A Pair of Nuts: The Comedy Duo
Encyclopedia
A Pair of Nuts is an award winning sketch comedy
duo based in Miami, Florida
consisting of Yamil Piedra and Johnny Trabanco. Piedra and Trabanco have been working together since 1998 where they met in college at Florida International University
. In 1997, Piedra co-founded Impromedy, an improv comedy group based in Miami. The following year Trabanco joined the group. Seeing how well they worked together they decided to form a duo and in 2003 A Pair of Nuts was born. Since then they've built an impressive on-line following with their viral videos which have received millions of views and have been featured on YouTube, MySpace, Funny or Die, & College Humor. In early 2009, their popularity led them to team up with Peripheral Films and created their own web series called “The Nuthouse."
Their style of comedy has been compared to a modern day Abbott & Costello, Martin & Lewis, a throwback to the old school comedy duos with a modern flair. Their live stage show is an award-winning multimedia sketch comedy show that consists of loosely improvised sketches intertwined with short videos. They’ve headlined at some of the top comedy clubs in the U.S. and have performed at military bases and colleges nationwide. They've also performed at the Comedy Central Stage in LA, South Beach Comedy Festival, Los Angeles Comedy Festival, Los Angeles Improv Comedy Festival, and the Miami Improv Festival where they were awarded "Best South Florida Performance."
Their television appearances include Comedy Central, VH1, Last Call with Carson Daly, Discovery Channel, BET, MegaTV, and several local South Florida programming. In early 2010, they starred and wrote for the Spanish language sketch comedy show on MegaTV “El Vacilon," where they brought a never-before-seen style of comedy to Spanish programming that earned them a 2010 Suncoast Emmy Award for writing. On the show they worked with Hispanic celebrities including Wilmer Valderrama
(That 70’s Show), Tony Plana
(Ugly Betty), Luis Guzman
(Carlito’s Way), and Steven Bauer
(Scarface). In mid 2010, they were contestants on the VH1 reality weight loss show Money Hungry
. In the premiere episode, the Nuts strutted around the pool of the house in pink thongs and Yamil shaved Johnny's head claiming that "hair weighs more than fat." Some contestants raised questions as to their reasoning for being on the show because they believed the Nuts weren't big enough and were just there to be on television. They were also featured in Season 2 of Tosh.0
as the "Viewer Video of the Week" with their "Gayo" video.
, Cuba and arrived in Miami in 1980 by way of the famous Mariel boatlift
. In 2007, he was featured in Ocean Drive
Espańol Magazine’s "En Caliente" (What’s Hot) section.He's appeared on Last Comic Standing
, ComicView
, Las Vegas
, Boston Legal
, From Justin to Kelly
, and Burn Notice
. Piedra has also taken part in several significant stand up comedy showcases including Comedy Central’s Open Mic Fight, NBC's Stand Up for Diversity, and a Just for Laughs Showcase.
Sketch comedy
A sketch comedy consists of a series of short comedy scenes or vignettes, called "sketches," commonly between one and ten minutes long. Such sketches are performed by a group of comic actors or comedians, either on stage or through an audio and/or visual medium such as broadcasting...
duo based in Miami, Florida
Miami, Florida
Miami is a city located on the Atlantic coast in southeastern Florida and the county seat of Miami-Dade County, the most populous county in Florida and the eighth-most populous county in the United States with a population of 2,500,625...
consisting of Yamil Piedra and Johnny Trabanco. Piedra and Trabanco have been working together since 1998 where they met in college at Florida International University
Florida International University
Florida International University is an American public research university in metropolitan Miami, Florida, in the United States, with its main campus in University Park...
. In 1997, Piedra co-founded Impromedy, an improv comedy group based in Miami. The following year Trabanco joined the group. Seeing how well they worked together they decided to form a duo and in 2003 A Pair of Nuts was born. Since then they've built an impressive on-line following with their viral videos which have received millions of views and have been featured on YouTube, MySpace, Funny or Die, & College Humor. In early 2009, their popularity led them to team up with Peripheral Films and created their own web series called “The Nuthouse."
Their style of comedy has been compared to a modern day Abbott & Costello, Martin & Lewis, a throwback to the old school comedy duos with a modern flair. Their live stage show is an award-winning multimedia sketch comedy show that consists of loosely improvised sketches intertwined with short videos. They’ve headlined at some of the top comedy clubs in the U.S. and have performed at military bases and colleges nationwide. They've also performed at the Comedy Central Stage in LA, South Beach Comedy Festival, Los Angeles Comedy Festival, Los Angeles Improv Comedy Festival, and the Miami Improv Festival where they were awarded "Best South Florida Performance."
Their television appearances include Comedy Central, VH1, Last Call with Carson Daly, Discovery Channel, BET, MegaTV, and several local South Florida programming. In early 2010, they starred and wrote for the Spanish language sketch comedy show on MegaTV “El Vacilon," where they brought a never-before-seen style of comedy to Spanish programming that earned them a 2010 Suncoast Emmy Award for writing. On the show they worked with Hispanic celebrities including Wilmer Valderrama
Wilmer Valderrama
Wilmer Eduardo Valderrama is an American actor and television personality, known for the role of Fez in the sitcom That '70s Show, hosting the MTV series Yo Momma, and voicing the character of Manny in the children's show Handy Manny.-Early life:Valderrama was born in Miami, Florida the son of...
(That 70’s Show), Tony Plana
Tony Plana
Tony Plana is a Cuban-American actor and director. He is well known for playing Betty Suarez's father, Ignacio Suarez, on the ABC show Ugly Betty.-Personal life:...
(Ugly Betty), Luis Guzman
Luis Guzmán
Luis Guzmán is an actor from Puerto Rico. He is known for his character work. For much of his career, he has played roles largely as sidekicks, thugs, or policemen....
(Carlito’s Way), and Steven Bauer
Steven Bauer
Steven Bauer is a Cuban-American actor. He is known for his role as Manny Ribera in the 1983 film Scarface, and his role on the bilingual PBS show Que Pasa, USA.-Early life:...
(Scarface). In mid 2010, they were contestants on the VH1 reality weight loss show Money Hungry
Money Hungry
Money Hungry is a reality TV weight loss competition show based around the concept of bet dieting, with twelve teams of two competing for a $100,000 prize made up from team contributions.-Contestants:-Weigh-ins and eliminations:...
. In the premiere episode, the Nuts strutted around the pool of the house in pink thongs and Yamil shaved Johnny's head claiming that "hair weighs more than fat." Some contestants raised questions as to their reasoning for being on the show because they believed the Nuts weren't big enough and were just there to be on television. They were also featured in Season 2 of Tosh.0
Tosh.0
Tosh.0 is an American television series hosted by comedian Daniel Tosh, who provides sarcastic commentary on online video clips, society, celebrities, and other parts of popular culture.-History:...
as the "Viewer Video of the Week" with their "Gayo" video.
Yamil Piedra
Yamil was born in HavanaHavana
Havana is the capital city, province, major port, and leading commercial centre of Cuba. The city proper has a population of 2.1 million inhabitants, and it spans a total of — making it the largest city in the Caribbean region, and the most populous...
, Cuba and arrived in Miami in 1980 by way of the famous Mariel boatlift
Mariel boatlift
The Mariel boatlift was a mass emigration of Cubans who departed from Cuba's Mariel Harbor for the United States between April 15 and October 31, 1980....
. In 2007, he was featured in Ocean Drive
Ocean Drive (magazine)
Ocean Drive is a magazine that reports on fashion, society, entertainment and celebrities in Miami Beach, Florida, in the United States. The magazine has been referred to as "the Bible of South Beach" due to its coverage of nightlife and VIPs. Suzy Buckley is the Editor in Chief. The magazine's...
Espańol Magazine’s "En Caliente" (What’s Hot) section.He's appeared on Last Comic Standing
Last Comic Standing
Last Comic Standing is an American reality television talent show that has aired from 2003 through 2010.The goal of the program is to select a comedian from a group, who will receive a development contract with the NBC network, and a television special first to air on the cable-TV network Comedy...
, ComicView
ComicView
ComicView was an American stand-up comedy show that aired on BET on Tuesdays and Fridays from September 1992 to December 2008. The show has been the launching pad for such comedians as Dante, D.L. Hughley, Cedric the Entertainer, Sommore, and Rodney Perry....
, Las Vegas
Las Vegas (TV series)
Las Vegas was an American television series broadcast by NBC from September 22, 2003 to February 15, 2008. The show focuses on a team of people working at the ficticional Montecito Resort & Casino dealing with issues that arise within the working environment, ranging from valet parking and...
, Boston Legal
Boston Legal
Boston Legal is an American legal dramedy created by David E. Kelley, which was produced in association with 20th Century Fox Television for the ABC...
, From Justin to Kelly
From Justin to Kelly
From Justin to Kelly is a 2003 American romantic comedy musical film starring Kelly Clarkson and Justin Guarini, the winner and runner-up, respectively, of the first season of American Idol...
, and Burn Notice
Burn notice
A burn notice is an official statement issued by one intelligence agency to other agencies. It states that an individual or a group is unreliable for one or more reasons...
. Piedra has also taken part in several significant stand up comedy showcases including Comedy Central’s Open Mic Fight, NBC's Stand Up for Diversity, and a Just for Laughs Showcase.