western New York, Allen has spent the last decade honing his stand-up and broadening the Innerloop’s reach. While not one of the blog’s founders, he was brought on to help make its content more specific to Rochester, enlisting the help of other local comics to do so.
“The Rochester comedy scene has been great. It’s stuck around for as long as I’ve been doing it, with new iterations of great comics coming in and out,” he said. “Some people are going on to do great things, and some just lingering like me.”
What started as just articles and memes has since expanded to include video segments, a semi-weekly podcast, and various live events. The latter functioning as a way for Allen and the Innerloop to give back to the community of creators that have contributed so much to the blog's continuing success.
“We’ve been doing [live shows] for a long time,” he said. “That’s the only way we can make money and get comics paid.”
The Who, Where, and What of Local Satire
Allen doesn’t take his work too seriously though. Rather than in-depth research or interviews, it’s often the natural spread of information across Western New York that determines what the Innerloop covers.
“We’re pretty ridiculous people, so there’s no shortage of content,” he said.
Allen doesn’t believe he personally has a great gauge of what’s in the know locally, relying on friends and family to help guide him instead.
“The topics that I usually touch on are just the stuff that my mom or a co-worker has brought up to me. If they know it, everybody else probably will too,” he said.
There may also be something about the Rochester area in particular that lends itself to local satire. Whether it’s the weather, the sports teams, or something else entirely, Allen has found that Western New Yorkers are driven by a certain sense of masochism that often parallels his comedic content.
“We have this weird mentality. We’ll rip on each other, but as soon as somebody else tries to rip on us, we will kill that person,” Allen said.
From the Web to the Clubs
The blog’s virtual audience, with its online anonymity and consistent feedback, help Allen and his fellow stand-ups to tune their live material.
“The comment section will immediately let us know if we’ve messed up,” he said. “If I overstep with a stupid meme online, I’m like, ‘Okay, yeah, I’m definitely not going to talk about that on stage.’”
Live shows also give the Innerloop an opportunity to collaborate with in-person venues, such as Roc Cinema and Comedy @ The Carlson. The blog runs a series of open mics, with the best performers getting invited to participate in paid stand-up showcases.
Allen himself has performed at the Focus before, but the Innerloop Comedy Takeover is an opportunity to get other up-and-coming talents involved.
“Every show I’ve done at the theater has been great,” Allen said. “The staff is fantastic, and I think it’s becoming a new cool spot.”
While the show is marketed as a night of R-rated comedy, Allen stresses that audiences shouldn’t expect any shock humor or gross-out gags.
“We’re just trying to keep out the people that are looking for wholesome family fun,” he explained. “I’d say it’s fun for my family, but I don’t know about yours!”
Even when he’s giving interviews, the playful charm and chaotic energy that drives The Innerloop Blog is on full display.
“I’ve heard you guys might be getting your weed license soon, so that will be insane. I’ll keep on spreading that rumor,” Allen said.
The Focus Theater has no comment. Grab your tickets for the Innerloop Comedy Takeover today!